As part of this year's Isle of Wight daytrip, we decided to visit the tiger sanctuary for the first time. Upon entering the old sea fort through a rather quiet entrance block, we first made our way over to the primate cages. These are of basic but fuctional design, suitabally sized for the inhabitants, which were Parma Wallabies, Black Lemurs (who were particuarly entertaining), White-Fronted Brown Lemurs, Brown Capuchins, Black Spider Monkeys (of which there was a newborn). The only ones that seemed slightly cramped were the white-cheeked gibbons, but they were only there on a temporary basis while they're home at Paradise Wildlife Park was being renovated, and they seemed happy enough branchiating back and forth.
Next we entered the Herp House, Jeepers Creepers. I didn't get to see many of the smaller exhibits cos, as you could expect from a small and dark house, they were crowded around by shouting children. Again, it was a simple but functional design approach, and some of the more interesting exhibits were some standing day geckos, a veiled chameleon and recentley arrived Madagascarn Tenrecs. There were also some recentley born jumping rats, but I didn't see any.
We continued on to some of the big cat enclosures. These were the older ones, a bit small, but with two more national park based exhibits coming in the future this will hopefully allow more of the bengals to move there allowing renovation down here. There is only one remaining Siberian Tiger, Czar, who is believed to be a Siberian/South China hybrid. A very impressive animal indeed.
We walked back past the lioness Nahla's enclosure, and she was being very photogenic watching the public from the sleeping platform. We came to the two jaguar enclosures, a bit small in my opinion. One of them, Chiquita, was out and active.
Passing through a lavishly planted arch, we entered the area home to the zoo's most recent developments: Out of India, a series of tiger enclosures based on national parks (Kahna, Ranthamabore, Pench and Bandhavgarh to come), the Kopjie Lion Exhibit for the two brothers Snoopy and Charlie Brown, and the ZooLittle Farm. Czar's enclosure was also visible from this area. We went to the Kopjie first, where Snoopy and Charlie were sleeping on top of the titular feature. In Khana, the famous one-eyed white tigress Zina was resting amongst the foliage, and went off to her indoor quaters when the keeper walked up to give her her milk feed. Heading to the left, we went into the very well designed viewing area with slitted viewing windows and simple but effective interpretation, before going past the development site for Bandhavgarh to Ranthamabore. Diamond the tabby tiger was resting in a temple podium overlooking his large pond. Nextdoor in Pench, the tiger (cannot remember his or her name) was walking close by the fence, before taking rest at a vantage point in the exhibit, which I reckon was the best one there. Opposite is ZooLittle Farm, opened during the summer, and due to it's basic design and fresh look gives the idea of a foodstore for the tigers!
The layout was a vertical barn with pens coming out on either side, with a second barn at the back with information about British Wildlife. The residents at the moment were chickens (including a VERY big and intimidating rooster that leapt on the rail and started 'cockalooding'), rabbits, guinea pigs and a pot-bellied pig called Winston. The leaflet also mentioned sheep, goats and wallabies, so I presume these are coming later.
We went back towards Kanha, and saw that the lion brothers were chorusing another very impressive bout of roaring together. In Kahna, Zia and Zena were both out and tusseling with one another. Czar had also come to this side of his enclosure, and I found myself 'chuffing' to him from the other side of the fence.
We next went towards Lemurland, which held Black-and-White Ruffed and Ring-Tailed Lemurs. I was impressed by the ring-tail exhibit, the first I saw to portray the arid scrub these animals live in and it was suprisingly open-topped. They were looking well apart from an individual with a bloody foot, probably from a squabble.
After last looks at the tigers, lions and jaguars, we left the zoo. Overall, I found it very good and made with lots of heart, and I wish it all the best for the future.
And I also saw a bit of wildlife on the Island: several kestrels, a red squirrel in the trees right behind us while we picniced in Bonchurch, and what looked like a box turtle in the Bonchurch Village Pond, likely an illegal release.
Next we entered the Herp House, Jeepers Creepers. I didn't get to see many of the smaller exhibits cos, as you could expect from a small and dark house, they were crowded around by shouting children. Again, it was a simple but functional design approach, and some of the more interesting exhibits were some standing day geckos, a veiled chameleon and recentley arrived Madagascarn Tenrecs. There were also some recentley born jumping rats, but I didn't see any.
We continued on to some of the big cat enclosures. These were the older ones, a bit small, but with two more national park based exhibits coming in the future this will hopefully allow more of the bengals to move there allowing renovation down here. There is only one remaining Siberian Tiger, Czar, who is believed to be a Siberian/South China hybrid. A very impressive animal indeed.
We walked back past the lioness Nahla's enclosure, and she was being very photogenic watching the public from the sleeping platform. We came to the two jaguar enclosures, a bit small in my opinion. One of them, Chiquita, was out and active.
Passing through a lavishly planted arch, we entered the area home to the zoo's most recent developments: Out of India, a series of tiger enclosures based on national parks (Kahna, Ranthamabore, Pench and Bandhavgarh to come), the Kopjie Lion Exhibit for the two brothers Snoopy and Charlie Brown, and the ZooLittle Farm. Czar's enclosure was also visible from this area. We went to the Kopjie first, where Snoopy and Charlie were sleeping on top of the titular feature. In Khana, the famous one-eyed white tigress Zina was resting amongst the foliage, and went off to her indoor quaters when the keeper walked up to give her her milk feed. Heading to the left, we went into the very well designed viewing area with slitted viewing windows and simple but effective interpretation, before going past the development site for Bandhavgarh to Ranthamabore. Diamond the tabby tiger was resting in a temple podium overlooking his large pond. Nextdoor in Pench, the tiger (cannot remember his or her name) was walking close by the fence, before taking rest at a vantage point in the exhibit, which I reckon was the best one there. Opposite is ZooLittle Farm, opened during the summer, and due to it's basic design and fresh look gives the idea of a foodstore for the tigers!
The layout was a vertical barn with pens coming out on either side, with a second barn at the back with information about British Wildlife. The residents at the moment were chickens (including a VERY big and intimidating rooster that leapt on the rail and started 'cockalooding'), rabbits, guinea pigs and a pot-bellied pig called Winston. The leaflet also mentioned sheep, goats and wallabies, so I presume these are coming later.We went back towards Kanha, and saw that the lion brothers were chorusing another very impressive bout of roaring together. In Kahna, Zia and Zena were both out and tusseling with one another. Czar had also come to this side of his enclosure, and I found myself 'chuffing' to him from the other side of the fence.
We next went towards Lemurland, which held Black-and-White Ruffed and Ring-Tailed Lemurs. I was impressed by the ring-tail exhibit, the first I saw to portray the arid scrub these animals live in and it was suprisingly open-topped. They were looking well apart from an individual with a bloody foot, probably from a squabble.
After last looks at the tigers, lions and jaguars, we left the zoo. Overall, I found it very good and made with lots of heart, and I wish it all the best for the future.
And I also saw a bit of wildlife on the Island: several kestrels, a red squirrel in the trees right behind us while we picniced in Bonchurch, and what looked like a box turtle in the Bonchurch Village Pond, likely an illegal release.
