ZooChat Challenge UK 2017

After a plesent visit this afternoon I am know sat with my feet in the river eating a strawberry ice cream whilst the nice weather lasts (27 degrees )
11) Birdland Park and Gardens- 18/06/2017

 

Three to add to my list:

9 Birdworld 16/7/17
10 Bentley Wildfowl 17/7/17
11 Drusillas Park

These were all new collections for me and Shorts suggested we make some comments on what we thought of new collections. I will make some detailed observations later, but will say that whilst all were ok, they weren't anything particularly special either. All had good and not so good points.

I would also suggest that at £16 for Birdworld and £19.50 for Drusillas, those two were very poor value for money given the amount of time it took to go round. Without rushing, I saw all Drusillas in just over an hour.

As Bentley isn't listed on ZTL, I will post a species list, if a moderator could add Bentley to the UK zoo list on here please?

 

Ok, thanks. Will do

 

Drusillas

While it is fresh in my mind,I feel I need to qualify my earlier comments on Drusillas!

Basically, there is nothing wrong with it, it is great for children, which obviously we all know it is aimed at! For the zoonerd though, not much to go out of your way for & unless you have children with you, the best part of£20 is not well spent.

The zoo begins with a series of indoor enclosures for Rhinoceros Iguana, Pygmy Marmoset /Sloth followed by common marmoset, Silvery Marmoset, Goeldis Monkey and Cotton top Tamarin, along with Arabian Rock Hyrax (*).
There are then a series of 'adequate ' enclosures for capuchin, B&W Colobus Meerkat.
A standard farmyard area is then available with nothing exciting.
Next is the Sulawesi Crested Macaque enclosure, which looks like a VERY miniature version of Colchester's mangabey enclosure with mock rock & glass! I think most on here would hate it!! Midas & Emperor Tamarin opp
Serval enclosure also straight out of Colchester, but fine.
Squirrel Monkey / azaras agouti island was one of better exhibits.
Next another meerkat exhibit (black mark!) mixed with Cape Porcupines
Then dwarf mongoose in a standard exhibit
An odd walkthrough followed with Rodriguez Fruit Bat/ Sloth/ golden Lion Tamarin & common marmoset along with Violet Turaco
Next Binturong, a few commonly seen owls followed by 4 Lar Gibbons in what I thought was a reasonable cage with height.

The Giant Anteater were opposite in a nice sized enclosure with pool, both were active & it was good that viewing was either glass or from a wooden balcony.

Average Chilean flamingo paddock followed before probably my favourite exhibit for North American Beaver & Capybara. Perfectly adequate cages for Geoffroy's Marmoset & White Faced Saki/Silvery Marmoset.
Next followed fairly standard exhibits for ASCO, Red Panda, Prairie Dog, Fennec Fox, a Lemur Walkthrough for Ring-tailed & Black, then Raccoon, Coati.

I forgot the Bactrian Camel paddock, mixed Kookaburra /Parma Wallaby /Armadillo cage and the Penguin pool (better than Birdworld's older one, but nothing special), only saw one Rockhopper!

Overall, a pleasant little zoo with reasonable exhibits in the main, but not one I'll rush back to!

Highlights - Beaver, Giant Anteater, Binturong, Rock Hyrax, Sloth, Fennec Fox

Every species was seen active though! Even a Sloth, Armadillo, Beaver, Anteater, which counts for something

 

I didn't realise, the subspecies wasn't mentioned on the sign

 

If memory serves correctly they have the same as Exmoor,so proper big boys!!

 

They didn't seem that different in size to Linton's (which are obviously no subspecies)
to be honest

 

As the Bentley forum has been created, I've posted a brief review & species list there

 

12) Beale Park- 30/07/2017
13) Hawk Conservancy Trust- 30/07/2017

 

14) Birdworld- 31/07/2017

 

After a little Visit to a few places over the weekend I have added a few more places

9) Dudley Zoo
10) Shaldon Zoo
11) Paignton Zoo

Not sure when I will next add some more,but seeing as I am only doing this for fun and not taking it seriously,un-like last year when nobody was going to beat me.

 

As I had to drive my daughter to Croydon today, I took a 20 minute train journey to a new zoo for me

12 Battersea Park Zoo

I would agree with Crowthorne's earlier comments, 'nice little zoo ' is a fair summary really.

New species to the zoo, that I was surprised to see ( or more precisely not see) was Luzon Cloud Rat!
Zootierliste is hopelessly out of date, at least 10 species not listed & nearly as many gone!

Will post changes in Battersea Park thread.

Among those not listed are Scottish Wild Cat, Violet Turaco, Pallas's Squirrel, Red necked Wallaby. Several reptiles now in ' Mouse House '!

No longer labelled B&W Ruffed Lemur, Tree Shrew, Banded Mongoose, Prevost squirrel

 

5/8/17

13 Paignton Zoo
14 Shaldon Zoo

 

15) RZSS Edinburgh Zoo- 20/08/2017

 

Do you guys know of any way to easily map the locations of these zoos? Google maps only seems to like the obvious main ones! I need to work out public transport routes from South Yorkshire way. Thanks

 

Thanks so much!