ZSL London Zoo ZSL London Zoo News 2013

I myself am going to one of the previews on Thursday, four o'clock, who knows who I may see!

I look forward to seeing it, for the amount of money that it cost to build, I want to go back home thinking of how marvelous it is instead of being dissapointed...

I have discussed with many people on here putting lions on the mappins, would certainly put it to good use for such a characterful species, it would definately put another good mark on the structure. However new housing and fencing would have to be built, it could be spectacular, not as much renovation would be needed for the old plan of putting gorillas on there that's for sure. But whether or not this is even being thought of, I have no idea...

Would be fantastic to see lions on there, would be nice and close to the tiger enclosure too.

We will have to see...
 
Riziki said:
I myself am going to one of the previews on Thursday, four o'clock, who knows who I may see!

I look forward to seeing it, for the amount of money that it cost to build, I want to go back home thinking of how marvelous it is instead of being dissapointed...

I have discussed with many people on here putting lions on the mappins, would certainly put it to good use for such a characterful species, it would definately put another good mark on the structure. However new housing and fencing would have to be built, it could be spectacular, not as much renovation would be needed for the old plan of putting gorillas on there that's for sure. But whether or not this is even being thought of, I have no idea...

Would be fantastic to see lions on there, would be nice and close to the tiger enclosure too.

We will have to see...
Click to expand...
Who knows who you will see? Maybe someone who was sceptical about the cost of the new tiger enclosure, is always going on about the zoo needing to utilise its space better to allow more species and make the zoo more appealing. The Mappins is one of the main problems(not aided by its listed status), along with the half empty Clore, areas either side of the canal and the need to bring in more carnivores on the cat terraces.
I think moving the lions to the Mappins may be a relatively cheap option as you have suggested. I would then hope for sun bears in the lion current area- someone once suggested using it for giant panda on here, but i fear the rental fees would prevent that.
I'm keeping am open mind on the new tiger area, hoping to be amazed though!
 
I think sun bears would be a great choice for London Zoo if the lions were to be moved.

Regarding the publicity, there was also a prominent piece in the evening standard yesterday

Tiger Territory at London Zoo: swimming pool, heated rocks and a chicken dinner - Events & Attractions - Going Out - London Evening Standard

This is read by huge numbers of people as it is free and available in stations as people go home.

There are also large posters in Tube stations so once again the PR and communications team are doing a great job.
 
I'm presuming the outdoor enclosures cover what was the former sealion pool and part of where the old Wading Bird Aviary stood?

If they had to retain the 1960's Sealion viewing area, how did they get over getting rid of the Pool itself, or is it still incorporated?
 
Pertinax said:
I'm presuming the outdoor enclosures cover what was the former sealion pool and part of where the old Wading Bird Aviary stood?

If they had to retain the 1960's Sealion viewing area, how did they get over getting rid of the Pool itself, or is it still incorporated?
Click to expand...

I suspect it's still there but filled in, so potentially still uncoverable, but dont quote me on that. But surely its listed....every other structure in london zoo built before 2009 seems to be listed :s
 
The pool itself wasn't listed. If you look at old footage (plenty on Pathé site), there was rockwork around the whole pool (like a dark granite). In more recent years/decades, it became a smooth concrete pool. The rocky grottos at the back I believe were listed and I suspect were continuous with the rockwork of the original pool. I don't believe the old sea lion viewing platform for visitors was listed, but I could be wrong. It looks as if they've abandoned the original idea for underwater viewing or a cascading water area by the old sea lion viewing gallery, but again would need to see it properly.
 
The thought does occur, granted not cheaply (!), that both Giant Pandas and Sun Bears might be ethically kept on the Lion Terraces. Sun Bears are small, and Giant Pandas are-frankly-deeply inactive beasts. (For that matter there are a couple of mature trees within the Lion Terraces complex but outside the present enclosures that might do very nicely for Red Pandas).

Animals that have high visitor appeal and don't require huge amounts of space are important for a site with limited room. I am all for acquiring the exotic and the unusual - that should be part of a capital city zoo's remit- but animals that pull in the crowds are needed at London as well.
 
IanRRobinson said:
The thought does occur, granted not cheaply (!), that both Giant Pandas and Sun Bears might be ethically kept on the Lion Terraces. Sun Bears are small, and Giant Pandas are-frankly-deeply inactive beasts. (For that matter there are a couple of mature trees within the Lion Terraces complex but outside the present enclosures that might do very nicely for Red Pandas).

Animals that have high visitor appeal and don't require huge amounts of space are important for a site with limited room. I am all for acquiring the exotic and the unusual - that should be part of a capital city zoo's remit- but animals that pull in the crowds are needed at London as well.
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Funny you should mention red pandas, today, i noticed a couple of trees quite close together on a lawn near the bearded pigs and thought for the cost of a wall & a few wooden boxes that would make a great red panda enclosure!
 
Pertinax said:
I'm presuming the outdoor enclosures cover what was the former sealion pool and part of where the old Wading Bird Aviary stood?

If they had to retain the 1960's Sealion viewing area, how did they get over getting rid of the Pool itself, or is it still incorporated?
Click to expand...

The tiger area covers both those old enclosures, and the sealion viewing platform forms the basis of the main viewing platform( the old cages are still attached behind it). There is a large circular pool in 1 enclosure, probably in part of what was the sealion pool.
Anoa are in old pygmy hippo area outside the Casson.
Thoughts later.
 
Tiger Territory

I went to the preview today.

If you don't get a good photo of a tiger you've either:-

a) forgot your camera

b) don't know how to work your camera or

c) the tigers have eloped.
 
stulch said:
I went to the preview today.

If you don't get a good photo of a tiger you've either:-

a) forgot your camera

b) don't know how to work
your camera or

c) the tigers have eloped.
Click to expand...

Have to agree with you there, from a visitor perspective i have to say that it has to be the best tiger enclosure i've seen in the UK (& i've seen plenty) with excellent views from above and ground level. From the tigers' perspective, it's not the largest enclosure you'll see, but for London it is a vast improvement on the old one and over 5 times bigger.
 
Seeing today how well the old buildings (sealion viewing platform, stork & ostrich house and Casson) have been adapted into this new development only reinforces my view that something good could be done with the Mappins too! It's just a mess and even more so when it's the next thing you see after the flash new tiger enclosure!
 
Tiger Territory

Some random tiger photos from Thursday.
 

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pipaluk said:
The tiger area covers both those old enclosures, and the sealion viewing platform forms the basis of the main viewing platform( the old cages are still attached behind it). There is a large circular pool in 1 enclosure, probably in part of what was the sealion pool.
Anoa are in old pygmy hippo area outside the Casson.
Thoughts later.
Click to expand...

Nice move.
So, they should get back a breeding pair of anoa again????
 
Thanks for posting those pics of new tiger exhibit - looks pretty good. I am going to try to make it there the day I land (next month) - assuming I can get through Customs quickly and catch the Underground quickly. No other time to go there this trip, unless it is that day.

(However, would make an expensive one or two hours. The admission price of 25 pounds - 38 US Dollars - is way too high for a zoo of that calibre IMO.)
 
Yes,its probably the highest price thats ever been charged for a zoo entry excluding the theme park zoos....then again,the mind- numbing banality of Madame Tussauds just down the road is £30 to enter and the rather tedious London Eye a whopping £37 for a view rather inferior to many others in London.As for the remark "of that calibre" please be reminded that the zoo is still one of the best in the uk...with the best reptile house,best aquarium[in a zoo],best insect house-whats more it invented all those things!
 
Yes, London as a tourist destination is very expensive and the zoo is in line with that. If you were able to spend a whole day there, as many people do, and take advantage of all the talks and demonstrations, it's not too bad.
 
pipaluk said:
The tiger area covers both those old enclosures, and the sealion viewing platform forms the basis of the main viewing platform( the old cages are still attached behind it). There is a large circular pool in 1 enclosure, probably in part of what was the sealion pool.
Anoa are in old pygmy hippo area outside the Casson.
.
Click to expand...

Thanks Pipaluk. Are there still animals in those cages at the back of the viewing terrace(they originally held just Canid species- later a mishmash of birds and others) or is that area closed off nowadays?
 
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