Dudley Zoological Gardens Dudley Zoological Gardens in 2015

Morbi was killed by their mum after being put back following vaccinations

Jasdan went to Rotterdam around the same time as Jetpur left. She's now at Terra Natura in Spain

 

Two male spiny-tailed iguanas are settling in - they arrived from Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park. DZG hopes to acquire some females in the future.
New iguanas move in | Dudley Zoological Gardens

New male lion Jetpur is also settling in to his new home.
Jetpur?s right at home! | Dudley Zoological Gardens

 

Dudley's group of 5 male Gelada baboons have had their enclosure extended right up to the walls of the sensory garden, tripling their space. It looks fantastic!
Bachelors on the bigger bank! | Dudley Zoological Gardens

 

Sounds great, looking forward to seeing it for myself. I'm loving how it feels like the zoo is always moving forward.

 

This article from DZG's website wouldn't normally be forum-worthy; it's basically about some fancy new benches. However, it does include a photo of a small section of the new entrance area. The photo shows one of the new life size animal sculptures, some of the newly turfed/planted borders, the bespoke new entrance gate and part of the newly resurfaced walkway up to the entrance ramp. It's starting to look roughly like those artist’s impressions from a few years ago.

The article also quotes the zoo director as saying, "The next stage of our site development plan will see exciting new animal enclosures built in 2016, which will benefit both the residents and visitors", so it sounds like 2016 will be another great year for Dudley and its regulars as the zoo continues to improve. The zoo's director said earlier in the year that they will focus primarily on new/upgraded enclosures for the zoo's existing collection rather than bringing in new species.
Sitting pretty! | Dudley Zoological Gardens

 

A female Chinese water dragon has arrived at DZG to join the male in the reptile house.
Dragon arrives at DZG! | Dudley Zoological Gardens

The zoo is offering all visitors in January and February 2016 a free return ticket that is valid for 6 months from the day they visit. Visitors need only provide their original receipt.
A return visit on us! | Dudley Zoological Gardens

 

A colour cine film taken at Dudley zoo in 1960.
I had no idea the zoo once had polar, black, brown, sun and sloth bears!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYXJx3ZFkVs

 

The leopard (jaguar?) cage is particularly brutal. It looks like it is either the current geoffrey's cat enclosure, or the site of the new lynx exhibit.

 

The footage of the Sun Bear enclosure is fascinating. The footprint of the pit is still there today, but I had no idea that there was a cage over the top of it - very odd design!

 

Brilliant footage, always great to see vintage film of zoos.

 

A fascinating trip down memory lane and a reminder of just how much DZG has improved, particularly in recent years. It was lovely to see the bears, bison and the train, all of which I remember well.

The leopard/jaguar cage was between the current lynx enclosure and the the tiger viewing window, behind the boards. I think those cages have now been converted to the tigers indoor quarters. From memory, I think there were 3 cages and they were pretty soulless and bare.

I don't remember the dolls house at all. Interesting to hear that the footprint of the sun bear enclosure is still there - whereabouts is it?

 

I think yes, it was probably in the Rhesus Monkey enclosure which from old photos I've seen was a quite large 'open air' type thing for a whole colony of them. For those familiar with Dudley layout, I believe this was somewhere near, or even on, the site of the Barbary sheep enclosure.

 

Cages of this type were pretty standard in conventional zoos of that era. I can think of very similar ones at other places such as Paignton and Chessington. And 'big cat' houses at places like Bristol and London contained many cages not much bigger. In that respect Dudley's open pits for the largest carnivores were a big improvement.

You can see why a lot of people might be 'anti-zoo' seeing a Leopard in surroundings like that.

 

It's the odd walled enclosure at the end of the chimp path. It was left derelict for years (you could go down into the dens if there was no-one about!). About 10-15 years they filled in the pit and tried prairie dogs, and later domestic rabbits, in there, but neither lasted long. I'm not even sure that you get to the end of that path now.

 

This area is now closed off the reason the prairie dogs and the rabbits didn't last long was due I think to the enclosure always being very damp with the water from the hillside behind collecting in the enclosure.

Just to update there are quite a few films on you tube of Dudley Zoo through the years

 

The zoo is monitoring their Sumatran tigress for early signs of pregnancy. Daseep is ranked as the world's second most genetically important female Sumatran tiger.
Eye on the tiger! | Dudley Zoological Gardens

 

Thanks Robmv - I know the enclosure you mean. I vaguely remember seeing it before they filled the pit in - I think they may have had coatimundi there in the late 1970s.

 

Here is a link to the said - http://www.zoochat.com/198/old-zoo-monkey-enclosure-before-1950-a-201287/

 

Visit to the zoo

I visited Dudley Zoo today as I hadn't been for a couple of months and I was pleased I went. I particularly like the new entrance the statues add somthing.
I'm also pleased with the extention of the Tapir and Capybara exhibit with the kangaroos moving into Nicks old exhibit. And a lot of the animals such as the Red Panda were out today so that was a treat. The fairground was packed up today I don't know if this happens every winter but if it doesn't maybe the fairground that a lot of people hate is moving away (fingers crossed).
Thanks

P.s: When I was outside the Orangutan Indoor viewing area a lot of people were telling ther children "look at the monkey" when it is quite clearly an ape. We're raising our children to be idiots. Does this bother anyone else.