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Small UK collection Questions?

Discussion in 'United Kingdom' started by adrian1963, 19 Apr 2015.

  1. adrian1963

    adrian1963 Well-Known Member

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    After a couple of days to think about this I thought I would throw it open to all you zoo lovers on here.

    1- After going through the Zoochat Gallery I was wondering what small captive collections (public) are out there that haven't been covered by you great photographers and why?

    2- Are there any small collections (public) that aren't mentioned in any threads on Zoochat (UK only).

    3- Have any of you visited a small collection (public) that hasn't been mentioned on Zoochat before and if so what did you think of it?
     
    Last edited: 19 Apr 2015
  2. stubeanz

    stubeanz Well-Known Member

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    I have visited a couple of places in the UK that haven't been covered by Zoochat members.

    Both are local to me and I visit regularly, both are very small, they also hold zoo licenses.

    1. Van Hages in Ware, Hertfordshire
    Hold a small collection of probably around 75-100 animals. Lots of domestic stock but also common marmosets, raccoons, coatis, barn owls, red legged partridge, meerkats, skunks, sulcata tortoises and various pheasants. It is free to get into due to being in the middle of a garden centre.

    2. Willows Farm Falconry, St. Albans, Hertfordshire
    This closed last winter but it had been there for at least 30 years! It is inside Willows Farm which is a large children's farm/theme park and so was free to look around and they presented 2-3 bird of prey displays daily.

    I'm sure there are also plenty of other places like this around the UK!
     
  3. adrian1963

    adrian1963 Well-Known Member

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    Has anyone got any update or previous info on Rutland Falconry & Owl centre please
     
  4. TeaLovingDave

    TeaLovingDave Moderator Staff Member 10+ year member

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  5. adrian1963

    adrian1963 Well-Known Member

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    Many thanks for the link have now sent an e-mail to the collection hoping to receive a reply soon
     
  6. Tunanta

    Tunanta Well-Known Member

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    I recently visited Amazonia near Glasgow. It has photos on here but no threads that I've found and is definitely small! It is an indoor tropical house, part of a wider 'theme park' complex, and contains reptiles, amphibians, inverts, a couple of bird species (macaws & toucan) and a few mammals (small monkeys, kinkajous, seba's fruit bats). Overall, I didn't really like it, the enclosures were just too small and tired for me, but it does have potential. Tropical theming is well done with live tropical plants and free-flying butterflies and staff were very friendly. It hasn't changed a whole lot from the older photos on here.
     
  7. mrcriss

    mrcriss Well-Known Member

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    I like All Things Wild Nature Centre nr Evesham in Worcestershire. Went there yesterday and did a tour with the manager. It's still being developed, and the future plans sound very exciting!

    Excellent place for kids and education, with a fantastic dinosaur area as an added bonus!:D
     
  8. stubeanz

    stubeanz Well-Known Member

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    There must be a few others around like this? Anybody else have any to add?
     
  9. Snowy Owl

    Snowy Owl Well-Known Member

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    I was at Rutland yesterday for a photography day and can confirm that they have a cracking collection of birds, unfortunately I can't be specific on what they had as I can't remember everything but off the top of my head they had
    1 US Barn Owl,
    5 other Barn Owls 2 of which were different colours,
    Great Grey Owl
    Lots of Harris Hawks
    3 Red Tailed Hawk
    2 European Eagle Owls
    A Crow
    Turkey Vulture
    Lots of small owls and a lot more larger owls.

    Now to my favourite part of the day the cats :)

    4 Amur Leopards Manx, Dendee, Uri & Artum
    1 African Hybrid Leopard Kali
    2 North Persian Leopards Cyrus & Sade
    1 Serval.

    I had an enjoyable day and managed to get some nice pics of the birds and the cats. I would recommend a visit there to anyone.
     
  10. monkeyarmy

    monkeyarmy Well-Known Member

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    The Monkey Sanctuary down in Looe doesn't seem to have any threads or pictures. They have woolly monkeys, capuchins tufted and weeper (I belive they are the only weepers in a public collection in the UK) and 3 Barbary macaques all rescued from the pet trade or circuses
     
  11. Shorts

    Shorts Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Are you saying all the animals were "rescued" or just the macaques (as I thought most of the woolly's were born there or transferred in)?
     
  12. monkeyarmy

    monkeyarmy Well-Known Member

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    The original follies were rescued from the pet trade by the founder. The capuchins have all come from the pet trade and the macaques were rescued from a French travelling zoo
     
  13. monkeyarmy

    monkeyarmy Well-Known Member

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    That was meant to be Woollies
     
  14. Ned

    Ned Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    The Barn Owl Center in Gloucester might interest you. Along with Barn Owls are other, mainly British, birds of prey. They have photography days.
     
  15. adrian1963

    adrian1963 Well-Known Member

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    Neither of the above seem to be listed on Zootierliste anyone have a full species list for either?
     
  16. stubeanz

    stubeanz Well-Known Member

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    As a follow up to my original comment on Van Hages Ware, the site had been redesigned with lots of buildling work going on, new species such as a pair of raccoon dogs and they are also hoping to build a small reptile house onsite.

    Last month 4 baby coatis were born and now all growing up and getting into much mischief.
     
  17. garyjp

    garyjp Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Monkey and owl haven on the isle of Wight is another
     
  18. Macaw16

    Macaw16 Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Do you know if these are of the Japanese race?
     
  19. Ned

    Ned Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    I'm afraid not, you could email them. Another collection I just tho of is Prinknash, also in Gloucester.
     
  20. stubeanz

    stubeanz Well-Known Member

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    I assume they are just generic raccoon dogs, most likely from a private collection as most raccoon dogs in UK zoos have come from private keepers.