Rare Species Conservation Centre RSCC, The rare species conservation centre & zoological garden, Sandwich, Kent

I didn't realise they had binturongs there. It really is a very interesting collection, lots of my favourite animals on the stock list. I have heard both good and bad things about the exhibits but will reserve judgement until I've visited and had a look for myself!
 
Can anyone explain me why someone would start a zoo in such a small space?! I really don`t get it. Why starting a zoo when the area availible is just 6.000 m²? Is there lots of space around to expand or what`s going on there?
 
Why not, when this zoo itself proves you can have good enclosures and an awesome collection in a tiny area of land ;)
Imagine what this collection could be like when it expands!
 
Yassa said:
Can anyone explain me why someone would start a zoo in such a small space?! I really don`t get it. Why starting a zoo when the area availible is just 6.000 m²? Is there lots of space around to expand or what`s going on there?
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I visited the park in it's earlier phase - Monkey rainforest, or something like it. The then-owner ran the aquatics shop and had a 'thing' about small primates. He developed the undercover area (maybe a previous butterfly house?) into a series of rather small pens for his tamarins, while outside there were two reasonable-sized open-topped pens for lemurs. Some other lemurs, birds and some fish also were inside. I went there because the park was trying to attain BIAZA membership. The place was clean and although a little cramped seemed to be okay. There was some potential to purchase or they already owned adjoining land. It was only after some time had passed was I aware that the park had changed hands and name.

Amazingly enough I am sure that I met the new owner at Howletts. At the time (now 4 years ago) the individual had a close relationship with the Aspinall parks swapping animals (he had a private collection). It was through this individual that Howletts acquired the giant anteaters and tamaduas. I guess the deal went sour and he took them back.

So the park like many others had a odd start but seems to be moving ahead in strides. If nothing else they maintain a very impressive collection of some rarely displayed species. Always thought it was an odd site for a park however, and I feel that they will always struggle, particularly with Aspinall's parks close by.
 
easytigger said:
I must be in the minority here, I visited the park in May and thought most of the enclosures were either inadequate for the species living in them and / or bland and boring.

I understand its a work in progress and the stock list is incredible given the size of the place, and the owner has money to invest in it, but I was disappointed with what I saw overall
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I visited in August and I agree completely. It has the makings of nice collection and I could see developments in progress; but many of the enclosures seemed small to me and the larger ones, although nicely constructed, were very bare.

Alan
 
ashley-h said:
I thought that about the dogs... Never seen them before, I would assume there are none in the UK?
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no, the highest number in captivity in the world is at San Diego zoo, and even then they are so rare in zoos, san diego zoo have 3:eek:
 
And their Wiki page states they are domestic. Are they common as pets, but not in zoos?
 
ashley-h said:
And their Wiki page states they are domestic. Are they common as pets, but not in zoos?
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NG singing dogs are essentially the same as Australian dingoes and should be considered feral descendents of early dogs. They can be domesticated, but like most primitive dogs are not trust-worthy with other animals or easily trained, and tend to come into oestrus once a year (like wolves, but unlike domestic dogs). The singing dogs in the US (I'm sure the only ones outside NG) are descendents of the original animals imported to Taronga by Edward Hallstrom (hence the scientific subspecies hallstromi) and consequently would be very inbred. Who knows, the RSCC may be importing from NG???
 
tetrapod said:
NG singing dogs are essentially the same as Australian dingoes and should be considered feral descendents of early dogs. They can be domesticated, but like most primitive dogs are not trust-worthy with other animals or easily trained, and tend to come into oestrus once a year (like wolves, but unlike domestic dogs). The singing dogs in the US (I'm sure the only ones outside NG) are descendents of the original animals imported to Taronga by Edward Hallstrom (hence the scientific subspecies hallstromi) and consequently would be very inbred. Who knows, the RSCC may be importing from NG???
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There is no New Guinea Sining dogs kept in captiviity in any zoological gardens or bird parks on New Guinea, there used to be some at the art museum in Port Moresby, I think they were breed there in 1996, founders being 1.2 which was wild-caught in 1984 (Southern Highlands province), and these breed a few times, though was quite inbreed by the mid 1990s, their last individual (1 of the females wild-caught in 1984) died sometime in 2001 I believe. And even if there was any I would expect it to be very problematic (and expensive!) to import them from New Guinea. They are virtually extinct in the wild in Papua New Guinea now, breeding with domestic dogs being the main threat.

They are still used by some native tribes in the highlands of Irian Jaya, but thats pretty much it, without any serious conservation effort there will be no pure Sining Dogs on New Guinea for much longer.

About Singing dogs in Europe, I believed the one remaning in Tierpark Berlin was a pure hallstromi? they recieved their original stock somtime in the 1960s and breed them a few times, sadly down to a very old individual now.
 
zoogiraffe said:
Tierpark Neumunster had a pair of New Guinea Singing Dogs when i visited in september 2007.
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That sounds very interesting, was not aware of those. I always thought Tierpark Berlin kept the last one remaning in Europe. If they have breed them this may be the source for RSCC.

Any idea about how old they were? quite easy to see that the one remaning in Tierpark Berlin is very old.

Edit: A quick look on ISIS shows that a zoo in Denmark has some as well, maybe an error.
 
Looking on the RSCC site they list aardwolf, blackfooted cat, Potto and Rufous & Black Sengi. Is this true and where do these animals come from?
 
Also a pair of Sri Lankan giant squirrel ( only ones in UK ) , African pygmy goose , 5 Cuban flamingo ( captive bred in Cuba , joining the 5 they already have ) .

The web-site has been changed as well .
 
When I went several of the species on the website, including the black footed cat, were not on display. I was rather annoyed, I really wanted to see the little red flying foxes and the dwarf lemurs. Still, I'm happy with what I saw :)
 
I just come across this thread. I think its fantastic that Todd takes the time to come on here and answer all our questions. it is great to see a zoo owner so comited to his aniamls and educating people about them. this is a fantastic little collection that I have visted twice. it is well worth the trip there to see some of the rarest species in the world in excellent enclosures. I wish Todd all the very best with the collection and look forward to watching how it develops over the coming years.
 
The collection here is getting more and more impressive as time goes on giant tree squirrels and rufous elephant shrews, amazing!
Would the elephant shrews have come from America, or are there any private breeders here in the UK.
With all there issues of space (or lack of it), it is good to see some smaller more manageable species being brought in.
But from their website i cannot for the life of me see the wisdom on spending a shed load of money and many hours of paperwork to import 5 Cuban flamingoes, 20-30 yes maybe, but 5 to join an existing group of 5, in what is now a vain hope they will breed!!!!
 
A female fishing cat has arrived from the mountain view conservation centre in Canada, she is unrelated to the European stock.
 
Yay, new blood. How do you find all this out Kiang? :p
 
Hmmm, common sense really lol. Thanks though, I'm still wondering where the Aardwolf and fishing cats ar going to go, there is actually no room left.
 
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