Shorelands Visited for the first time last week. Saw my first Chacoan Mara. Large group of White Storks, Cabot's Tragopans, Edwards' Pheasants, Darwin's Rheas. Some nice birds walking around loose included White-faced Whistling Ducks, Demoiselle Cranes and the following Geese: Nene, Red-breasted, Bar-headed, Abyssinnian Blue-winged, Swan Geese. Lovely collection. Saw my first Timor Deer in years -- London Zoo used to have loads.
2.0 White Collared Lemur have arrived from Linton. Shorelands join Linton and Mulhouse to become the 3rd European holder for this species
Someone has broken in and stolen/released some birds. All are account for apart from a male blue-throated macaw and a little pied cormorant. They are asking anyone in the area to keep an eye out. https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=895983747147423&id=130563187022820&pnref=story
I don't think that anyone who has visited will be surprised that someone managed to break in! I think most people's back gardens are probably more secure!
That may well be, … however it is no excuse to belittle the growing threat from illegal wildlife trade even for zoos. It is a very very neglected field in police crime investigation, … let alone persecution or conviction (rates …). And the profits from this are huge and the "investment" by criminal elements is minimal as opposed to drugs or other crime "trade".
Shocking. But Pipaluk is quite right though, the Shorelands site is very vulnerable, zoos must protect themselves adequately, especially in this day and age. Though it is a great shame that they have to do that of course.
A further very nice import: https://www.facebook.com/1305631870...0563187022820/925804397498691/?type=3&theater
And a further very nice import; We imported our young Western Piping Hornbills (Bycanistes fistulator fistulator) in November from Zlin Zoo in the Czech Republic. These hornbill come from the forests of West & Central Africa, feeding on fruits and insects. Only a handful of European zoos keep these species and we believe that our birds are the only ones in the UK. https://www.facebook.com/1305631870...0563187022820/963124603766670/?type=3&theater
This collection is following in the footsteps of the RSCC in as much as it is becoming a choice collection of rarely seen taxa, for us zoo enthusiasts!! Let`s hope it continues to prosper.
Indeed. I think it's chances are very good. The on-site (plant) nursery and fine cafe compliment the zoo well and I think there's a lot of ""knock-on spend" between these three components -they seem to have their heads screwed on, business wise. Also the place is fantastically enthusiastic and friendly which, I'd hope, results in many return visitors.
Shorelands reports the receipt of a pair of Hadada Ibis (Bostrychia hagedash) from Exmoor Zoo. They were "...sent to us with a selection of other species as Exmoor Zoo are restructuring their animal collection as a result of joining the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA)."
I visited today for the 2nd time and left very disappointed! I visited a year or so ago and left feeling the place had potential, but what I found was a place that seemed to have gone backwards! Loads of empty enclosures and please no-one look on ZTL because it's hopelessly wrong in terms of what you can see! Warty pigs, chacoan mara, Greater Guinea pig, pelican, geoffroy's cat, Timor deer not on show or gone, no sign of white collared lemur either. If you are happy to see a large paddock with white stork, grey crowned crane, white naped crane, Darwin's rhea, alpaca & 2 miniature donkey then travel out of your way. Half the birds weren't signed & all the owls can only be viewed through the bush where the marmosets & tamarin seem to live. Very disappointing!
Pipaluk, I visited for the second time earlier in the summer (my first visit was at the back end of 2014) and my thoughts reflect yours exactly. I was disappointed with the much-reduced collection and the overgrown and run-down enclosures. Fortunately I did see the lemur - which could only be viewed through the window of the education/meeting room - and I did see the Geoffroy's cat - through the window of the cafe. The warty pigs were shut in their barn. Gone also were jangaurundi, slender mongoose, sitatunga, callitrichids and many interesting birds too.
