Safari Or Zoo

GouldianFinch

GouldianFinch

Well-Known Member
I Have Asked Many People This Question And Now Im Asking You At ZooChat...

What Is Better, Zoo Or Safari Park :confused:

There Are Points For Both Sides

Safari Parks Give The Animals More Space And Probably A More Natural Life Although Most Of The Animals, (Mainly Hoofstock) In The Reserves Are Least Concern. Safari Parks Also Have A Much Smaller Variety Of Animals Than Most Large Zoo's

Where as Zoo's Give The Animals Less Space But Have Animals Which Are Endangered And Help The Current Conservation Situation Alot More...

Give Us Your Opinion On Which Is Better, And Also Tell Me Why... :p
 
Certainly zoos.

You say that safari parks give animals more space but this is not always true, for example the bats at chester have far more room than those at longleat. Also, the paddocks in safari parks tend to provide very little enrichment - they are essentially big fields with nothing but grass and cars. As such, I find that driving through does tend to get a little boring, whereas at zoos there is always something new around the corner. That also relates to the fact that, at safari parks, there are very few species whereas at zoos you get a much higher diversity.

There seems to be a widespread notion among the British public that an animal will be bored and depressed in captivity, yet they will be perfectly happy once a few cars start driving through their enclosure.
 
I Agree

I Agree That Zoo's Are better Too, Look At Chester, The Best Zoo In The Country,

But Heres A Question, What Is The Best Safari Park, Id Say Either Longleat, Knowsley or West Midlands,

What Do You Think, But Then Again, You Comapre Chester With Those Three, There Isnt A Comparison :D
 
GouldianFinch said:
But Heres A Question, What Is The Best Safari Park, Id Say Either Longleat, Knowsley or West Midlands,
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Knowsley is the best safari park in my opinion although there are many zoos which I prefer.

As red panda said, it seems to be a bit of a misconception amongst the general public that animals in safari parks are "happier" than animals in zoos because of their apparent freedom, but I agree with redpanda when safaris tend to be plain fields with roads running through them and a lot of zoo enclosures are more enriched which is more important in my opinion.
 
Aswell I Guess In Zoo's They Can Moniter The Animals More Closely And Understand Their Animals Needs And What They Like too...

Such As Favourite Treats, Which Animal Likes This, Which Animals Have Certain Health Problems
 
I think people should look 'behind the scenes' as well. The night and winter-holding areas in Safari parks are often of a very basic nature, more so than most(though not all) zoos while large carnivores such as Lions are often held in cramped quarters for many hours each day- for security reasons- when the parks are closed. So in reality their 'freedom' is an illusion which visitors assume.

Good(well managed) zoos win my vote every time over Safari Parks.
 
Pertinax said:
I think people should look 'behind the scenes' as well. The night and winter-holding areas in Safari parks are often of a very basic nature, more so than most(though not all) zoos while large carnivores such as Lions are often held in cramped quarters for many hours each day- for security reasons- when the parks are closed. So in reality their 'freedom' is an illusion which visitors assume.

Good(well managed) zoos win my vote every time over Safari Parks.
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Good Point, The Giraffe House At Longleat Is Quite Cramped If You Think About It...

What i Think Is Best Is When Animals In Zoo's have Large Exhibits Which Have A Mixture Of Animals In It. So Animals Live Together But In A Zoo Environment With Enrichment.

Such As Boras Zoo And Newquay Zoo,

Newquay Zoo (African Savanah ) Was Good When I Visited, In That Exhibit They Had Guinea Fowl, Zebra, Impala, Wildebeast, Ostrich, African Crowned Cranes And Another Hoofstock That Has Escaped My Mind. The Birds Suplied Enrichment As The Wildebeast Were Very Interested In The Quinea Fowl And The Ostrich Followed The Cranes Up And Down The Fence,

They Still Have A Few Things To Sort Out ( Certain Hoofstock Not Getting On With Other Hoofstock ) But In All It Was Very Good. They Had 3 acres And A Natural Form Of Enrichment :cool:
 
Newquay don't have Impala; besides the Black Wildebeest the two antelope species you saw would be Kafue Lechwe and Lowland Nyala.
 
Bif fields are suitable when you think of the most common safari park animals, the hoofstock. The majority of their time is of course spent grazing, and when you compare the zebras at London with those at Longleat you can easily see a difference. Marwell's ungulate enclosures compose of vast grassy expanses, yet they are incredibly successful with hoofstock.

However, I do agree you gain a greater species diversity and education nourishment in a zoo. But I don't think this nessacarilly means safari park animals have a bad quality of life.
 
Marwell Dalek said:
But I don't think this nessacarilly means safari park animals have a bad quality of life.
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Zebras in a large Safari Park enclosure will undoubtedly be better off than in a smaller or hardstanding only enclosure(such as London). Its often more a case of the type/quality of enclosure rather than whether it is actually in a 'Zoo', Wildlife Park, or Safari Park.
 
The open fields themselves are the enrichment. Lots of open space in which to run around in, and you will find that enrichment is still included. But is more artsy to fit in with the 'wild' idea of a safari park. In mind, I have the Lions log climbing areas at both Longleat and Blair Drummond, as well as Rhino wallows, browse holding trees, pools etc. An animal does not necesarilly want an enclosure filled with enrichment items so much so that there's little room to do anything else. The wide open spaces are enrichment themselves.
 
Most safari parks display larger animals in the safari park itself, and the diverse species elsewhere. As I mentioned to my friends yesterday at Longleat, none of their big cats pace, I notice. Every animal I think of seen in a Safari Park, seems to be more... themselves in a Safari Park. Animals arent just staying still, staring beyond their boundaries. They act more naturally. I've yet to notice any stereotypical behaviour in a Safari Park.
 
HuxleyPig said:
The open fields themselves are the enrichment. Lots of open space in which to run around in, and you will find that enrichment is still included. But is more artsy to fit in with the 'wild' idea of a safari park. In mind, I have the Lions log climbing areas at both Longleat and Blair Drummond, as well as Rhino wallows, browse holding trees, pools etc. An animal does not necesarilly want an enclosure filled with enrichment items so much so that there's little room to do anything else. The wide open spaces are enrichment themselves.
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For hoof-stock, yes they are good. However, big fields are just one form of enrichment and species such as tigers, in my opinion, need more. I would argue that zoos have, in cases such as this, better enrichment programmes and, therefore, cats which live in zoos have - in some ways - better lives.

Incidentally, didn't you say on another thread that you have only visited Longleat once so your testimony is not particularly reliable.
 
Even if I had, I therefore would still have been and seen things for myself. Okay, had I never been, I won't use it as an example. Hence why the only Safari Parks I've mentioned are places I've visited.

I understand the annoyance some ZooChatters have with people making comments about parks they've never been to - but now there's a set limit before having -ahem- 'reliable testimony'?
 
HuxleyPig said:
Twice in the last fortnight, around eleven times overall. So no.
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I stand very much corrected, but will point out that I have visited Paignton numerous times throughout my life and do not remember seeing pacing.

HuxleyPig said:
Even if I had, I therefore would still have been and seen things for myself. Okay, had I never been, I won't use it as an example. Hence why the only Safari Parks I've mentioned are places I've visited.

I understand the annoyance some ZooChatters have with people making comments about parks they've never been to - but now there's a set limit before having -ahem- 'reliable testimony'?
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As I say I stand corrected, but I often get annoyed by people using anecdotal evidence to back up their points as I believed you were and, for that, I apologise. However, I still do not see this as evidence that cat's at safari parks will be "happier" simply due to the larger enclosures, wouldn't you rather live in a furnished house then a hay barn?
 
But the safari parks that I have visited, only speaking about Longleat and Blair Drummond here, are not just empty spaces. They are big paddocks, with waterholes, mud wallows, tree shelter, hilly areas, as well as enrichment items.

Longleat give their lions enrichment in the form of rope chew toys, scratching posts, elevated platforms etc. Also, the feeding method can vary so much more in a Safari Park. In mind, I have their feeding truck method. As well as hiding food in leaves, up trees, etc. As I say, I have yet to see a big cat pacing in a Safari Park. And yes, there are zoos that fantastically don't have this behaviour, but it is common in zoos.

Yesterday I was lucky enough to see the entire second pride of Lions at Longleat running around their full enclosure, having fantastic fun, play fighting and chasing each other. It was fantastic to see them running around and making use of the vast space they've been given. Often in zoos, you see the Lions sleeping under a shelter, and generally doing nothing. And I know they will do that most of the day in the wild, granted, but they don't have the opportunity to run great distances. Again, I'm only going on Lion enclosures I have seen myself.

The Tigers at Marwell, although impressive, will pace constantly. The Tigers at Longleat do not. I think this has something to do with enclosure space. I agree, a simple empty field will make a Tiger pace, if there's nothing else to do. (Although, I must say, I was impressed that Longleat had given their Tigers a 'Waterfall', but having seen it, it's kinda... well, pathetic, lol.) But they're not empty fields, and with a Safari Park, theres so much more potential for things to get the Tigers doing.
 
Heh heh, I've learn't that a zoo waterfalls are generally watertrickles. ;) It'd be interesting to see more zoos create open enclosures for big cats like at safari parks to see if it makes a notable difference. In Marwell's original masterplan map, and also mentioned by John Knowles at the end of his book, the lower corner of the African Valley was planned to be a great big lion enclosure, and I hope this is eventually realised as it would be great to see them in such a space.
 
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