No, the photo was taken on arrival at Zoo Parc Beauval
South Lakes Wild Animal Park South Lakes news thread 2015
- Thread starter Nisha
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No, the photo was taken on arrival at Zoo Parc Beauval
devilfish
Well-Known Member
I can't understand what you're criticising here. What is so 'ballsy' about this? Just because it seems pointless to you, I don't see the need to ruthlessly bash a polite request.
I visited the park for the first time last week. I felt it could easily be made a lot more interesting. Quite a few things they do are very audacious, I just wish they'd have a more scientific approach. The walkthrough exhibit taking half of the zoo is something pretty scary. It seems to be awaiting trouble. Chaotic and difficult to walk through. However, I was surprised that the only consistently stressed behaviour I witnessed was a tapir (understandably) panicking every time a bear came its way.
ah okay. I didn't realise he went there with them!
The park have ignored three requests from me for an update on the otters. They have also ignored requests from other people including zoo professionals. No mention of them has been seen on the Zoo's website.
Mr Gill and his wife went to South America while the cubs they were hand-rearing were very young. I'm 99.99% convinced that they are dead.
I think this is what is frustrating about South Lakes. If the pups have died then that would be sad but also understandable and a post on FB to explain the situation would be the way to go when you've already chosen to publicise their birth and subsequent hand-rearing attempt on FB. They are playing the cute card when it suits and ignoring the flip side. Fair enough no-one likes bad news but if it's explained clearly and sensibly it's a fact of life and you must take the good with the bad. Even the more naive followers of the park can only assume that no more mention of these pups means they have died.
I feel it does other zoos a disservice to ignore "negative" news like this and does the work of zoos no favours. It also belittles the general public to assume they can't handle this kind of information.
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bigcat speciali
Well-Known Member
Indeed and agree on your comments. Likewise with how Dave Gill and his park only use Facebook as a means of delivering their PR, along with their blog which is again not open to any view but his and his followers. Unlike most zoos and collections who will engage with negative views, who have a PR officer and will post comments to help dispel those negative views. Dave being all high and mighty, narcissistic and ego driven, is in truth the curse. Removing himself from all activities should help the park breath, but as he is power and ego mad, this will not happen. By his (Dave Gill) non-engagement and refusal to comment on the giant otter pups, then he has left himself and part-time vet wife open to even more ridicule. Dave Gill did say that the pups were in his and his sons care while his wife was away and then he and his son also go back to the America's on holiday (how many holidays does this man need?). He cannot lay blame on his staff, as he had previously done. Therefore, his reasons for not commenting on the subject will cause further worries about his command and stewardship, so he stays quiet. Dave Gill is playing the cute card but he is also playing the card of the fool.
The pictures of the Sumatran tiger coming back, I do hope the staff have a valid CPCS ticket and or blue ticket to operate the vehicle? The paddling pool for their Chilean Flamingos (which are not) should be a good size with appropriate and suitable vegetation with varying depth. Again, the pictures will have Dave Gill in them or are taken by him, which gives his ego a stance to gloat. The biggest issue with South Lakes, and I feel we all agree on this, is Dave Gill. The man is the problem and until he is removed and has no voice with any function, then he will remain the problem. Ah, yes...Dave did have his application to BIAZA thrown out for his rhino riding stunt, that in itself says it all!
yes I don't personally doubt they died, and it is not unexpected. (Cracker's post is spot-on too: the funny thing is that if Gill had posted on his Facebook that the cubs had died, all his followers would just be sympathetic and congratulate him for being so honest!). My point in asking if it had actually been confirmed (as I'm sure you know) was more that bigcat speciali specified the cubs were dead as if it is a proven fact when there is no such proof. He simply claimed it as fact in order to use as ammunition in his hatred for South Lakes. And yet he jumps all over ever single piece of media that South Lakes puts out even when it is the simple figure-of-speech PR fluff like any other zoo puts out. I have no issue with criticism where it is due but I also like consistency and not being hypocritical!
In a similar vein bigcat speciali's last post where he uses such strange arguments as "Likewise with how Dave Gill and his park only use Facebook as a means of delivering their PR" or "I do hope the staff have a valid CPCS ticket and or blue ticket to operate the vehicle?" - just, what? And devilfish already rightly questioned the indignation bigcat speciali apparently feels over the request for photos to use for educational purposes.
I've said it before: it is getting more than a little tiresome!
bigcat speciali
Well-Known Member
Dave Gill did post on his own FB page that the pups had "perished" while his wife was away but within an hour of posting the comment was removed. If Chlidonias has an issue with me, then fine, so be it, but please don't suck up to the Dave Gill Fan Club. People have opinions, some like it some don't. Dave Gill along with his ego and flashness is a halter around the neck of his park and staff. If Chlidonias does not like that, then fine...
if it was posted by Gill that the cubs had died then that is fine (if it was then deleted there is still no proof, but of course I am also familiar with the way Gill adds and deletes Facebook posts at apparent random).
However you seem to have missed the point of my posts entirely. I am not a fan of David Gill - in fact I have explicitly said this many times, even within this current thread I believe - but I am a fan of even-handedness. Credit and criticism where they are due, not blind love or blind hate. I don't have an issue with you, per se, I have an issue with your South Lakes posts, the reasons for which I think I have explained in every post made on that subject.
It must be very hard to find a milk formula compatable to Giant Otter cubs that they can digest. Not surprising if they failed with this. But if they had kept quiet until they were more certain they could rear them, it might have served them better in the long run.
I still think more privacy, i.e. another den, located well back from the public areas, might reduce stress and allow the adults to rear young successfully.
I still think more privacy, i.e. another den, located well back from the public areas, might reduce stress and allow the adults to rear young successfully.
I see that the tiger enclosure has now been turned into one large exhibit. Apparently there are four tigers on there way. Are they mixing them???!!!
Also was there yesterday and the old African area will be used for gorillas and orang-utans when they move into the new area. Whenever that will be? There are currently zebras in there but are off show. The hippos have also moved to their new area but are off show. You can just see them through the bushes!
Also was there yesterday and the old African area will be used for gorillas and orang-utans when they move into the new area. Whenever that will be? There are currently zebras in there but are off show. The hippos have also moved to their new area but are off show. You can just see them through the bushes!
OMG can you imagine a south lakes great ape exhibit that is gonna be one of the worst ape enclosures in the UK and i haven't even seen it yet!!!
No offence to south lakes but i am not sure in gorillas or orangutans are for them, maybe they they should use the area to house something else.
No offence to south lakes but i am not sure in gorillas or orangutans are for them, maybe they they should use the area to house something else.
Can I ask where you got the information about gorillas and orangutans? I have it on good authority that the giraffe housing is staying there to house unwanted male giraffes (like Denmark incident last year) and half of the paddock cut off and used for Bison
It would be nice if someone could elaborate on the changes - aka hippos to new area, the Kordofan giraffe to the new area, the rhinos (.... am I correct???) to the new area!
I gather @John2584 is talking by direct experience when he is referring to the giraffe situation at SLWP. So untill someone can say otherwise, I do believe that SLWP will follow the guidelines / protocols set by the Giraffe EEP studbook holder for giraffe management (also in order to ensure that the Kordofan giraffe calves are pure-breds and no more hybrids are produced than has been agreed by the studbook holder with the facility in question.
BTW: it is essential for the EEP within the UK to have another facility able to accomodate all the surplus and / or unwanted male giraffe still around within the UK / Ireland.
The hippos have definitely moved as was there yesterday. The rhino and Kordofan giraffe are moving to the new area. The original plan was to put orangatans and gorillas on the old site but they are keeping the male giraffes there.
Messaged south lakes yesterday and still say they are getting orangatans and gorillas.
Does anyone know when the new tigers are arriving? Can they mix four tigers in the same area with the old one?
Messaged south lakes yesterday and still say they are getting orangatans and gorillas.
Does anyone know when the new tigers are arriving? Can they mix four tigers in the same area with the old one?
As soon as they are ready to receive them given the current problems within the EEP (too many Tigers and not enough holders)
SL are supposed to be getting another 1.2 Sumatrans - so mixing two unrelated males would be out of the question (unless he wants one dead!)