For people like us then probably, for Average Joe I'm going to say the tigers, clouded leopards and sun bears may be a bit more appealing than curled up balls of fur!
Rare Species Conservation Centre RSCC animal transfers and general news
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For people like us then probably, for Average Joe I'm going to say the tigers, clouded leopards and sun bears may be a bit more appealing than curled up balls of fur!
I'd love to agree with TeaLovingDave, but I suspect Brum is right. I also suspect that if the RSCC had meerkats, they would attract more people than the fanaloka. I'd like to be proved wrong, though.
I think Brum is probably right too. For the public, i would suggest the bears are probably the biggest draw, given there are none in any other collections south or south east from London down. I hope the place succeeds this time, but there is a considerable amount of local competition.
Of course, in the first week or two I suspect the visitors will comprise a larger proportion of people like us than usual
Don't they have the only Malayan Tigers in the UK, though? So wouldn't they be a huge draw for many UK ZooChatters, too?
~Thylo
~Thylo
Difference is that there are Malayan Tigers on-show elsewhere in Europe, unlike the three taxa I cited
Of course, in the first week or two I suspect the visitors will comprise a larger proportion of people like us than usual
Well I'm rescheduling the summer holiday (well trying to!) so we'll be visiting Kent rather than the West Country. That species line-up is a definite game changer!
And I do agree with pipaluk, the bears will be the biggest draw at first. At least until the rest of the grounds are opened and other species added.
I last visited the RSCC in August 2011 and it closed not long afterwards. I returned again today for its re-opening.
It was rather disappointing that the tarsiers are not on display; similarly it was somewhat frustrating that an enclosure with signs for bear cuscus, spotted cuscus and brown dorcopsis was unoccupied as the animals are not yet on exhibit.
Nevertheless there are plenty of interesting animals to see including New Guinea short-beaked echidna, aardwolf, Palawan binturong, fossa, fanaluka, ring-tailed mongoose; narrow-striped mongoose, jaguarondi, rusty-spotted cat, a delightful clouded leopard cub.....
A visit is thoroughly recommended; I’ll be returning later in the year when, hopefully, some of the other species are on exhibit.
It was rather disappointing that the tarsiers are not on display; similarly it was somewhat frustrating that an enclosure with signs for bear cuscus, spotted cuscus and brown dorcopsis was unoccupied as the animals are not yet on exhibit.
Nevertheless there are plenty of interesting animals to see including New Guinea short-beaked echidna, aardwolf, Palawan binturong, fossa, fanaluka, ring-tailed mongoose; narrow-striped mongoose, jaguarondi, rusty-spotted cat, a delightful clouded leopard cub.....
A visit is thoroughly recommended; I’ll be returning later in the year when, hopefully, some of the other species are on exhibit.
Jordan-Jaguar97
Well-Known Member
Very nice! I hope I can get down to RSCC soon.
The echidna, spotted cuscus and dorcopsis are species previously unannounced as being present in the collection I believe.
I guessed they had echidna a while ago, I even mentioned it on one of their Facebook posts when they said they held Papuan species.
Called it!
Incidentally, that is a fantastic species line-up. A trip to Kent is most definitely in order methinks!
Today at school I swear I heard a gibbon calling and with the RSCC just down the road it was the only answer
Any info?
I visited the RSCC on 5th April and saw a pair of yellow-cheeked gibbon Nomascus gabriellae
sooty mangabey
Well-Known Member
Tim - a couple of questions about your visit...
1. Were there many other visitors there on this re-opening day?
2. Does the place feel like it is set up for visitors, or does it feel as if you are visiting a private collection?
1. Were there many other visitors there on this re-opening day?
2. Does the place feel like it is set up for visitors, or does it feel as if you are visiting a private collection?
To answer your questions, “Sooty”:-
There weren’t many other visitors although I didn’t make a point of actually counting them. I arrived about 12:30 and was one of the last to leave at around 5:30pm; during those five hours I saw a few families visiting but the place certainly wasn’t crowded.
I can understand why you asked this; it does feel as though you’re visiting a private collection which, of course, is part of its charm.
However, a lot of effort was being made to ensure that the visitors were happy. The owner, a number of members of staff and volunteers were walking around all day long, interacting with visitors, pointing out things of interest and asking them if they’d seen everything they wanted.
There weren’t many other visitors although I didn’t make a point of actually counting them. I arrived about 12:30 and was one of the last to leave at around 5:30pm; during those five hours I saw a few families visiting but the place certainly wasn’t crowded.
I can understand why you asked this; it does feel as though you’re visiting a private collection which, of course, is part of its charm.
However, a lot of effort was being made to ensure that the visitors were happy. The owner, a number of members of staff and volunteers were walking around all day long, interacting with visitors, pointing out things of interest and asking them if they’d seen everything they wanted.
Bib Fortuna
Well-Known Member
@Tim may.
Are the Tarsiers on Display ?
Are the Tarsiers on Display ?
Jordan-Jaguar97
Well-Known Member
I believe not, however you can arrange to view them for a price.
No, frustratingly, the tarsiers are not currently on display. I’ll certainly visit again as soon as they're on exhibit.
There was certainly no possibility yesterday of paying extra to see the tarsiers; otherwise I would have done so. (It is many years since I last saw a tarsier and I’m eager to see one again.)
Review
today I visited the RSCC
The entrance is a bit disappointing really and does not live up the the expectation of whats inside. From the car park I was met with a pleasant surprise of a cheetah strolling around in a paddock just behind another one that they were working on.
the entrance bit had a tiny shop selling soft toys and RSCC merchandise it also had a small cafe.
you first entered the tropical house which on your right had the first rusty spotted cat enclosure. Round the corner from this you could see the mixed species enclosure for bear cuscus, spotted cusus and brown dorcopsis, none of these were visable on my visit. Opposite this you could see the Malagasy carnivores, ring tailed mongoose, narrow striped mongoose,fanaloka could all be seen along with jagurundi in separate enclosures. Up against a wall were enclosures for rusty spotted cats and palawan bearcat. Along from this was more rusty spotted cats and yellow throated marten. Next to these was the smooth coated otters pool which were very active and loud. A little hut style enclosure was home to the hand reared clouded leopard cub which was mega cute. To exit the tropical house you could go through a small dark cave which is home to short beaked echidna.
Outside on your left is the fishing cat enclosure and next to it is a temporary home for the bush dog. Opposite these are a small Madagascan area which has bamboo lemur, red ruffed lemur and fossa. Next to the fossa is clouded leopard and golden cheeked gibbon. Right from this was a pair of rescued snow leopards in a temporary enclosure. Opposite these were sun bears and aardwolf. A walkway that goes between the bears and leopards allows you to get a glimpse of the tigers and see the other bearcat enclosure.
in the new unopened bit there is the pair of malayan tigers, momo and cicip they are currently separated but hope to be together soon. also there is an enclosure for cuban flamingo which they hope to be open soon and the new bush dog exhibit that is going to include pools and marshland. Behind this is the maned wolf encloure which is not open to the public as they have recently had some pups.
to conclude the RSCC is going to be amazing when it all opens up but I am afraid that the high entrance fees would put a lot of people off coming as the current ones at £10 for adults and £8 for children is only because it is not all open yet and the price will probably rise when it is all open.
today I visited the RSCC
The entrance is a bit disappointing really and does not live up the the expectation of whats inside. From the car park I was met with a pleasant surprise of a cheetah strolling around in a paddock just behind another one that they were working on.
the entrance bit had a tiny shop selling soft toys and RSCC merchandise it also had a small cafe.
you first entered the tropical house which on your right had the first rusty spotted cat enclosure. Round the corner from this you could see the mixed species enclosure for bear cuscus, spotted cusus and brown dorcopsis, none of these were visable on my visit. Opposite this you could see the Malagasy carnivores, ring tailed mongoose, narrow striped mongoose,fanaloka could all be seen along with jagurundi in separate enclosures. Up against a wall were enclosures for rusty spotted cats and palawan bearcat. Along from this was more rusty spotted cats and yellow throated marten. Next to these was the smooth coated otters pool which were very active and loud. A little hut style enclosure was home to the hand reared clouded leopard cub which was mega cute. To exit the tropical house you could go through a small dark cave which is home to short beaked echidna.
Outside on your left is the fishing cat enclosure and next to it is a temporary home for the bush dog. Opposite these are a small Madagascan area which has bamboo lemur, red ruffed lemur and fossa. Next to the fossa is clouded leopard and golden cheeked gibbon. Right from this was a pair of rescued snow leopards in a temporary enclosure. Opposite these were sun bears and aardwolf. A walkway that goes between the bears and leopards allows you to get a glimpse of the tigers and see the other bearcat enclosure.
in the new unopened bit there is the pair of malayan tigers, momo and cicip they are currently separated but hope to be together soon. also there is an enclosure for cuban flamingo which they hope to be open soon and the new bush dog exhibit that is going to include pools and marshland. Behind this is the maned wolf encloure which is not open to the public as they have recently had some pups.
to conclude the RSCC is going to be amazing when it all opens up but I am afraid that the high entrance fees would put a lot of people off coming as the current ones at £10 for adults and £8 for children is only because it is not all open yet and the price will probably rise when it is all open.
I believe it was said on Facebook that you must contact ahead of time to arrange this.
~Thylo
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