Dartmoor Zoo Species At Dartmoor Zoo

I heard this morning that Paignton's female cheetah (Sita) may only be at Dartmoor for the summer. She's gone there to give the new pair a chance to bond.
 
Like others have said already, I hope the foxes don't get shunted to make way for this new cheetah. I adore foxes, and it used to really sadden me seeing them in that awful old pit! I love the idea of them in the 'Tiger Mountain' enclosure though. :)
 
Iv been to darmoor twice but not for the last 5 or 6 years back then i thought it was one of the best in the south , they had a pride of lions, 3 or 4 tigers, wolves, lynxes, pumas, foxes, ostrich, bears, jaguars and none of these animals were on their own. I would really like to visit now but i dont think i would like to see 2 lions 1 tiger a jaguar all on their own.
It was brilliant then one of the keepers let my nephew feed the bears gone off sausage rolls from the cafe. And also the bears are eurasian brown bear.
 
Dartboy said:
Iv been to darmoor twice but not for the last 5 or 6 years back then i thought it was one of the best in the south , they had a pride of lions, 3 or 4 tigers, wolves, lynxes, pumas, foxes, ostrich, bears, jaguars and none of these animals were on their own. I would really like to visit now but i dont think i would like to see 2 lions 1 tiger a jaguar all on their own.
It was brilliant then one of the keepers let my nephew feed the bears gone off sausage rolls from the cafe. And also the bears are eurasian brown bear.
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Tigers and Jaguars are both mainly solitary in the wild, there is nothing wrong with keeping solitary animals that aren't being bred from.

- old sausage rolls? very healthy :rolleyes:
 
Ditto, the bear feeding was baaad :rolleyes:
 
I visited Dartmoor yesterday and found it improved since my last visit just over a year ago. Sita, the cheetah from Paignton, (on permanent loan we were told) was at the top of Tiger Mountain keeping an eye on things. They are delighted to have her. The three tiger siblings were opposite her, next to the lions.
An exhibit for Giant Tortoises is being built just below the wolves.
The staff and volunteers seem very dedicated. The volunteers were giving excellent talks through the day. A keeper said they spend money as soon as they get it and lots of things have been done that are not immediately noticeable, eg new fence posts. They've received building materials from local companies going bust, such as the glass forming the new meerkat enclosure. They are putting up interesting new signs with photographs and details about the animals everywhere (I'll upload photos of some in the Gallery) and working on the website when they can.
They've asked the local council to put up direction signs on the roads, but apparently they won't do this until the zoo gets 300,000 visitors! Absurd!
A road sized track has been excavated across the zoo near the carpark end for water mains work, so they have land they can't use at the moment, but at least the water board is paying them for the inconvenience.
There's obviously still a long way to go but they are on the right track and putting the needs of the animals before the needs of visitors (the ancient toilet block is very basic still). The script for the Hollywood film is being written and the keeper we spoke to is expecting to be played by Brad Pitt!I hope they are well supported during the school holidays.
 
I wondered what it was they were building opposite the wolves. Thanks for the info, what did you think of the meerkat exhibit? Did you get any pics of it? Personally I thought it was very badly designed.
 
ashley-h said:
I wondered what it was they were building opposite the wolves. Thanks for the info, what did you think of the meerkat exhibit? Did you get any pics of it? Personally I thought it was very badly designed.
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I didn't like its position - it looks a prime target for children (and adults!) to drop things in as they go in and out of the restaurant. Maybe it was the best use they could find for the free glass panels? I'll upload a photo of it.
 
Thanks for the update, so good to hear this zoo is making steady progress. Have they still got that lone flamingo?

And I'm personally hoping for Bruce Willis as Ben Mee in the new film! :p
 
A film is abit over the top me thinks!
It would just be Ben Mee having a deadly fight with the Jag! and a huge fire destroying everything as he manages to set all of the animals free ;)
Back to reality,
I really like Dartmoor,It has a superb setting in a beutiful part of the country and i think the way it houses its Canivores is great.
It is improving steadily with the odd mistake - Meerkat Enclosure,But fantastic enclosures such as the new lynx house and a good use for the old 'Tiger Mountain'.
I wish them the best :)
 
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Marwell Dalek said:
Thanks for the update, so good to hear this zoo is making steady progress. Have they still got that lone flamingo?
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I didn't see it but that doesn't mean it isn't there. We were given a map which shows its location and the map is very up to date - it also shows the cheetah.
I've just uploaded some photos.
 
Gigit said:
They've asked the local council to put up direction signs on the roads, but apparently they won't do this until the zoo gets 300,000 visitors! Absurd!

Rubbish! The park already had brown tourist board signs 20 years prior to the takeover, and how do other smaller zoos manage? I believe collections have to pay for these signs-i dont think it has anything to do with attendance or the local councils.
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Heh heh, I was only joking. :) Then again, Cribbins is a bit too old for Ben... how about Martin Freeman or Colin Firth?
 
Rowan Atkinson ;)
Is anyone sure that a film is in the making?
I hope it really wont be an action film, it just wouldnt be truthful.
Do a drama type thing :)
 
Gigit said:
I visited Dartmoor yesterday and found it improved since my last visit just over a year ago. Sita, the cheetah from Paignton, (on permanent loan we were told) was at the top of Tiger Mountain keeping an eye on things. They are delighted to have her.
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May I ask did you see the foxes (red & silver), and if so where are they housed now? It seems they'd only just moved into the former 'Tiger Mountain', so although a cheetah is great news for the park I'm a bit disapointed about this. If the Red Foxes go back in that horrible old pit again I will NOT be pleased!
 
The Silver Foxes were in 'that horrible old pit' (I think it's where you mean) and the Red Foxes were opposite the Lynx.
 
Gigit said:
The Silver Foxes were in 'that horrible old pit' (I think it's where you mean) and the Red Foxes were opposite the Lynx.
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Thanks for that info... shame about the Silvers. :( I hope that's just a temporary measure as that is the worst enclosure I've ever seen in a UK zoo. And where are the Lynx? As you may have guessed, it's been some time since I was last at Dartmoor! ;)
 
The "Pit" has actually improved, it has more substrate, enrichment, a new house and they have access to one of the adjacent aviaries, so they have about twice the space. Not ideal, but much better :)
 
Sand Cat said:
Thanks for that info... shame about the Silvers. :( I hope that's just a temporary measure as that is the worst enclosure I've ever seen in a UK zoo. And where are the Lynx? As you may have guessed, it's been some time since I was last at Dartmoor! ;)
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I may be wrong, but I think there used to be Pumas where the Lynx are now - turn left at the bottom of Tiger Mountain en route to the Jaguar.
 
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