Paignton Zoo Paignton Zoo news 2024

According to the zoo’s Facebook page, the Giraffe house has been officially re-opened. Out of ignorance, why was it closed in the first place?
 
According to the zoo’s Facebook page, the Giraffe house has been officially re-opened. Out of ignorance, why was it closed in the first place?
The ‘bridge’ and pathways over the void into and out of the house had deteriorated. The previous management regime did not deem it important to open the house after they closed it, despite the Giraffe herd being off-show for large periods of time when their paddock was severely reduced in size by the Zebra moving into their area. Flag poles and new paths around the lake were prioritised.
 
Paignton have announced on their website updates page that they’ve begun work on the Cassowary enclosure to allow breeding. This is great news and will hopefully include strengthening the outside fences beyond the boundary ditch and to improve the keeper/bird interface areas to protect the keepers (especially as their female is so aggressive).
It may not be publicised, but this was another example of the new management listening to members, who raised concerns about the pair being sent to Chester (something the previous CEO signed off on, the numpty!).
 
Saw the maintenance team working on fencing in the enclosures this week.

QUOTE="TriUK, post: 1580994, member: 7318"]Paignton have announced on their website updates page that they’ve begun work on the Cassowary enclosure to allow breeding. This is great news and will hopefully include strengthening the outside fences beyond the boundary ditch and to improve the keeper/bird interface areas to protect the keepers (especially as their female is so aggressive).
It may not be publicised, but this was another example of the new management listening to members, who raised concerns about the pair being sent to Chester (something the previous CEO signed off on, the numpty!).[/QUOTE

[/QUOTE]
 
Had a good visit yesterday. A slow paced autumnal walk through the botanical gardens and a few animals on the way, highlights being:

- a volunteer at the wallaby enclosure who opened the gates to allow guests in, with good viewing of the Swampys.
- seeing all five giraffe at eye level in the house, as well as two of them venturing into the elephant paddock.
- The cassowary showing well in their enclosures with newly scraped ditches and additional fence wiring up high.
- the Pelicans looking relaxed, finally, despite some building noise.
- All monkeys out and active at M Heights. A new male Colobus should be arriving soon.

It appears the cockatoos have left the collection.
The foundations are in place for the marked out Croc Swamp entrance. A pond has been added to the bottom corner (directly opposite the Echidna house) of the new baboon hill exhibit, alongside two newly fenced areas with new tree planting and ploughed turf. Not sure if this is landscaping or a new sheep/goat paddock?
There is new directional signage on smart looking Totem posts all over the zoo, which should address one of the main complaints from touristic visitors that they find navigation difficult.
The porcupines are days away from moving into the desert house enclosure which looks great botanically but lacks its soulful past without bird life.

Malayan box turtles have been added to the Malaysian Giant turtle pool in the tropical house.

Im hoping new Takin, Zebra & Bongo are sourced soon, along with new birds to pair the Secretary birds, Oriental Stork, Red necked Ostrich and Kiwi?

The zoo feels like it’s going in to the new year in a more positive way than last year and without the nonsensical hoo-hah of the failed ‘Xmas light extravaganza’.

oh, and the new Hunts Whitley Blue Cider special edition is class!
 
A flamingo chick has escaped the enclosure and keepers are currently searching for it. Fingers crossed!
 
The zoo have announced that ,in all likelihood, the missing Flamingo chick is dead. There has been no sight of it since it escaped. Sad news, but, probably not unexpected
 
The zoo have announced that ,in all likelihood, the missing Flamingo chick is dead. There has been no sight of it since it escaped. Sad news, but, probably not unexpected
Every article I can find says something like the chick "may be dead", not "the chick is dead". While it is very possible that the escaped flamingo chick is dead, it is best to wait for confirmation before posting this. Here is what BBC had to say in a news release as an example:

"Staff at a zoo believe a flamingo chick that went missing may now be dead.

Paignton Zoo announced a public appeal to help locate the chick on Sunday.

Members of the community had been helping and the zoo said staff had been following "well-rehearsed procedures".

The zoo said there had been no further sightings and "given the time that has passed and the circumstances, we now believe that the chick may no longer be alive".

In a statement the zoo said it would "like to extend its heartfelt thanks to everyone in the community for their support and assistance during this time".

It said all other flamingos and chicks are accounted for and they are "taking additional measures to ensure that this does not happen again"."
 
They've done it!!

We’re so excited to announce that Crocodile Swamp will soon be reopening, thanks to your amazing support for our Bring Back the Swamp campaign, which raised an incredible £15,000!

To celebrate, we’re launching a unique prize draw which includes an exclusive opportunity to feed a crocodile, a large cuddly crocodile toy courtesy of @natureplanet.dk and the honour of cutting the ribbon at our grand reopening✂️

Additionally, there will be several crocodile-themed rubber-up prizes!

The draw opens December 1 and runs until New Year’s Eve - don’t miss out on this unique opportunity!

#bringbacktheswamp #paigntonzoo
 
Paignton Zoo Launches Prize Draw To Celebrate Reopening Of Iconic Exhibit • Paignton Zoo
Looks like Croc Swamp will have Cuban & Tomistoma crocs (individuals I believe?), along with a monitor lizard (this is the individual that resided in reptile tropics and has been in the Komodo Dragon exhibit since Khaleesis departure) and some Python or Constrictors?
It would be great to return a third species of Croc return.
Some terrible ‘fat finger’ phone typing in my previous post, apologies!
The monitor I mentioned is a fully grown Mangrove Monitor.
2025 will see re- opened houses (giraffe, croc swamp, Binturong & Echidna) and should see some progress in other key areas despite the economics hitting all in the U.K. at the moment. Positive stuff!!
 
The Tropical House and adjoining Sloth exhibit is closed due to storm damage. The smiths have been moved off-show.
A croc swamp update this morning shows staff clearing trees in one of the pools with a teaser that the new residents are semi aquatic lizards that are good climbers. My thought is that they’re going to move the Caiman Lizards into one of the pools? So one Tomistoma, one Cuban Croc, one mangrove monitor and two Caiman Lizards (possibly), plus Python as a list of residents?
 
The Tropical House and adjoining Sloth exhibit is closed due to storm damage. The smiths have been moved off-show.
A croc swamp update this morning shows staff clearing trees in one of the pools with a teaser that the new residents are semi aquatic lizards that are good climbers. My thought is that they’re going to move the Caiman Lizards into one of the pools? So one Tomistoma, one Cuban Croc, one mangrove monitor and two Caiman Lizards (possibly), plus Python as a list of residents?
Should read ‘Sloths’, not ‘smiths’. My phone autocorrect is hideous!!
 
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