United Kingdom What UK Zoo/safari Park that is closed would you re open and why ?
- Thread starter garyjp
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Aberdeen:
Small, but neat.
Some nice Scottish exhibits (wildcat e.g.).
A building which contained small exhibits of fish, reptiles and a free-flight aviary.
Good labelling - took education seriously.
Most 1960s collections were random collections of what they could get housed in ramshackle enclosures - Aberdeen was neat, well-built, serious, educational.
Small, but neat.
Some nice Scottish exhibits (wildcat e.g.).
A building which contained small exhibits of fish, reptiles and a free-flight aviary.
Good labelling - took education seriously.
Most 1960s collections were random collections of what they could get housed in ramshackle enclosures - Aberdeen was neat, well-built, serious, educational.
crested seriema
Active Member
Quite liked Stagsden Bird Gardens, nice collection we laid out in pleasant surroundings, no facilities in bad weather for visitors, café etc or indoor viewing ie tropical rainforest house.
Rode and Southport.
I agree with many others RSCC and Kilverstone for sure.
I too never went to Belle Vue.
Also Windsor Safari Park purely because it was a childhood collection I went to a great deal.
Equally there are many other collections, and some not particularly good at the time, but just from an historical point of view, that I never ever saw and would have liked to have seen.
I too never went to Belle Vue.
Also Windsor Safari Park purely because it was a childhood collection I went to a great deal.
Equally there are many other collections, and some not particularly good at the time, but just from an historical point of view, that I never ever saw and would have liked to have seen.
Southport? Why so?
My recollection was of a very cramped site - albeit interesting stock.
Sorry, I was in a hurry earlier so I didn't give any reasons. I like smaller zoos, plus I always thought Southport had a bit of character and was the sort of traditional zoo that appeals to me. I did not visit until 1995, so I did not see an elephant there - I suppose that possibly would have had fairly cramped accommodation, especially in the days of the smaller site (perhaps there was not an elephant after those days?), but then it would have been of its time.
In can see ParrotAndrew`s point about Southport.
It is not always the quality of a collection that is important as such, like I said, for me it is the fact that there are some, often quite poor collections in fact, that I never actually got the chance to visit and wish I had been able to of done, simply out of interest.
It is not always the quality of a collection that is important as such, like I said, for me it is the fact that there are some, often quite poor collections in fact, that I never actually got the chance to visit and wish I had been able to of done, simply out of interest.
It was a cramped site true, but also you have to remember that they achieved great things with Mandrills and Binturong in particular at a time no-one else had, to that extent. They gained many zoo federation (BIAZA) breeding awards in their time for Mandrills, in a small, traditional cage. I remember all the certificates on the outside wall of their house, next to their window in 1994.
At the same time they also kept 8 Binturong together in one group, which no-one else had done, yes the cages were a bit grim, but still, they bred very well. It is very easy to write off such a collection for other reasons, but we often forget some of the things they did achieve, at a time when it was not commonplace.
I have recently posted a number of photos taken at closed collections in the UK in the 'United Kingdom - Other' gallery. Most were taken at the Otter Trust which I mentioned in my previous post. I have more to scan and post, particularly from Birdland, Olney and Rode, and I will be concentrating on species that are rarely seen now.
Crested seriema's post reminded me that I had also visited Stagsden, but I can recall very little about it. I think I have photos of a couple of birds taken there, plus a guidebook with charming home-made illustrations.
Alan
Crested seriema's post reminded me that I had also visited Stagsden, but I can recall very little about it. I think I have photos of a couple of birds taken there, plus a guidebook with charming home-made illustrations.
Alan
Pootle
Well-Known Member
Southport Zoo.
I am going to Southport this evening and will take a walk were the zoo used to be, I think it was a paint balling area or something like that a few years ago - so a waste of space
I used to go about twice a week during school holidays from the late 1970's to late 80's, by 1989 I was 16 and zoos where no longer cool to hag around.
It was a successful little zoo, search on ZC for info. Also, its location was ideal for a small zoo, it was close to the seaside and pier, there was (still is) a fun fair, it was also close enough to the main shopping area, so mothers could drop the children off to do the zoo as they did the boring shopping.
Liverpool Zoo.
Liverpool has had several zoos (small collections types) over the years, but nothing really bar the museum aquarium and the tiny Bug world in recent times. Many years ago in the 1930's Liverpool boasted the worlds cleverest chimpanzee who was called Mickey. Apparently he could light his and smoke his own cigarettes
(maybe the old days are not always the best 
).
I am going to Southport this evening and will take a walk were the zoo used to be, I think it was a paint balling area or something like that a few years ago - so a waste of space
I used to go about twice a week during school holidays from the late 1970's to late 80's, by 1989 I was 16 and zoos where no longer cool to hag around.
It was a successful little zoo, search on ZC for info. Also, its location was ideal for a small zoo, it was close to the seaside and pier, there was (still is) a fun fair, it was also close enough to the main shopping area, so mothers could drop the children off to do the zoo as they did the boring shopping.
Liverpool Zoo.
Liverpool has had several zoos (small collections types) over the years, but nothing really bar the museum aquarium and the tiny Bug world in recent times. Many years ago in the 1930's Liverpool boasted the worlds cleverest chimpanzee who was called Mickey. Apparently he could light his and smoke his own cigarettes
(maybe the old days are not always the best ).
Bwassa
Well-Known Member
I would have to say Belle Vue. I was taken round in a pram aged 2, which I have no memory of, obviously, but still have the battered & well-read guide book (1975 vintage). Often wonder what would have happened if it hadn't had to close, and how it would be in the 21st Century.
I would imagine it would have gone down a similar route to Bristol, in that all the large mammals (elephant, giraffe, rhino, hippo, bears, etc) would have been phased out, and the site would have been updated with larger exhibits for smaller species. Or one larger enclosure for say, tigers, on the site of previous smaller exhibits housing 3 or 4 cat species, for example.
I do think it's a shame that the Greater Manchester area doesn't have a zoo. There was talk back in the 1990s of a site being developed as a zoo, but can't remember where it was....?
I would imagine it would have gone down a similar route to Bristol, in that all the large mammals (elephant, giraffe, rhino, hippo, bears, etc) would have been phased out, and the site would have been updated with larger exhibits for smaller species. Or one larger enclosure for say, tigers, on the site of previous smaller exhibits housing 3 or 4 cat species, for example.
I do think it's a shame that the Greater Manchester area doesn't have a zoo. There was talk back in the 1990s of a site being developed as a zoo, but can't remember where it was....?
john thorpe
Member
I would have to say Winged World,which was situated at Heysham Head,near Morecambe in Lancashire,and which was in operation from 1966 until 1979.I was a keeper there for several years,and while largely unmentioned nowadays,this was a one of a kind place where rare softbills were bred and standards of dietary development and husbandry were second to none.Along with former colleagues I'm gathering information for a major project to remember and celebrate the achievements of this amazing facility,and we have the full cooperation of the first Curator,the eminent aviculturalist Clive Roots who now lives in Canada.Any memories,recollections,photographs or memorabilia associated with the Winged World and Childrens Zoo would be really appreciated by us,and will of course be fully acknowledged. Winged World set high standards and in its day was the best in the UK.It should be more widely appreciated.
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Andrew Swales
Well-Known Member
Good luck with your project John. I visited quite a number of zoos in the UK which closed (around 50 I think) but not Winged World, so I am of no use to you. I remember it featuring quite regularly in 'Cage and Aviary Birds' but it was too far from home for me to visit.
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