Visits to zoos that don't exist anymore

I believe he (or his vetinary group) were also contracted to do Vet work for a number of other zoos like Belle Vue Manchester, and Dudley. Anecdotes from these also feature in the books and T.V series taken from them, but I know Flamingo Park was the main setting.

 

They were probably survivors from the failed experiment to breed them at Porton Down on Salisbury Plain. The very last one(male) died at Whipsnade, maybe it was transferred from Olney?

In the current Great Bustard reintroduction effort, Weyhill (and now also Birdworld at Farnham) receives the birds which aren't fit for release. Initially they only had two adult males, but they now have several newer ones, which (although they don't say so) I believe injured themselves during their time in the release pen.

 

Sitrep I have the monitor and PC going now, and after a minor panic I have found my Photoshop master disc, so now I'll have to see about some new scanning software. But I'm afraid it won't take priority over the renovation of my bathroom, which has been an utter pain so far

Alan

 

i would certainly like to see that.

 

I'd like to see that photo, I've been looking forward to seeing that since it came up a year or so ago.

 

Belle Vue Zoo - I know I went but I don't remember it.

Southport Zoo - once when it was still fully operational but have a poor recollection of it: vaguely remember it appeared well looked after; went quite a few times in it's final year: that was quite depressing.

 

I'll add some more U.S. zoos to Arizona Docent's list:

Catskill Game Farm (New York)

Benson's Wild Animal Farm (New Hampshire)

Slater Park Zoo (Rhode Island)

Lake George Zoo (New York)

Animal Kingdom Zoo (New Jersey)

 

A few of mine, in the UK, mostly already mentioned;

Basildon Zoo.
Gatwick Zoo.
Carrick Green (Astwick).
Kilverstone.
Norfolk W Pk.
Poole Serpentarium.
Poole Park Zoo.
Haigh Hall, Wigan.
Southport Zoo.
Mole Hall.
Windsor Safari Park.
Santago (private).
Burstow (private).
Springhill Wildfowl.
Bentley Wildfowl ? - is it still going ??
Nature Quest (now New Forest W Pk).
Blackpool Tower Aquarium.

That`s all I can think of just now.

 

Still alive and kicking - although not kicking that hard, it has to be said! Give or take an ancient Sealife Centre, it's my closest public collection. Great!

You're the first person I've come across who went there!

I visited in the 1990s, and it was a shocker. Amongst the things I remember are:

• Entry through a shabby garden centre
• Ex Howletts animals (you could tell from the signs!) including a colobus or two
• A washing line in the middle of things
• Being threatened with being thrown out as I took a photograph

Not a great loss to the zoo community,

 

Yes indeed, the owner Chris Hope actually offered me a job there!!
He had quite a few ex-Howletts primates when I visited around 1992 or 93 ? I recall he had some kind of, almost anti-zoo, sign outside claiming he was "saving these unwanted ex-zoo animals from the zoos they came from" or some-such rubbish.
When you went did you see the bizarre fish tank/desk which contained a large Red-Tailed Catfish and maybe others I can`t remember.

 

Do you remember what species they were? I'm a bit surprised Howletts letting them go somewhere evidently third-rate like that, they are usually quite fussy about where they place animals, although I've also noticed the decision-making/policy regarding this can also be rather erratic. I guess it also depends on where is available- for example, the IOW Monkey sanctuary has received surplus primates from them more recently- its a high-quality operation but of course was not open in the early nineties so was not an option then.

 

Hi Pertinax,
From my notes dated 6th Nov 1993 - A male Guereza Colobus called "Berlin" paired to a Twycross female un-named.
1.1 Chinese Desert Cats were from Howletts aswell.
Possibly other stock ??

 

Carrick Green Wildlife Gardens – Chris Hopes exotic animal “sanctuary”- stock as seen on 6th November 1993.

1.1 Arctic Foxes – male white ex Burstow , female Silver Hand-raised.
1.1 Raccoon.
1.3 Ring-tailed Coati – male ex Guilsborough Grange.
4 Azares Agouti – ex Kilverstone.
2.0 Parma Wallaby.
3 Bennetts Wallaby.
Olive-capped Squirrel Monkeys.
1.3.2 Brown / Tufted Capuchins (two babies born).
White –Throated or Fronted Capuchins (cant remember?).
0.2 Mayotte Lemurs. (thought to be pure-bred).
1.1.1 White-fronted Lemurs (NOT thought to be pure-bred).
1.1 White-Fronted Lemurs – This pair were said to be the ONLY pure-bred ones in the U.K. , the male was 26yrs old ,ex Blackpool Zoo.
1.2.1 Rhesus Macaques – all ex Laboratory animals.
1.1 Cotton-Topped Tamarins.
1.1 Geoffroys Marmosets.
5+ Common Marmosets (Cotton-eared).
1.1 Black & White Colobus Monkeys – Male “Berlin” ex Howletts , female ex Twycross.
0.1 Crab-eating Macaque ex Robin Hill.
1.0 Vervet Monkey – customs seizure / confiscation.
1.1.2 Caracal Lynx.
1.1 Fishing Cats – male killed previous mate, regarded as a “problem” animal.
1.1.1 Jungle Cats.
1.1 Chinese Desert Cats – ex Howletts.
1.0 Golden Pheasant.
2.1 Mandarin Ducks.
Pennants Rosellas , Golden-Mantled Rosellas.

Here is the stock list as seen by me at Carrick Green 1993.

 

The following were listed in the Help newsletters as "on loan" to Carrick Green between 1993 and 1996:

1.1 Caracal
1.1 Fishing Cat
1.2 Jungle Cat
1.1 Indian Desert Cat
1.0 Parma Wallaby
1.0 Black-and-white Colobus

This all seems to tie in with what Nanook saw there. Considering how detailed the newsletters are, it's surprising that there is no mention of these animals after 1996, but I suspect they probably returned to the Aspinall collections when Carrick Green closed (does anyone know when that was exactly?).

 

Thanks Rob, very interesting.