Paignton Zoo Paignton Zoo news 2024

JVM said:
What's the history on Paington's nocturnal house? Glad to hear it and crocodile swamp are reopening. I did not make it during my trip this year but am hopeful for next time.
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It used to be part of the Circus building when Chessington relocated to Paignton in WWII.

The area in front was the Penguin pool before the penguins moved to Living Coasts.
 
JVM said:
What's the history on Paington's nocturnal house? Glad to hear it and crocodile swamp are reopening. I did not make it during my trip this year but am hopeful for next time.
Click to expand...
There were neither when I visited, so both must be more recent. There was a tropical house with a separate fee to enter, paid at a manned pay-box just inside the door. This was before they sold the main car-park to the supermarket...
 
Sorry for such a delayed report but here it is:
  • Sadly, the Mountain Zebra Foal has passed away.
  • The original Southern Cassowary pair (Twiggy and Madrid) are now going to stay at Paignton Zoo.
  • Last year’s Red River Hog piglets have been named Sprout, Squash and Spud. This year’s have been named after African Fruits.
  • Mexican Blind Cave fish are back at the entrance to the Tropical House near the waterfall.
  • A small group of Jacob’s Sheep arrived last weekend, a nice new addition to the zoo. I believe there to be 4 individuals.
    full
  • The Thao Whipping frog enclosure in the Tropical House is currently closed whilst essential maintenance is carried out. The frogs are currently behind the Lake Titicaca water frog tank.
  • Lots of work happening in the Arid Lands Building, with lots of new structures. Last time I visited, birds still flocked in the trees. It really seems strange without them. The current plans are for porcupines to be the only animals in here but this may change. Lots of new plants have been added, making me think that this could become a more plant focused building?
  • Saw Delilah the female Potoroo, she seems to be settling in nicely and it appears that Dobby (the resident male) has attempted to mate.
  • Near the ABC Building, two young Crested Screamers were grooming. When were these individuals hatched?
  • It appears that the male Mountain Bongo (Bowie) has been separated from the females.
  • Fig’s (Binturong) new enclosure is looking brilliant, with some great signage and enrichment as well.
    full
  • The Maranon P-D frogs have moved off-show and this enclosure is currently empty.
  • Recently the Bugs At Home Building had been closed off after a small infestation of cockroaches. All the enclosures were refurbished. Inside the Turquoise Day Gecko Enclosure, the water pump has broken, meaning that the Gecko and Killifish are off-show at the moment.
  • The newly opened ‘Echidna House’ looks amazing. It is currently home to the African Pygmy Mouse, Short-beaked Echidna and Long-noted Potoroos.
  • In the Monkey Heights area, one enclosure is closed with a sign indicating that some new additions will be living here.
    full
  • Sadly, Zilla the much loved Saltwater Crocodile has passed away, shortly before her planned move.
  • A Lesser Hedgehog Tenrec is off-show and may be moved to the Nocturnal House.
In all a really lovely visit to the zoo. I’m sure Paignton will survive and hopefully, thrive. Sorry If any of this information has already been reported, hopefully this is helpful.
 
Dr. Loxodonta said:
Sorry for such a delayed report but here it is:
  • Sadly, the Mountain Zebra Foal has passed away.
  • The original Southern Cassowary pair (Twiggy and Madrid) are now going to stay at Paignton Zoo.
  • Last year’s Red River Hog piglets have been named Sprout, Squash and Spud. This year’s have been named after African Fruits.
  • Mexican Blind Cave fish are back at the entrance to the Tropical House near the waterfall.
  • A small group of Jacob’s Sheep arrived last weekend, a nice new addition to the zoo. I believe there to be 4 individuals.
    full
  • The Thao Whipping frog enclosure in the Tropical House is currently closed whilst essential maintenance is carried out. The frogs are currently behind the Lake Titicaca water frog tank.
  • Lots of work happening in the Arid Lands Building, with lots of new structures. Last time I visited, birds still flocked in the trees. It really seems strange without them. The current plans are for porcupines to be the only animals in here but this may change. Lots of new plants have been added, making me think that this could become a more plant focused building?
  • Saw Delilah the female Potoroo, she seems to be settling in nicely and it appears that Dobby (the resident male) has attempted to mate.
  • Near the ABC Building, two young Crested Screamers were grooming. When were these individuals hatched?
  • It appears that the male Mountain Bongo (Bowie) has been separated from the females.
  • Fig’s (Binturong) new enclosure is looking brilliant, with some great signage and enrichment as well.
    full
  • The Maranon P-D frogs have moved off-show and this enclosure is currently empty.
  • Recently the Bugs At Home Building had been closed off after a small infestation of cockroaches. All the enclosures were refurbished. Inside the Turquoise Day Gecko Enclosure, the water pump has broken, meaning that the Gecko and Killifish are off-show at the moment.
  • The newly opened ‘Echidna House’ looks amazing. It is currently home to the African Pygmy Mouse, Short-beaked Echidna and Long-noted Potoroos.
  • In the Monkey Heights area, one enclosure is closed with a sign indicating that some new additions will be living here.
    full
  • Sadly, Zilla the much loved Saltwater Crocodile has passed away, shortly before her planned move.
  • A Lesser Hedgehog Tenrec is off-show and may be moved to the Nocturnal House.
In all a really lovely visit to the zoo. I’m sure Paignton will survive and hopefully, thrive. Sorry If any of this information has already been reported, hopefully this is helpful.
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Excellent news on the Cassowaries staying. Getting rid of them was such a daft idea
 
Tim May said:
Sady the deaths of both Hartmann's mountain zebra foals are confirmed by the studbook:
  • female born 18 June 2021; died 4 December 2023
  • female born 18 November 2021; died 4 October 2023
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Do we know the results of the post mortams?
 
Insanely wet visit today, but was nice to see it busy this morning at least!

Minimal to report since last week…

Kune-Kune pigs have arrived and are very fluffy

Looks like the new wallabies are off to the side of the current enclosure behind screens?

Porcupines enclosure in the desert house looks all but finished!

Some work happening in the reptile house. Some animals have moved into newly refurbished tanks and others are now being cleared out.

Most excitingly, there’s a sign on the entrance to the giraffe house that they are working to reopen it later this year. Woohoo!

Saw both Dumble and Delilah, they seemed very active and out and about throughout the day.
 
Kr15 said:
Insanely wet visit today, but was nice to see it busy this morning at least!
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I visited yesterday as well. I arrived at around 12.15 and the zoo was busy. I did my bit to help with finances by buying some chips. They were very nice. :D

I left around 3pm as it was beginning to rain and I didn't want to walk around getting wet, I had seen what I came to see i.e. bongos and amphibians.
 
bongorob said:
I visited yesterday as well. I arrived at around 12.15 and the zoo was busy. I did my bit to help with finances by buying some chips. They were very nice. :D

I left around 3pm as it was beginning to rain and I didn't want to walk around getting wet, I had seen what I came to see i.e. bongos and amphibians.
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Did you manage to time in a visit with Shaldon? ;)
 
I went to Shaldon last Monday, I scored two frog species for the Amphibian challenge. I went to Newquay on Wednesday and missed seeing Pleasing Poison Frogs, of which I saw loads last year, but I saw them at Paignton yesterday.
 
Embu said:
Realistically(I guess there's no point sugar coating things) is there a real possibility that Paignton zoo could close before the end of the year or reduce the number of animals & species in the collection?

Are things near that level yet?
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It's in no danger of closing any time soon. The new CEO said that they're capable of financing their current debts from their reserves and that the Zoo is going to be here in the next 10 years but that the current actions are to safeguard the long term future of the zoo:

Paignton Zoo signals major reset to ensure its future

Essentially current losses since Covid are unsustainable, so the zoo is cutting back and reallocating funds and focus, alon to rebuild on a a stronger footing, so it can get back to financial healthiness and then think about cautiously getting ambitious once again.That might mean smaller collections and a smaller zoo for a while but it's necessary short term pain. I seem to remember hearing somewhere that they'll have paid off their Covid loan in the next year or so, which will help to a limited extent. Why they started the Baboon development and just left it half completed, when they're having to fundraise for other projects I don't know.

The Crocodile Swamp fundraising has reached 50% now but seems to have lost a bit of momentum. As I thought the Torquay United fundraising seems to be sucking the life out of any other fundraising in the area, as it's hit £150k in only three weeks! Also the zoo could perhaps benefit from employing some competent social media managers, as they managed to send up an update on the Swamp fundraising today with a broken link to the fundraising page.
 
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