The future of Belfast Zoo ???: Lions, elephants and other exotic animals could be phased out at Belfast Zoo
First of all: 1. Worrying that aldermen and -women do not know their zoo. 2. Least so as public policy makers - read Councillors themselves have failed for years their public funding operated zoo 3. Flabbergasting: that some Councillors do not seem to know the standing and scientific and public achievements of this historical zoo in terms of public awareness, education, ex situ conservation breeding as well as the in situ conservation work they support. It is really time that zoos fight back the cultural degredation these Reps have allowed to set in!
I have only ever visited Belfast Zoo once and that was in the late 1960's when it was just a small and very run down site. Since then a 'new' Zoo entirely has been created on an adjoining site and during its early years it seemed a very go-ahead place. Yet now it is continually being described as 'run-down' and with an overall lack of funding etc. What's gone wrong here in just a few decades? I do feel any move to remove the ABC exotic species in favour of a 'temperature zone only' smaller-scale collection would be the knell of death for Northern Ireland's only mainstream Zoo.
I found this interview oddly grating, but it does give (some of) an insider's perspective. Apparently, the zoo's enclosures are "much more natural to what [the animals] would find in the wild". Right. Belfast Zoo manager Alyn Cairns: 'Who in their office environment can say they have a herd of giraffes or family of gorillas?' - BelfastTelegraph.co.uk
Is Mark Challis no longer in charge of Belfast Zoo? have i missed something here, or I am just badly out of date?
Belfast Zoo confident of accreditation after work to tackle concerns - BelfastTelegraph.co.uk It seems that EAZA had concerns about Belfast Zoo. I find it strange that they were perfectly happy with the running of South Lakes.
They weren't as they down graded the level of EAZA membership at the place,it was just done very quietly that we managed to miss it!!Belfasts just happened to come out due to them having an EAZA conference at the place last year!
The refurbished Reptile and Amphibian house has opened. Including 15 new species Belfast Zoo opens new reptile and amphibian house - BelfastTelegraph.co.uk
