Rivalry Between Zoos.

[Ara]

Here in Australia there is no more than faint rivalry between zoos.
The large mainstream zoos are at least 1,000 kilometres apart - even the smaller ones are hundreds of kilometres away from each other and so they are not competing for the same entrance money.

Is the situation different in Britain and Europe, where most people live within a reasonable distance of more than one zoo and have a choice as to which zoo they will visit on any given day?

 

[CZJimmy]

In terms of distance, I imagine London and Chessington, Whipsnade and Woburn and Twycross, West Midlands and Dudley all compete for their respective local visitors.

Come to think of it, Chester has a lot of local competition, what with Blackpool Zoo, Knowsely Safari Park, Blue Planet Aquarium and Welsh Mountain Zoo all within short travelling distance.

 

[Steve Robinson]

Here in Australia there is no more than faint rivalry between zoos.
The large mainstream zoos are at least 1,000 kilometres apart - even the smaller ones are hundreds of kilometres away from each other and so they are not competing for the same entrance money.

Ara, don't you believe it! The rivalry is intense and, at times, downright dirty.

 

[Jurek7]

In Europe, one particular rivalry was until 1980's between East and West Berlin zoos.

As a result, both zoos have outstanding exhibits which complement each other. For example, lions in (West) Berlin Zoo have grand outside exhibit. In (East) Berlin Tierpark, they have giant moated enclosure, but indoors - possibly the only one of a kind worldwide.

 

[snowleopard]

The Melbourne-Sydney rivalry has been noteworthy, as both cities claim to be Australia's best for restaurants, zoos, sports teams (maybe Melbourne has that one), and an assortment of other items such as museums, botanical gardens, etc. The brand new elephant enclosures have been debated here at ZooBeat, and since Sydney has opened its seal precinct all eyes are on Melbourne's upcoming seal habitat.

 

[Ara]

Come on Snowleopard; I'll admit that Melbourne has nice restaurants, art galleries and lots of cultural facilities; maybe even the better zoo (in terms of diversity of collection); but sport? Nah..........

Sydney has Rugby League (true gladiatorial combat!)
Melbourne just has Aussie Rules (aerial ping-pong; a bunch of pretty boys running around in their little sister's shorts.)

 

[NZ Jeremy]

It may not be a rivalry so much but Hamilton Zoo seems to poach a few of Auckland Zoo's keepers and I know Auckland Zoo has hired a keeper away from Adelaide Zoo

 

[Chlidonias]

I don't know if poaching is the right word. Zoo keepers often seem to move around of their own accord, probably so they can work with new species that interest them

 

[Sun Wukong]

In the early years of its existence, Hagenbeck's Tierpark Hamburg-Stellingen was a huge competitor for the already longer existing Hamburg City Zoo. In the end, Hagenbeck proved to be more successful.

Jurek7's example concerning Berlin is actually one of the best examples. One has to add though that it (mostly) wasn't a rivalry driven and kept alive by the zoo staff, but especially by the GDR goverment (which, according to Klös, gave the West Berlin Zoo quite a hard time...).

 

[dragon(ele)nerd]

Last time i visited Melbourne zoo i talked to many Keepers and boy do they depise Taronga. They had a dissapointment ( not so much shock) when Taronga discovered the first elephant to be concieved in Australia. Contary to the conservation of species Melbourne didn't want to have to give quite a number of animals to Taronga.

Werribee open range zoo and Western Plains zoo apparently also have a rivarly between each other.

 

[taun]

In terms of distance, I imagine London and Chessington, Whipsnade and Woburn and Twycross, West Midlands and Dudley all compete for their respective local visitors.

Come to think of it, Chester has a lot of local competition, what with Blackpool Zoo, Knowsely Safari Park, Blue Planet Aquarium and Welsh Mountain Zoo all within short travelling distance.

I would not sat that many of those other centres draw much attention away from Chester Zoo, maybe knowsely draw a few with it being a drive thru (but thats only because people safari parks are great, don't see there point of view)

Chessington, Whipsnade, woburn, Twycross, West Midlands and Colchester probable do compete with each other to gain valuable visitors.

 

[Ara]

I get the impression ( from here on the other side of the world) that Chester is the best in the U.K.

As far as Sydney/Melbourne Zoo rivalry is concerned, things have changed over the years!
When I was a kid, every third enclosure at Melbourne Zoo had a sign, "Donated by Taronga Zoo, Sydney."

 

[MARK]

I get the impression ( from here on the other side of the world) that Chester is the best in the U.K.

Ara, The Howletts two zoo parks would give most zoos a run for their money when it came to the best in the UK

 

[taun]

Ara, The Howletts two zoo parks would give most zoos a run for their money when it came to the best in the UK

Am hoping to visit those two in the next few years, but what I have seen from TV programs, they are definitely Chester’s main rivals within the UK for UK’s best zoo (the breeding record particularly the gorilla's stands out a mile, but then if other zoo's had nearly hundred gorillas mostly in family groups then maybe they would have a lot of success with them).

 

[CZJimmy]

I would not sat that many of those other centres draw much attention away from Chester Zoo, maybe knowsely draw a few with it being a drive thru (but thats only because people safari parks are great, don't see there point of view)

I was referring to the opposite - Chester drawing away potential visitors to places like Blackpool, Knowsely and Blue Planet. Although Blue Planet and Knowsely have the novelty of being an aquarium and drive-through respectively.

 

[CZJimmy]

I get the impression ( from here on the other side of the world) that Chester is the best in the U.K.

Well, I think it is the best (and i'm being unbiased here ) although as Mark said, the Aspinall parks give it a run for its money.

For overall collection and presentation, I would go with Chester, but for the more specialised collection and breeding history, I reckon the Aspinall parks edge it.

Sorry for taking this thread further off-topic...

 

[taun]

I was referring to the opposite - Chester drawing away potential visitors to places like Blackpool, Knowsely and Blue Planet. Although Blue Planet and Knowsely have the novelty of being an aquarium and drive-through respectively.

Yeah forgot about that way round. I suppose they all have there own novelty in a way blackpool have the dinosour park, knowsely and bluse planet as above.

 

[Al]

It is not just visitors that zoos rival over, I know a number of collections that continually try to out do other zoos with breeding sucesses and actual animal collections! i guess a little competition is healthy and helps zoos develop better facilities!

 

[Triffle]

Here in Australia there is no more than faint rivalry between zoos.

Ara, I think Melbourne Zoo and taronga zoo have a pretty significant rivalry; for the simple reason that Melbourne and sydney have a rivalry for just about everything!

And for the record, we don't "just" have AFL (which, statistically, is easily the most popular domestic competition in the country). Which city has the nation's tennis Grand Slam; richest and by far most famous horse race; MotoGP and (soon to be lost) F1 Grand Prix?

 

[dragon(ele)nerd]

And for the record, we don't "just" have AFL (which, statistically, is easily the most popular domestic competition in the country). Which city has the nation's tennis Grand Slam; richest and by far most famous horse race; MotoGP and (soon to be lost) F1 Grand Prix?

Thanks Triffle,
We also have cleaner water, more wildlife abundance (considering the state space) and less crime (major crime). HA,ha,ha. But then again Sydney beats us in a lot of other things.

Alright back on topic.