UK WILDLIFE

[adrian1963]

When we visit a animal collection do you bother to notice the wildlife around the collections other then the species inside the enclosures, on my last main visit to Dudley I noticed over 8 different types of ladybird, many different species of Birds, also some Rodents and bugs it would be great to have some photographs in the galleries of our native wildlife that you can find around the zoo or collections you visit.
So why not tell us about the native wildlife you see on your visits to the collections you like

 

[Bubbles]

Hi Adrian,
On my recent visit to Edinburgh Zoo I was so pleased to see the local wildlife, other than the animals in the cages and enclosures. I first noticed a Robin sitting on a fence, then a Magpie, a grey squirrel and some tiny bird up in a tree. I then spotted even more squirrels in another paddock. I loved seeing the local wildlife. I didn't take any photos as hubby was heard to mutter rather sarcastically.. "Yes, dear.. it's only a SQUIRREL!" He just didn't appreciate my interest when we'd gone all that way to see the animals in the Zoo. lol

 

[Cheetah fan]

All of these have been taken at Chester Zoo by myself:
Heron was near the Penguin enclosure and the Squirrel (quite a redish grey I think) was taken on the path from the Giant Otters to the Tigers.

 

[Maisie]

I've been known to visit a zoo and come home with as many photos of wild birds as I have of the "official" zoo residents!

 

[OrangePerson]

Yes, my best uk heron picture is one on chimp island at Chester and I've one of a kestral on top of one of the posts in the Sumatran orangutans' outdoor enclosure.
Sometimes the British wildlife comes off worst - cf the poor duckling the young gorillas were arguing over at Bristol!
Robins seem to particularly like zoo life!

 

[Panmalcii]

Native species in zoos

In the 80s, it was said that wild otters colonised the area around the snowed-over otter enclosure at Highland Wildlife Park.

Best 'ticks: lunch at Whipsnade with sightings of Red Kite, Buzzard and Raven in the same hour; Striped Field Mouse (Apodemus agrarius) in W. Berlin, and the cosmic mid-f*** - Colugo in Singapore.

 

[Pertinax]

In the 80s, it was said that wild otters colonised the area around the snowed-over otter enclosure at Highland Wildlife Park.

Quite likely wild Otters were attracted by the captive ones(Whatever species) and stayed around because they wanted to defend their territory-or mate with them.

 

[willtheman45]

I always look for wildlife while at the zoo.At Blackpool I saw a moorhen and chick nesting in some straw next to the moat.

One of the best places is Galloway Wildlife Conservation Park where Iv'e seen buzzards a few times.

 

[Zambar]

On my last visit to Marwell I saw a kestrel land in a tree in the middle of przewalski horse paddock, and among the many squirrels, herons, sparrows, etc over the years I think my best wild animal in a zoo was this fox cub on the Port Lympne African Experience which I've shown in the photos below. The others are two very unfortunate ducklings who ended up as dinner for a hungry otter at Marwell:

 

[Panmalcii]

Almost tame hare for the last couple of years at Whipsnade - hangs around children's play area and farm.

Apropos wild animals being attracted to captive counterparts, one of the best is Asiatic lions from nearby hills trying to 'reach' the captive ones at Sakkerbaug Zoo, Gujarat - the wild lions had already crossed many km of farmland and village areas to reach the hills from their core habitat in Gir forest (date early 90s)

 

[Cheetah fan]

Not sure which Spotted Woodpecker this is but it was hiding in the Tropical Realm at Chester Zoo today.

 

[bongorob]

Not sure which Spotted Woodpecker this is but it was hiding in the Tropical Realm at Chester Zoo today.

It's a red and yellow barbet.

 

[CiaranDUK]

It's a red and yellow barbet.

Ha ha ha, brilliant.

I, on the other hand, have seen many species at my local, Banham Zoo. Including; Grey Squirrel, Rabbit, Stoat, Blackbird, Mallard, Heron, Wood Pigeon, Blackbird, etc etc etc. Banham even has a resident Eurasian Otter!

 

[Cheetah fan]

Ha ha ha, brilliant.

I, on the other hand, have seen many species at my local, Banham Zoo. Including; Grey Squirrel, Rabbit, Stoat, Blackbird, Mallard, Heron, Wood Pigeon, Blackbird, etc etc etc. Banham even has a resident Eurasian Otter!

Hey not my fault birds dont have sharp pointy teeth and claws to interest me . And they do look similar if you check lol.

 

[bongorob]

Well Cheetah Fan you did narrow it down to the right order.

 

[zoogiraffe]

Hey not my fault birds dont have sharp pointy teeth and claws to interest me . And they do look similar if you check lol.

Pity you didn`t listen to Andrew more on the walk and talk as it was a species that Andrew mentioned quite a bit about what had happened with them in the Tasavo Aviary!
Then you may have got the species right.

 

[Cheetah fan]

Pity you didn`t listen to Andrew more on the walk and talk as it was a species that Andrew mentioned quite a bit about what had happened with them in the Tasavo Aviary!
Then you may have got the species right.

Theres a difference between talking about and showing. And as I say compare a Red and yellow Barbet to a Lesser Spotted woodpecker and they are quite similar. As I say I am not a bird person hence I went on that talk to learn a bit more about them.

 

[zoogiraffe]

Theres a difference between talking about and showing. And as I say compare a Red and yellow Barbet to a Lesser Spotted woodpecker and they are quite similar. As I say I am not a bird person hence I went on that talk to learn a bit more about them.

Well a quick check on zootierlist or ISIS would have shown that Chester doesn`t currently keep any species of Woodpecker but does keep 2 species of Barbet!

 

[Chlidonias]

Well a quick check on zootierlist or ISIS would have shown that Chester doesn`t currently keep any species of Woodpecker but does keep 2 species of Barbet!

considering this is a thread on UK wildlife spotted in zoos, I think Cheetah fan was of the opinion that the barbet was a wild woodpecker that had got into the house rather than being one of the zoo's official inhabitants.

 

[MonkeyGirl86]

I have the same Kestrel picture as OrangePerson as we were there at the same time!!! I also have lots of pictures of the different Robins at Monkey World, rodents at various zoos and a heron at Colchester.