Newquay Zoo Newquay Zoo News

Went to Newquay today for an afternoon visit. Wet and windy but mild and it only rained at the start. The Brown hyenas indoor area was cordoned off to start with, so I didn't see them until late on when you could look through the dirty glass. No feeding today so no activity. They were sleeping behind the screened part but when the female realised someone was looking she bolted into an offshow area so I had a very brief view as she moved. The other one stayed put but I could only see it very vaguely. I guess most people generally don't see them at all at present. Amazing to think 3 lions used to be in there.

Elsewhere there were 3 black wildebeest, with 2 zebra. Nyala not seen. Philippine deer were a good display as per usual.4 warty pigs.Waterfowl lake is mostly just mallards now but the b.n. swans are still there. Penguin area was closed for renovation, a very loud blasting machine was operating in there. The old bear pit/sulawesi macaque enclosure is hidden from view by publicity banners, it is derelict and overgrown behind them. Saw most other species including lynx kittens and armadillos, the latter in what used to be the children's area, but not the red pandas. Vasa parrots were a good display and I enjoyed some of the smaller primates like the Pied tamarins.

Still a nice little zoo though dare I say it looked a bit tired, maybe it was just the weather. They are already closing at 4.30 p.m.
 
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Pertinax said:
Went to Newquay today for an afternoon visit. Wet and windy but mild and it only rained at the start. The Brown hyenas indoor area was cordoned off to start with, so I didn't see them until late on when you could look through the dirty glass. No feeding today so no activity. They were sleeping behind the screened part but when the female realised someone was looking she bolted into an offshow area so I had a very brief view as she moved. The other one stayed put but I could only see it very vaguely. I guess most people generally don't see them at all at present. Amazing to think 3 lions used to be in there.

Elsewhere there were 3 black wildebeest, with 2 zebra. Nyala not seen. Philippine deer were a good display as per usual.4 warty pigs.Waterfowl lake is mostly just mallards now but the b.n. swans are still there. Penguin area was closed for renovation, a very loud blasting machine was operating in there. The old bear pit/sulawesi macaque enclosure is hidden from view by publicity banners, it is derelict and overgrown behind them. Saw most other species including lynx kittens and armadillos, the latter in what used to be the children's area, but not the red pandas. Vasa parrots were a good display and I enjoyed some of the smaller primates like the Pied tamarins.

Still a nice little zoo though dare I say it looked a bit tired, maybe it was just the weather. They are already closing at 4.30 p.m.
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Pity about the lake. A few years ago there were eighty White-faced Whistling Ducks, with smaller numbers of Old World Comb Duck, Hooded Merganser, African Black Duck and Red-billed Whistling Duck. The bird collection, as at Paignton, has been dumbed down.
 
FBBird said:
Pity about the lake. A few years ago there were eighty White-faced Whistling Ducks, with smaller numbers of Old World Comb Duck, Hooded Merganser, African Black Duck and Red-billed Whistling Duck. The bird collection, as at Paignton, has been dumbed down.
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I noticed the difference...I saw one Comb duck, one(?) Whistling duck and the perennial pair of Black-necked swans, that's it apart from mallards. Hooded mergansers have moved to one of the aviaries. They do also have ringed teal, cinnamon and puna(?) teal in other aviaries but the main lake is rather a sorry spectacle now.
 
Pertinax said:
Went to Newquay today for an afternoon visit. Wet and windy but mild and it only rained at the start. The Brown hyenas indoor area was cordoned off to start with, so I didn't see them until late on when you could look through the dirty glass. No feeding today so no activity. They were sleeping behind the screened part but when the female realised someone was looking she bolted into an offshow area so I had a very brief view as she moved. The other one stayed put but I could only see it very vaguely. I guess most people generally don't see them at all at present. Amazing to think 3 lions used to be in there.

Elsewhere there were 3 black wildebeest, with 2 zebra. Nyala not seen. Philippine deer were a good display as per usual.4 warty pigs.Waterfowl lake is mostly just mallards now but the b.n. swans are still there. Penguin area was closed for renovation, a very loud blasting machine was operating in there. The old bear pit/sulawesi macaque enclosure is hidden from view by publicity banners, it is derelict and overgrown behind them. Saw most other species including lynx kittens and armadillos, the latter in what used to be the children's area, but not the red pandas. Vasa parrots were a good display and I enjoyed some of the smaller primates like the Pied tamarins.

Still a nice little zoo though dare I say it looked a bit tired, maybe it was just the weather. They are already closing at 4.30 p.m.
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Glad you enjoyed your visit. Are there Bali Starlings still in the Tropical House ? The only time that I have been injured during a zoo visit was by a Bali Starling at Newquay zoo. Some years ago, whilst standing in the upper tier of the Tropical House a Bali flew into my face and cut me just above my right eye. I reported the incident to a keeper who informed me that the birds had chicks in the nest near to the upper tier. I suggested that they placed a warning notice to try and avoid any further attacks, which they duly did. I still love the zoo though . LOL . Also, saw my first Fossa and Owston Civet at Newquay.
 
Strathmorezoo said:
Glad you enjoyed your visit. Are there Bali Starlings still in the Tropical House ? The only time that I have been injured during a zoo visit was by a Bali Starling at Newquay zoo. Some years ago, whilst standing in the upper tier of the Tropical House a Bali flew into my face and cut me just above my right eye. I reported the incident to a keeper who informed me that the birds had chicks in the nest near to the upper tier. I suggested that they placed a warning notice to try and avoid any further attacks, which they duly did. I still love the zoo though . LOL . Also, saw my first Fossa and Owston Civet at Newquay.
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I don't think there were Bali mynahs in there now but can't be certain, there might have been.. There is still a little colony of Cuban finches though. The bird I used to like best in there was the White-headed bulbul but that is long gone now. I miss the Owston's civets which I think they no longer have either?
 
Pertinax said:
I don't think there were Bali mynahs in there now but can't be certain, there might have been.. There is still a little colony of Cuban finches though. The bird I used to like best in there was the White-headed bulbul but that is long gone now. I miss the Owston's civets which I think they no longer have either?
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I spoke to a friend, who knows Newquay pretty well and he's sure that they still have Owston civet, a male named Bao and a female named Quy. He also thinks that there may be a youngster there aswell. Of course, they maybe off show.
 
Strathmorezoo said:
I spoke to a friend, who knows Newquay pretty well and he's sure that they still have Owston civet, a male named Bao and a female named Quy. He also thinks that there may be a youngster there aswell. Of course, they maybe off show.
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Sadly, this is not the case and Newquay no longer hold the species. Though not always the best indicator, the species has been removed from the A-Z list of animals on the Newquay website. A pretty intentional act to remove them considering they were one of the zoos flagship species.
 
TNT said:
Sadly, this is not the case and Newquay no longer hold the species. Though not always the best indicator, the species has been removed from the A-Z list of animals on the Newquay website. A pretty intentional act to remove them considering they were one of the zoos flagship species.
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Thanks TNT,I will pass this information onto my friend. I am surprised that the zoo has moved these animals on.
 
FBBird said:
Why on earth would they get out of those! No Lions, no Macaques, almost no ducks on the lake….
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I think the lions leaving was a good move. They just don't have the space. The macaques is a sad loss, particularly as their pit is now derelict, surely they have enough funds to bring it back into use in some form. They could do with a bigger primate too, capuchin is the limit at present. The waterfowl lake is a sign of the times sadly.
 
I personally think the direction newquay zoo needs to go is like hemsley, focus on more unknown or rarer species, because at the moment that is what a majority of the animals are already are except for a select few such as the Humboldt penguins and lynx. This could mean getting some animals like Tayras, prehensile Tailed porcupines and maned wolves. They already have quite a fair few rarities in their collection already, including one of only 4 Hoffman's sloths in Europe and one of 2 zoos in the UK to house Brown Hyenas.
 
DCzootripper said:
I personally think the direction newquay zoo needs to go is like hemsley, focus on more unknown or rarer species, because at the moment that is what a majority of the animals are already are except for a select few such as the Humboldt penguins and lynx. This could mean getting some animals like Tayras, prehensile Tailed porcupines and maned wolves. They already have quite a fair few rarities in their collection already, including one of only 4 Hoffman's sloths in Europe and one of 2 zoos in the UK to house Brown Hyenas.
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Yes, what they lack in space make up for in quality. They do it to an extent already but could do more.
 
DCzootripper said:
I personally think the direction newquay zoo needs to go is like hemsley, focus on more unknown or rarer species, because at the moment that is what a majority of the animals are already are except for a select few such as the Humboldt penguins and lynx. This could mean getting some animals like Tayras, prehensile Tailed porcupines and maned wolves. They already have quite a fair few rarities in their collection already, including one of only 4 Hoffman's sloths in Europe and one of 2 zoos in the UK to house Brown Hyenas.
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Have they lost a sloth? Last I knew there was a pair
 
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