mhale
Well-Known Member
I visited this lovely little zoo for the first time at the weekend. It is primarily aimed at children, but my husband and I (who don't have children) still had a good day there. The enclosures are very open and there are lots of viewing windows (at child and adult heights in some cases). Although this is a relatively small zoo, and it only exhibits smaller animals, it is very nicely laid out and the collection is interesting. There is a zoo route to follow, which passes the following animals:
1) Immediately after the entrance kiosks, there is a mock-up of a house which has domestic mice in it. Along the corridor is an enclosure housing a green iguana, then one housing a Burmese python and a common boa. Next to this is a very strange enclosure housing a pair of West African dwarf crocodiles with an animatronic triceratops and pterodactyl (I didn't expect that!!)
2) Opposite this is an enclosure which houses dwarf mongooses (the one I saw looked very cute in a hanging basket). Along the corridor is an enclosure housing common marmosets. Opposite this is a mixed enclosure housing silvery marmosets and pygmy marmosets, followed by one housing emperor tamarins. Alongside them is an enclosure housing Goeldi's monkeys, followed by one housing a pair of capuchin monkeys. Some of the monkey enclosures had clear tubes leading from one area to another which meant they walked above you. Opposite the capuchin monkeys is an enclosure housing several black and white ruffed lemurs.
3) Round the corner is a farmyard area on one side of the path, and a meerkat enclosure on the other side. The farmyard houses two Jersey cows, four miniature donkeys, three pygmy goats, three kune kune pigs, chickens and two Shetland ponies. The meerkat enclosure has a dome in the middle which has a tunnel leading to it.
4) Along the path is an enclosure housing three Sulawesi crested macaques. Opposite them is an enclosure housing cotton-top tamarins, alongside one housing red-handed tamarins. Along the path is an enclosure housing a pair of servals, followed by a mixed enclosure for squirrel monkeys and Azara's agoutis which was terrific. This also had tubes leading across a corridor from outdoors to their indoor areas.
5) Next along the path was an enclosure housing a pair of yellow mongooses, alongside one housing three Cape porcupines. Round the corner is an area including a discovery centre and a Maasai hut, as well as an enclosure housing two more pygmy goats. Opposite them is a mixed paddock of llamas and alpacas.
6) The next enclosure houses Rodrigues fruit bats. This is unusual because they are kept in the light rather than a nocturnal house, so they were not flying around. There is an outdoor area attached to their house. Outside the bat house is Rabbit Village which houses British giant rabbits, mixed with Rex and smooth haired guinea pigs, in a Teletubbies-inspired enclosure. Along the path is an enclosure housing humboldt and rockhopper penguins. To my surprise, a heron flew down and stood on the back wall of the enclosure.
7) The zoo route goes inside at this point, starting with an enclosure housing a pair of Diana monkeys. This is followed by a mock-up of a barn/store housing black rats. Next are several owl enclosures, the first housing Eurasian eagle owls, followed by great grey owls, and then snowy owls. Opposite them is a small enclosure housing African striped mice.
8) Back outside, the next enclosure houses red ruffed lemurs, who have a very nice outdoor area. Next to them are Chilean flamingoes. Opposite them are a family of lar gibbons. Along the path is a mixed enclosure for a pair of capybaras, a pair of maras and a pair of North American beavers (whom I didn't see). Opposite them is a family of white-faced saki monkeys.
9) Round the corner is an enclosure housing a family of Geoffroy's marmosets, who have very cute twins born on 25th April 2009. Alongside this is an entrance to an area known as Petworld which includes lizards, tortoises, ferrets, goats, degus, Siberian chipmunks, birds, mice, rats, dumbo rats, Mongolian gerbils, Chinese dwarf hamsters and chinchillas.
10) Back outside is an enclosure housing a family of Asian short-clawed otters. Opposite them are five common raccoons. Next to them are black-tailed prairie dogs, followed by a pair of beautiful fennec foxes.
11) The next area houses an animatronic crocodile who speaks. The path leads to a wonderful walk-through enclosure for ring-tailed lemurs called Lemurland. The volunteer inside the enclosure said all of the lemurs are males who were surplus to requirements in various other collections. Opposite Lemurland is an enclosure for macaws, red-fronted conures and cockatoos, and next to this is one for Madagascan teals. Next to Lemurland is an enclosure for coatis.
12) This is practically the last of the animals as the area after this is a massive children's adventure play area with a cafe and picnic area. There is also a train station where Thomas the Tank Engine does a circuit around the play area.
13) The remaining animals are housed in Bugworld which exhibits violaceous turacos, tarantulas, marginated snails, millipedes, ants, stick insects, etc., as well as a small cage containing a kookaburra and two long-nosed potoroos just off the main path.
14) Finally, the zoo route passes Explorer's Lagoon (which is an area where children can splash around in safety) and Jungle Adventure Golf. There is another cafe/restaurant and a gift shop (which is not the only one) just before the exit. There is an opportunity to stamp your own hand before leaving, so that you can gain re-entry if you are just going to your car for something.
All in all, I liked this zoo. It has good-sized enclosures and I easily spent 4 hours there. I can imagine that with children, a full day out could be possible.
1) Immediately after the entrance kiosks, there is a mock-up of a house which has domestic mice in it. Along the corridor is an enclosure housing a green iguana, then one housing a Burmese python and a common boa. Next to this is a very strange enclosure housing a pair of West African dwarf crocodiles with an animatronic triceratops and pterodactyl (I didn't expect that!!)
2) Opposite this is an enclosure which houses dwarf mongooses (the one I saw looked very cute in a hanging basket). Along the corridor is an enclosure housing common marmosets. Opposite this is a mixed enclosure housing silvery marmosets and pygmy marmosets, followed by one housing emperor tamarins. Alongside them is an enclosure housing Goeldi's monkeys, followed by one housing a pair of capuchin monkeys. Some of the monkey enclosures had clear tubes leading from one area to another which meant they walked above you. Opposite the capuchin monkeys is an enclosure housing several black and white ruffed lemurs.
3) Round the corner is a farmyard area on one side of the path, and a meerkat enclosure on the other side. The farmyard houses two Jersey cows, four miniature donkeys, three pygmy goats, three kune kune pigs, chickens and two Shetland ponies. The meerkat enclosure has a dome in the middle which has a tunnel leading to it.
4) Along the path is an enclosure housing three Sulawesi crested macaques. Opposite them is an enclosure housing cotton-top tamarins, alongside one housing red-handed tamarins. Along the path is an enclosure housing a pair of servals, followed by a mixed enclosure for squirrel monkeys and Azara's agoutis which was terrific. This also had tubes leading across a corridor from outdoors to their indoor areas.
5) Next along the path was an enclosure housing a pair of yellow mongooses, alongside one housing three Cape porcupines. Round the corner is an area including a discovery centre and a Maasai hut, as well as an enclosure housing two more pygmy goats. Opposite them is a mixed paddock of llamas and alpacas.
6) The next enclosure houses Rodrigues fruit bats. This is unusual because they are kept in the light rather than a nocturnal house, so they were not flying around. There is an outdoor area attached to their house. Outside the bat house is Rabbit Village which houses British giant rabbits, mixed with Rex and smooth haired guinea pigs, in a Teletubbies-inspired enclosure. Along the path is an enclosure housing humboldt and rockhopper penguins. To my surprise, a heron flew down and stood on the back wall of the enclosure.
7) The zoo route goes inside at this point, starting with an enclosure housing a pair of Diana monkeys. This is followed by a mock-up of a barn/store housing black rats. Next are several owl enclosures, the first housing Eurasian eagle owls, followed by great grey owls, and then snowy owls. Opposite them is a small enclosure housing African striped mice.
8) Back outside, the next enclosure houses red ruffed lemurs, who have a very nice outdoor area. Next to them are Chilean flamingoes. Opposite them are a family of lar gibbons. Along the path is a mixed enclosure for a pair of capybaras, a pair of maras and a pair of North American beavers (whom I didn't see). Opposite them is a family of white-faced saki monkeys.
9) Round the corner is an enclosure housing a family of Geoffroy's marmosets, who have very cute twins born on 25th April 2009. Alongside this is an entrance to an area known as Petworld which includes lizards, tortoises, ferrets, goats, degus, Siberian chipmunks, birds, mice, rats, dumbo rats, Mongolian gerbils, Chinese dwarf hamsters and chinchillas.
10) Back outside is an enclosure housing a family of Asian short-clawed otters. Opposite them are five common raccoons. Next to them are black-tailed prairie dogs, followed by a pair of beautiful fennec foxes.
11) The next area houses an animatronic crocodile who speaks. The path leads to a wonderful walk-through enclosure for ring-tailed lemurs called Lemurland. The volunteer inside the enclosure said all of the lemurs are males who were surplus to requirements in various other collections. Opposite Lemurland is an enclosure for macaws, red-fronted conures and cockatoos, and next to this is one for Madagascan teals. Next to Lemurland is an enclosure for coatis.
12) This is practically the last of the animals as the area after this is a massive children's adventure play area with a cafe and picnic area. There is also a train station where Thomas the Tank Engine does a circuit around the play area.
13) The remaining animals are housed in Bugworld which exhibits violaceous turacos, tarantulas, marginated snails, millipedes, ants, stick insects, etc., as well as a small cage containing a kookaburra and two long-nosed potoroos just off the main path.
14) Finally, the zoo route passes Explorer's Lagoon (which is an area where children can splash around in safety) and Jungle Adventure Golf. There is another cafe/restaurant and a gift shop (which is not the only one) just before the exit. There is an opportunity to stamp your own hand before leaving, so that you can gain re-entry if you are just going to your car for something.
All in all, I liked this zoo. It has good-sized enclosures and I easily spent 4 hours there. I can imagine that with children, a full day out could be possible.
