Blackpool Zoo My Blackpool Zoo Visit 23-07-2011

BLACKPOOL ZOO 23 – 07 – 2011 (12.50PM)

Arrived here at about 12.50 after getting the coach (Greenline) at 07.55am at the Wilson Hall Colley Gate getting off the coach at the Pleasure Beach and then a Taxi to the zoo (£10.00 taxi fare), the weather is fine but very windy and there are a large amount of people around.
Admission is £14.99 and guide book is £2.50 not bad value actually but could have combined and easy access for all people to the zoo entrance.

DINOSAUR PARK –

This was to my surprise quite a good attraction as you entered from the main gates on your right was a small glass fronted enclosure and to my surprise inside were some Tree Shrews in quite a good enclosure, on the pond around which the exhibit had been built were some Black Necked Swans.
The colours of the Dinosaurs were a bit bright on some (to keep the children happy) if they had been more to the true colour of the species then I think this could have been a great exhibit for the zoo

ELEPHANT HOUSE –

I enjoyed my experience inside the Elephant House with the Keepers cleaning the elephants and interacting with them you could tell the passion the keepers have for their animals.
Also in the Elephant House is the Reptile and Insect House this was on the right as you entered and for me they have a very good variety of species within this collection ranging from small beetles to large snakes (anaconda’s) all in very well designed exhibits

ORANGUTAN/GORILLA HOUSE –

This for me was a little bit of a letdown the outside looked great with room for the species to move around in and have plenty things to do but the inside enclosures especially on the Orang-utan side were a little small (saying something coming from someone who goes to Dudley) but looking at a small oblong area with a rope net and nothing else and virtually no more room surprised me as to why no one else has said anything about this (if it had been Dudley then this page would have been filled with replies)

PENGUINS-

A very nice exhibit and looks to have been well planned a little surprised that there was not too much land room but then again most people come to see the penguins swim which you can do by viewing through the glass on the ground level.

BIG CATS –

Really enjoyed looking at the big cat enclosures and the cats themselves have they only got the one tiger at present and I wonder have they made plans to bring in another one yet.
The lions were having a lazy day as they were all in one of their indoor enclosures, the male looks to be a very good specimen of an animal I could see 3 or 4 females I wonder are they a breeding group or are they none breeding.

MONKEYS –

Such a wonderful array of species and so well displayed the monkey area was great with so many middle sized species together I would like to mention some specially because I had never seen these species before

RED TITI MONKEY –

They had a youngster in the enclosure and what a beautifully looking species

KING COLUMBUS –

These were in the monkey area as I call it but such great looking animal

PILEATED GIBBON –
This again was a first for me and I must admit I really do like this species these could be found in 2 areas of the zoo round the back by the small pool along with the Howler Monkeys and in the Monkey area (small primate house)

AMAZON WALK THROUGH –

This was a little bit of a letdown as there were hardly any of the so called species around when I was there only got Squirrel Monkeys and a couple of ducks around in the main area and a couple of birds by the exit (I have put photographs in the gallery of zoo chat for ID) the exhibit itself was very well set out and could easily accommodate more exotic species.

LEMUR WALK THROUGH –

What a letdown this was all I will say about this is putting a path through a lawn and hoping the Lemurs turn up is a little bit disappointing, and no member of staff to be seen within the walk through on a day when there were loads of children about makes you wonder a little (another visitor said it is nearly always like that).

WALLABY AND KANGAROO WALK THROUGH –

A good idea to have a Kangaroo and Wallaby walk through is much better than the one I am used to at Dudley, a good area and quantity of animals within the walk through well done

BIRDS –

A good selection of species around the zoo it’s a pity there is no walk through with just birds in it but I will say I enjoyed the way the zoo exhibited the species they have

OVERALL VIEW –

I can say I really enjoyed my day at the zoo and found it to be a surprisingly much better zoo then the last time I visited the improvements have been great Giraffe Heights, Farm Building, Penguin and Sea Lion Display area, Small Primate House and the Entrance.
The staffs were great they were there to answer any questions and always made time for the visitors I will be visiting again shortly
The admission price I think should have included the guide book and map (which seems to be targeted at the children and not adults) there are many place to rest and have a drink or something to eat and the toilets are very clean and tidy
Some room for improvement but there always are and you know what they say “you can’t please all the people all the time”

Visit Rating 8.5 out of 10

 

Interesting review - thanks for posting.

No-one really knows what the true colours of dinosaurs actually were, so although the odds are against them being brightly coloured (as very few large animals are today), we can't definitively say they weren't.

There has been plenty of discussion of this house, in fact, particularly the orang side. I think it's moderated a bit compared to Dudley's because of the quality of the gorilla outdoors.

And these are the UK's only Magellanic Penguins. It's not a bad exhibit, but it is a little pokey compared to the huge sea lion pool.

They had lion cubs fairly recently - 2009?

This was looking a little sparse when I was last there, too.

I think youve been very unlucky - Blackpool's lemur walkthrough is usually very good. If there's the slightest whiff of sun all the Ring-taileds come out and sunbathe on the lawn running down to the lake. If it wasn't sunny when you were there they may have been more reclusive.

 

Good write up Adrian. I am going to get myself over there in Sept (prob 9th) this year when the schools go back. You did a heck of a travel to get there from the midlands, could the trains not offer a quicker service?

I too am very surprised that no keeper of any sorts was out and about in the lemur walk through, as young children often have sweets and lemurs like sweets.... HSQE people would have fun with that one!. However maybe someone was there for most of the day. I do know one zoo who has changed the Lemur walk through slightly due to the odd member of the public getting a bitten finger or two.

Looking forwards to my trip there now.

 

There is plenty of fossil evidence that many dinosaur species where very brightly coloured, as some reptiles and birds are now. Also many are considered to have had duller colouration too - a mixed bag really.

Back to Blackpool, do they have an cattle species at all?

 

This is a fair review I think, but this is the main part where I beg to differ. Having heard negative things about it from a close friend who works with reptiles and knows his stuff, I decided to check it out myself.

I cannot for the life of me understand why Green anaconda, common boa and reticulated python are mixed. On my visit I didn't see the anacondas, but bearing in mind I think I saw two boas and one or two retics. Bear in mind that the enclosure they're in barely seems big enough for the reticulated pythons, let alone 2 more large boid species. Also, if memory serves me correctly, there was bugger all water in the 'pool' (which had electric wires through it - won't criticise that as for all I know they could be for something pool related, but if they are just bog standard wires that is not on). Now, they were my observations, but as I was told by my friend when he visited very few species had water, several looked very unhealthy and there was even a white's tree frog that seemed all too dry.

My other point is Amazonia - in my opinion one of my favourite areas. It seemed VERY well stocked with squirrel monkeys when I last went, and also saw agouti, [possibly] white-faced saki monkeys and several birds, including white-faced whistling duck and 2 curassow species.

And I think the lemurs is no better or no worse than some I've seen. I liked it, but it was a hot day and all of the lemurs were on the path (even saw baby red-bellied). I think it is staffed by volunteers (though don't quote me on that), and as such they MAY be wearing either own clothes or something that just isn't obviously a zoo uniform. When we went there was somebody (can't remember exactly what she was wearing) not in the traditional green garb of a keeper. From the way she was giving information to me and to other visitors about the species held in the walkthrough, it seemed like she was in there to supervise and to answer visitor's questions.

A nice collection is Blackpool, and I agree with your score. Would like to add as well that is a fantastic collection with a fair few odd species (long-nosed potoroo, ground cuscus, red kangaroo, yacare caiman, magellanic penguin - the list goes on through all classes). Glad you enjoyed your day

Here, actually, are my top 5 improvements that Blackpool could make (in my opinion, and in order of priority).

1) A new reptile house. They have nice species but they really do deserve better accomodation.

2) Improved indoor area for apes (as has been mentioned by many).

3) Small Primate House - nice species with fair enclosure, but I would like to see that gone or used for something smaller or, enclosures knocked through and used by one species, and the species given better enclosures throughout the zoo.

(purely from my own personal viewpoint now as I'm struggling)

4) More work on the Australian area to make it feel wonderful. Australian areas are so hard to come by, and Blackpool has the species.I can't remember if they were, but it didn't feel like the kea enclosure, lorikeet enclosure, cockatoo aviary etc were in any way linked to it (not even sure of the distance between these and the walkthrough). Make them enclosures/species a part of the new Australian area, add an aviary [walkthrough?] with kookaburras and whatever else and it would be a lot nicer. (I won't dare suggest add another marsupial, preferably wombat ).

5) Again, purely from my own PERSONAL preference to how I like a zoo to be designed: Geographical theming. Purely personal, so don't know if it counts . I don't mind, in fact I do somewhat like sometimes, taxonomic areas. However, zoo-geographical theming takes preference for me in all but a few circumstances (reptile houses/aquariums etc that can really benefit on saving energy and [especially for aquariums] having all of the large equiptment in one area.

 

Lion cubs were born in April 2009- there are 1:3 Lions.

Zambar the Amur Tiger is awaiting a mate.

There are 2 baby Titis one born 10/03/11 and the other 19/03/11.

Glad you enjoyed your visit.

 

Kea really hate it when they're mistaken for Australians!

 

Oceana then - Australasia

 

Not acomplaint about the gorilla enclosure at Blackpool, just an observation, those large concrete pipe sections outside in the grass area are unsightly and unattractive, the gorillas may climb about them and walk through them but could they not have something that is a little more pleasing to the eye, human eye that is.

 

They are horrible. They do give the Gorillas 'cover' when they're outside but I've never seen one, or a picture of one, using them- that said I've only ever been there twice. Maybe a regular can say if they do use them, or how frequently. Something more natural-looking would certainly be an improvement.

 

I have seen the Gorillas use the pipe sections, I will post a picture soon.

 

I was listening to The Guardian Science podcast and they mentioned that it is now possible to make reasonably good judgements of dinosaur body colour from the fossil record because there still remains small amount of pigmentation cells.

 

yes, I'm sure they do use them. Its just that nowadays they've got a nice natural island but still have those enormous ugly pipes in the older area. I think perhaps something a bit more inkeeping would serve equally well.

 

Interesting if so. Will have to look into that.