ZSL London Zoo ZSL London Zoo News 2021

The plans for the Reptile House were first noted back at the beginning of 2021:

LucasRyan said:
But a new giant tortoise exhibit is planned for this year, in the main court yard by butterflies, you walk through the heated building to view the tortoises, so closer than you do now. And a new reptile house planned for next year, also in the main court yard replacing the show tent. Existing reptile house is no longer serviceable and will become a history of/museum of ZSL.
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Not sure if the plans have been updated since then, but the original plans were for the existing Reptile House to close, the reptiles to move to a new-build Reptile House in the Zoo/to other zoos, and for the old Reptile House to be renovated into a museum space. I would guess though that, as a famous part of the Zoo's history, the Harry Potter snake exhibit will probably remain in place (but likely without live inhabitants)
 
tennisfan said:
I believe October 2022 is the expected opening date for the new reptile/amphibian exhibit.
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The October 2022 date was mentioned BUT when you look at the delay to completing the revamp Snowdon Aviary plus the delay to the opening of the new Galapagos tortoise home, it’s likely to be early 2023 before new reptile house is opened.
 
I was a toddler when I last visited London Zoo. I vaguely remember a enclosure with Green Bars and a species of Cat. I also remember a Bouncy Castle that looked like a Giraffe. I also remember a raised Penguin Enclosure with glass panels. Can someone please verify if I am remembering London Zoo correctly? I would have visited in the early 2000’s
 
The Hedgehog said:
I was a toddler when I last visited London Zoo. I vaguely remember a enclosure with Green Bars and a species of Cat. I also remember a Bouncy Castle that looked like a Giraffe. I also remember a raised Penguin Enclosure with glass panels. Can someone please verify if I am remembering London Zoo correctly? I would have visited in the early 2000’s
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The raised penguin enclosure sounds right, it's a big fake beach with glass panels around it. I believe it opened in 2004. Not sure about the cat enclosure.
 
ZSH said:
The raised penguin enclosure sounds right, it's a big fake beach with glass panels around it. I believe it opened in 2004. Not sure about the cat enclosure.
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@ZSH have you got a photo of the Penguin enclosure. I would like to see it again. For a while I have been thinking am I remembering London Zoo right.
 
The Hedgehog said:
@ZSH have you got a photo of the Penguin enclosure. I would like to see it again. For a while I have been thinking am I remembering London Zoo right.
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If I remember rightly, the Penguins would of still been in the Lubetkin pool in 2004? I don't believe any glass would of been involved.

If you Google 'Lubetkin Penguin Pool London' that may help you.
 
speedycheese said:
If I remember rightly, the Penguins would of still been in the Lubetkin pool in 2004? I don't believe any glass would of been involved.

If you Google 'Lubetkin Penguin Pool London' that may help you.
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Thanks for the advice @speedycheese I have researched the Lubetkin Penguin Pool,unfortunately this is not the enclosure I remember. I don’t know which year I visited. At a guess I would say between 2002-2005.
 
ZSH said:
The raised penguin enclosure sounds right, it's a big fake beach with glass panels around it. I believe it opened in 2004.
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London Zoo's current penguin exhibit opened in 2011 not 2004 (although 2004 was, I think, the year the penguins were moved from the old Lubetkin Penguin Pool).
 
speedycheese said:
If I remember rightly, the Penguins would of still been in the Lubetkin pool in 2004? I don't believe any glass would of been involved.

If you Google 'Lubetkin Penguin Pool London' that may help you.
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The Hedgehog said:
Thanks for the advice @speedycheese I have researched the Lubetkin Penguin Pool,unfortunately this is not the enclosure I remember. I don’t know which year I visited. At a guess I would say between 2002-2005.
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Tim May said:
London Zoo's current penguin exhibit opened in 2011 not 2004 (although 2004 was, I think, the year the penguins were moved from the old Lubetkin Penguin Pool).
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Yes, the penguins moved out of the Lubetkin Penguin Pool in 2004. There’s an interesting article about it here: Blow Berthold Lubetkin’s Penguin Pool "to smithereens" says daughter

But penguins were moved out of the pool in 2004, after the birds contracted a bacterial infection called bumblefoot, from micro abrasions caused by walking on the concrete.

Allan, who wrote Berthold Lubetkin's biography, worked on the restoration of the Penguin Pool in the 1980s. He claimed that the flaws of the enclosure the result of decisions made by London Zoo, rather than the designers.

"The original poolside paving was largely rubber, for the penguins' comfort, but was replaced by the zoo with concrete," Allan wrote.

"In the restoration project we were required to apply a layer of quartz granules to the ramp surfaces for the benefit of the keepers but to the discomfort of the penguins."

He also noted that the enclosure had been originally designed for an Antarctic species of penguins who like to huddle together. The zoo switched to South American Humbolts, who prefer to burrow, rendering the original nesting boxes unsuitable.

Full article in link.
 
Tim May said:
London Zoo's current penguin exhibit opened in 2011 not 2004 (although 2004 was, I think, the year the penguins were moved from the old Lubetkin Penguin Pool).
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There was a period (presumably 2004-2011) when the penguins lived in the area that became Penguin Beach, on the edge of Barclay Court, in what (I think) was the old flamingo pond. I suspect that is where @The Hedgehog saw them, as I am sure that there were glass viewing panels (and no underwater viewing).

Could @The Hedgehog be thinking of the old netted tiger exhibit on the Lion Terraces when he says green bars?
 
oflory said:
There was a period (presumably 2004-2011) when the penguins lived in the area that became Penguin Beach, on the edge of Barclay Court, in what (I think) was the old flamingo pond. I suspect that is where @The Hedgehog saw them, as I am sure that there were glass viewing panels (and no underwater viewing).
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Indeed the exhibit on the edge of Barclay Court was the old flamingo pond.
oflory said:
Could @The Hedgehog be thinking of the old netted tiger exhibit on the Lion Terraces when he says green bars?
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I think of he must be referring to this exhibit as I cannot think of anywhere else (although I wouldn't describe the barrier as green bars).
 
Tim May said:
London Zoo's current penguin exhibit opened in 2011 not 2004 (although 2004 was, I think, the year the penguins were moved from the old Lubetkin Penguin Pool).
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Thanks Tim! I assumed the closure of the Tecton pool and the opening of Penguin beach happened at the same time!
 
oflory said:
There was a period (presumably 2004-2011) when the penguins lived in the area that became Penguin Beach, on the edge of Barclay Court, in what (I think) was the old flamingo pond. I suspect that is where @The Hedgehog saw them, as I am sure that there were glass viewing panels (and no underwater viewing).

Could @The Hedgehog be thinking of the old netted tiger exhibit on the Lion Terraces when he says green bars?
Click to expand...

Tim May said:
Indeed the exhibit on the edge of Barclay Court was the old flamingo pond.

I think of he must be referring to this exhibit as I cannot think of anywhere else (although I wouldn't describe the barrier as green bars).
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@oflory and @Tim May can I please see a photograph of the mentioned enclosures? I seem to remember that the Cat in the Barred enclosure was Yellow\Cream with Black Spots or Stripes.
 
Some searching in the gallery has come up with this:

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Penguin Enclosure - ZooChat

This is the tiger enclosure that @Tim May and I think you may be referring to:

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Lion Terraces - temporary tiger holding - ZooChat
 
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