Had my first visit for a while, some great improvements and some disappointments.
Monkey feeding is lovely, I'd like to see a bit more staff monitoring there though. Most outside enclosures have been improved loads, lots of planting and things to climb on, which was a problem last time I went. I have no idea why, but ring tailed lemur and prairie dogs are sharing an enclosure, what happened constantly was a prairie dog would bite a dangling tail, the lemur would squeal and run up the enclosure, the prairie dog hung on for as long as they could and was dropped from a good few metres up, I have no idea how they survive that all day!
Most monkeys look good, there was a capuchin with a breathing problem and a pygmy marmoset with his tongue hanging out, but assume these are being dealt with.
Lynx, the young female is being prepared to move in with the old males, which is nice, but don't know how the gender balance works or if a hand reared female will be fine with others, but its good for them to be together.
Leopard extension well under way, and its enormous, puts Dudleys to shame tbh, its made me wonder if he may like a friend some day?
Domestic animals however, I am very confused by, some rabbits are in huge enclosures on their own, others are in pairs in tiny hutches, very odd set up! Rats and degus are pretty packed in, they seem to have more than ever, not sure if they're breeding them? Many budgies in a large aviary, and one in a tiny cage hanging from the reptile house, they'd be better off together surely?
Reptiles, soo many crocodiles and caimans, I think four separate enclosures, all well kept though, I saw one use it's outside enclosure, which was lovely to see.
Porcupine in very small rabbit run, really needs to be sorted out!
Signage is much better, with education statements along with stories about where animals come from, very nice.
Overall, a huge improvement to a couple of years ago, hopefully they'll carry on improvements, especially with the smaller animals.
If I've missed anything please ask!
Monkey feeding is lovely, I'd like to see a bit more staff monitoring there though. Most outside enclosures have been improved loads, lots of planting and things to climb on, which was a problem last time I went. I have no idea why, but ring tailed lemur and prairie dogs are sharing an enclosure, what happened constantly was a prairie dog would bite a dangling tail, the lemur would squeal and run up the enclosure, the prairie dog hung on for as long as they could and was dropped from a good few metres up, I have no idea how they survive that all day!
Most monkeys look good, there was a capuchin with a breathing problem and a pygmy marmoset with his tongue hanging out, but assume these are being dealt with.
Lynx, the young female is being prepared to move in with the old males, which is nice, but don't know how the gender balance works or if a hand reared female will be fine with others, but its good for them to be together.
Leopard extension well under way, and its enormous, puts Dudleys to shame tbh, its made me wonder if he may like a friend some day?
Domestic animals however, I am very confused by, some rabbits are in huge enclosures on their own, others are in pairs in tiny hutches, very odd set up! Rats and degus are pretty packed in, they seem to have more than ever, not sure if they're breeding them? Many budgies in a large aviary, and one in a tiny cage hanging from the reptile house, they'd be better off together surely?
Reptiles, soo many crocodiles and caimans, I think four separate enclosures, all well kept though, I saw one use it's outside enclosure, which was lovely to see.
Porcupine in very small rabbit run, really needs to be sorted out!
Signage is much better, with education statements along with stories about where animals come from, very nice.
Overall, a huge improvement to a couple of years ago, hopefully they'll carry on improvements, especially with the smaller animals.
If I've missed anything please ask!