I'm not sure the required modifications to the the Colchester enclosure had been completed yet either.
Non-news really, but thought I’d share; I went shopping for my Mum in Paignton yesterday so decided on Morrison’s...., it gave me a chance to peer through and see Cassowary, Green Peafowl & Egret. I could hear Gibbons and Lion. So, in the afternoon I used my Lockdown exercise time to run over to Torquay and see the Penguins & other birds at Living Coasts for 5 minutes. I was very careful and stayed well away from others but wondered if any other zoochatters have the relative luxury of being close to a collection & ‘peeking’ in without breaking lockdown rules? I thought of Regents Park straight away?
We can see Brown Bear, Wolf, Red River Hog, African Elephant and with a lot of luck Giant Panda through the fence at Ouwehands Dierenpark, NL. Soon Bonobo as well. With a reliable Tawny Owl roost next to it, it is a nice short walk.
When I was being home-schooled my teacher Mr Morris told me location that Morrisons is located on used to be Paington Zoo's overflow car park. Also me school teacher Garry Morris once had a Gibbon from the island escape onto his garden shed. According to Mr Morris there was a rumour that one of the Elephants escaped and walked round the nearby residential streets. He also said that a Zebra escaped. Can one of my fellow Zoochatters confirm or deny the rumours that Mr Morris heard about the Zebra and Elephant during his childhood.
We're trying to vary our 'exercise from the doorstep' route and today walked past the back of the zoo and saw a giraffe! The excitement! Last week we saw Carmel the camel but couldn't spot her today - the trees round here have suddenly exploded into leaf. We went on to Clennon Valley, passing a garden containing two unidentified caged hawks, and watched a little egret catching fish in the lake and mute swans fending off wayward dogs. Not quite the equivalent of a zoo visit but better than nothing!
Are there any animal transfers of arrivals planned? I believe that a male Giraffe was due to arrive as well as Sumatran Tiger and Asiatic Lion.
Probably, the lockdown will remain for another 6 weeks+ at the least. (BTW: It will be a disaster for zoological gardens if the UK Govt. does not intervene ... I would not get my hopes up though ... BJ and Chained Tory Pub).
Once the giraffe are relocated to the ‘elephant-side’ of the paddock and internal adjustments made, a male WILL be sourced, but this won’t be for some time.
I know the very cut-through alleyway between the houses where the hawks are. I think they are Harris Hawks?
Today's 'pretend we're at the zoo' walk gave us sightings of two giraffes, one camel, one little egret, some very new mallard ducklings and our first house martins of the year, flying over the zebra area.
There is a Facebook page today with an image of one of PZ’s Pied Tamarins. It says they have 6 individuals. I have seen 3 at most, is there an off-show group or pair or have I just been unlucky? I know they’re shy & I remember a brilliant lecture at Durrell about how they are cortisol stress tested & how to keep them relaxed.
Thank you Rajang. I didn't realise the coati enclosure had another section to it. Do the Pieds get outdoor access in this enclosure as I'd imagine the rhino yard could be quite noisy? On another note, do you know if the King Colobus are still off-show near the vet centre? Thanks again.
