Heythrop Zoo heythrop circus

in 2015 we had the misfortune to visit heythrop , has anybody else been and what are your thoughts ?

 

I go most years and I have always enjoyed my visits.

 

I have visited Heythrop several times and have always thoroughly enjoyed my visits.

Why do you consider your visit a "misfortune" ?

 

totally hated the circus act show that was put on , monkeys walking on leads ,5 lions in a tiny enclosure , brown bears in a totally unnatural enclosure, the whole site is chipperfields old holding ground , but if your happy to see those kinda things , then all is fine , i am not

 

I think your analysis of the place shows a certain mindset, and, as a consequence, is a little biased. Nothing wrong with being biased - we all are, to a certain extent - but I don't think your description of the place is wholly accurate, if one is to look at things in a neutral, disinterested fashion.

I do wonder why you went there, if your attitude towards the sorts of things they do there is as it is. I am not a fan of jazz music, finding it self-indulgent and tedious. It would, therefore, be foolish of me to listen to a Charlie Parker album, and then complain that I found it to be self-indulgent and tedious. I'd probably be better advised to stick to Leonard Cohen (who is neither self-indulgent, nor tedious!).

For what it's worth, I have had the pleasure of visiting once, quite a while ago, and thought it was a tremendous place. I certainly did not feel the slightest bit uncomfortable with anything that I saw, animal-care- and animal-wellbeing- wise. As Muriel Spark's Jean Brodie says, "For those who like that sort of thing, that is the sort of thing they like."

 

your so far from the truth , i went there full of anticipation , in seeing a first class film studio and on how the animals were trained , that was not even close to the circus like trainer smacking sticks together and forcing tigers to jump from pillar to post , maybe i should have dug a lot lot deeper before we booked our tickets and saved myself a lot of money , i did notice something about no sharing of pictures , if there was nothing to hide , then why all the secrecy ?

 

Er, security. As I'm sure you're aware there are very militant people who oppose captive animals in general and/or "performances" thereof who may take photo's out of context (a powerful propaganda tool through the ages) or may potentially use information from the photo's to arrange criminal acts against persons or property. It's why people are not allowed to take photos around some royal residences (for example) or laboratories that carry out experiments using animals. They've nothing in particular to hide, they're happy to justify their positions but fear harm/damage form those who may disagree.

 

security ? the whole place is well documented enough without the visitors photos being used on the social media causing to much trouble , , I am one of those who disagree with animals being used purely for entertainment , most zoo`s keep the species alive and kicking before the greedy human beings wipe out all wildlife through their greed or their sick kicks

 

I

Is English your first language? That last bit really isn't coherent.

 

please explain why you think not ? makes perfect sense , killing a rhino for its horn is pure greed , killing a lion for fun is a sick kick

 

I don't understand how the first emboldened part of "most zoo`s keep the species alive and kicking before the greedy human beings wipe out all wildlife through their greed or their sick kicks" relates to the part that follows it up. It seems to suggest human beings are killing Rhinos for greed or Lions for fun in zoos

 

Again, your choice of language betrays your underlying prejudice (as does mine - some might say your language demonstrates your underlying feelings....). "Circus-like" is clearly meant to be derogatory here; your first choice of verb - "smacking" - is deeply loaded; your second verb, too ("forced") is certainly not neutral; the idea that the tiger had to jump from "pillar to post" is, clearly, deliberate hyperbole.

I don't resent your dislike of the place (although I don't share it, at all). I don't resent your use of rather hysterical language to state your case (we all incline towards a bit of hysteria when we feel strongly about something). But I must admit to finding your approach a little dishonest, claiming that you approached Heythrop with an open mind when clearly you did not.

 

where did i say anything about a open mind ? i dont mind people disagreeing with my opinions , its all they are by the way , i suspect i will disagree with a lot of other peoples too

 

Erm, here, actually:

 

oh i thought perhaps i had used THAT term , when i didnt think i did

 

In any case and getting back to Heythrop, I visited a couple of years ago and enjoyed it. I thought most of the animals were adequately housed and some were well done except for the penguins that had a very small pool. Is that bigger now?

As for the Big Cat show it reminded me of the type of training most zoos do these days to allow them to interact with their charges except that the keepers were in with the animals.

If you want to talk dodgy housing and shows I would refer you to the sealion show at Whipsnade.

 

If we all agreed on everything wouldn't life be boring.

 

Everything about Heythrop I ever read seems positive tbh.