Zoo welfare reforms

oflory said:
I read the document with a sense of trepidation but actually everything in it seems to me fairly sensible.

Whipsnade, the elephant collection that I know best, could conceivably expand into the unused fields behind the elephant paddocks with relative ease, if they even needed to. I'm unsure on the actual size of the exhibit.
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Whipsnade also reported back at the start of the year a plan to do work on their Centre for Elephant Care so perhaps pre-empted this and are doing something to meet the specifications
 
My nearest zoo, the Lake District Wildlife Park in Cumbria, does keep several of its birds of prey tethered to perches that are low to the ground and have little protection from the elements. It's something I've never been keen on, so it's good to see a change of this practice is included in the reforms. I do wonder how the park will handle this, whether that be constructing some fully enclosed aviaries or just re-homing the birds they usually have long-term tethered and developing the section into something else.
 
Pertinax said:
Pleased about the birds of prey clauses that will disallow tethering on low blocks and perches apart from short periods. I know this is traditional faconry practise but still don't like to see these birds so low down all the time.
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Agree, that's a good change. Generally this all seems sensible and moving zoo standards forwards and collections have clearly been anticipating the changes, Whipsnade announcing the elephant area upgrades as mentioned above etc. Nothing here appears to threaten any collection, indeed there are lots of things to be pleased about in terms of welfare and standards being at the very heart of zoo practice in the UK.
 
JoB198 said:
Whipsnade also reported back at the start of the year a plan to do work on their Centre for Elephant Care so perhaps pre-empted this and are doing something to meet the specifications
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Zoos would either have been involved in this work with DEFRA / BIAZA or been aware of the discussions and what was being planned so this new guidance won’t have been a surprise.
 
Rajang-GOAT said:
The minimum size requirements for elephants are to be met by 2040 as it says in the full document. Regardless that's not a massive amount of time for new elephant exhibits (or major extensions/upgrades) to be planned and completed. The only zoo I'm fairly confident may meet the new indoor/outdoor size requirement already is Noah's Ark, though I'm unsure about Woburn. All others are likely to either need to improve outside and or inside space (especially Howletts) for the animals. Colchester are the only facility I'm aware have definite plans for a brand new exhibit in the future already.
The new elephant enclosure size requirements are as follows:
  • "A8.14 Elephants in all indoor herd facilities must have at least 600 square meters of available space for four, or fewer, animals. This must be increased by at least 100 square metres for each additional animal over two years old. Indoor bull facilities, if separate, must be at least 320 square metres in area for each bull. In exceptional situations where a single cow is being kept, the minimum size must be at least 320 square metres. All collections must meet these minimum requirements by 1 January 2040."
  • "A8.19 Outdoor areas for bulls and cows must provide all animals with a minimum shared space of 20,000 square metres (2 hectares) for five or fewer group-living adults throughout the year. This must be increased by at least 2,500 square metres for each additional animal over 2 years old. All collections must meet these minimum requirements by 1 January 2040."
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Do Colchester have the room to do all that? - I thought their site was bordered by roads?
 
polarbear said:
Zoos would either have been involved in this work with DEFRA / BIAZA or been aware of the discussions and what was being planned so this new guidance won’t have been a surprise.
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Most zoos have had no input with DEFRA since a 185 document two years ago, as only a select few were allowed/invited to take part in the second round of discussions, with most not consulted.
 
Pertinax said:
Pleased about the birds of prey clauses that will disallow tethering on low blocks and perches apart from short periods. I know this is traditional faconry practise but still don't like to see these birds so low down all the time.
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Presumably most falconry centres will simply transfer ownership of their birds to another company which will be private and not require a zoo licence, and then just commission this company to bring in the birds and do the displays? Similar to a private owner keeping a barn-owl tied up in a shed and taking to schools to do talks.
Unless private owners are subjected to identical controls, the whole thing is pretty pointless.
 
ZooNews2024 said:
Do Colchester have the room to do all that? - I thought their site was bordered by roads?
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They released a masterplan in April 2023 showing the use of new land below and to the right of the current zoo. The new elephant exhibit would include land that is currently part of the car park if the plans are fufilled.
Colchester Zoo April 2023 masterplan on new website

Though I am worried if Blackpool will have space to expand their relatively new (2018) exhibit as it is currently landlocked by other parts of the zoo, a hotel, and a golf course.
 
Jambi said:
My nearest zoo, the Lake District Wildlife Park in Cumbria, does keep several of its birds of prey tethered to perches that are low to the ground and have little protection from the elements. It's something I've never been keen on, so it's good to see a change of this practice is included in the reforms. I do wonder how the park will handle this, whether that be constructing some fully enclosed aviaries or just re-homing the birds they usually have long-term tethered and developing the section into something else.
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Surely these birds are kept tied down to bow perches or blocks in the daytime and moved to tiny sheds/boxes at night, sometimes just sky-kennels. Falconers have their own terminology for most things and I think these night quarters are called 'mews'. They are always in small, close accommodation so the birds can be handled. If they were released in aviaries with a decent hight, they would need to be caught by net as other birds are, and this could not easily be done every day.
I think this legislation is designed to slowly ban elephants from UK zoos, and to quickly ban falconry centres in their current form. As I said elsewhere, the only way that I can see that Falconry Centres can continue to exist, is to transfer ownership of their display birds to another individual or company which remains private and outside the scope of the ZLA, and then buy back in the services of the private falconer/company to provide the displays.
Unless private ownership is subject to the same standards, nothing has improved.
I have always thought that such shows were simply a form of modern circus, that sat awkwardly with modern zoo aims and ethics in general, and it is interesting that major players in this performing animals area like Banham, have already retracted their involvement.
 
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Dr. Loxodonta said:
Anne, the elephant at Longleat, has a 994 square-meter heated indoor area, but a 3.9-acre outdoor space (roughly 15782 square metres).
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3.9 acres is well below the 2 hectare minimum needed - but I guess they have the room, and/or their elephant might not make it to 2040?

One more thing that strikes me, not included in the above - is the 'relaxation' of the category 1 hazardous species list, by separating it into a 1 and 1A. The result is that potentially with the right level of approved risk assessments, not only can the tickle-a-tapir sessions continue legally, along with the walk-through macaque forests, but the potential of walk-through wolf, brown hyena and cheetah exhibits now exists, as these species have been down-graded from the top category to the one below it, joining the tapirs and macaques. Maybe food for thought at Hamerton...? I couldn't find the Dingo listed at all, so Exmoor should be ok there too?
 
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ZooNews2024 said:
Surely these birds are kept tied down to bow perches or blocks in the daytime and moved to tiny sheds/boxes at night, sometimes just sky-kennels. Falconers have their own terminology for most things and I think these night quarters are called 'mews'. They are always in small, close accommodation so the birds can be handled. If they were released in aviaries with a decent hight, they would need to be caught by net as other birds are, and this could not easily be done every day.
I think this legislation is designed to slowly ban elephants from UK zoos, and to quickly ban falconry centres in their current form. As I said elsewhere, the only way that I can see that Falconry Centres can continue to exist, is to transfer ownership of their display birds to another individual or company which remains private and outside the scope of the ZLA, and then buy back in the services of the private falconer/company to provide the displays.
Unless private ownership is subject to the same standards, nothing has improved.
I have always thought that such shows were simply a form of modern circus, that sat awkwardly with modern zoo aims and ethics in general, and it is interesting that major players in this performing animals area like Banham, have already retracted their involvement.
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Netting birds daily, would be incredibly stressful. It could even cause death.
 
Strathmorezoo said:
Netting birds daily, would be incredibly stressful. It could even cause death.
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There are quite a number of places where birds who are flown are kept in aviaries without tethering and don't have to be netted to be taken out to fly (Hawk Conservancy, Whipsnade, Milletts to name a few and all very different setups so this is hardly confined to the large collections etc). I think the idea all the birds who are tethered will suddenly be unable to be handled and have to be netted or sold to private collectors appears is rather alarmist. It could simply be a retraining issue (for those who have the space). Millets used to tether and moved to open areas instead, for example and talk about the changes and what they entailed to visitors so it's not a novel thing to do.
 
Lafone said:
There are quite a number of places where birds who are flown are kept in aviaries without tethering and don't have to be netted to be taken out to fly (Hawk Conservancy, Whipsnade, Milletts to name a few and all very different setups so this is hardly confined to the large collections etc). I think the idea all the birds who are tethered will suddenly be unable to be handled and have to be netted or sold to private collectors appears is rather alarmist. It could simply be a retraining issue (for those who have the space). Millets used to tether and moved to open areas instead, for example and talk about the changes and what they entailed to visitors so it's not a novel thing to do.
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Sorry, I was trying to make the point that netting birds daily, should be the very last option.
 
Some really encouraging guidelines here that will not only provide improved facilities for the animals but also offer a much better experience for visitors.

Regarding an expansion for Chester’s elephants:

As has been mentioned on the Chester thread, and now confirmed in the BBC article, Chester has been planning for a while now to expand the area for their elephants. It appears to me that Chester have been involved in and/or consulted with DEFRA over these new guidelines so I’m certain they will already have planned some of the details and budgeted for the expansion for their elephants.
I wouldn’t be surprised if we get to hear fairly soon what this will look like and when work will begin. I think changes to the layout of the internal accommodation ( if required) wouldn’t be too tricky as there is a large area off show and has been previously mentioned they could expand into the hornbill aviary relatively easily without too much structural work or even extend the building north.

As for the outside area they will undoubtedly expand north into the existing fields. Option 1: to the west of the bridle path behind the current carpark (which is the easiest solution) perhaps with some smaller footbridges accessible from the east side of the lions for visitors to access viewing points or option 2: develop on land north of the lions which would require the elephants to have bridge access over the bridle path which is obviously a much more complicated build. I look forward to seeing what’s gonna be done and I hope they go BIG and bold with their plans.

Primates:

It was also interesting to read the guidelines on primates. I’m not familiar with too many other U.K. exhibits but it appears that Chester’s indoor chimp facility doesn’t fully meet the new guidelines. We already know relocating the chimps will be the first stage of the African forest zone which I don’t think is a coincidence. Chester seem to have been aware these new guidelines were coming and already planned their strategy accordingly.

Interesting times ahead!
 
Ed123 said:
Some really encouraging guidelines here that will not only provide improved facilities for the animals but also offer a much better experience for visitors.

Regarding an expansion for Chester’s elephants:

As has been mentioned on the Chester thread, and now confirmed in the BBC article, Chester has been planning for a while now to expand the area for their elephants. It appears to me that Chester have been involved in and/or consulted with DEFRA over these new guidelines so I’m certain they will already have planned some of the details and budgeted for the expansion for their elephants.
I wouldn’t be surprised if we get to hear fairly soon what this will look like and when work will begin. I think changes to the layout of the internal accommodation ( if required) wouldn’t be too tricky as there is a large area off show and has been previously mentioned they could expand into the hornbill aviary relatively easily without too much structural work or even extend the building north.

As for the outside area they will undoubtedly expand north into the existing fields. Option 1: to the west of the bridle path behind the current carpark (which is the easiest solution) perhaps with some smaller footbridges accessible from the east side of the lions for visitors to access viewing points or option 2: develop on land north of the lions which would require the elephants to have bridge access over the bridle path which is obviously a much more complicated build. I look forward to seeing what’s gonna be done and I hope they go BIG and bold with their plans.

Primates:

It was also interesting to read the guidelines on primates. I’m not familiar with too many other U.K. exhibits but it appears that Chester’s indoor chimp facility doesn’t fully meet the new guidelines. We already know relocating the chimps will be the first stage of the African forest zone which I don’t think is a coincidence. Chester seem to have been aware these new guidelines were coming and already planned their strategy accordingly.

Interesting times ahead!
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I think you can assume that Chester has been right in the middle of the negotiations from the beginning, given is position and dominance.
 
Strathmorezoo said:
Let's hope so
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I dont think there is any probability of birds being routinely netted. Welfare concerns would negate that. The issues will come with the minimum sizes required for the new aviaries which replace the sky-kennels, sheds and tie-perches. There are no dimensions specified, so it will be down to each inspection team, potentially producing different requirements for each collection.
The central core of this legislation is unjust, unfair and discriminatory, as it allowed (and continues to allow) different inspection teams to impose different opinions and standards, not only on competing attractions, but even every 3 years on the same zoo.
No other industry has to cope with, budget for and plan for such.
 
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