Just an update from my local zoo.... Paignton; The Marabou Stork aviary is really taking shape next to Gibbon Island. It will be good to see them out of the old housing behind the meerkats. The 'word on the street' is that the new curator of birds does not want any bird in the collection/s to be pinnioned i.e. all birds must have access to flight. Subsequently, further sections of the lake will be netted over for pelicans and geese. Flamingoes, cranes etc - I'm unsure? The 6 year old female Lar Gibbon is still 'couped' up with the Grey Gibbon at the end of Orang-Utan Island! The curator is really letting the side down here and doesn't seem to be able to make a clear decision regarding their release onto the island (as intended) and I can't help critisizing the zoo I am usually so supportive of! Other zoos around the World have successfully mixed Orangs and Gibbons without escape - why can't Paignton? The labels in the Croc house are still not correct for the actual animals in them. Again, one of the 3 species was off-show - not a problem except for the general public were becoming very confused! The Gorilla batchelor group were very active and the new improvements inside (extra wood and bedding) seem to be very welcome and appreciated by the young males. The Cheetah complex is still very inactive - still no information explaining to the public that their is a big off-show area. Why can't we breed here? The Citron Cockatoo flock look great and are a real treat at any time of day. Not sure why Mantled Rosella's and African Grey's are doing in a huge aviary that could be used for other species? Dutchess the African Elephant was very active outside - playing with the giant ball to release food. She looked fine but unsure how she is coping alone full-time following Gay's death? Baby Giraffe looks is stunning and it's great to see it being reared by it's Mother. The new Binturong project has been postponed until later/next year - do not know why? Living Coasts - huge cut-back/trimmming of all flora (gorse etc) and it looks bigger but less mature than it did! The seals seem to use only the first pool and rarely venture into the tunneled pool (ex macaroni pool) - seems a shame in terms of seal exercise/swimming and visitor experience. The new Octopus exhibit looks great and will be a real hit! The female Bank Cormorant (the only chick to be successfully reared following the eggs being brought back from South Africa - a positve learning experience) is in the Auk aviary and looks fantastic alongside the Chough's, Guillemots, Puffins and Kittewakes). Hope the seals don't eat her upon release into the main aviary? I think the whole place is looking great and I love to hang out there at different times of the day - a real pleasure (although the Sea duck pool could be used more effectively!). Well done to all the staff and volunteers!
I've often mused about this over a cappuccino in the restaurant overlooking the lake and would like to see the birds flying, especially the larger ones. However, would there be problems with any future transfers of these birds - they wouldn't be able to go to zoos without netting?
The pinioning debate is a longstanding one and its interesting to see if Paignton do 'come out' against it to the extent of netting over the Lake, or parts of it. I think some birds like Pelicans, cormorants etc would benefit from being able to fly up to perch in trees etc. and cranes/storks could display better too. Ducks and geese might not benefit so much as they largely fly only when they travel direct from A.to B. e.g. longer distances than they can in even a huge 'aviary'(with the notable exception of perching species- Mandarins, Carolinas, Egyptian geese etc)- but I'd still rather see them not pinioned. As you point out, it might make transfering the (non-pinioned) birds to other collections more difficult but how often do they do that anyway? Overall I'd be in favour of it as pinioning does remove a bird's most important function- flight.
One of the Red Crowned Crane offspring recently moved on, but probably most species on the lake don't. A bonus of netting the lake could be to deter the pesky herring gulls, though they'd probably have to net the entire zoo to do that successfully!
I don't know how much food destined for the Lake birds the Herring Gulls manage to scavenge/steal but it obviously attracts them a lot and it would probably make some difference, as well as making it more a more attractive/peaceful area. They might have slightly better breeding results too with some species.
The gulls seem to know the feeding times round the zoo and turn up on cue. Presumably the zoo has to make sure there's enough food for some to be left for the residents once the gulls have had their fill. But on a very busy day, there is some pleasure to be had from seeing them steal food from people's hands
Terrible waste of food then if they have to take into account what the gulls take when dishing out the rations.
I have visited Paignton Zoo whilst on holiday in Devon several times. It is a fantastic Zoo. Huge too. My middle son was a wheelchair user until his death last year and I did find the zoo in parts a little difficult for him. But that was mainly due to the ever present mountainous range that seems to be a part of Devon. It is a place I would recommend to any one to visit. Also love the National Marine Aquarium in Devon. I have visited several different Aquariums and can tell you, it is the best so far.
Conjecture on my part though, if I remember right, this was mentioned in one of the TV series about the zoo while Baboon Rock was being shown.
On monday I went to Paignton Zoo for the first time in nearly 5 years. I was impressed with the new walk through bird area near the entrance. I saw the orangs and the gorillas (includeing Pertinax!) they were mostly inside but the gorillas did later venture outside. I was astounded by the number of babboons they have now seemed like loads! I also was slightly dissapointed with the new crocidilian facility mainly because it seemed very bad for a large number of visitors (it was quite busy that day). A couple of random highlights. Seeing a swamp monkey using a stick to fish something out of the lake and also seeing a peacock put on an incredible display with his feathers. I did take some pictures and will soon upload them and I did also visit Living Coasts review coming later.
Living Coasts I was very impressed with Living Coasts, I thought it had some of the best exhbits/breeding groups for pretty much anywhere I'd been to for marine animals!
Red crowned Mangabeys. I see the group of Red Crowned Mangabeys which came from Newquay last year are STILL living in a small cage in the Vet Centre, several months after they first arrived, while a decision is made about where they should go in the Zoo. It seems a bit pointless to have brought them from Newquay if there is no enclosure available for them at Paignton. Not to mention the restricted space they are living in. But lets hope the Zoo manages to get them on exhibit soon.
What's going on at Paignton? As I've stated on this site before, I love Paignton and Living Coasts and I am so supportive of the great work they do. However, I am becoming increasingly frustrated with the seemingly huge amounts of time it takes the Curator of Mammals to make and act upon a decision. When Monkey Heights first opened the keepers informed me that one of the four major exhibits would be for a mix of South American monkeys once the Diana Monkeys were mixed with the King or Abyssian Colobus. The Diana Monkeys then started to breed very successfully. Since then, Saki Monkeys, Emporer and Pied Tamarins have been exhibited in the smaller (newly extended) housing. The decision to mix Lowland Anoa with the Sulawesi Macaques did not work, (but at least they tried!) and now there is an extra 'house' with no real purpose? There are two beautiful (surplas) Gibbons in a small 'holding pen' at the end of the Orang Island that deserve much better. There are two Pileated Gibbons with a huge island near the entrance (although only one of them ever comes out and 95% of the public never see the male (?) in the tree - are they a breeding pair? Next to them there are two Howler Monkeys that I don't think have ever bred? They too have a world class stunning island but I've always seen them kept in bigger groups in other collections and not Árk stylie' in pairs? The Crowned Mangabeys are STILL off show in an old quarantine area and the Red Ruffed Lemurs have been reduced to a female pair plus a single animal in the Red Fronted Lemur house? What a waste of a huge exhibit! (When they are out and active it is one of the highlights/joys of 'British Zoo-going' - but it is all to rare). I understand the logistics of studbooks, finances, group mixings, veterinary advice, research needs etc etc, but other zoos do not seem to be as SLOW to act and so POOR in their planning? Has anyone got any answers to my frustrations? Am I being too harsh about my favorite zoo?
In the case of the Red Capped Mangabeys, it seems to be just a case of them coming to Paignton when no accomodation was available for them and so being left in the small offshow area. Time doesn't really matter to the Zoo in a case like this- these Monkeys can be maintained ad infinitum where they are, and the public aren't aware of them anyway.
I think there were plans to put them either in Monkey Heights or mix with the Gorillas. I hope they go in Monkey Heights- they are too small a group (1.3) in my opinion to risk losing any to 'accidents' in a Gorilla/monkey mix. If they had 15 of them then I'd think differently.
Re; comment regarding the wood chippings on the floor in the Gorilla house.It is awfull,. Up to three quarters of their floor space is lost for their enjoyment as they spend as little time as possible on the floor,I have spent many hours watching them get frustrated with the stuff and it causes them a great deal of pain as they are constantly picking splinters from their feet and hands. The only time they seem to use the flooring is to pick up food. A survey was once done on them,'seeing how they used the floor space' and they slept played and enjoyed the areas but if that same survey was done now it would be totally different.I know that it was done to help poor Pertinax's feet but even he avoids treading on it as it must really hurt his poor feet. Originaly they were going to put down Bark chippings which would have been the answer.but for some reason they put down wood chippings..If you dont think it is awfull pick up a handfull of the stuff in the house and see if you dont get a few splinters.[I did]Nasty
Paignton Gorilla enclosure I am jealous that you get to visit that often. I used to until moving to the North East recently, but it is still my 'home' zoo and visit every time I go to see my family in the Bay. I guess I've been very lucky as I've seen all the males very active (more than before) and all using the upper and lower areas. I attributed it to the chippings/bark but I am upset to read your post and discover that it is proving to be uncomfortable. Could they use hay or straw or even peat? Is it a cost thing? Are the keepers aware of the observations you have made, or are they waiting for the curator to make a decision? Thanks for your reply and please keep us updated on the Ape/Primate developments at Paignton.
I saw the gorillas just after they had put down the chippings and they seemed to be loving it. Were all down picking through it and playing with it - it was a joy to watch them so active and interested. Am surprised that their behaviour has changed so much since then. Will have to try get down and see them again some time.
