Unsure if this has been posted elsewhere so please move or delete if necessary but didn’t want anyone to miss out, from Monday at 8pm on Channel 5... see below quote and link for trailer on their Facebook page; “We ❤️ animals! Starting Monday 20th August at 8pm, we're taking you behind the scenes at Britain's BIGGEST zoos every night for one week! ” https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=2056666004353239
Well, that was slooooow-paced or what? The Japanese bears story was spun out somewhat - lots of repetition. And - personally - I find Helen Skelton a very difficult presenter. Her enunciation is poor and her voice pitched at a frequency generally employed by pipistrelle bats; half the time I haven't a clue what she's trying to say. (I don't think it's all down to my hearing impairment.) An opportunity missed. [This is, of course, all personal opinion. Other opinions welcome]
I liked it (though I don't really consider myself a zoo enthusiast to be honest) - yes it could have been better in some regards, but overall it was a good programme and if it helps more people to see zoos in a positive light, then that has to be a good thing. I'm especially pleased that Yorkshire Wildlife Park is getting extra coverage, and personally I found the bear story to be the highlight of the programme. Looking forward to seeing it continue tomorrow.
Positive stuff about zoos is always useful, even when it's largely puffery for YWP. Bear story is quite inspiring, and I'm sure they're doing some conservation breeding on the quiet. All very much ABCs so far...,
YWP are reporting that their website is running slow due to increased demand after the programme last night so hopefully it should help them to boost attendances even further. Personally i thought it was an ok programme, very rarely will these sort of programmes cater for the serious zoo enthusiast but I don’t think that it was dumbed down too much and there’s plenty of positive comments on Facebook and Twitter and in these times any positive publicity zoos can get has to be welcomed.
Channel 5's online set up can be a head ache, but I finally found a link to last night's show ... and you don't even have to register Episode 1
BIAZA are claiming on Twitter that their website crashed during the broadcast due to the volume of traffic. Sounds positive!
Not mentioned on Zoochat, but I did notice that the most recent EAZA Tag Report (linked below) does mention that the black rhino EEP is in discussion with African Parks about future reintroduction plans to Akagera National Park in Rwanda (on page 54 of the document). https://flipflashpages.uniflip.com/3/48142/1096608/pub/html5.html#page/1
I'm enjoying the program but in the first episode is a scene of a keeper using a ladder to put a piece of meat up on a pole for tiger feeding. Didn't South Lakes get condemned by the local council for doing this?
Thanks for the link. It does seem a little stupid to put a ladder again a round pole. Telegraph poles used to have metal bars to lean ladders against so that they were stable. Even window cleaners shower to have given up ladders these days. Surely a rope and pulley system would be safer.
I've often thought that when seeing them set up at Chester for the Jaguars, but imagine a fixed rope would be chewed to bits pretty quick. I'm sure other options have been considered.
After watching the first two programmes, I found them rather old-fashioned. The 'interviews' seemed somewhat stilted, as if the scriptwriters were new to their jobs, and Channel 5's mania for "celebs" is rather tiresome. I wonder if we're going to get bears and penguins in every episode? At least the second had Jersey's ploughshare tortoises plus Paignton's dormice and crayfish - it's just a pity that visitors can't see either of these native species at the Zoo.
I didn't realise they had one. I've rarely stopped to try and see them since the boys left and think I've only seen meat thrown in there.
