My August zoo tour of the south of England

My August zoo tour of the south of England
23-08-2008

Monday 11th: Paignton
It had been several years since my last visit. I had to check out the Crocodile Swamp, Monkey Heights, Reptile Tropics and the new aviaries around the Bird Centre. The zoo seems to do a bit of everything, but I couldn’t put my hand on my heart and say that anything was outstandingly bad or outstandingly good. The interiors in Monkey Heights are good, but having seen those outside enclosures I could fully understand and agree with Pertinax’s comments about them. Why didn’t they build the outside enclosures between the trunks of these mature trees? If they had pruned a few of the lower branches, they could have built much better climbing structures for the monkeys. I like the new Barbary sheep enclosure – using the cliff /quarry face for the first time.
Photographically, I was disappointed that none of the apes came within range of my camera, but I enjoyed shooting hooded parakeets in the Desert House and the echidna in its dark little enclosure next to the red pandas.

Tuesday 12th: Bristol
My last visit was two years ago, I was quite impressed by the new monkey enclosures but the lemur walk-through was a bit dull. I was glad that they have also rebuilt most of the houses for the marmosets and small monkeys which live on islands in the lake.
I like the reptile collection at Bristol and I was impressed by the pair of green tree monitors and their three offspring in the rearing section. But there are still some poor enclosures particularly around the south west corner of the zoo. If the Hollywood Towers project goes ahead, what will happen to the zoo site? Would they follow the football examples and sell off their old ground to developers to finance the new one?
It was wonderful to watch and photograph the group of gorillas. Jack is an impressive male and it is greatly to the zoo’s credit that Romina and Salome are both rearing youngsters after pioneering medical treatment. All three are genetically important animals with few living relatives. I am particularly pleased for Salome as I saw her as a baby at Regent’s Park in 1976. I hope her baby Komale will lead a breeding group at Hollywood Towers one day as he is the only surviving grandchild of Samson, Bristol’s former silverback.

Wednesday 13th: a day off
It was pouring with rain. I did some tourist things in Oxford.

Thursday 14th: Cotswold
A beautiful day and I enjoyed my visit very much although I didn’t get round to the far end of the zebra and rhino paddock, so I didn’t get to see the lions and leopards etc. I visited the Park soon after it opened in 1970 and I still enjoy the original walled garden area. I think the meerkat enclosure is the best in the country – it’s sandy and sunny with slim, active inhabitants (quite a contrast to Bristol’s small shaded enclosure, which I think is a very poor one). I liked the renovated reptile house. Cotswold has a nice collection of reptiles and the house now shows them off much better.
When I visited last year, the Madagascar exhibit was not quite finished, but it has been worth the wait. It’s the best lemur walkthrough I have ever visited, and with the bonus of a few birds and radiated tortoises too.
I enjoyed getting some nice photos of parrots, particularly the Duivenbode’s lories, of tamarins and the lemurs of course. I managed to get a few shots of the broad-nosed gentle lemur pair who are still in quarantine. They seem to be very happy together.
Unfortunately I had to leave earlier than I wanted to, because I had to get to Kent. It was a horrible journey as I ran into severe rainstorms on the M40 and the M25.

Friday 15th: Howletts & RSCC
Another beautiful day – too sunny to go to Port Lympne (it’s almost impossible to get a decent photo of a gorilla in bright sunshine). So I went to Howletts instead. I always struggle to get decent pictures at Howletts, although I note that they are adding glass windows to some of their cages. I did get some shots of elephant calves and a rhino in its wallow, but it is frustrating that there are so many enclosures that are virtually impossible for photography. I was disappointed that neither the ratel nor the tamandua woke up in time to have their photos taken. I liked the Heck’s macaques.

The Rare Species Conservation Centre is not far from Howletts (you pass Wingham Wildlife park on the way too). We’ve had a few threads about this collection and I can’t really add much. I was not very impressed by the indoor enclosures, but the outdoor part is better. I think they are trying to do things properly, but the site is very small. I got shots of the sunbears and Malayan tapirs. The fossas were pacing frenziedly when I arrived, because it was just before their feeding time. I got some shots of the female when she was involved with her tea.

Saturday 16th: Port Lympne
The weather was just right for gorilla photography with bright light softened by light clouds. The big decision is which group to watch at which time. I decided to watch the breeding group’s noon scatterfeed, and the bachelor males at 3 pm. Old Djala was in laid-back mode, he roused himself for a light lunch, but went inside after a few minutes. Most of his group stayed outside to make sure they had missed no morsels and then to browse on the local plant life, so I spent a long time shooting photos before getting some lunch for myself.
I spent some time shooting a golden-bellied mangabey, the old dhole and the female fishing cat with her kittens. They are building a new enclosure just uphill of the fishing cats, in the corner of the bison paddock; I hope it’s going to be another open monkey enclosure. I didn’t have time to go down to see the water buffalo, as I just managed to get into position by the bachelor gorillas by 3 pm (although the keepers are always a little late). I always seem to end my visits at the de Brazza’s monkeys which make such an excellent display with the colobus in their open-topped enclosure. I hope that next time I’ll be able to see the baboons mixed with the rhinos.

Sunday 17th: London ZSL
Another nice day. I got a little lost near Alexandra Palace, so I was rather late reaching Regent’s Park, but I had another good day. I think I saw almost everything, except BUGS, the butterfly exhibit, the children’s zoo and the exhibition inside the Casson building – of course I spend quite a lot of time at the enclosures where I decide to take photos. I did the gorillas and the reptiles twice (always a good plan, because you virtually double the number of reptiles you see). The gorillas look well, in particular old Zaire looks much happier than she did last year. I was interested to see that their mid-day feed was armfuls of climbing vines and plastic bottles of fruit cordial. Bobby drank 1.5 litres in one go, Zaire glugged in a more ladylike fashion.
I wasn’t quite convinced by the Blackburn Pavilion, I felt the self-conscious Victoriana was rather overdone in the entrance section: the walk-through part was better and I think it will be better still when the vegetation has developed (I hope they don’t prune it too hard). My favourite photographic subjects were the wonderful blue-crowned lories.
Other nice photographic subjects were the black-capped squirrel monkeys, a Hanuman langur, the anoa bull, a very active long-snouted seahorse (a native species), the peach-throated monitor and the white-crowned mangabeys.

Monday 18th: returning home. I had considered Whipsnade, but the weather forecast was poor – and I felt that 7 zoos in 7 days was probably enough.

I have just ordered some new software to process the photos, so I'm afraid you will have to wait a little for them. I have quite a backlog

Alan

__________________
When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.

23-08-2008

Great Reviews! You're like Snowleopard of Europe.

23-08-2008

I did a similar number in June in about six days... its enough! Very interesting reviews of your visits too.

One point- Salome's son 'Komale' is one of two surviving grandsons of Samson- the other being 'Nasibu' (Keke x Naomi) born in Belfast 1996 and handraised, and now in Kolmarden, Sweden. He is the ONLY joint living descendant of both Samson and Delilah... I'm hoping he may be given a group eventually.

Samson also has a son (by Susie) Reuben/Musashi somewhere in Japan. I don't know which zoo he is in now or if he's still alive, but he's very unlikely to be a breeder at this late stage.

24-08-2008

Thank you Pertinax. That was a senior moment I'm afraid. I'd just checked the unofficial studbook, so I don't know how that little word 'only' appeared in my text.

Alan

__________________
When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.

24-08-2008

Thanks for your reviews Alan

24-08-2008

Great reviews Alan!

24-08-2008

Great reviews!I like hearig about the zoos in Europe

24-08-2008

Not bad but early this year myself and 4 friends did 8 collections in 2 days now thats what i call enough.

24-08-2008

Wow!
I couldn't do that. I spend so long wandering around waiting for the animals I want to photograph to wake up, or to pose properly, or for the light to improve, or for feeding time . . .

Alan

__________________
When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.

24-08-2008

in the 1980's Bristol tried to explain away the repeated gorilla infant deaths by saying Delilah(and therefore Daniel x Diana too) had a 'defective' or 'lethal' gene- but of course it didn't explain the loss of the many infants from the other females Gogal & Susie(also the Orangs) as well. Both Delilah and her daughter Naomi went on to breed at Belfast too- about 3 babies each, the policy was to leave them with their mothers but they all died- except 'Nasibu' who was failing when he was taken from Naomi but then rallied given proper attention. I shall be interested to see if Nasibu ever breeds, to continue the S & D line, but this might be compromised by his having been handraised, though he has lived in a proper social group since. A keeper at Kolmarden Zoo where he lives told me in an email that she has never seen him mating- but he has grown up with their females so new partners in the future might change that.

Reflections on urban zoos
25-08-2008

Thinking about my trip, I was particularly struck by something I haven't mentioned before. London and Bristol, as city centre zoos, seem to attract very large numbers of mothers or families with very young children (under 5), even at the height of the school holidays. Looking around these zoos, they cater for these parties with merchandise (London more aggressively than Bristol), animal shows, playgrounds etc.
All zoos do this of course, but London is astonishing! There is a proper fairground merry-go-round and another fairground-style ride plus two bouncy castles on the lawns.Now they plan to expand the children's zoo, although it is only a few years old. This can be justified if it is a way of introducing animals to children - but are they taking things too far?
It would be possible to walk across the whole zoo from the lovebirds in the north-east corner, across the canal bridge, through the north tunnel, then along one of widest roadways in the zoo to the Casson House and the entrance to the children's zoo without seeing an animal between the lovebirds and the bearded pigs! You would see all the children's attractions I mentioned and the 'amphitheatre', where the animal shows are held, plus the 'display lawn' (on part of the old Lion House site) which I have never seen used for any displays.
Incidentally I also think the ZSL should be ashamed of the way that the new camel exhibit at the south-eastern end of the children's zoo is disused and empty because the camels have been moved into the old elephant paddock in the Casson House: surely they could find some animals to put there - or better alternative inhabitants for the Casson House.
I wonder what will happen to Bristol Zoo if the Hollywood Towers project goes ahead? The city site might make an excellent children's zoo, with a few exotic species as added attractions. I note that the plans for the new development mention bonobos, Sumatran orangs and both Sumatran and Bengal tigers - but not gorillas or lions or penguins or pinnipeds (the most high-profile species at Bristol now). It has been in the news today that the zoo will have to keep their gibbons indoors in the early mornings, because the neighbours have complained about their morning duet - and the council's busybodies have (inevitably) acted on these complaints. Edinburgh have also had problems with their local council and the planning system. What is the future of urban zoos?

Alan

__________________
When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.

25-08-2008

yes, I noticed exactly the same in June, most particularly at Bristol. The atmosphere was reminiscent of a giant Children's Party(theatre, inflatable slide, punch and judy, public announcements etc) with the animals forming a sort of backdrop. In the 'good old days'(!) Bristol (and others like ZSL) certainly never used to be like this. I wonder if maybe these extra-activities are really necessary in a zoological garden, surely kids can experience these in lots of other places?

25-08-2008

I've always presumed the idea was for the existing site at Bristol to stay as it is, and the species at Hollywood Towers(if really it happens) would complement the existing collection, but not duplicate it. So the high profile species in the existing zoo would stay as they are.

Gibbons-personally I've always enjoyed the morning songs of Gibbons as a classic 'zoo sound- but maybe as they are very penetrating they could be a nuisance to close neighbours. (People wouldn't complain otherwise). Perhaps that's one species that would be transferred to Hollywood in due course.

25-08-2008

The fact that they are losing visitors to Noahs Ark Zoo Farm because of the better kids play areas at Noahs might also have something to do with it.

26-08-2008

How did you do that? I would struggle to remember which place was which. Any chance of showing us your itinerary? They must be small places very close together, and you must walk pretty fast...