Hamerton Zoo Park Paul & Lynsey's Zoo Tour 2015 - #2 Hamerton Zoo

migdog

migdog

Well-Known Member
10+ year member
Me and my wife Lynsey are on a Zoo tour this year, discovering the awesome animals around the UK, and taking part in experiences where we can, please check out our videos of each visit:

https://youtu.be/BR9D2ruUCzY

The 2nd zoo on our tour took us to Hamerton Zoo Park, near Huntingdon.
On first impression it seemed quite a small zoo, set in a square with wallabies and some birds in the centre, but after a bit of exploration it opened up into quite an expanse, with some amazing animals on display.

Hamerton has a great little Sloth House, but we careful, it's almost pitch black and take a while for your eyes to adjust. Inside is around 3 Sloths, when we went they were really active.

Walking around the zoo you will see some stunning animals: Gibbons, Canadian Lynx, White Bengal Tigers, but the rare gem is a Jaguarundi. Not present in any other zoo in UK, we managed to get a glimpse but that was all. They also had two baby cheetahs that we saw being walked ona lead by two of the keepers, they were so cute!

The Gopro brings out the inquisitive side in some animals, the Lar Gibbons seems curious, and the meerkats and some of the stunning birds tried to give the camera a peck. The grey goose was hilarious, running up and down, following Lynsey.

Unfortunately we didn't take part in any animal experience here (although we did fee the goats - standard). The Cheetah experience was a little too expensive....

You can probably get round the zoo in 2-3 hours. I don't remember any feedings or talks available to stretch the day out.

A great small sized zoo and is worth the £11.95 entry fee.

Highlights: Catching a glimpse of a Jaguarundi, watching the keepers walk the cheetah cubs, the Canadian Lynx, the goose chasing Lynsey.

Lowlights: Only catching a glimpse of the Jaguarundi, not seeing the raccoon, the fact we couldn't buy a wristband for our collection (at least they had a key ring).

If you want any more info, or want to give feedback please feel free to reply.
 
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migdog said:
Walking around the zoo you will see some stunning animals: Gibbons, Canadian Lynx, White Bengal Tigers, but the rare gem is a Jaguarundi. Not present in any other zoo in UK, we managed to get a glimpse but that was all.
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A few minor points; there are Jaguarundi at RSCC and Shorelands as well as Hamerton, and the white tigers are not Bengal :)

Did you manage to see the two different kinds of Aardwolf? I suspect many of us would count the Southern Aardwolf at Hamerton the rarest gem of all - there are no other individuals of this subspecies in captivity anywhere else in the world.

migdog said:
You can probably get round the zoo in 2-3 hours. I don't remember any feedings or talks available to stretch the day out.
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In my experience, the best way to stretch the day out is to patiently wait for a sighting of the more elusive treasures, such as the Jaguarundi, Aardwolves and - when they were onshow - the Oncillas.
 
TeaLovingDave said:
Did you manage to see the two different kinds of Aardwolf? I suspect many of us would count the Southern Aardwolf at Hamerton the rarest gem of all - there are no other individuals of this subspecies in captivity anywhere else in the world.
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Isn't that the one that died earlier this year?

EDIT: I see there is another one off show.
 
There were a few animals we didn't see that day, the aardwolf, oncilla and the raccoons. I honestly can't even remember seeing signs for wither the aardwolf or the oncilla.....
 
The 2 Eastern Aardwolf are in the opposite enclosure to the Corsac Foxes as you walk towards the Tiger tunnel. I don't know where the Southern specimen is though and only ever saw one where the Cheetah cubs are now.

The Oncilla and Rusty Spotted Cats new enclosure isn't quite ready yet, next to the Lynx/Tigers as far as I'm aware and the Racoons rearely seem to come out before 4pm.


Migdog, there are discussions in other Hamerton threads about the lack of Talks, but they do occasionally put them when a specific species is featured, such as the recent Binturong day and the upcoming Parrot day.

I'm still in two minds about the place and if it wasn't so close, I wouldn't have made so many trips when I first discovered it. When the weather is grey and there's few people around, I find it very depressing, but on other days, it's nice because you are not being jostled (or run into by scooters).
 
migdog said:
We went early this year, and I don't remember even seeing an enclosure for the aardwolf. Where is it located? A reason to go back I guess :)
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The following map is broadly correct, albeit somewhat out of date:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-brOoOXPVL...5E/2f9HrKwWkaY/s1600/Pastel+Zoo+Map+FINAL.jpg

The enclosure labelled with Aardwolf between the Monkeys and Pudu now contains the aforementioned Cheetah cubs after the Southern Aardwolf which lived there died some time ago - however there is an enclosure between the Pudu and Lemur labels which is not marked on the map but *is* on-show, and which contains the other Southern Aardwolf. I believe the plan is to move this remaining male into the other enclosure once the Cheetah cubs are old enough to move to a different enclosure.

As littleRedPanda notes, the complex of enclosures near the Tigers and Lynx labelled "cats" is not on-display yet, and contains Oncilla and Rusty-spotted Cat. A neighbouring enclosure for Tayra is unmarked but on-show.

My sightings of Oncilla at the collection were when the taxon was on-display in an enclosure near the Giant Anteaters and Meerkats.
 
Yeah, unfortunately the surviving Southern Aardwolf is the less showy of the two brothers; the one which was in the current Cheetah cub enclosure was a pretty reliable spot if you had patience :p that said, I've seen the surviving individual on two out of three visits..... it just took longer.
 
Can't believe we missed the aardwolf, I'm now going to have to find time to go back.
 
As noted, if you return try to see both the single Southern Aardwolf and the pair of Eastern Aardwolves :)
 
My wife said the enclosure in question was empty when we visited and was under renovation. Makes me feel better knowing I didn't just walk past them!
 
TeaLovingDave said:
The following map is broadly correct, albeit somewhat out of date:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-brOoOXPVL...5E/2f9HrKwWkaY/s1600/Pastel+Zoo+Map+FINAL.jpg

The enclosure labelled with Aardwolf between the Monkeys and Pudu now contains the aforementioned Cheetah cubs after the Southern Aardwolf which lived there died some time ago - however there is an enclosure between the Pudu and Lemur labels which is not marked on the map but *is* on-show, and which contains the other Southern Aardwolf. I believe the plan is to move this remaining male into the other enclosure once the Cheetah cubs are old enough to move to a different enclosure.

As littleRedPanda notes, the complex of enclosures near the Tigers and Lynx labelled "cats" is not on-display yet, and contains Oncilla and Rusty-spotted Cat. A neighbouring enclosure for Tayra is unmarked but on-show.

My sightings of Oncilla at the collection were when the taxon was on-display in an enclosure near the Giant Anteaters and Meerkats.
Click to expand...

How do you find out all this information ?
 
garyjp said:
How do you find out all this information ?
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A combination of having visited the collection sufficient times that I remember where everything is, along with information gleaned by other Zoochatters on their visits to the collection - for instance the information regarding the intention to move the remaining Southern Aardwolf into the enclosure vacated by his brother once the Cheetah cubs are old enough comes from this post, and the image attached to it.
 
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