Edinburgh Zoo Pandamonium to hit Edinburgh! #2
- Thread starter Lesley4444
- Start date
And the rush to update Zootierliste starts.....
now.
Just looked and someone has indeed already updated it. Blimey, I was only joking!
Very true. One or two species rather hanging on by their fingernails, but they're all here!
mazfc
Well-Known Member
A challenge for you all: what are the species of bears and where can I see them? (my challenge is of course nothing to do with lack of research on my part, that's just a nasty rumour
)A challenge for you all: what are the species of bears and where can I see them? (my challenge is of course nothing to do with lack of research on my part, that's just a nasty rumour
Off the top of my head, there may well be others...
Andean/Spectacled: Chester, Belfast, Durrell (not UK but close)
Asiatic black bear: Dudley
Sloth bear: Whipsnade
Brown bear: Camperdown, Whipsnade, Welsh Mountain Zoo
American black bear: Woburn
Polar bear: Highland Wildlife Park
Giant panda: Edinburgh
Sun bear: Edinburgh
A challenge for you all: what are the species of bears and where can I see them? (my challenge is of course nothing to do with lack of research on my part, that's just a nasty rumour
In Scotland that I can think of there's -
Blair Drummond & Camperdown - European Brown Bear
HWP - Polar
Edinburgh - Panda & Sun Bears
A challenge for you all: what are the species of bears and where can I see them? (my challenge is of course nothing to do with lack of research on my part, that's just a nasty rumour
Brown (Ursus arctos)
ssp. U. a. arctos [European Brown Bear]
- Blair Drummond Safari Park
- Welsh Mountain Zoo
- Whipsnade Zoo
- Dartmoor Zoo
- Camperdown Wildlife Centre
ssp. U. a. syriacus [Syrian brown bear]
- Dartmoor Zoo
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American black [Ursus americanus]
- Woburn Safari Park
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Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus)
- Heythrop Zoo
- Dudley Zoo
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Polar bear (Ursus maritamus)
- Heythrop Zoo
- Highland Wildlife Park
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Sun bear (Helarctos malayanus)
- Colchester Zoo
- Belfast Zoo
- Edinburgh Zoo
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Spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus)
- South Lakes Wild Animal Park
- Chester Zoo
- Belfast Zoo
- Jersey Zoo
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Sloth bear (Melursus ursinus)
ssp. M. u. inornatus [Sri Lankan sloth bear]
- Whipsnade Zoo
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Giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca)
- Edinburgh Zoo
Which other UK zoos were looking into keeping Giant Pandas? Anyone know? I believe Basle Zoo is interested......
Best Giant Panda exhibit anyone? The ones I have seen (admittedly ages ago) in London (Chi Chi was kept in a paddock adjacent to ruminants from what I recall, and the later ones were in the old monkey pavilion) and Berlin were all disappointing... Washington wasn't bad back in the 90s (large grassy paddocks). I've read that the exhibit in Memphis is really good.
Best Giant Panda exhibit anyone? The ones I have seen (admittedly ages ago) in London (Chi Chi was kept in a paddock adjacent to ruminants from what I recall, and the later ones were in the old monkey pavilion) and Berlin were all disappointing... Washington wasn't bad back in the 90s (large grassy paddocks). I've read that the exhibit in Memphis is really good.
I think Washington is best and for a simple, but aesthetically pleasing enclosure I would say Adelaide. I don't like it when they go in for all the Chinese theming like Memphis, I think it's a bit tacky.
I'll wait until I've had a proper look to pass judgement but I was a bit disappointed with what I saw of the landscaping in the Edinburgh enclosures.
I'll wait until I've had a proper look to pass judgement but I was a bit disappointed with what I saw of the landscaping in the Edinburgh enclosures.
I know Colchester Zoo was interested. It was on the local news and in the papers the about 6 years ago. Members of the Essex council had discussed it on a visit to China and the zoo said they would be very keen to house them. The zoo also donated money and did a lot of work for the panda breeding centre after the earthquakes.
However I believe it never got far in the discussion process due to a lack of support from high up members of government.
bigcat speciali
Well-Known Member
I heard that the lease held came to an end, and after many months of tight talks between both countries, that the bears could stay for another four years as the zoo could not afford the full lease price, hence why the fee was dropped by half.
Conservation being at the heart of the majority of good zoos and parks, given that the Chinese are destroying their own back yard as well as buying large areas of Africa, poaching ivory as they go. Is this so-called Panda publicity more of a money and political gimmick rather than true conservation values?
Also the Asiatics at Dudley were Glasgow's and the bears were susposed to be under the ownership of Dudley but after numerous checks it was found to be Glasgow's...
I have to say that I really love pandas and I'm looking forward to getting up to Edinburgh but I really do loathe the Chinese panda system regarding foreign zoos. I think they should be in the global zoo system like any other animal. I feel torn, on the one hand, it's great to see pandas in our zoos; on the other, why do we go along with it?
Mr T
Well-Known Member
Fantastic link there and definately worth a look for any panda fans. Cheers Clouded Leopard!