South Lakes Wild Animal Park South Lakes news 2012

I have a couple of questions about this South Lakes place if anyone has any information or opinion, and if not, that is okay too.

Why would the local government be fighting the expansion of a zoo that sounds like it is bringing in a lot of visitors and their business into the local economy? Is it all about a dispute between the owner and the local council, or are there other more substantive issues?

Overall, what is the quality of this zoo like? There are some pictures in the gallery that look pretty bad, but the discussion here makes it sound like a semi-decent zoo with some major flaws that need to be fixed (like many other zoos). The cat exhibits and the bear-otter fight club exhibit seem especially bad from the photos...is the reality any better? Signage doesn't seem to be their strength either judging by the pygmy hippo sign with the wrong species picture, but that may be an isolated case?

Does it seem realistic that this place could build a successful elephant exhibit as the owner has stated about his plans for expansion?

 

South Lakes and Chester have about the only two breeding females in Europe with maybe one exception. One or more animals at Chester is/are related to those at South Lakes, I think a SL-bred animal was moved to Chester and became one of the breeding adults a couple of years ago.

If these two groups breed regularly we may have this species in Europe for years to come, albeit in very small numbers, as many of the remaining animals in other institutions begin to die off.

 

That's correct. The breeding male at South Lakes is the first offspring of Chester's pair (born in 2008)

In addition the current Chester breeding male is originally from South Lakes (as you say) and he was born there in September 2003 (the first time they had bred the species)

His mother had very little success in rearing any further babies after that, with them all being killed by her soon after birth. Hence when she fell pregnant again in 2007 they decided to remove the Piglets from her at birth and handrear them. Those who survived were a male and female. It's this female who's now had the latest piglet. The handreared male is now at Wuppertal

 

Glasgow Zoo many, many years ago bred Babarusia and did pass onto Bellvue and Chester [i think, not sure].

 

As a zoo enthusiast who has also served on a planning committee (and having visited South Lakes) I think there are two areas of contention:

1. The access to the collection isn't ideal; from memory you turn up a side street in the middle of Dalton, and through a housing estate. I suspect the residents wouldn't fancy increased traffic.

2. The site is in open countryside, and I think there's a general presumption against development.

I also get the impression that - to put it mildly - there is a mutual lack of regard between the Zoo's owner on the one hand and the local council (officers & councillors) on the other.

 

SLWAP is not in the most picturesque of areas, lots of green-belt, flat areas and fields but not much else. The owner who seems to pick fights with the local council, bullying and saying things that are more akin to a hissy-fit than of a mature person does get many people backs up, he has done no favours for himself on that one. The same applies to the many "we are the first", we got it, did it and made it first" brigade also does not fair well with many people. Likewise, the rhino issue escaping and the poor fencing, barrier and stand-off's are very dismal and not worthy of a good zoological establishment. Then there was the Australian wildlife park and the cheetahs that went AWOL, being forced to close etc. Mr Gill coming out with....If the council does not give me what I want, then I am off to the USA and to start up new ventures!
Shaking too many trees can have a very bad effect, sometimes with disaster, othertimes, close to it. Hence why SLWAP seems to have issues that many see as contencious, difficult to extreme, bullying, lack of leadership and far too much of the council is out to get me stuff.

 

I believe all the babirusa left in Europe are very closely related , probably why very few are bred now .

 

If that is the only genetic link then surely it shouldn't be hugely serious (there is much closer and sustained inbreeding in various domestic species) ?

 

Spectacled Bear, Zamora (b2000 at Zurich) has transfered to Antwerp today. South Lakes now keep 1:2

 

This is very promising news, all we need now is a new Bear house with a cubbing den.

 

I would still be doubtful about them breeding successfully here unless they had a lot more privacy than they have now.

 

At least the bear gone over to Antwerpen will have a good chance to go on to breed at some point!

 

David Gill kicks up a stink over an exotic pet shop which is due to open in Barrow shortly...
North West Evening Mail | News | Fur flies as Dalton zoo boss hits out over exotic pet shop

 

A bit of sour grapes and double standards from Dave Gill especially with the debacle he has between himself and the local council. I am not personally in favour of such pet shop selling such animals and personally I feel that the young lady in question should strt off slow, build up her shop and clients, then as time goes on, see how the clients and the rules, laws and Petshop licence changes or not that way the lady, being young will have shown some maturity rather than just jumping in and selling this and that, even if she believes she is doing the right thing.

 

Loving the fact that whoever wrote the article can't spell lemur, well they can but not correctly...
(It's spelt "lima" for those who don't want to read the article!)

 

Spelling isn't what it used to be these days... several times I have seen Ruffed Lemurs referred to as 'Roughed' (as in 'roughed up'...).

Maybe the young lady will do the same as South Lakes plan to do, and put up posters in her establishment- advising her customers not to visit South Lakes WAP.

 

Maybe she should campaign against SL. I'm sure she has plenty of evidence of the poor conditions.

 

I don't really support the keeping of (larger) exotics as pets but feel the critisism is a bit rich considering some of South Lakes' own conditions and track record.

 

Your asking for a 'Yoriking' you know!!