UK Best Reptile/Amphibian Collection

Typhlonectes

Typhlonectes

Well-Known Member
I’m sure this topic has been done to death, but I’d love to open the discussion up again. I will say past and present collections are allowed, and naming a specific group the collection has a specialty in would be great too.
 
Currently, the biggest one is, by far Slimbridge, with around 50 species - not only the biggest in the UK but amongst the largest in Europe with Tierpark Chemnitz in Germany the only collection that I know for sure is larger.

That said, roughly two thirds, possibly more, of Slimbridge’s collection is offshow. I don’t have exact numbers, but I suspect the largest solely onshow collection would be Paignton, and perhaps London or Chester are also in contention.
 
Kalaw said:
Currently, the biggest one is, by far Slimbridge, with around 50 species - not only the biggest in the UK but amongst the largest in Europe with Tierpark Chemnitz in Germany the only collection that I know for sure is larger.

That said, roughly two thirds, possibly more, of Slimbridge’s collection is offshow. I don’t have exact numbers, but I suspect the largest solely onshow collection would be Paignton, and perhaps London or Chester are also in contention.
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I think there is some speculation that the ZTL listing for Slimbridge is incorrect, which is a shame, I would love to know what they hold in terms of European amphibians. Paignton has a brilliant amphibian exhibit
 
London Had a fantastic collection but I haven't visited in years.

Blackpool had a large collection but it either went off show or dispersed.

Chester has a really good collection. Three impressive sized reptiles with the Retic, Gharial and Komodo's. Small but nice collection of snakes with The Gaboon and Boelens. The Tuataras are great if you can ever spot them.
 
Ickbur said:
London Had a fantastic collection but I haven't visited in years
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London's on-show collection is much reduced but they are certainly in the running for the best collection if we extend this to offshow as well (although why would we). That said, quite a few of their rarities are semi-offshow in that they're visible from a distance in the storage labs of the new reptile house, with different species being moved there on a recurring basis.
 
cerperal said:
London's on-show collection is much reduced but they are certainly in the running for the best collection if we extend this to offshow as well (although why would we). That said, quite a few of their rarities are semi-offshow in that they're visible from a distance in the storage labs of the new reptile house, with different species being moved there on a recurring basis.
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If we are to include offshow holdings, London is definitely not in the running as Slimbridge is heads and shoulders above all competition once that is factored in, even with the collection having deteriorated somewhat in recent times. Focusing solely on onshow holdings, I suspect only Paignton is ahead.

In total, London has 17 amphibian species of which 14 are onshow, but all of the remaining three, as cerperal says, can be seen in the distance as there are windows behind certain tanks into onshow rooms. That 17 is comprised of 3 species of caecilian, 5 species of newt or salamander and 9 species of frog or toad.
 
Kalaw said:
If we are to include offshow holdings, London is definitely not in the running as Slimbridge is heads and shoulders above all competition once that is factored in, even with the collection having deteriorated somewhat in recent times. Focusing solely on onshow holdings, I suspect only Paignton is ahead.

In total, London has 17 amphibian species of which 14 are onshow, but all of the remaining three, as cerperal says, can be seen in the distance as there are windows behind certain tanks into onshow rooms. That 17 is comprised of 3 species of caecilian, 5 species of newt or salamander and 9 species of frog or toad.
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I don’t suppose you have a list of Slimbridge herps that is up to date? Or can recount any rarities there?
 
I went to Slimbridge on 31st August.

Zootierliste shows species at Slimbridge. My list is from memory and may not be acurate.

* on show amphibians.

African bullfrog (Tschudi's African bullfrog) (Pyxicephalus adspersus (Syn.: Rana adspersa))
African clawed frog (Common platanna) (Xenopus laevis)*
Alpine newt (No Subspecific status) (Ichthyosaura alpestris (Syn.: Mesotriton alpestris) (Syn.: Triturus alpestris))*
Australian green tree frog (White's tree frog) (Ranoidea caerulea (Syn.: Litoria caerulea) (Syn.: Pelodryas caerulea))*
Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum)*
Banded fire salamander (Lined fire salamander) (Salamandra salamandra terrestris)
Blue poison dart frog (Dendrobates tinctorius var. "Azureus" (Syn.: Dendrobates azureus))*
Chantaburi warted treefrog (Taylor's bug-eyed frog) (Purple-spotted warted frog) (Theloderma stellatum)
Common midwife toad (Alytes obstetricans)
Common toad (Bufo bufo (Syn.: Bufo bufo bufo))*
Coronated treefrog (Spinyhead treefrog) (Triprion spinosus (Syn.: Anotheca spinosa)))
Dyeing dart frog (Dendrobates tinctorius)*
Emperor newt (Tylototriton shanjing)*
European common brown frog (Rana temporaria)*
European tree frog (Hyla arborea)*
Golden mantella (Mantella aurantiaca)*
Golden poison frog (Phyllobates terribilis)
Golden-striped salamander (Chioglossa lusitanica)
Great crested Newt (Triturus cristatus (Syn.: Triturus cristatus cristatus))*
Greek alpine newt (Ichthyosaura alpestris veluchiensis (Syn.: Triturus alpestris veluchiensis) (Syn.: T. a. graeca))
Green and black poison dart frog (Gold arrow-poison frog) (Dendrobates auratus (Syn.: Dendrobates tinctorius auratus))
Himalayan newt (Tylototriton verrucosus)
Iberian ribbed newt (Spanish ribbed newt) (Sharp-ribbed newt) (Pleurodeles waltl)
Italian alpine newt (Ichthyosaura alpestris apuana (Syn.: Triturus alpestris apuanus))
Klappenbach’s Red-belly toad (Melanophryniscus klappenbachi)
Malayan leaf frog (Megophrys montana)
Marbled Madagascan rainfrog (Marbled narrow mouthed frog) (Scaphiophryne marmorata)
Mission golden-eyed tree frog (Amazon milk frog) (Trachycephalus resinifictrix (Syn.: Phrynohyas resinifictrix))*
Morelet's tree frog (Popeye hyla) (Black-eyed leaf frog) (Agalychnis moreletii)
Natterjack toad (Epidalea calamita (Syn.: Bufo calamita))
Orange-legged leaf frog (Pithecopus hypochondrialis (Syn.: Phyllomedusa hypochondrialis))
Oriental fire-bellied toad (Eastern fire-bellied toad) (Bombina orientalis)
Palmate newt (Lissotriton helveticus (Syn.: Triturus helveticus) (Syn.: Triturus palmatus))*
Pool frog (Pelophylax lessonae (Syn.: Rana lessonae))*
Red-eyed Tree Frog (Agalychnis callidryas)
Roughskin newt (Taricha granulosa)
Smooth newt (Common newt) (Nominate subspecies) (Lissotriton vulgaris vulgaris (Syn.: Triturus vulgaris vulgaris))*
Spanish spadefoot toad (Iberian Spadefoot toad) (Western spadefoot) (Pelobates cultripes)
Syrian spadefoot toad (Pelobates syriacus)
Titicaca water frog (Telmatobius culeus)*
Western tiger salamander (Barred tiger salamander) (Ambystoma mavortium (Syn.: Ambystoma tigrinum mavortium))
Yellow-bellied toad (European yellow-bellied toad) (Bombina variegata)*
Yellow-striped fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra fastuosa)

Golden Poison Frog and Red-eyed Tree Frog may also have been on show. I cannot remember now, I was concentrating on seeing species for the Amphibian challenge. Try as I might I could not spot the Common Toad, but it was labelled.
 
bongorob said:
I went to Slimbridge on 31st August.

Zootierliste shows species at Slimbridge. My list is from memory and may not be acurate.

* on show amphibians.

African bullfrog (Tschudi's African bullfrog) (Pyxicephalus adspersus (Syn.: Rana adspersa))
African clawed frog (Common platanna) (Xenopus laevis)*
Alpine newt (No Subspecific status) (Ichthyosaura alpestris (Syn.: Mesotriton alpestris) (Syn.: Triturus alpestris))*
Australian green tree frog (White's tree frog) (Ranoidea caerulea (Syn.: Litoria caerulea) (Syn.: Pelodryas caerulea))*
Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum)*
Banded fire salamander (Lined fire salamander) (Salamandra salamandra terrestris)
Blue poison dart frog (Dendrobates tinctorius var. "Azureus" (Syn.: Dendrobates azureus))*
Chantaburi warted treefrog (Taylor's bug-eyed frog) (Purple-spotted warted frog) (Theloderma stellatum)
Common midwife toad (Alytes obstetricans)
Common toad (Bufo bufo (Syn.: Bufo bufo bufo))*
Coronated treefrog (Spinyhead treefrog) (Triprion spinosus (Syn.: Anotheca spinosa)))
Dyeing dart frog (Dendrobates tinctorius)*
Emperor newt (Tylototriton shanjing)*
European common brown frog (Rana temporaria)*
European tree frog (Hyla arborea)*
Golden mantella (Mantella aurantiaca)*
Golden poison frog (Phyllobates terribilis)
Golden-striped salamander (Chioglossa lusitanica)
Great crested Newt (Triturus cristatus (Syn.: Triturus cristatus cristatus))*
Greek alpine newt (Ichthyosaura alpestris veluchiensis (Syn.: Triturus alpestris veluchiensis) (Syn.: T. a. graeca))
Green and black poison dart frog (Gold arrow-poison frog) (Dendrobates auratus (Syn.: Dendrobates tinctorius auratus))
Himalayan newt (Tylototriton verrucosus)
Iberian ribbed newt (Spanish ribbed newt) (Sharp-ribbed newt) (Pleurodeles waltl)
Italian alpine newt (Ichthyosaura alpestris apuana (Syn.: Triturus alpestris apuanus))
Klappenbach’s Red-belly toad (Melanophryniscus klappenbachi)
Malayan leaf frog (Megophrys montana)
Marbled Madagascan rainfrog (Marbled narrow mouthed frog) (Scaphiophryne marmorata)
Mission golden-eyed tree frog (Amazon milk frog) (Trachycephalus resinifictrix (Syn.: Phrynohyas resinifictrix))*
Morelet's tree frog (Popeye hyla) (Black-eyed leaf frog) (Agalychnis moreletii)
Natterjack toad (Epidalea calamita (Syn.: Bufo calamita))
Orange-legged leaf frog (Pithecopus hypochondrialis (Syn.: Phyllomedusa hypochondrialis))
Oriental fire-bellied toad (Eastern fire-bellied toad) (Bombina orientalis)
Palmate newt (Lissotriton helveticus (Syn.: Triturus helveticus) (Syn.: Triturus palmatus))*
Pool frog (Pelophylax lessonae (Syn.: Rana lessonae))*
Red-eyed Tree Frog (Agalychnis callidryas)
Roughskin newt (Taricha granulosa)
Smooth newt (Common newt) (Nominate subspecies) (Lissotriton vulgaris vulgaris (Syn.: Triturus vulgaris vulgaris))*
Spanish spadefoot toad (Iberian Spadefoot toad) (Western spadefoot) (Pelobates cultripes)
Syrian spadefoot toad (Pelobates syriacus)
Titicaca water frog (Telmatobius culeus)*
Western tiger salamander (Barred tiger salamander) (Ambystoma mavortium (Syn.: Ambystoma tigrinum mavortium))
Yellow-bellied toad (European yellow-bellied toad) (Bombina variegata)*
Yellow-striped fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra fastuosa)

Golden Poison Frog and Red-eyed Tree Frog may also have been on show. I cannot remember now, I was concentrating on seeing species for the Amphibian challenge. Try as I might I could not spot the Common Toad, but it was labelled.
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Thanks Bongorob, worth a visit then. Hopefully they have plans of expanding the on show collection in the future
 
Personally I would like to mention CWP in this thread, I visited this summer and was really impressed. The enclosure designs were some of the most beautiful and naturalistic I have seen, and there was some really nice surprises including Beautiful Pit Viper and Seychelles Giant Tortoise. I was very pleasantly surprised to see a Lace Monitor here, a very nice and highly sought after monitor lizard species. Also props to the lovely mixed species tortoise exhibit outside of the main reptile house
 
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