Like a Rhinestone Cowboy: FunkyGibbon in Europe

And you suggested me to take the train from Manchester to Liverpool?! ^^

Anyway, I won't let you all defend DB; disliking them has become an unifying element in German culture. Just as disliking Berlin. And its residents. And its inability to build an international airport...If German trains were on time like the Swiss (just as they used to be when I was younger) and no inefficient stomping grounds for vandals, the general dislike could be focused more constructively on Berlin. And they might finally finish that airport...

 

It's instructive to compare London and Frankfurt I think. If London hadn't touched the Clore, still had Sloth Bears on the Mappins and Black Rhinos in the Casson and Sealions in the current penguin pool (I assume this is where they used to be?) then you'd have two fairly similar zoos, with different strengths and weaknesses.

The main difference today is not just that Frankfurt has kept more traditional exhibits, and of course there's a case to be made that's a bad thing, but also that Frankfurt has almost literally no dead space: no lawns, no steep slopes that aren't used, no giant walkthoughs, and no large historic buildings that are currently under utilised.

I actually like what London is turning into, although I never really saw what it was before. But I'm really glad that Frankfurt is doing things differently, and I'm glad there's room within modern zookeeping for many different visions of 'the zoo'.

 

I've heard rumours that there might be one in the Pata Zoo in Bangkok. I decided not to support a place like Pata Zoo on my current Thai trip though (and I didn't have time anyway).

 

The sea lions' old pool is now lost under the tiger enclosure - it was last used as a pool for the Pygmy Hippos.

 

On my second night at Danum, I chose a drive rather than a walk. The people on the walk saw a linsang and a tarsier. I saw a common palm civet.

Anyway, I've enjoyed your thoughts so far. Frankfurt is a lovely zoo, which I'm looking forward to visiting in a few days. Hannover is far from perfect, but absolutely deserves visiting. At the risk of forever alienating Sooty Mangabey, on a good day it might make my top five zoos in Germany.

 

@TeaLovingDave I can guess Walsrode and Hamburg; what were the other 3+?

 

I'd wholly agree with this - although there are other places that deserve visiting more! Hannover is certainly an interesting place to see if one is interested in zoo design - although, possibly, the need to see it would be less if one had been to Gelsenkirchen.

Hmmmm..... Each to their own (even those who rate Wildgehege Klovensteen as being amongst Germany's best zoos*!) but Hannover would be a long way from my own top 5 (or even my top 30)...

(*deliberate misrepresentation of @TeaLovingDave's comment above.....)

 

I've only been here three times, over the past 25 years, and have felt lukewarm about the place on each occasion; however, I rather thought this was a reflection of me, and my state of mind on each visit, rather than the zoo itself, which scores highly amongst many nerds. Why was it that you were similarly unenamoured of the zoo, Dave?

 

Seeing Shoebill at Prague last year for the first time was really fantastic; I have to confess that sometimes a 'must-see' species disappoints me, but they really lived up to the hype. Very reptilian in their stillness. Obviously I wish I could have seen the Picathartes, I understand Frankfurt had some breeding success with them and I wonder if somewhere will try again one day.The walk-in aviary is very much just that. I didn't particularly enjoy it. I think it might have been understocked; it certainly left very little impression.

 

Interesting. What did the penguins replace?

 

I think the last animals there pre-penguins were the pelicans, prior to their move to Three Island Pond - though if I recall the penguins had already moved in for a time before the current pool was built.

 

The old Parrot House (built in 1869, originally as a restaurant) was also demolished as part of the new Penguin Pool development.

 

...and, of course, a part of it is incorporated into the 'new' penguin enclosure, rather pleasingly - as is the (listed) phone box which once st

 

So then the next question is what was previously in the current parrot aviaries?

I will look out for the part remaining next time I'm at London.

Another question: When Frankfurt held elephants were they kept in the Rhino House?

 

Wouldn't that be the old bird of prey row?