South Lakes Wild Animal Park South Lakes discussion thread

bantam said:
keep noticing on safari zoo,s facebook page that they claim, that we are officially the most family friendly zoo in the uk
does anyone know how this official statement is arrived at or is it just another of Gill,s fantasies?
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According to Tripadvisor it is
ranked No.1 on TripAdvisor among 4 attractions in Dalton-in-Furness
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and Visit Cumbria use the same wording to promote the zoo. And according to Wikipeadia
The zoo has been awarded the "Top Attraction for Excellence in the Lake District 1999, 2000, 2003, 2005, and 2008" by Cumbria Tourist Board... the park also made the top ten of TripAdvisor's highest rated zoos and aquariums in the UK
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However, there is and are no officially accredited sites that claim South Lakes to be what it claims to be.
 
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Weare2 said:
The claim comes from the fact children are free with adult entry. Not many zoos, if any, offer this.
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But in no sense is that an "official" rating.

Or, indeed, any sort of rating!

:)

Or, to put it another way, "we" (i.e. S Lakes) have awarded ourselves this status. Now, if only they put this on their adverts an unsympathetic onlooker might report them to the ASA ...

;)
 
SHAVINGTONZOO said:
Or, to put it another way, "we" (i.e. S Lakes) have awarded ourselves this status. Now, if only they put this on their adverts an unsympathetic onlooker might report them to the ASA ...

;)
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Do your hobbies include shooting fish in barrels? :D

If we're going to start criticising zoos for hyperbole then more than a few of them are going to end up on trial. I think if you check websites and brochures you'll find plenty of unsubstantiated or barely-substantiated claims. My current favourite is Paignton's current self-appointed title of "King Of Zoos". An older, now defunct, "favourite" was Twycross awarding itself the title, "World Primate Centre".

This subject could be a separate thread, to see who can find the best "over-claims".....Hmm, let me think.
 
Safari Zoo is admired and respected throughout the world for its work with Big Cat enrichment and behaviours. In particular with Tigers and for the past 20 years we have fed our Big Cats high up tree logs and made them use exceptional grip and power to get the food. It keeps them fit, alert and places excitement in each day. the adrenalin rush from competing stimulates the use of every muscle in their bodies. Come and see all our 4 Sumatran Tigers leap to get their food everyday at 2.30 pm . It is awesome to witness 4 tigers all running and leaping together ! Also watch our Lions, Snow Leopards , Sri Lankan Leopards and Jaguars make that exciting leap each day. Amazing and unique in Europe !
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From South Lakes Safari Zoo - What a load of horse manure, factually untrue and David Gill has been told may times before to stop making such a claim and claims. Having served the fool (and Glasgow served the same) with a lawyers letter asking him to refrain from making such lies, he is still at it.
 
According to a small piece in today's Daily Telegraph Padang the tiger that killed the young Keeper Sarha McClay has been put down on veterinary advice it happened a few weeks ago, no dates given by the zoo.
 
I am amazed this zoo has not yet been shut down. I read the last zoo inspection report and the number of health and safety breaches was astounding. If these were theoretical risks I would understand maybe a 'stay of execution', but actually some were very serious including structural faults in overhead bridges and insecure carnivore fencing. Couple with the fact they have had a death on site due to health and safety violations, how the place is allowed to stay open is beyond me.
 
Leiclad.... you would be SHOCKED to know how many others think exactly the same as you, The most shocking thing to me was him killing a complete full flock of Ibis for flying outside.... when all he had to do was clip the main flight feathers but... HELLLL he seems to live a strange protected life :-) There's a full catalogue of errors that would have had any other similar place shut down years ago... think about it :-)
 
Could I add a little to this thread and ask...... With the recent ruling on this issue at SL... does this mean that ALL of the decisions that are made as of now can be offset legally? in effect meaning, whatever decision is made up there with regard to any type of safety etc, no one person is actually accountable? Thanks for any reply.
 
Nanook said:
Surely this must be a big wake up call for the place.
The other posters are right - how on earth is it still going?
If it were any other UK zoo, with such a poor track record, it would have been closed a long time ago.
I am surprised though that Gill was cleared of any charges himself when he runs the bloody place.
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I think the wake up call was the last zoo inspection!!

As for how its still going,suspect its the amount of money it brings into the local economy.

I could name a few others that have bad records that are still going so its not unique on that score.

I think the Teflon coat he wares has worked wonders!!
 
Dont know how to do the correct "quote" box sorry but.... Zoogiraffe said "As for how its still going,suspect its the amount of money it brings into the local economy." The revenue to the local area is HUGELY reduced as the route into and out of this place is absolutely at the "back door" not even passing through Dalton now and I doubt very much there is any spin offs locally apart from the VERY LOW wage workers there get... The route is instantly off the main A590 and straight out onto the 590.... I doubt very much any local businesses get spin offs during the year...
 
Farmer said:
Dont know how to do the correct "quote" box sorry but.... Zoogiraffe said "As for how its still going,suspect its the amount of money it brings into the local economy." The revenue to the local area is HUGELY reduced as the route into and out of this place is absolutely at the "back door" not even passing through Dalton now and I doubt very much there is any spin offs locally apart from the VERY LOW wage workers there get... The route is instantly off the main A590 and straight out onto the 590.... I doubt very much any local businesses get spin offs during the year...
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What so nobody visits the place that wouldn't be in the area if it wasn't for the dump!!!Then as a result spend money in the local area that they wouldn't if they hadn't visited the dump all I can say is ********.I know I wouldn't visit the area if the dump wasn't there,and I certainly don't spend anymore money at the dump than I have to,if I want something to eat I either pick a sandwich up from a local shop,or find a local cafe or pub to eat in!!
 
Because of the animal incidents and deaths I wouldn't visit " period " ...... even if the local economy was funded totally by that place, it doesnt make it ethically or morally right to pay a single penny to help continue and as such condone, the type of risk and practices used there ..... in my opinion, that is.
 
Farmer said:
Dont know how to do the correct "quote" box sorry but.... Zoogiraffe said "As for how its still going,suspect its the amount of money it brings into the local economy." The revenue to the local area is HUGELY reduced as the route into and out of this place is absolutely at the "back door" not even passing through Dalton now and I doubt very much there is any spin offs locally apart from the VERY LOW wage workers there get... The route is instantly off the main A590 and straight out onto the 590.... I doubt very much any local businesses get spin offs during the year...
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I have no wish to defend South Lakes - visited quite a long time ago, didn't much care for it, not massively interested in making the not inconsiderable effort to go back - but this claim is, frankly, bonkers. It's not so much the idea of tourists rushing to enjoy the charms of Dalton as part of their zoo visit, but more that the presence of a large business in the town inevitably brings financial benefits: there are an awful lot of things that will be purchased for the good (!) running of the place, which will be sourced locally, to say nothing of the very many people who find employment at the zoo, who live locally, who spend locally, who, in turn, contribute to the local economy. The economic impact of any large business will be felt, to a greater or lesser extent.
 
THE owner of a zoo where a Scot was mauled to death by a Sumatran tiger three years ago stands accused of putting more lives at risk in spite of the tragedy.

David Gill - who walked free from court over the 24-year-old's death last week - also faces claims over fears about animal welfare, interfering in management decisions and going back on a pledge to hand over its running.

He vowed to council bosses changes would be made after Sarah McClay, originally from Glasgow, was savaged to death in the keeper's corridor of the tiger house on May 24, 2013

Gill's South Lakes Safari Zoo Limited, entered guilty pleas at Preston Crown Court to contravening the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and was fined £297,500 and ordered to pay £150,000 legal costs.

The zoo's licence - on which around 100 jobs rely - expired on Monday but has been continued until a meeting on July 5 and 6 when its final fate of the site in Dalton-in-Furness in Cumbria could be decided.

It can be now revealed the zoo had 39 conditions imposed in its licence earlier this year including issues over animal welfare.

Unless Gill and his team can prove improvements and a proper management plan have been put in place to address them then its licence could be revoked.

The Sunday Herald has learned council inspectors first recommended refusing the zoo's licence in January unless there was a shake-up of the management.

They catalogued a series of welfare and safety concerns.

But it was decided to grant an extension until next month to allow the operators to meet demands of the Barrow council

Official documents from February show Gill, the founder, owner, and licence-holder, said the zoo would be gifted to the Safari Zoo Nature Foundation charity.

He confirmed he would have nothing to do with the charity and would not be employed by the zoo which would have a board with a minimum of ten trustees overseeing operations.


But the documents said it had "become apparent" that Gill was "overriding decisions" made the management team adding "it is of deep concern should the licence be renewed in his name.

According to Companies House, Gill left the zoo company board on October 23 last year but was reappointed on December 2 and is the sole controlling shareholder.

The same month the zoo was cited for safety issues at the zoo which could put lives at risk.

It was given 28 days by the council to prove its aerial walkways were safe. It responded saying it would close temporarily accusing the council of harassment, although there was no definite date of re-opening.

That decision was later reversed and the council issued a Direction Order requiring that all walkways and viewing platforms be closed to the public. It remains in place.

Direction orders which insist on compliance are imposed should licence conditions fail to be met.

The council's environmental health officer report that it was "fundamental to public safety" for them to be correct as a failure "would cause members of the public to fall from height and may place them in close proximity to dangerous animals that may then hamper rescue operations".

Concerns had been previously raised in 2009, 2013 and 2014.

The council as part of a list of conditions stated that a new "robust management and staffing structure must be in place".


A report of licensing regulatory committee discussions on February 23 and 24 said: "This new structure must include a competent, suitably qualified and experienced full-time director (or senior manager) with day to day responsibility for the running of the Zoo, the ability and authority to make decisions independent of the owner, and must be fully responsible to the licensing authority for the conduct of the Zoo, all its on-site activities.

The report added: “The decision by the inspection team to recommend that a new licence for South Lakes Safari Zoo should not be granted at its due date, unless a condition regarding the management structure has been complied with."

The inspectors had commended Gill for his initial decision to step back from the running of the zoo.

"This is no longer a small zoo and it now houses a large and diverse number of species. Suitable management processes must be in place before a new licence is issued to enable the Zoo to meet all its legal obligations... ," said the papers.

An inspection of November 2015 highlighted 33 conditions covering safety and welfare that the inspectors believed must be applied to the licence, "a considerable number of conditions for a zoo of this size and many of these result from the repeated failure to implement fully previous conditions, thus aggravating the situation and determining the Inspectors’ position", the document says.

Of particular concern to the inspectors is the fact that as this zoo grows, it relies heavily on the owner’s experience implementing out of date practices and refusing to implement modern zoo methods.

In the inspectors’ opinion this has resulted in animal welfare issues, a higher than expected mortality rate amongst the animals, higher than expected incidents, such as injuries to the public from animals, and places both staff and the public potentially in danger.”

According to inspectors out of 165 UK zoo licences reviewed, only 5% of zoos reviewed had over 20 conditions.

By February there were a total of 39 conditions on the zoo's licence, including issues relating to animal bites, rodent infestation, and level of veterinary care

Karen Brewer, a newly appointed director, who says she has been appointed as chief executive officer, responded to the issues with a statement prepared after Friday's sentencing saying: "All at the South Lakes Safari Zoo offer their deepest and most heartfelt sympathies again to Sarah McClay's family and loved ones in respect of her tragic death.

"As has been said in court, Sarah was an enthusiastic, caring, dedicated and valued member of the zoo's animal staff, and she is missed greatly by all those who knew and worked with her.

The judge recognised that to a very considerable extent safety was a priority at the zoo. It remains a priority. The judge noted the positive remarks by those inspecting the zoo and the commitment and enthusiasm of the zoo's management.

"He recognised that the zoo provides a substantial amenity in the Barrow area which gives much needed opportunity to local educational establishments.

"He recognised the zoo's work with schools, its free access programme for children and its international conservational efforts.

"Lessons have been learned and the zoo continues to prioritise safety for staff and visitors."

Gill had previously been fined £6000 by authorities over escaped animals at his Mareeba Wild Animal Park in Australia before leaving the country as his business failed with debts of £2 million.

He was charged, convicted and fined for three breaches of the Land Protection Act in his absence, two of those involving the escape of a lemur and cheetah and the unreported death of a lemur in October, 2004.

Catalogue of concerns at zoo where tiger killed Scots keeper (From Herald Scotland)
 
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