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United Kingdom Great Fosters Zoo , Egham , Surrey .

Discussion in 'Zoo History' started by zoowhosewho, 4 Feb 2020.

  1. zoowhosewho

    zoowhosewho Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    22 Mar 2019
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    Location:
    Devon
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    This establishment was set up in the grounds of Great Fosters Mansion.... I cannot be sure of the exact date it was set up but there was mention of it as a "Walk Through Sanctuary" in 1971 ... and in 1970 a Vervet Monkey called Tiddles escaped
    By April 1972 the advert attached appeared and states that there are Woolly Monkeys , Malayan Otters and Free flying Macaws
    Very little is written about the Zoo and I have even contacted the current Hotel Owners who know nothing about its past
    February 1987 it was reported that the Owner of the Zoo was attacked and bitten by a Celebes Macaque
    February 1995 a Civet Wild Cat escaped but was found in undergrowth near to its cage
    August 1996 the Proprietor was reported to be Mr Dave Robertson and there was a 7 week old Male Puma called Tye taken on by the Zoo
    Great Fosters Mansion was owned by the Sutcliffe family from 1931 to 2018 when it was purchased by a Hotel group and the same Hotel Group still own it today..

    I lived quite close to the Zoo but never visited it but it was known for its Woolly Monkey Sanctuary it's such a shame nothing seems documented that I can find anyway
    1st Image Advert for the Zoo from 1972 and 2nd image Great Fosters Mansion from 1960
     
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  2. zooboy

    zooboy Well-Known Member 15+ year member

    Joined:
    13 Jan 2008
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    Location:
    UK
    You are correct in saying that very little has been written about this place; it escaped the attention of all the authors (Schomberg, Robins/Radford, Anthony Smith, the AA and Shire Publications) of the zoo books that were produced during the 1970s. The only note I had was that it "opened in 1973" but that is obviously incorrect as your account goes back to 1971; perhaps it was re-branded "Woolly Monkey Sanctuary" in 1973? But I had a recollection of reading "something somewhere" and have just located a brief account in the, long defunct, National Zoological Society of G.B. newsletter, from a visit made in 1972. The prime exhibit was the group of (1 Humboldt's and 6 Brown) Woolly monkeys, kept in similar lines to those at the other (and un-connected) Woolly Monkey Sanctuary at Looe. There were 6 other species of monkey, Red deer, Pumas and "other small carnivores", and birds included owls, flamingos, Scarlet ibis and a White-crested guan. The owner, Dave Robinson, had a habit of taking animals out of their cages to show visitors, including walking a Puma cub around the place on a lead. He had planned to move the collection to the Bristol area partly because of a number of issues including vandalism. However your report, that cover up to 1996, indicates that he stayed there.
     
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  3. Margaret Rosamund Lake

    Margaret Rosamund Lake New Member

    Joined:
    23 Nov 2020
    Posts:
    1
    Location:
    Suffolk
    I lived in Egham from 1955 until Sept 1971.I knew Great Fosters well. I remember going several times to walk around the zoo I also remember seeing a member of staff with a woolly monkey (on a lead) n his shoulders in the shop area - so I would say it was open several years before 1971. I have searched many times for references to the Zoo and began to think I was dreaming
     
    Last edited by a moderator: 23 Nov 2020