According to their page on Facebook, Rare Species Conservation Centre is closing due to lack of funds because of too few visitors.
So it does........can someone verify this? They have invested so much over the last couple of years, seems hard to believe....seems a more than a little odd. Nothing on their actual website though????? Can anyone 'in the know' confirm or deny?
It's been discussed in the RSCC thread and I think the guys updating their Facebook may be as in the know, as anyone
Yes, they have confirmed it on their Facebook page, it will close on the 31th of August. However, the animals are already leaving the site as the golden-necked cassowaries have already left and are now on show at Landgoed Hoenderdaell in the Netherlands.
...and the Hemsley Conservation Centre (no relation) is advertising that rusty spotted cats, slow loris and giant squirrels are coming soon... How long have the cassowaries been in the Netherlands?
I was going to visit early in the year but they weren't open. Opening hours were very restricted so perhaps they could have relaxed them? What a waste?!
I am gutted. Was planning to visit in September. It's a collection I never got round to visiting, & now never will.... Does anyone know if any other species are staying in the UK? Shame the Cassowaries have already gone, would have made an excellent species for Islands at Chester....
It is a great loss to all zoo enthusiasts, such a plethora of rare species all in one place. Excellent for zoo enthusiasts like us, but not commercial enough, with a broader range of species, which appeal to the general public. In hindsight it is perhaps not such a great surprise ? Their very limited opening hours must have been a big contributor to this decision, it was surely financially unsustainable in the long-term. Equally, the owner appears (I have met him once before), a rather fickle chap, and someone who quickly and readily changes his mind, often in quite a drastic fashion. That is nothing against him, I appreciated his taste in rare species for one thing, and he has bravely tried to create quite a unique collection. It is sad that it will all be disbanded, so soon after it has all been put together.
I put everything off and visited today....bumped into Tim May, but was half expecting the place to be overrun with zoochatters.... As it was, it was pretty dead.....Tim and I and a number of families. Bush Dogs and flamingos went this morning. Giant otters on display in their almost finished enclosure (half-filled pool). Finally got to see and photograph the fanaloka - very pleased indeed!! The keepers seemed to think these and the larger animals might be around for a while yet - but the smaller ones will be moving as soon as news homes are found. The site will be up for sale as a developed zoo (but minus any animals). It was the first time I had visited since the grounds had been extended, but since the high-level walkway is shut (apparently has been for some time owing to council H&S issues) it is very difficult to view the bears, tigers, etc which have very thick screening at path-level. There is also that odd enclosure with lots of tall (fake I think) tree trunks - what was/ is in there? - I didn't notice any occupants. The new lodge (near the Giant otters and Maned wolves) - which must have cost £1000s is almost complete (with its own swimming pool no less). I guess this will now stay like this for the foreseeable. Likewise the half-complete new bush dog enclosure and remaining work on Giant Otter enclosure. For the record, I saw - Rusty-spotted cat, Jaguarundi, Narrow-striped mongoose, ring-tailed mongoose, fishing cat, fanaloka, binturong, brown dorcopsis, smooth-coated otter, giant otter, maned wolf, red-ruffed lemur, short-beaked echidna, clouded leopard, cock of the rock, (bamboo lemur signs still up but no animals seen - no tigers or leopards seen) - pretty sure that's it. There is still a clouded leopard in the original enclosure - now offshow as walkway out of use and the aardwolves are still there - also offshow in their original area. Old gibbon/ puma cage still there but very overgrown. Will post some photos soon. On the way home, I popped in the Wingham for the first time - this was absolutely heaving - which I guess is somewhat part of the problem. A bit of a ramshackle collection but growing rapidly (and lots of easily viewable big cats) as well as a really excellent reptile/ amphibian collection.
I was told of this today by someone 'in the know'. The limited opening hours were mentioned plus the impact and popularity of Wingham. It is a shame. I was also told earlier this year that RSCC would be getting red-shanked douc langurs, I wonder where they'll end up.
It was good to see you again; rather like you I was expecting to see more ZooChatters there today. The signs are confusing but the animal on exhibit is actually a dusky pademelon not a dorcopsis. You were lucky to see the short-beaked echidna; I have not seen that species on any of my recent visits. In many ways it was a very sad visit but I am pleased I went there today before the collection is reduced much further. For me the highlight of the day was being taken "behind the scenes" to see the spotted cuscus which was much appreciated. My sympathy to all the dedicated keepers.
When I visited earlier this month the keeper doing the bear talk said it would be an extension of the Sun Bear enclosure.
That's also what I have been told during my visit in 2014, since the bears seemed to do quite some bickering. Does anyone know if this improved over time? If so, that could be the reason why they didn't make any haste to complete the exhibit.
Good to see you too Tiim. Thanks for the macropod correction. I knew there was something up there. I'm sure the picture on the sign looked like the animal on display so some mix and matching on the label? How did you manage to get behind the scenes? Is it because you are a member or did you just ask? Any update on the tsrsiers?
No, I didn’t ask if I could see the spotted cuscus and I don’t think it really has anything to do with being a member either. I think it is just because, being a fairly regular visitor over the last two years, I have got to know some of the keepers so I was very kindly invited to see the cuscus. Sorry I haven’t got any particular update on the tarsiers.
It is very depressing to see this amazing facility failing. I suppose the only hope for this type of venture, would be for a syndicate of well off people to run it as a private venture. With occasional open days for societies or groups such as Zoochatters . Any place admitting the public are going to have major expense and hassle with P.L. insurance and H&S issues etc. When the current director of Dublin Zoo took office his highest priority was to fix footpaths and eliminate any weaknesses with enclosure fences etc. as there was so many law suits and spurious claims to contend with and also the anti zoo brigade were haunting the place. So I imagine its a pretty thankless task trying to keep these small/poorly financed places open to the general public.
