2023 is a centenary year for Paignton. Much of the focus, quite rightly, will be on Herbert Whitley, and hopefully, on the zoos future.
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Paignton Zoo Paignton Zoo 2023
- Thread starter TriUK
- Start date
The zoo is currently closed 9-20th Jan for essential maintenance. I’m not sure if they will be able to complete all outstanding work in this time; Croc swamp heating & access, zebra/giraffe housing & paddocks, removal of aviaries near cassowary, lion exhibit, Orang climbing structures and possible information display/temporary museum to celebrate & educate about this years centenary. It’s a huge task, so I hope they have some labourers/tradespeople in to support the already overstretched and tired in house team?
There is also a lot of spring cleaning to be done around the zoo. When I visited shortly before Xmas, I was particularly unhappy about the state of some of the exhibits in the Amphibian Ark and the labelling of many of the exhibits around the zoo. On the positive side I was pleased to see that work was being done on the two large parrot aviaries between the hyacinth macaws and the old eared pheasant, which have been empty for some time - I hope they will be ready for new occupants soon.
Gigit
Well-Known Member
Last time we went there was no sign of the brown eared pheasant and I assumed he'd met his end. Unless he's tucked up somewhere warm for the winter.
I was replying to this.
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Visited today following closure. There had clearly been lots of work, but I’m not sure any ‘average visitor’ would notice anything at all. There has been [very important ] work done on the basic infrastructure, paths, bridges etc. However, keeping in context a mid January cold day, there are still expanses of the park off-show, closed or barren of animals.
The sarus crane has moved into the newly netted aviary on the back of the Hornbill aviaries at ABC with the Secretary Bird next door. This area looks good.
I have only seen the male and one female Bongo on show now for some time?
There has been no (visible) progress on the Savannah exhibit.
One moment, please...
The sarus crane has moved into the newly netted aviary on the back of the Hornbill aviaries at ABC with the Secretary Bird next door. This area looks good.
I have only seen the male and one female Bongo on show now for some time?
There has been no (visible) progress on the Savannah exhibit.
One moment, please...
The Pied Tamarins in Monkey Heights are still in the Loris exhibit. It’s very strange seeing them under red lights. The outdoor aviaries to these exhibits are still closed off. The Pied Tamarin exhibit still says ‘new species arriving soon’.
The flamingos are still in the Ranch barn, but did not have outside access yesterday. I learned from WWT that they don’t like buildings with corners so I hope they are not too stressed.
The Pelicans are visible in their off show area from the Cassowary paddock opposite the still empty lion enclosure. Seriously, how hard is it to move 3 lions to the next County (I appreciate it takes planning and resources but this is a joke!).
There are SC Screamers in the bird nursery aviary where the Kiwi is still off show but back on the monitor screen.
Speckled doves and Turaco can be seen off show from the second level of the car park.
I have not seen Bruce the Echidna on show for over a year - probably bad luck.
There was a retaining wall being built alongside the pot-bellied pig pen.
The Bug house is closed.
The desert house is closed.
The Nocturnal house is closed.
The giraffe house is closed.
Crocodile Swamp house is closed.
The reptile nursery house has closed.
The Lion enclosure is empty.
The Binturong house is closed off (Fig, the lone female has afternoon access to her outside area).
The owl aviaries by cassowaries are empty.
The Camel area is still empty.
The ex Lechwe paddock is empty.
The Kangaroo walk through is closed with only a few elusive animals on show.
The children’s Ranch Farm has closed.
The lone male Maned Wolf is still very elusive (see online comments in reviews about this) and a huge centre-of-zoo exhibit is devoid of animals most of the time.
As part of the Centenary year, the zoo have pledged that all school parties ‘go free in ‘23’ which I think is fantastic and the Ed dept. deserve advance credit & respect for taking this on. I sincerely hope there will be animals on show for them to see!
Paignton Zoo, for all their efforts to fix some poorly maintained infrastructure are treading a fine line here and must be very careful to not annoy and aggravate paying guests in their centenary year.
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Does anyone know if Paignton have an Animal Collections Manager, Senior Curator or someone in a similar role? It would be interesting to contrast the number of imports, arrivals and breeding programme departures against similar sized U.K. zoos.
TB, Avian Flu and Brexit restrictions are given as reasons by the zoo’s management for the plateau and reversal in growth, but have other zoos been so hamstrung by these barriers to progress? I see Hamerton, Chester, YWP and Longleat making collection additions - how are they doing it?
TB, Avian Flu and Brexit restrictions are given as reasons by the zoo’s management for the plateau and reversal in growth, but have other zoos been so hamstrung by these barriers to progress? I see Hamerton, Chester, YWP and Longleat making collection additions - how are they doing it?
Only one Sarus Crane?
I only saw one, a very confident and very healthy looking bird. I’m fairly confident this was the individual that resided near the Lar Gibbons.
I could hear the calls of other cranes though in the off show paddocks behind the cassowaries & ABC buildings.
Gigit
Well-Known Member
There were two In December 2019. I saw them being moved from the lake for winter to the aviary between the tapirs and maned wolf (not sure exactly when) but only one returned to the lake. I think it's the male.
Gigit
Well-Known Member
From your description, this is pretty much what I expected.
Bongo - their house was closed off for a couple of weeks in November. When it reopened, the older female (pretty sure it was her) had some wounds round her head and neck and didn't seem to be moving well. I think she's now the one who is missing.
Gigit
Well-Known Member
As far as I know, there are two Curators - one for Mammals and one for Birds, Reptiles and LVI. Am I allowed to name them here? Lisa Britton is the Mammals one and John Meek does the rest.
Out of curiosity, I've been keeping an eye on the Situations Vacant for a few months in the hope of spotting posts for people with a background in zoos and animals, but among all the engagement, customer growth, visitor experience, high reliability etc etc teams, there were only a few keeper vacancies. Have they got their priorities skewed?
Surely that just means there have been fewer keeping vacancies, and no more than that?
I hope so, as retention has been an issue in recent years.
Gigit
Well-Known Member
Maybe I didn't make myself clear - the only vacancies that required a background in animals and zoos were for a few keepers, presumably replacing those who had left. The vast majority of vacancies were for posts that required no animal experience. My point being that the zoo is possibly being run by business people rather than zoo enthusiasts. All well and good from a business point of view no doubt, but the evidence seen by regular visitors is that the actual zoo, the animal bit that people come to see, is in decline. At some point they will have to tell us what their plans are aside from exciting new paths, fences and so on.
Or maybe the people with animal/conservation backgrounds in senior positions simply have not left and therefore do not need replacing?
Oh dear. There are so few Sarus in U.K. collections now
Back when there *were* a large number of keeper vacancies some time ago, you suggested that this was a sign the collection was in decline, and that keepers were leaving because the zoo was neglecting the animal side of business - and yet now this is no longer the case, you suggest that the reduction in keeper vacancies (suggesting that the zoo is retaining existing staff) is *also* a sign that the collection is in decline and that the animal side is being neglected.
I'm not actually sure you'd be happy whatever happened as regards job openings
