Your highlights of the year 2009

adrian1963

adrian1963

Well-Known Member
Mine are the new born Lars Gibbon at Dudley Zoo and actually seeing the Scottish Wildcat at the Birmingham Nature Centre for the first time also knowing that at last something is being done at Dudley Zoo with the Orangutan house.
Next year I hope to visit as many UK Zoo's as possible and see for myself the array of animals we actually have in UK Zoo's

I was just wondering what your highlights of the year were and where you were looking forward to visiting in 2010

I also hope that everyone has a happy christmas
 
Interesting concept.

For me it would have to be the long overdue arrival of a new male Gorilla at Twycross.:)

Also the arrival of new males at both Blackpool and ZSL although neither have been without males for so long as Twycross.

Christmas greetings also.
 
The highlight for me had to be having an African Wild Dog chewing the handle of my new car at West Midlands Safari Park...... :)

More seriously I enjoyed visiting Chester for the first time in 12 years. Also seeing the new baby elephant at Twycross! :)
 
Wow, where do I start...

Seeing the African Valley open at Marwell, in the Summer the long, dry grass made it look very authentic with giraffe, zebra, waterbuck and ostrich roaming. The best thing is, that's only the beginning of it! Seeing Tapirs (along with a calf soon after!) and Black Wildebeest return to the zoo, the latter being a new one for me and the female Ariana came very close to me on the day I first saw them. Animal moments...wow, more than I can count! Being alone with the whole giraffe herd in their house was probaby the most special for me.

Visiting the Aspinall Parks for the first time in May. Loved them so much they are now my favourite collections after Marwell and Longleat. Visting Bristol for the first time, my Summer visit to the Otter and Owl Park and visiting Longleat this Autumn are other top moments.

Here's to 2010! :) Things to look forward to then: Marwell's new cheetah enclosure, wolves arriving at the Otter and Owl, Longleat's 'mini safari' and best of all, my Keeper for a Day at Marwell!
 
How could I forget seeing a polar bear for the first time in over 12 years! Heythrop Zoo was a very good experience!

I'm not toasting to 2010 yet as I still have a few more visits scheduled for this year. Vale Wildlife Rescue, Evesham, Midlands. Bristol Zoo and hopefully one other!

Martin
 
Zambar said:
and Black Wildebeest return to the zoo, the latter being a new one for me
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Seeing Black Wildebeest back in the UK after so long is a big highlight too. I visited Newquay a few weeks back and saw the 'other' pair too so have seen both pairs- is that a scoop...?:cool:
 
Where to start...

I really enjoyed going to Kent and visiting the RSCC and Aspinall zoos at the beginning of this year. It was also great to see the Owston's Palm Civets at Newquay and Dartmoor's new Cheetah standing at the top of "Tiger" Mountain. Not to mention re-visits to Chester and Durrell which were highlights too.

Next year, I am hoping to take a trip up to London for a long-overdue visit of the two ZSL zoos which have both had several new exhibits built since I last went. Also, I do work experience so hopefully I will get a zoo placement but for that I'll have to wait and see.

PS. have a great christmas everyone!
 
Mine would be having a whole new park open within 40 mins driving distance (Yorkshire Wildlife Park).

Seeing my first Aardvarks at Colchester.

The lovely Sumatran orang family at Chester & the very new baby Kirana.

I've got a Colchester Gold Card so looking forward to visiting Bristol for the first time next year

... and doing Keeper for the Day with the Chester primates ... but that is a whole 1 year and 4 days!
 
Mine would be the opening of Orang utan Forest (even though controversial) it is a huge improvement on Rajang's old enclosure and has become a very popular visitor attraction and hopefully educates visitors on the plight of orang utans.
It has also freed up some space for the new tropical rainforest exhibit.

Also I have enjoyed all the new zoos I have visited for the first time this year Shepreth, Paignton, Dartmoor, (national Marine Aquarium), Bristol and Dudley :) Forgot London (Living Coasts)

Happy Christmas one and all (Great idea for a thread Adrian)
 
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My highlights would be:
My Visit to Howletts - Ive finally visited the Zoo of my Hero John Aspinall. It really was the most inspirational visit and i hope to visit next year too.
My Keeper - Experience at Linton. It was a fantastic day spending time with the keepers and the animals. It definately didnt put me off one bit and I cant wait to do more of it.

And for next year:
Many more visits to Linton.
Howletts
Whipsnade
London
Newquay
And many more :)

Cant wait!
 
In no particular order (except that I recall them in):

Driving back from Twycross feeling optimistic rather than frustrated;
Annual visit to Colchester & Edinburgh Zoos (both always excellent);
Mbembe still hanging in there at Colchester;
Echidna at Paignton & Tayra at Exmoor;
Hanging with Bartlett personages;
Ongoing developments at Blackbrook;
Yorkshire Wildlife Park's impressive start;
Visiting Chester for the first time in over 18 months and re-realising how good it is.

I'm sure there's many more as (I think) all zoo visits seem to throw up something interesting, new or a new angle on something.
 
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Another highlight at Chester was the birth of the two Black rhino calves-(admittedly one was last year) the first they have had for about ten years.
 
Visiting London Zoo For the first time
Seeing the Sun Bears and Jaguarundi At the RSCC
Going to Whipsnade and Stroked a Zebra
Visiting My Favourate Zoo, Port Lympe to see the gorillas :)

My last Zoo of 2009 is Marwell of which im looking forward to seeing the African Valley!

Then Bring on 2010, where im hoping to visit Birdworld, havnt visited in a while... Bristol, Hawk Conservancy, Owl and Otter, Wildwood, Marwell, Howletts and perhaps London Again!

Regards,
PK
 
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Nothing changes over night, but sometimes we wish it would, it takes time no matter which zoo it is with all the planning they have to do and finding the funding but we all know that every zoo tries it's best to give the animals and visitors the best they can.

I would like to thank all the staff at EVERY ZOO for thier efforts in making our day's out at the zoo great

THANK YOU
 
My personal highlights:

Seeing the wonders of Apenheul for the first time;
Seeing the daughter of my favourite (deceased) orangutan "laughing";
Seeing the very successful reintroduction of injured tiger cubs to their mother at Paignton;
and, to borrow a line from Shorts, -
Hanging with Zoochat personages.
 
Gigit said:
Seeing the very successful reintroduction of injured tiger cubs to their mother at Paignton;
Click to expand...

I enjoyed seeing them too. A story with a happy outcome for a change. I really thought they would end up having to put them down.
 
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