South Lakes Wild Animal Park 23 new species for South Lakes!

South Lakes Wild Animal Park have announced on their Facebook page that they will be adding '9 new species of large mammals that we will be bringing in in the next 18 months' and '14 new species of birds' in the same timeframe. The zoo also promises to offer 'new interactive experiences planned to take you deeper and closer than ever before in Britain's very first Safari Zoo'. See the full post here: https://www.facebook.com/SouthLakesWildAnimalPark?fref=ts

Thoughts? After all of the recent controversy it baffles me how this place can keep ploughing ahead with its expansion plans. I'm also dubious about the wisdom of advertising so many new species so far in advance, as such things can change, and often do!

Now, anyone fancy guessing what the new species will be? The Facebook page is encouraging people to try and guess - except like many ZooChat members, I can't play along because I'm banned from commenting!

 

Bad news, especially for the animals! Surely no other zoos will send their animals to S Lakes now anyway

 

They do not believe in free speech.

 

There are always zoos that animals can be sourced from. Not necessarily in the UK but for example Eastern europe has many species-rich collections where animals can be obtained from, perhaps without too many checks being made about where they are going.

 

Bit harsh people, perhaps we will all be pleasantly surprised, surely this is for the new extension to the park.

 

Sorry, i don't see anything that's been said is harsh! Far from it, i'll be surprised if anyone on here cares what species they get, as i wouldn't expect many will visit again !

 

TBH, having read some of the stories here about mixed exhibits and too many big cats for the available enclosures, even a dispassionate critic might think that South Lakes would be better off using any unused land to house what's already there.

 

Let's just all hope for the best and pray that the new species will be cared for well, be given good homes, and not escape into the wilds of the UK.

~Thylo

 

One of the latest quotes from the parks Facebook:

 

they should concentrate on housing the animals they already have properly before bringing new ones in!

 

I agree, considering how long this zoo has now been open and how many visitors it attracts annually the standard of animal housing is poor, there is not one animal house, or any other building for that matter that is built to a high standard, surely in this day and age we have moved on from this, what exactly will happen when they introduce even more species into this zoo when it is extended, will it just be the same of more homemade houses containing even more animals, some having to share their outside accommodation with others.

 

I would advise all the younger members to read the books of most of the major collections and how they first started, Chester, Jersey, and Twycross all started with modest collections of animals housed in home made enclosures, as time progressed, through good times and bad the directors of these zoos were able to improve things for the animals by building accommodation constructed of quality materials, as the money came in it was all invested back into the zoo, indeed Mr. Knowles at Marwell sold his Rolls Royce car to finance a Grevy's Zebra exhibit. The same unfortunately I suggest cannot be said for the South Lakes Wild Animal Park, yes it started off small with a modest collection housed in homemade houses, as most of the others did, but it has not followed the others as time has progressed, it certainly has a most impressive list of species currently held, but I would say that is about the only thing I could describe as impressive at this place,

 

The collection it seems is badly in need of enclosure / exhibit upgrades and therefore it would be best if most new exhibits would concentrate on relocating species from the old part into the new and be more cost-effective and win-win for animal husbandry and management standards.

It however seems that they are looking at bringing in new species like elephants (and goodness only knows what else)??!!!

 

How many times have you been to a Zoo and seen new exhibits being built or opened for new species, while existing animals are living in substandard enclosures? It is the way of the world in Zoos- new enclosures for existing animals tend to be lower on the scale of priorities than new, exciting species with potential fresh pulling power for visitors.

 

I think with SL case, it's the fact that pretty much every exhibit is substandard. With certain zoos, whereas it is an issue that old species in less than ideal conditions are overlooked, it is less noticed if the majority of enclosures are good-excellent.

 

and it's not so much the sub standard enclosures as the fact he has more animals than enclosures!!!!

 

have any of the species been revealed?

 

I totally agree. The biggest problem this zoo has is its owner!
It will never be taken seriously all the time he is running it.
The zoo community is a very close one, and many people in it won`t ever forget or forgive the stupid things he has done.

 

I noticed a new bird in the avery weekend before last - the Cara Cara.

 

Any idea of which species of Caracara as there are 10 species of them!