"BELFAST ZOO DUE TO HIT THE BIG SCREEN ON 29 JUNE 2018 Check out the latest trailer for ‘Zoo’ which is due to be released in cinemas across the UK and Ireland on 29 June 2018! Last year Belfast Zoo travelled back in time to the Blitz era, as filming took place onsite for ‘Zoo’, a movie based on one of Northern Ireland’s most famous war-time stories. Zoo is based on the true story of Belfast Zoo’s ‘elephant angel’. During World War II, the Ministry of Public Security issued a directive that all dangerous animals should be destroyed. This was to ensure public safety, in case the animals escaped if the zoo was damaged by German air raids. On 19 April 1941, Mr A McClean (head of the Air Raid Protection Section) enlisted the help of Constable Ward, from the Royal Ulster Constabulary, and Sergeant E U Murray, of the Home Guard. A total of 33 animals were shot, including hyaena, wolves, a puma, a tiger, a black bear, polar bears, a lynx, racoons and a vulture. During this time Sheila, a baby elephant, was protected and taken to the backyard of the North Belfast terraced home of zoo keeper, Denise Weston Austin. Here Denise comforted and cared for the young elephant as the bombs rained down upon Belfast. When head zoo keeper, Dick Foster, left work in the evening, Denise took Sheila from her enclosure, walked her the short distance to her house at 278 Whitewell Road and walked her back up to the zoo in the morning. It seemed zoo staff did not know about this arrangement until Sheila chased a dog into a neighbour’s garden, breaking the fence. Sheila remained in the zoo after her evening activity was discovered. However, Denise’s fondness for the elephant continued and she visited Sheila in the zoo at night, during the air raids, rubbing her ears to keep her calm. In ‘Zoo’, the story is seen through the eyes of a 12 year old boy named Tom who, with the help of his friends, tries to save ‘Buster’ the elephant. Check out the trailer and see how many of our animals you can spot or find out more about our 'elephant angel' story and the inspiration behind the film at The Zoo | Our elephant angel "
A spider monkey which escaped from the zoo has died after being hit by a car Belfast Zoo monkey dies following escape
Very sad! Third time there's been primates escape since 2013. 2013 - 6 Lion-Tailed Macaques escaped. 2015- 2 Lion-Tailed Macaques escaped. Both times the monkeys were caught unharmed, shame it didn't end the same this time
Thought I would do a collective update on what I saw during my visit last month: 1) A new monkey complex has been completed which includes Golden Lion Tamarin, Pied Tamarin, Emperor Tamarin, Cotton Top Tamarin, Common Marmoset and Red Titi Monkey. The complex is made up of about 3 enclosures, which each enclosure having two separate outdoor cages. It is located just below the Chimpanzee enclosure. 2) An aviary has been built over the old Maned Wolf enclosure (beside the Red pandas). I can't remember the exact species in the enclosure. On the Map is just says bird aviary, and the list of animals on the website hasn't been updated since 2017. 3) The walkway to connect the the current spider monkey enclosure/Island to the Island in the middle of the lake is nearly complete. I expect to be already completed since the 4 weeks from my visit. 4) A Large prickle of Cape Porcupines (11) have moved to the old Striped Hyena enclosure, which was before that the African Hunting dogs enclosure. 5) The maned wolf has moved to its new enclosure beside the old cheetah enclosure. The refurbished enclosure that used to be the old Cheetah enclosure still remains empty. 6) The Red River Hogs have either left Belfast or are now being kept off show. Their enclosure is now home to a Giant Anteater. 7) The nursery part of the new reptile house has been replaced with enclosures for iguana. On the zoo website yesterday they announced that a pair of Fijian banded iguana had arrived, as well as a panther chameleon. I believe the other iguana enclosure was to be for Utila Iguanas. 8) On 2nd of June, two female red squirrels were released. Belfast Zoo has had great success breeding red squirrels and has made multiple releases. 9) Nine Rodrigues Fruit bats arrived from Chester earlier in the year and live in the Rainforest House. I have just came back to Zoochat, so I will try to stay up-to-date on Belfast Zoo news.
Nice review. I will be in Belfast in the next week or so and intend to go see the zoo and these new developements.
I just went to check their website and it doesn't look like they still show them on there anymore so I'm assuming the RR Hogs have probably either moved to another collection or they've died. TBH though it is a shame for a place like Belfast to lose such a nice and amazing species...
Is this a newly built enclosure the Maned Wolves have moved into or is it an existing enclosure that used to hold a former species.
It definitely is a shame. Hopefully they get new RR Hogs in, or maybe even a new species. I definitely think the Giant Anteater will be a short term resident, as there is already an enclosure with Giant Anteater, along with Darwin's Rhea and Capybara. The enclosure was built after the elderly Cheetah Lulu died in March 2016. A new fence was put up around the now old cheetah enclosure (which still remains empty), and the enclosure beside it was turned into the now maned wolf enclosure. If i remember correctly these enclosures were completed in 2016, and in 2017 the enclosure then held the cape porcupines before they moved to their current enclosure. Before it was converted, I believe it used to hold the Southern Pudu.
I may be visiting also before I go to Uni in Liverpool. If I do I'll remember my camera this time and take some photos.
Unfortunately the red kangaroos are now also gone, having recently moved to Blackpool Zoo. Their enclosure is currently being renovated into another giant anteater enclosure. They have also renovated one of the pens within the zoo farm which is now home to another White-breasted barn owl
Hopefully that means the Giant Anteater in the former RR Hog enclosure is getting moved, which will free up the enclosure. Any news on the Spider Monkey walkway? Is it completed?
I understand it has been completed. However the Spider Monkeys are reluctant to use the island and are being slowly introduced to it.
Sumatran Tiger, Kina is moving on to Le Pal in France next week. So it seems Belfast will be without Tiger's for a short time at least? Allier - Une tigresse de Sumatra arrive au PAL
I know what happened to the red river hogs. When I visited Belfast zoo back in June, I was told that the last red river hog, a boar named Riff, passed away last year. I remember seeing him when we visited the zoo on my birthday last year, so his death came pretty soon. I remember being told that Riff may be Belfast's last RRH, so I'm sorry to say that they may never keep the species again in the foreseeable future. The anteater is the zoo's breeding male Pancho. He fathered his second pup last year in November. I emailed the zoo months ago and I was told that the pup is a boy.
