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(Have to also say that I don't like the idea of predator and prey species alternating in enclosures - just as an example, small cat and squirrel species. To my mind, while it is probably beneficial to the predator, the scent of that predator must surely cause the prey species some stress)

I agree with that. There has been talk of the new Asian Lion and Dhole exhibits planned at Twycross having 'interchangeable' outdoor areas the two species can be alternated in. It could be quite stressful for the Dhole I think, at least initially, though they would probably lose the fear over time.
 
Few notes fom todays visit

- Madagascan walkthrough was open today and although not as big as i would like i thought that it was a good addition to the zoo. However sadly no sign of lemurs or mongoose when i was there.

- Pied tamarin have been taken off thier island and the house removed and moved into the tropical house with the golden lion tamarins.

- No sign of tapirs on my visit

(Will be visiting dartmoor during midweek so if anyone wants me to find out anything let me know.)
 
(Will be visiting dartmoor during midweek so if anyone wants me to find out anything let me know.)

Have they put the fencing up on the new vervet enclosure, when I visited a few weeks ago that looked like the only thing left to do.
 
Have they put the fencing up on the new vervet enclosure, when I visited a few weeks ago that looked like the only thing left to do.

Will check for you, i would say that they have as they are planning on opening it over easter.
 
Diana Monkeys

Will check for you, i would say that they have as they are planning on opening it over easter.

When you next visit Newquay Zoo, can you check out the Diana Monkey situation and if they now have a male/female pair instead of the two females? If so, maybe you can find out where the male has come from, (or is coming from), and where the 2nd female will go/has gone.
 
Have they put the fencing up on the new vervet enclosure, when I visited a few weeks ago that looked like the only thing left to do.

Quote from one of thier keepers on facebook:
"Enclosure is almost complete. Only the fence to be fixed in place and few tweeks in the house and its all set to go. Unfortunately the weather has delayed us slightly but we reckon it'll be ready in about a week or so. Keep an eye out here for updates on the official opening day."


And will try to find out about the diana monkeys next time i go pertinax
 
Amazed animals are still being disbanded from cricket st thomas, the remaining animals days must be numbered!:(

Shame on you all toffs who use warner!:mad:

Still think its such a shame that the zoo is being reduced, the valley would have been ideal for a mixed african exhibit.
 
There has been another Owston,s civet born last week you can see it clearly in the mirrored nestbox, really cool. The sixth one they,ve had born according to the keepers.
The crowned lemurs and narrow-striped mongooses looked great in there mixed exhibit, both very active.
Asked about the diana monkeys and one female is going to Marwell and a male is coming from Port Lympne.
 
Visited Newquay last wednesday, but I dont feel the need to write another review as i still feel last years is largely relevant:
http://www.zoochat.com/38/review-newquay-zoo-74389/
So here are a few notes:

- numerous babies across the zoo from Black wildebeast, energetic and cute fishing cat kittens, capybara, visayan warty pigs, macaques and meerkats.

- I was very impressed with how the phillipine exhibit has developed (when I last visited it had only just opened and the fishing cat enclosure wasn't finished). The deer were alot more confident and relaxed in their enclosure providing a wonderful display. The fishing cat enclosurre is very good, providing thick vegetation so the cats can remain invisible, whilst offering good views when the cats want to be seen. Indeed it was wonderful to see th kittens trying to fish in the enclosure's pool. the warty pigs have had three little piglets and so only the mother and the piglets had access to the outdoor area. The male could be seen through a viewing window (also new).

- The oriental garden has had a makeover to become a very attractive display of oriental gardening with a plaque explaining about the different elements to the garden. also in the oriental garden there has been a new pair of otters as the old male had died last year. The owston plam civets look as gorgeous as ever and it was nice to see an adult get up and groom the others (as opposed to being a curled ball of fluff).

- the emporer tamarins had swapped islands with the pied tamarin. this means that the pied tamarins are now next to the silvery marmosets and in front of the african savanhha walkway, while the emporer tamarins are in the south american paddock with tapir and capybara.

- I feel unsure about the new Madgascan enclosure and I'm sure i heard many disspaointed remarks from visitors. The exhibit is branded as a walkthrough. however the walkthrough area is only for the madagascan birds (vasa parrots, madgascan lovebirds and partridges), and even in this 'walkthrough' the visitors are under a covered area and aren't exactly immersed in the exhibit. maybe i'm being over critical. One of the highlights was seeing the narrow striped mongoose (it took me two stake outs of half an hour and then several further visits). The mongoose are held with a pair of crowned lemur behind glass windows, with viewing into a lemur indoor area as well. the cage is wonderfully landscaped, making full use of the coati's old rock backdrop. Unfortunatley the signage in the exhibit is rather awkward. the first animal they see is the crowned lemurs, but the frst sign is for the mongoose, leading to many visitors pointing out the lemurs incorrectly as the mongoose. The actual enclosures are very nicely planted and landscaped.

- the tropical hall has seemed to have lost its ability to awe guests as they would frequently be entranced by the joyful antics of the charismatic pygmy marmosets. However the lack of small monkeys (and generally mammals) in the main section of the hall is to its own detriment, visitors now simply pass what has become a bird hall without learning much about tropical rainforests. the mammal species can nearly all be found behind a netted area only visible from the second level. Here chervotain, golden lion tamarin, pied tamarin, sloth, tortoises and toucans can be seen through unclear netting.

more to come..
 
I haven't seen anything about a new white tailed gnu calf, is it recent?
 
I haven't seen anything about a new white tailed gnu calf, is it recent?

I dont know, but seeing as they lost the last calf they had, maybe they're waiting a while before making it public :confused: unfortunatley there was no keepers around to ask
 
to carry on with the notes:

- around into carnivore corner, the lynx were extremely difficult to find or see. I eventually found the pair about half an hour from closing time with no one else about. it's a shame that the lynx don't show better in such a quirky enclosure. the meerkats look fabulous in their large enclosure and unusually for meerkats didn't look obese. instead they looked bright, active and slim.

- the red panda complex is under total renovation, along with the old pirare dog enclosure and agouti enclosure that formed the complex. the tunnel is being revamped, the walls of all the enclosure's have been replaced with glass windows. the agouti enclosure has disapeared and the pirarie dog enclosure has been expanded. as a result none of the animals were on show. however i am a little confused as the map in the guide book clearly states the area is for red panda and cusimanse, so i am unsure as to whether pirarie dogs have left the collection to be replaced by the cusimanse which were still in the barn enclosure.

- the farmyard area. the blue eyed cockatoo has been replaced by white rumped shama's and luzon bleeding heart dove (which is also a new addition to the tropical hall). the native wildlife centre's windows have been blocked up and only the harvest mice now reside in there.

- blue crane have left the collection since my last visit

- the two owl enclosure's have been knocked into one for the ural owl. this is a much better space as the previous avairies were two small for the owls.

- inside the 'wildlife at night' building, 2 paca's were spotted, after and hour wait, one larger than the other. (please someone tell me they are a breeding pair, i would love some little baby paca in british zoos). Also interesting was a keeper fending off an angry kinkajou with a pan. having just fed the kinkajou it tried to climb in the pan (which did have it's food in) before sending the keepr diving as it jumped about him and scracthed at him. Also fantastic news the house is now mice free!!! :D no more unpleasant infestations. also i think the lighting has improved.

I think that's about it. I welcome any questions
 
Well there is a breeding pair at South Lakes, with a young paca having been born there this year
 
Yes its a shame the pygmy marmosets have been moved from the tropical house but one of their " joyful antics" seems to have been eating birds eggs!
 
Well there is a breeding pair at South Lakes, with a young paca having been born there this year

Great news, it would be wonderful to see paca becoming more common in British zoos. At newquay the paca's really compliment the pacarana conservation project they have going.
 
News at Newquay Zoo

- just discovered this (i probably shouald of found it earlier) but it explains that the cusimanse are being/have been moved and that the tunnel underneath the red panda enclosure is going to feature amphibians :cool:
 
I visited Newquay for the first time this week. How many Palm Civets do they have now? I took a photo of the mirrored box but can't work out how many civets are curled up together. Also, where did they keep the Cherry Crowned Mangabeys before they moved to Paignton?
 
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