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Mega zoo tour at Netherlands

Discussion in 'Netherlands' started by Kakapo, 2 Jul 2018.

  1. migdog

    migdog Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    For Pairi Daiza, you can book a B-Excursion. This is the train ticket and entrance combined, and will save you between 7-16 euros (depending if you are goind on a weekday or weekend). You can buy this at the train station or online at NMBS/SNCB - B-Excursions
     
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  2. Kakapo

    Kakapo Well-Known Member

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    Very useful tip! Thanks a lot! This will be very good for save economy, since Pairi Daiza is the most expensive of the zoos included in my planning! (But it worth the price, hehe).
     
  3. ThylacineAlive

    ThylacineAlive Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    @Kakapo, did you not see the Ringed Seal when you visited SeaWorld San Diego?

    ~Thylo
     
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  4. Kakapo

    Kakapo Well-Known Member

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    No I din't. I just had knowlegde of its existence after my visit, reading here on Zoochat. Maybe in summer 2016 it was off-exhibit or not arrived yet... or I just didn't noticed the enclosure...
    If I can, I will change Harderwijk by Ecomare for see them. But I don't know if it's doable - also taking in account that I left it for the day that I swicht to Belgium, and hence it can't take all day for going and coming back :)
    Thanks!
     
  5. ThylacineAlive

    ThylacineAlive Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    The seal arrived around 2005 I think. It rotates between the Harbor Seal enclosure and Beluga enclosure in Wild Arctic.

    ~Thylo
     
  6. Kakapo

    Kakapo Well-Known Member

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    So probably it was with harbour seals and I skipped this exhibit thinking that it only contained harbour seals. But honestly I don't remember any exhibit with seals of any kind at SeaWorld, just the one with sea lions. I saw and contemplated the belugas, but for sure no seals in the same enclosure.
     
  7. ThylacineAlive

    ThylacineAlive Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Did you skip the fur seals then, too?

    ~Thylo
     
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  8. Kakapo

    Kakapo Well-Known Member

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    Yes... another species that I knew they had after my visit, instead before :( :( and very valuable because of it's rarity in zoos... I tried to be exhaustive visiting all zones but somehow this exhibit didn't appeared in my path... What a shame!
     
  9. ThylacineAlive

    ThylacineAlive Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    The fur seal (and some Harbor Seals) are in the same two enclosures with sea lions..

    ~Thylo
     
  10. Kakapo

    Kakapo Well-Known Member

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    OK, I checked the map and saw what do you mean. (Map: http://maps-san-diego.com/img/0/seaworld-san-diego-map.jpg)
    What I saw is the "Pacific Point", that contained only California sea lions. For the "Sea lion and otter stadium", just above, I only saw it from outside, and only the sea otters can be seen. The pinnipeds cannot be seen without seeing the spectacle, I think...? anyway I've tought that it was just a spectacle of California sea lions, as nothing here seems to indicate the presence of other species... so I've missed both jewels :( Despite this I have sweet memories of SeaWorld, their collection is magnific despite being much more a thematic park than a "true" aquarium-zoo. My first epaulette sharks, the incredible collection of butterflyfishes, the cephalopod room, the emperor penguins, tufted puffins, walruses, always amazing orcas (no matter how many times I see them, I will never get tired!) and the jewel of the crown, the pilot whale... What an amazing experience. I was very happy from my visit despite the general ludic atmosphere.

    But this thread is about Burgers, not SeaWorld, so we'll redirect the conversation to this great Dutch zoo :)
     
  11. ThylacineAlive

    ThylacineAlive Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Pacific Point contains the fur seal. Not sure if it's signed separately, though.

    ~Thylo
     
  12. Kakapo

    Kakapo Well-Known Member

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    Probably no signage for it. In the water certainly I've only seen California sea lions (and a bunch of extremely tame wild Snowy egrets waiting for the bits of fish that they can steal)
     
  13. TeaLovingDave

    TeaLovingDave Moderator Staff Member 10+ year member

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    There I was thinking you just said that as far as you are concerned, Burgers has now lost the species which made it great :p

    Which is untrue; as my recent review makes clear it is a fantastic place in many regards.
     
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  14. Kakapo

    Kakapo Well-Known Member

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    Well, it's still great, just not "so" great. However I cannot say before visit. The fact of lose their best species suddenly just approach it much more an average zoo, however average zoos also are kind of great usually :)
     
  15. jayjds2

    jayjds2 Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    It’s signed. All three species kept there are.
     
  16. Kakapo

    Kakapo Well-Known Member

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    I investigated this. The problem is that the transport to Texel is incredibly expensive. The minimum is 42€ (plus other 42 for come back), double than the usual prices of the transports of most of the cities whose zoos I want to visit. I can't afford these costs for a porpoise, a ringed seal and a little bunch of birds (yellow-headed caracara, copper sunbird, granatine waxbill and a public-displayed Virginia opossum if I don't manage to see BestZoo behind the scenes... not enough for worth the price of transport).
    De La Haya a Texel, Ruijslaan-Ecomare en 4¾ horas: precios y horarios para ir en Tren, Barco ó Autobús

    So I choosed again Harderwijk instead, which one can travel from The Haage for 18€. No ringed seal, but I can't miss the porpoise...
     
  17. AWP

    AWP Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    €42? Train from The Hague to Den Helder will cost you €19,60. Ferry is not that expensive, just €2,50 for two directions. Bus ticket from the ferry to Ecomare will cost you €3,81.
     
  18. Kakapo

    Kakapo Well-Known Member

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    But that's what says the link, you can see... the cheapest option is 42 €... but if really it can be done for 25,91 € for go and same for come back, then I will definitely choose this place... ringed seals worth the complications of transport! Plus the Ecomare entry is much cheaper than Harderwijk, and it have the Texel zoo too... (is Texel zoo at walking distance of Ecomare?)
     
  19. AWP

    AWP Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    I looked at your link and the price is that high because a taxi is included. There is a 10 km distance between Ecomare and Texel Zoo.
     
  20. Kakapo

    Kakapo Well-Known Member

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    Ah... thanks! Then is doable, of there are public transport instead this taxi, right?

    10 km is too much to walk... but maybe there is public transport too. I will ask in the own Ecomare about how to go then to Texel zoo. Thanks for the info