I personally think that Paignton zoo could possibly refurbish the former Cappybara enclosure into a Penguin enclosure. As for the other bird’s I would add them to the Averary that’s located adjacent to the entrance and Asiatic Lion enclosure.
With what money are they going to build a penguin enclosure on such short notice? I cannot see the cormorants, kittiwakes, or auks doing well in an aviary designed for forest birds and small freshwater waterfowl... ~Thylo
When we costed a potential penguin enclosure; something to pass comparison these days would be between £250,000 and £500,000 - and that was using our builders, not Chester's..! There is a continuous demand for penguins and I am sure a queue has formed already... Cormorants are pretty stright-forward, but auks, sea-ducks and (?) kittiwakes certainly not.
Most of the penguins I'm sure will be rehomed easily, it's the Macaronis which I think most people are worried about since there are very few in European collections and I believe they're a more difficult species that (at least here in the US) usually cannot be held outdoors. The cormorants are Bank Cormorant, and LC has the only two outside of South Africa. I wouldn't be surprised if they were sent back to an SA collection tbh. ~Thylo
Wouldn't be surprised if the Sea-Birds were snapped up by a Private collection. I would love to see the birds end up at a public collection but my head says they will disappear from public view.
Most likely. I'm certain I heard someone on Zoochat claim to volunteer at a private collection which kept Bank Cormorants several years ago (not that they were telling the truth)
Concentrate on expanding your Australia collection first Andrew! I’m getting much enjoyment in seeing this on my increasing number of visits and have a wish list if you’re seeking additions!
I imagine that any and all additions/expansions will have been put on the back burner for the foreseeable future, given there are much more important things to focus on presently!
The penguin calculations were what would be called a 'feasibility study' by bigger places, done a few years ago just after Blackbrook opened theirs. The sums were much too high and remain so, especially given the on-going risk of Avian Malaria. We added Greater Flamingos instead... Yes. A number of projects were in-hand as always when this started, both administratively and financially, none of which have/has been cancelled. Our bear meadow will perhaps be one of the largest enclosures opened in the UK this year? - as all of the expenditure had been made pre-Covid. I guess we are 'quite lucky' that it is all out-doors, and includes a couple of hundred metres of new paths and new areas of lawn. It would have been completed by now if our builders were not on lock-down; but as it is, should be ready by mid-July, now we can concentrate on it after the chaos of the last few weeks. We have the new meerkat enclosure, and one for echidnas and NG ground cuscus to do next, as the animals and materials are all here...
Now that's music to my ears! I do love an echidna, love a cuscus, but more importantly I love a bit of optimism in these troubled times.
I wonder if the whole episode of Living Coasts has changed the workings of Govt. or MP's endeavours to have the zoo funding covered by act of Parliament?
I doubt it very much. This government only budged on free school meals for impoverished kids after a high profile footballer refused to give way in a very sincere ‘rags to riches’ public campaign. Unless the England football captain or a top celebrity backs the cause, UK zoos will remain at threat with little to no governmental help.
I think that politicians will see the closure of LC as 'just' another failed attempt at a tourist attraction on that site. The lack of celebrity 'endorsement' for Zoos, even from those involved and in the media, has been very noticeable from the start - and has been covered on here before.
I don't think this was because of any anti-zoo standpoint - I think most people thought that zoos were making a lot of fuss about nothing until the evidence became clear. Having said that, though, Lewis Hamilton said some anti-captivity drivel at the start of all this - I felt like directing him to David Attenborough or Jane Goodall or somebody who knows what they're talking about...
WPT has announced that homes have been found for all of the Living Coasts collection, although no indication is given as to where.
I am sure you are right - but the only thing is, that now the 'evidence has become clear', they* are still not saying anything...! (edit* - 'they', as in the celebrities in general, not the general public...) Given the spp they housed, this was never really in doubt. The spp list was not very long, and all would have been of interest to other collections, and could be housed pretty quickly. There is likely to have been plenty of offers for most...
I wonder if any of the animals from Living Coasts have been relocated to it’s sister attractions Paington and Newquay Zoos?
