Twycross news 2012 » Twycross Zoo

04-03-2012

No one says that there is any suspicious secret
But I an defending the right of zoo visitors to ask questions, in person and here.

04-03-2012

Are you joking?:

And what changes are you talking about?.

04-03-2012

They don't have any set policy though. After the deaths of several adult/middle/old aged Gorillas a few years ago- most of which were from perfectly acceptable causes- there were notices plastered around the Gorilla house explaining the various deaths. It looked like an Obituary column in a newspaper and to an outsider this would almost have seemed unnecessarily drawing attention to them. They also announced several elderly and well known Chimp deaths on their facebook pages quite recently. I suspect the Giraffe just got overlooked in their reporting..

By definition the Zoo is a public display of animals. By encouraging an interest in the animals they keep, there is bound also to be some interest when an animal dies. People are perfectly within their rights to make further enquiries about the animals they have previously seen. You cannot expect to have the one without the other.

04-03-2012

I definitely saw an improvement when Asante moved back in with oumbie. Even now when things have been strained since the removal of okanda she spends much more time on the floor, rather than on constant look out duty.

04-03-2012

Couldn't agree more. As much as I'd like to know, I have no right to know. The zoo (like any other institution) are entitled to keep things confidential.

Also no one had mentioned the most obvious reason for not replying: maybe the keeper was one of Justin's keepers and actually too upset to speak about it.

04-03-2012

Just because we ask a question doesn't mean should automatically get an answer.

04-03-2012

We have the right to ask questions but other people have the right not to reply simples

04-03-2012

The key thing is her weight. Is she losing weight again?

04-03-2012

I'm not sure. I'm hoping to go soon do I'll check if she looks thinner if she comes over

04-03-2012

As a paying customer, I would expect you to be treated a little differently. Collections that feel as they are not answerable to the public (Howletts & Port Lympne aside, that was part of the whole charm of the places), risk a backlash. I think it is very foolish to employ staff who don't feel they have to be polite to visitors.

04-03-2012

Zoos want people to be interested when things go well, they plaster the good news all over the place to bring in the paying punters, we should also know what has happened to animals we are encouraged to care about. I don't imagine that there is anything to hide but I don't see why they should have a 'right' to hide it if there is something wrong. I'm not getting at Twycross in particular here, or this specific case, I agree maybe the keeper was one who worked closely with him.

04-03-2012

I mean they can, and do, but I think those collections that are frank and upfront about it win on a PR front. There are posts on this thread criticising this idea, often accompanied by statements about animals dying being part of life, I would agree, but this is exactly why it doesn't pay for zoos or their staff to be cagey or evasive.

04-03-2012

Sadly have to agree.

Even worse than the previous generation of Ape Houses was the failure of the previous management to plant enough trees, IMHO. There are far too many grassy spaces between exhibits. Fair enough if their speciality was Central Asian hoofstock, but tropical primates would surely appreciate a few windbreaks on a site where, following its line of latitude, the nearest significant high ground must be the Urals.

On any but the warmest day Twycross can feel extremely bleak.

04-03-2012

Its possible the reason they have not announced the death in this particular instance is that it is the 2nd young male Giraffe they have lost in just a few years. That doesn't sound so good to any potential critics of the zoo.

04-03-2012

Also,they did make announcements/statements on the deaths of Jill the chimp and Bongo the elderly gorilla in recent times, they did not however announce anything concerning the deaths of Becky and Mkundi the chimps, neither of which were a great age. For visitors who are fond of certain animals I think it is best if they are aware of the deaths of their favourites, so they are prepared for this on their visit, especially in these days of facebook etc.I do of coarse respect the fact that you cannot announce the deaths of every animal, eg,guinea pig, meerkat etc, but in the case of the great apes and other large animals which are known by their name to the visitors I think it would be appropriate to do so, also giving an honest reason for the animals demise.