ZooChat Cup Match #18: Cabarceno vs Edinburgh

[pipaluk]

. And while I usually support zoos with a nice collection of venomous snakes, their husbandry at Cabarceno isn't up to date.

Sorry, but given this statement may convince a few people to vote for Edinburgh, I have to ask the obvious question - is Edinburgh's husbandry up to date?

 

[Batto]

@pipaluk :

In this case, the ectotherm husbandry in both zoos appears to be upgradeable.

 

[pipaluk]

@pipaluk :

Thanks, so poor husbandry at Cabarceno shouldn't be a consideration then! Edinburgh's poor collection has to lose surely!
This comes from someone who has never been to Cabarceno & despite its decline doesn't think Edinburgh is awful, but if for it's cold blooded collection to beat anywhere, the opposition has to be terrible, which Cabarceno clearly isn't!

 

[FunkyGibbon]

Just ask yourself: what is more important to you and the role & self-concept of a modern zoo - the sheer number and diversity of species (you are interested in) or the husbandry quality of the kept species? If a zoo kept said common spet store pecies, but at excellent conditions, I'd appreciate this more from an ethic and educational pov than a zoo that keeps a great diversity of species but all (or most of them) at inadequate conditions.
In this case, the ectotherm husbandry in both zoos appears to be upgradeable. And while I usually support zoos with a nice collection of venomous snakes, their husbandry at Cabarceno isn't up to date.

Oh, the husbandry and exhibitry is hugely important of course! I was making a point purely in response to Vision. Nobody seems to have been prepared to argue this one on the merits of anything other than collection, and I haven't visited Cabarceno myself, so as always I'll be going off others' opinions.

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Can I ask where the amphibians and fish actually are to be seen at Edinburgh please? Or most of the reptiles? I can't recall seeing any of them on my last visit to Edinburgh just over 2 years ago!

Most of the amphibians/fish/reptiles at Edinburgh are either offshow or used for education experiences to the best of my recollection - in terms of onshow exhibits we're talking a single antechamber in the entrance to Brilliant Birds containing a small number of amphibians and invertebrates, a small glass vivarium in a cubby-hole next to the African Hunting Dogs containing leopard gecko, a glass vivarium above the Red River Hogs containing Taiwan Beauty Snake and the new Wee Beasties exhibit in the Education Building.

The latter contains the following I believe:

Egg-eating snake
Blue Poison Dart Frog
Lesser Hedgehog Tenrec
Axolotl
Fregate Island Giant Beetle
Chilean Rose Tarantula
Forest Scorpion
Natal Dwarf Chameleon
Giant African Land Snail
Partula Snail
Tanzanian Red-Legged Millipede

As the majority of these were in the aforementioned Brilliant Birds exhibit, it may no longer exist.

 

[pipaluk]

Most of the amphibians/fish/reptiles at Edinburgh are either offshow or used for education experiences to the best of my recollection - in terms of onshow exhibits we're talking a single antechamber in the entrance to Brilliant Birds containing a small number of amphibians and invertebrates, a small glass vivarium in a cubby-hole next to the African Hunting Dogs containing leopard gecko, a glass vivarium above the Red River Hogs containing Taiwan Beauty Snake and the new Wee Beasties exhibit in the Education Building.

The latter contains the following I believe:

Egg-eating snake
Blue Poison Dart Frog
Lesser Hedgehog Tenrec
Axolotl
Fregate Island Giant Beetle
Chilean Rose Tarantula
Forest Scorpion
Natal Dwarf Chameleon
Giant African Land Snail
Partula Snail
Tanzanian Red-Legged Millipede

As the majority of these were in the aforementioned Brilliant Birds exhibit, it may no longer exist.

Thanks for the information Dave. It explains why I couldn't recall seeing them. Looks like a clear defeat for Edinburgh if most of its list isnt even onshow!