Jordan-Jaguar97
Well-Known Member
Yep, know where you mean, thanks- It'll be interesting to see the place, I miss Mandy.
Flamingo Land News from Flamingo Land
- Thread starter Nisha
- Start date
Yep, know where you mean, thanks- It'll be interesting to see the place, I miss Mandy.
Jordan-Jaguar97
Well-Known Member
Jordan-Jaguar97
Well-Known Member
Thanks!, were going on thurs, looking forward to a zoo only day!
Me too- I don't think it'll be that busy, which I'm hoping it won't be. I do think it's ridiculous the price you have to pay for entry for the theme park and Zoo. I do think more 'zoo open days' will be attract more visitors, some visitors [Like myself] don't want to visit the theme park, they just want to visit the Zoo, so days like this are very promising.
The Zoo opening time this week (Well Sunday) is 9.30 am.
It says 10am to 4pm on their website today.
Jordan-Jaguar97
Well-Known Member
The park has seemed to open before the official time in the last few seasons, but it's probably better to play safe. As far as visitor numbers go, in the winter seasons commencing in 1998/99 these were building up nicely until the foot and mouth outbreak brought an abrupt halt in 2000/01. Since then there has been no real continuity over the winter seasons. There have been one or two full seasons, a partial season in 2002/03, some just leading up to Christmas and some with no opening at all. Many people tell me they would like to visit F L but only for the zoo, so will not pay the theme park price. Hopefully I'll be there on Friday, weather permitting.
Jordan-Jaguar97
Well-Known Member
Andrew can you tell me after your visit on Friday the following:
A)What the weather is like?
B) If the Sumatran tigers were together and active/visable?
C) What species wern't outdoors?
I'll do my best Jordan. I've just watched the forecast for Friday and it gave it gloomy with the possibility of some rain but that would not stop me going. If it is changed to forecast rain all day though I'll not go in case they decide not to open the zoo.
Well, I've been and got back home 1/2 an hour ago (circa 2 1/2 hours by public transport and cycle). What an excellent day I have had! The place was absolutely heaving with visitors. Right here goes:-
A) Sunny in the morning, overcast in the afternoon. The only snow still around is dirty stuff that had been piled up as paths were cleared and there's hardly any of it left. It turns out the zoo opened last Saturday despite the freezing weather, keepers having cleared and gritted the paths. Visitors were handed a flyer saying do not walk on the snow! The zoo was rewarded by being packed with visitors. Apparently as the Giraffes were confined indoors the older Giraffe House was opened to visitors and it soon became full.
B) The Sumatran Tigers were together, visible and active. They were mating on two of the occasions I visited their exhibit. I had been told they had been seen mating a few months ago, but obviously unsuccessfully as cubs would have been born by now.
C) Most animals were outside at least at some point. I didn't see any Addax, otherwise the Scimitar-horned Oryx were the least forthcoming of the ungulates - I got just a quick glimpse of one. They were restricted to their yards as were both groups of Zebras and the (non-ungulate!) Ostriches. The Lechwe were back in their old paddock, so viewing was a bit long distance. The Coatis were confined inside, I think due to necessary modifications to their exhibit but could be seen through their window.. The only birds outside in the Lost Kingdom aviary were the Demoiselle Cranes. I should have asked if the others were being kept in for winter. The Pelican pool was empty. Perhaps the last two have died or left the collection, again I failed miserably to enquire. Not surprisingly the Primate island in the South American paddock side of the Flamingo Lake was not occupied. There was still ice on this side (with a bottle thoughtfully thrown on to it) and a temporary fence stopping the paddock occupants from getting near it. I did not see any Alpacas in that paddock, but again it could be they have gone. Oh, I didn't see any Mangabeys either but I looked only the once.
I was amazed at just how many people were there. I was told Monday and Tuesday had been quieter, but there had been around 600 visitors on Wednesday and nearly 1000 yesterday. I'd guess it would have been more than 1000 today. It was standing room only at the Sealion Show with all the seats in the outdoor area occupied. Several rows of people were crowding around the side of the pool. It was a really good day and it was good to know that the visitors had come for the zoo (some children's rides were open at advertised times). I am very happy I went and getting off the bus in Kirby Misperton this morning I had the excited feeling I used to have when I arrived for winter visits in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Much to my surprise and delight I even found the pen I'd lost in October. One slight criticism is that most of the litter bins were upside down for winter and had not been put the right way round for this opening period so visitors had been putting rubbish on them which didn't look good and of course could easily finish up on the ground.
Finally, Jordan a few months ago you asked me about the birth date of the Siberian Tigers. I did ask about that! It was 8th October 1993.
Jordan-Jaguar97
Well-Known Member
Thanks very much Andrew- a lot of info for me there
Things are looking good on the Sumatran front, I already knew (About a month ago) the Amur birth dates from the studbook, thanks anyway.
Things are looking good on the Sumatran front, I already knew (About a month ago) the Amur birth dates from the studbook, thanks anyway.
That's all right Jordan - I was just editing it when you replied!
Well spotted Anu. Maybe I should have looked at the Ponies more closely! I like Pelicans so I'm sorry I missed them. I still had a good day though and at least they are not dead.
I forgot to say the Chimpanzees were inside and, obviously really, the Fruit Bats did not have access to their outside area. As regards opening time, I did get in a few minutes before ten o'clock and I was not the first in (much as I like to be first into zoos, I once managed to be first into Regent's Park having travelled by train from Bridlington). Looking at the park's website I see during the season the gates now open at 9.30 which explains what I had wrongly presumed was unadvertised earlier opening.
Also forgot to say the Lions in the outdoor area were quite near to the viewing platform when I went down there. There were some in the indoor display area too.
Jordan-Jaguar97
Well-Known Member
Very pleasant visit today, made a few notes and took lots of photos (I'll upload them soon).
- Some promising news is that Bawa and Surya the Sumatran Tigers were mating this morning, at feeding time only Surya was let out.
- No sign of either Rhinos or Hippos, although they were given access outdoors.
- Only the pure-bred Rothschild's giraffe's were let outside today, the youngster [Roofus] is looking very nice.
- No sign of any Mangabeys, they were labelled today but after four attempts throughout the day, I saw none.
- The two Amur Tiger sisters were extremely active today, one even jumped up at me
.
- Kumali the male Lion was confined indoors today, the rest of the pride were let outdoors.
- Only one Tapir out today, also no shows were Chimpanzees, Warty Pigs, Hybrid giraffes and Ostrich.
I purchased a copy of the book 'Zoo vet at large' by Matt Brash which seems very interesting, it says something about Mandy and Marcus (Old pair of Polar Bears) having cubs in 1988 [I think may of been 1991].
- Some promising news is that Bawa and Surya the Sumatran Tigers were mating this morning, at feeding time only Surya was let out.
- No sign of either Rhinos or Hippos, although they were given access outdoors.
- Only the pure-bred Rothschild's giraffe's were let outside today, the youngster [Roofus] is looking very nice.
- No sign of any Mangabeys, they were labelled today but after four attempts throughout the day, I saw none.
- The two Amur Tiger sisters were extremely active today, one even jumped up at me
.- Kumali the male Lion was confined indoors today, the rest of the pride were let outdoors.
- Only one Tapir out today, also no shows were Chimpanzees, Warty Pigs, Hybrid giraffes and Ostrich.
I purchased a copy of the book 'Zoo vet at large' by Matt Brash which seems very interesting, it says something about Mandy and Marcus (Old pair of Polar Bears) having cubs in 1988 [I think may of been 1991].
Sounds like a few more animals were out and about on Friday - it was warmer though. Pleased to hear you had a good visit. Is this another book by Matt Brash? The one I have is just "Zoo Vet" as his television series was originally before becoming "Zoo Vet At Large" and going downhill from my point of view as there was less and less from the zoo. I'd dispute several "facts" in the "Zoo Vet" book, not least the story about "putting the old bull Elephant to sleep", as this would have been Susie. Because of all his television appearances the zoo staff had a nickname for Matt Brash, I don't know whether he knew or not, he probably did but I shall not repeat it - not that it is rude or anything!
Jordan-Jaguar97
Well-Known Member
Yes. It's Zoo Vet, a very interesting book. I did enjoy my visit today, I was upset though about the passing of Benson the Sea-Lion last year.
Benson was an icon of Flamingo Land despite not being one of the zoo's own animals. Clive is a very impressive male, but I doubt another Sealion will capture the imagination of the public in the way Benson did.