Birmingham Nature Centre Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park News 2018

I’m surprised too you’re a brummy not Glaswegian

 

Bare in mind the land BWCP has to build on isn’t the easiest to seeing as a river does interesect it and the land isn’t exactly flat either.

 

Funny you should say that, the paternal side of my family all are Glaswegian!

And don't forget that it's a council run collection so funds aren't always easy to get.

 

That’ll explain it then Brum

 

Tilgate is council run from what i recall. What worries me with council run zoo's,is that funding might run out or withdrawn,the council get bored,or find a fault in the upkeep/welfare of collections and we lose another small collection.
Still aiming to go the BWCP,via public transport (from London).Just having to decide between that or Wingham..Oh the trivials of a novice zoo fan!!

 

Have you been to Tilgate recently? It is improving with every visit I make! The entrance fee of £3 is ridiculously cheap, even double that would be fair, so I don't think council ownership is necessarily restrictive!

 

I like BWCP, but there's no contest which is better in my opinion, Wingham is in a league ( or 2) above!

 

Sorry, but I can't see what BWCP is better for? Primates? No, Carnivores? no, Birds? No Reptiles? No chance! So I ask what makes it better overall? I don't want to start an argument, but just can't see how it can possibly be considered better!

 

I agree BWCP is definitely worth visiting, I've been there twice in just over a year. I wouldn't argue you are necessarily wrong, there is no right or wrong, if we all had the same opinion there would be nothing to discuss! I was just interested why you thought that.

I'm sure if certain other zoos were compared, for example Marwell v Whipsnade, London v Colchester our opinions would be opposite, I like the Aspinall Parks despite there owner and some of their ways,though we both might choose Hamerton over a lot of much bigger zoos!

 

Correct! And apart from 1970s London Zoo, probably the 2 best zoos I've been to are in Berlin, which I don't think would be too far down your list, so we don't disagree on everything!

 

Just noticed this. BWCP from London is really straightforward; Euston to B'ham New Street, go out the station and jump on the 61 or 63 bus for about a mile, get off and turn left then take the first right, straight down Pebble Mill Rd and you're there. Easy as that!

 

I thought i saw on a bus link/google map link that bus 45/47 from BNS that stops right outside on Pershore Road.? Am i mistaken.?

 

You're not mistaken, I was just unsure as to whether the 45/47 were currently stopping outside New Street, I didn't want to make your journey even more complex by negotiating the city centre!

 

45/47 goes from opposite New Street and will drop you at the gate. X61 (as it now is I think) and 63 drop you on a different road, but no great distance.

(On the return the 45/47 bus will bring you back to the same stop, but it's sometimes quicker to get off by the Market rather than sit on the bus while it negotiates the city centre congestion)

Two other points: a day ticket is cheaper than two singles (I think) and the buses use exact fare fareboxes, no change given.

But well worth visiting, especially for its small mammals.

 

Popped up for a visit recently. First impressions are ''fairly'' positive.Given it is a small urban zoo,it's laid out fairly well in the small space,with space for at least some of the animals on show.What flaws they have,i'm sure they can improve upon.

Despite it being a cold day,a few of the animals were out.
Meerkats,Asian Short clawed Otters,the Red Panda's,Cranes,Rheas,Eurasian Lynx (being fed),Sacred/N.Bald Ibis,the poor forlorn looking Sitatunga sharing with a lonesome Cameroon sheep,and briefly,what I thought were the buffy headed capuchins.

On view inside their indoor huts were all the marmosets and tamarins,the Binturong,and the African Crested Porcupines (sharing drab square pit with three meerkats).

I liked the little reptile house and the nocturnal house,despite negotiating through the latter past a sudden rush of parents & toddlers stopping to have a chat!.

Both the Goeldi's Monkeys and the Golden Lion Tamarins seemed fascinated with my camera strap,allowing me to get a few close ups (especially of the former,a little red eyed,black gremlin).

No shows were the Agouti's and Colombian Black Spider Minkeys. And there was construction near completion on a small house near the rubbish yard/Agouti Enclosure.

 

Some great news, a baby sloth has been born! The first ever for the collection, should be visiting this weekend.

 

Just had a quick, cold but nice visit to the collection:

• Saw the Mara and black tree monitor, no luck with baby sloth or the crocodile lizard.
• Building work is occurring next to the main reptile house, on sight of the old crocodile sculptures.
• No ecletus parrots or parrots of any kind with the silky chickens now.
• There is also another new reptile in the reptile house in the form of curly tail lizards.