I am sorry that you feel like that. Sometimes I feel that another point of view needs to be aired, as it is quite obvious loads of people have opinions on the ZSL. True, I may spend most of my time on this site in the ZSL forums, but that is only because I am more familiar with both Zoo's than others around the country. I am not blinkered and I am aware of the ZSL's short comings (no one Zoo will ever be perfect). I for one find it sad that an exhibit as important to the way animals are now housed now (as in it was one of the first examples of showing off animals without bars) as the Mappin Terraces, is now just a throwaway 'outback' enclosure and I agree that the part of the Zoo near the Snowdon aviary desperately needs work. However, at both ZSL sites I feel that the positives are beginning to greatly outweigh negatives. And given time I am sure there will be plenty more developments. I genuinely do really enjoy being part of this community and I hope that people understand that I am interested in other peoples views.
I said that about lemur walkthroughs without knowing they do/did have problems at Whipsnade. Was it people's bad behaviour?
To a degree, the major problem being the "Dont Touch" rule which is often abused (and no doubt will be to a greater extent at London due to it's high rate of foreign visitors). The "cartoony" do/dont signage doesnt help either. Personally, I much prefer Bristol's management of it's walkthrough-much more black-and-white/matter-of-fact! The "problems" as such were age related. The group were very sedentary- finding a spot and staying there all day, only moving for food! Also the classic over-grooming. A particularly cold snap in winter would also tend to finish one or two off!
If I may just add, the fact that a new pair of Aye-ayes have arrived to replace the old, nervous pair, could mean they will soon be on show! Does London still have the Gentle Lemurs?
Plus, ZSL have had a string of very successful fiscal years, they certainly wouldn't be short of a few bob...
In addition to that (breeding ?) group there are a pair inside the Casson sharing with the hairy armadillos
Visit the zoo today, saw the gentle lemurs in the Casson house, which I think reopened last week. For information, I understand that the Rain Forest will probably be closed next week so that a bit of a tidy up with trees / plants can take place. Interesting to see female sloth with a radio collar on, if this trial is successful, plans to use similar devices in the wild
Lemur walk through London Zoo I recently became a member and in mid Feb stated that a lemur walk through would be opening at London Zoo on 28 March. I did get a number of replies, some positive and some negative. However, the new walk through did open today and certainly, in my opinion, a wonderful new exhibit. It is an all bachelor group, 15 ring tailed and 1 Black and White ruffed who really enjoyed their new surroundings. As you go into the house, there are also 2 Lake Alaotran Gentle Lemurs, the aye-ayes are not yet on show. There are also Alaotran Gentle Lemurs in the old lemur enclosure facing the otters. When you get a chance, why not pop along and see this new exhibit
I'm afraid that London Zoo has adopted a lazy approach once more to species selection. For further evidence, one need only look at the redevelopment of the Mappin Terraces into an Australian themed exhibit. It's actually done quite well - but totally spoiled for me and, I know, fellow zoo enthusiasts, by having Red-necked/ Bennett's Wallabies in there - the commonest species of wallaby and ubiquitous. There are so many other, more deserving and conservation-dependent wallabies, but no, London Zoo has to go for the lowest denominator. If zoos are sincere about being conservation centres, they must replace their Bennett's Wallabies, Mara, Ring-tailed Lemurs, Short-clawed Otters, Crested Porcupines, domestic Bactrian Camels, domestic Reindeer, and especially Meerkats with more important species. Zoo policy must not be influenced by marketing departments, but by true enthusiasts.
I wholeheartedly agree, yet I fear marketing will always win out. Further evidence can be seen with the gradual demise in variety at the Aspinall collections. I always remember a PL keeper telling me Aspinall Senior would turn in his grave if he knew they'd brought in meerkats. Certainly I believe bold and daring decisions ought to be made with certain collections-both ZSL sites being prime examples. If marketing decisions dominate collection variety I think it presents a very blinkered view of the natural world.
Why do zoological collections always bring in the same species as other collections surely a collection with different Lemurs in a walk through would bring in more people. Yes have the run of the mill species but add more different species as well to give the public a chance to see more species. UK collections seem to be driven by what's in at the time we have too many Ring Tailed Lemurs, Asian Short Clawed Otter, Meerkat, Bennett's Wallabies & as for bird species well this is even worse.
Gees you guys are tough. London Zoo creates a new exhibit for four already-held species (one of which is a zoological rarity and curiosity, rarely displayed anywhere and not previously on display), and your responses completely ignore this and you instead invent something to bemoan - London bringing in "the same species as other collections". Never mind that they have built a new enclosure, will increase the number of lemur taxa on display to a fairly respectable four, and haven't reduced the overall collection to do so. I understand that some species are very common in collections, but why anyone would moan so much about having to put up with Ring-tailed Lemurs while viewing Aye-ayes is totally beyond me. "Zoo policy must not be influenced by marketing departments, but by true enthusiasts." Seriously? Do you actually think this would benefit zoos? Do you think it would even benefit zoo enthusiasts long-term? Zoos rely on the general public. Zoo enthusiasts account for what percentage of their visitors? 1%? Maybe at RSCC, but not many other places. Catering to the majority is the only way zoos can succeed, and pretending they should solely cater to your whims is just bizarre. Statements like "surely a collection with different Lemurs in a walk through would bring in more people" show a complete lack of understanding of why people go to zoos, and assume that visitors don't go to just one or two local zoos in their lifetime, but instead visit every zoo in the country and form an opinion on what is common. I'd say quite confidently that the average visitor would rather see Ring-tailed Lemurs in that walkthrough than just about any other lemur species.
Not to mention that they are currently building a big new enclosure for Asiatic lions which are critically endangered (400 left in the wild) and while that's under construction (till spring 2016) they needed something else attractive for visitors. The lemur walkthrough is really lovely and makes really good use of what was empty space.
Exactly, really impressed with In With The Lemurs. In the process of posting photos in the gallery...
Thanks for the photos, Stulch, and here (if I can upload it successfully) is the one character you didn't catch – the black-and-white ruffed lemur who looks enormous so close up.
This is true... At Howletts there are crowned, red-bellied and a B&W ruffed. Many people have asked me why we don't 'have them ones out the film'. If the aye-ayes are still off show in a couple of weeks then I'm going to have to email them and I say I volunteer with lemurs, did a half-marathon for them, am going to Mada, etc. Does anyone know if London Zoo would give special treatment? It'd just be to see aye-ayes; the Rare Species Centre in Kent have already said I can go behind the scenes with them.
Whereas, I have not personally seen the new lemur walk through, I would agree and stop moaning please. It seems like a sport to some now ... - ye almost look like the Dutchies there ...! It would say on the basis of what I have read and the pics that some of our esteemed Londoner ZC posters have put forward, it is a huge improvement and - if I may add - a revitalisation of the rather uninspiring Clore pavillions of the last few years. If would certainly like this trend and mode of design continued at ZSL and the Clores in particular.
