ZSL London Zoo ZSL London Zoo News 2011

A couple of things noted on a quick visit this afternoon: lovebirds now in the weaver bird aviary by the entrance and the outside enclosure by the Clore (most recently home to a red panda) has been divided in two for cotton headed tamarins and golden lion tamarins.

Also saw Raja the komodo dragon in the outside enclosure of the komodo dragon house, was a very warm day.
 
Was at ZSL on Tuesday 20th April and Hall 1 of the aquarium has come on a pace. Nearly all the newly renovated tanks have now fish in them with the exception of the last tank on the right as you leave Hall 1. This is still in the process of being re-themed and it looks likely that will not come on line until after Easter. The penguin pool is scheduled to open on 27 May if all goes well. Certainly the building work seems to be progressing nicely.
 
Penguin Beach Development Progress

As the Member's preview is from 3pm on Thursday 26th May (only 2 and a half weeks away) and I imagine they will have a press / VIP preview in the morning or the day previous, the Penguins will need to settle in for a while before hand and they will need to sort the water out, I imagine the development can't be far off complete.

Is anyone able to give an update since my last visit on Saturday 16th April?
 
The staff preview is on the Wednesday 25th May, and the pool is still scheduled to be opened to the public on Friday 27th.
 
Penguin Beach Development Progress

Thanks, got my ticket for the Member's preview on the 26th, so fortunately I’ll be able to see it then.

Is it structurally complete with just the planting to be done?
 
John Dineley said:
I wasn't actually aware there was a Members preview of the penguin pool and I'm a Fellow of ZSL. :)
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I've got to say I was disappointed I didn't even get an e-mail, I was just lucky I saw it on the website.

I consider what I pay quite a bit of money (and I’m hoping to be a Fellow in the summer so it will be more then) so I think the least they could have done would have been an e-mail circular to members/fellows.

They used to send a program of events at the start of each year by post, now I know Penguin Beach was delayed so that would have been difficult, but like I said I think they should have done an e-mail.

But anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing it finished and open.
 
John Dineley said:
I wasn't actually aware there was a Members preview of the penguin pool and I'm a Fellow of ZSL. :)
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You’re not the only one; I’ve been a ZSL Fellow for 28 years and knew nothing about it.

However, I’ll be in Germany (zoo visiting of course) on May 26th, so I couldn’t have gone anyway....
 
Tim May said:
You’re not the only one; I’ve been a ZSL Fellow for 28 years and knew nothing about it.

However, I’ll be in Germany (zoo visiting of course) on May 26th, so I couldn’t have gone anyway....
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I got an email back from ZSL this afternoon. They are going to do a tour of the penguins on the day of the AGM. They apologies that there was no mail out informing Members and Fellows. Still not very good considering how much we pay each year.
 
I got an email about it on 28th

Unfortunately I'd put off booking as I wasn't sure I'd be free. You lot just reminded me and it's fully booked. Grrrr

John D when's the AGM? Is that tour just for fellows?
 
John Dineley said:
I am at ZSL tomorrow and will have a look.

I wasn't actually aware there was a Members preview of the penguin pool and I'm a Fellow of ZSL. :)
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Hall 1 of the aquarium is now almost complete with a couple of tanks still semi-themed or waiting for the water systems to kick in. The river-bank tank looks very impressive.

They have now filled the penguin pool.

Picture copywrite ZSL - Jon Ellis. Please do not copy and repost.

penguin%20pool.jpg
 
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It comes off the back of the original pool the birds transferred to under the weeping willow tree and extended behind the shop and up to the butterfly house on the footprint of the old parrot house.
 
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Excellent -looking, for the very first time ZSL have a top-notch Penguin exhibit. Whipsnade's is good too.
 
Pertinax said:
Excellent -looking, for the very first time ZSL have a top-notch Penguin exhibit. Whipsnade's is good too.
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With the Gorilla Kingdom, now the new penguin pool and hopefully in the near future the new tiger exhibit the future looks positive for London Zoo,I'm pleased to say a lot better than what the situation was here twenty years ago, perhaps those at Edinburgh could learn from this and hopefully turn their current situation around and remain a charity status zoological society rather than selling/ leasing the family silver to a leisure company, however well intentioned they me be their main raison d' etre being to make a healthy profit for their directors and shareholders.
 
TARZAN said:
With the Gorilla Kingdom, now the new penguin pool and hopefully in the near future the new tiger exhibit the future looks positive for London Zoo,I'm pleased to say a lot better than what the situation was here twenty years ago, perhaps those at Edinburgh could learn from this and hopefully turn their current situation around and remain a charity status zoological society rather than selling/ leasing the family silver to a leisure company, however well intentioned they me be their main raison d' etre being to make a healthy profit for their directors and shareholders.
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Is the main reason not to have the funds in order to build more enclosures, repair existing ones and provide more for the visitors overall?
and who are the shareholders? can you buy shares in edinburgh zoo?
 
What a fantastically huge penguin pool! much better use of space then the pathed area it was previously (- if it is where I'm thinking)
 
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