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Rīgas Zooloģiskais Dārzs Riga Zoo

Discussion in 'Latvia' started by Susan Humphreys, 22 May 2008.

  1. Susan Humphreys

    Susan Humphreys Well-Known Member

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    I've just booked cheap flights to Riga - anyone know what the zoo there is like and what animals they have? :)
     
  2. CZJimmy

    CZJimmy Well-Known Member

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  3. Susan Humphreys

    Susan Humphreys Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for that - I love maps with not to scale animals, imagine a frog as big as a lion and I love the pouncing tiger. Do you think that's a maned wolf on it too and I wonder what kind of bear that is - spectacled, brown?
     
  4. Pygathrix

    Pygathrix Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    They have a large herd of kiangs
     
  5. CZJimmy

    CZJimmy Well-Known Member

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    It does look like a maned wolf...

    I did a quick flickr search and the bear must be a brown one, but they (and the polar bears) live in quite 'traditional' bear pits...
     
  6. UntBwe

    UntBwe Well-Known Member

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    The map shows an elephant, but the exhibit was closed in 2003 when the last two elephants (Radza and Rupa) were send to The Netherlands. Riga will reopen the exhibit but I didn't hear they already did.
     
  7. Susan Humphreys

    Susan Humphreys Well-Known Member

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    Looks like they have some animals I've yet to see - kinkajous, raccoon dog, coyote.
    Also it says Angolan lion - what subspecies are african lions in zoos usually - is this any different? Also are Indian crested porcupine to porcupines I've seen at Blackpool and South Lakes?
    Thanks
    Susan:)
     
  8. Marc

    Marc Well-Known Member

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    A friend of mine went to the Tallinn zoo (idd, it's not Riga but also in a Balctic state). He said he became quit depressive. Very small exhibits, very few natural enrichment... A picture that he made:

    [​IMG]


    Of course it's not the Riga zoo, I hope it's much better!!
     
  9. Theloderma

    Theloderma Active Member

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    Susan, Hi. If you haven't been to Riga yet, make sure you find time to see the amphibian collection. Not everybodys first stop at a zoo I know, but they have been incredibly succesfull in breeding a wide range of unusual species (including caecilians and the freaky fantastic vietnamese mossy frog). Riga is actually a pretty progressive collection, they do a lot of really important work with the conservation of European Mink, as well as a lotof other native species. Some of their enclosures are in the 'old style' but then others are much improved.
     
  10. Simon Hampel

    Simon Hampel Administrator Staff Member 20+ year member

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  11. dragon(ele)nerd

    dragon(ele)nerd Well-Known Member

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    Will the exhibit be/is renovated? Or is it the same as it was?
     
  12. Susan Humphreys

    Susan Humphreys Well-Known Member

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    Hi everyone,

    I'm back from my trip to Riga - a fantastic city and as planned I went to the zoo. I will be back online later to write up a report and then I will have to sort out lots of photos for the gallery. I liked the zoo it was very peaceful and they are making improvements to it. The elephant house is no longer used but you can still go inside - it's a dismal building and used to hold tapir and hippo too - the hippos (two) are in the enclosure adjoining. I don't know what the long term plans for it are but it stands as a stark reminder of the worst kind of zoo enclosures. There are now large pictures on show inside including information on the moving of the elephants to the Netherlands and a large whale skeleton.
    The best buildings are the new giraffe house which really impressed me and the tropical house which had loads to see inside including a nocturnal section - I got to see my first kinkajou! They also have loads and loads of great frogs - I took photos of different Madagascan ones for my Dr Midas website which I don't already have.
    The zoo is about a 30 minute tram ride from the centre and stops right outside - 40lats each way (about 50p) and entry is 4lats for adults (about £5.) Definitely worth a visit if you're in the area.
    Any questions in the meantime let me know.
    Susan
     
  13. Susan Humphreys

    Susan Humphreys Well-Known Member

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    Have posted first bunch of photos from Riga Zoo will try to do more soon:)
     
  14. ANyhuis

    ANyhuis Well-Known Member

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    Any chance you'd rate this zoo as among the Top 25-50 zoos in Europe?
     
  15. AdvoCat

    AdvoCat Well-Known Member

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  16. vogelcommando

    vogelcommando Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Lynx born at Riga.
     
  17. AdvoCat

    AdvoCat Well-Known Member

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  18. MikeG

    MikeG Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Riga has received 1.1 Eastern Quoll from Leipzig.
     
  19. vogelcommando

    vogelcommando Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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  20. vogelcommando

    vogelcommando Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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