What Are the Most Likely Reasons Australians (& N.Zs.) Would Have Visited Zoos in Europe

What are the most likely reasons or attractions in European zoos that would make Australians and New Zealanders willing to go to Europe to visit European zoo(s). Inspired by a journey of an Aussie

 

Great idea. A thread the exact opposite would also be good. Also for other continents

 

Yes there are plenty of opportunities that can we exploit or diversify, from this ''newly discovered (?) golden wire'', examples: Most Likely Reasons why Europeans would visit Zoo(s) in America, or vise versa Americans - zoo(s) in Europe?, or Most Lilely Reasons Why Far-Eastern Asians goes visitinig European zoos...

 

The biggest draw for me is bonobos, but also the general diversity of mammal species that is found in European zoos. I'm going to Spain to volunteer with primates for a few months late this year, and will definitely take the opportunity to see a few zoos in the continent. I like to visit zoos wherever I go!

 

Your poll is missing the most important option for folks from Oz and NZ:

Diversity of sheep

 

As an Aussie who went to Europe just to visit zoos - and no other reason - in 1984, and saw 20 facilities I can tell you the reason I went was not to see any animal in particular.

I went to visit zoos.

And I chose the zoos because they were well-known/famous.

If I particularly wanted to see bonobos or giraffes, or a greater diversity of birds etc - in captivity - then it would be quicker and cheaper to fly to Singapore or California. And the bonus is they speak English in those country's too (well, in Singapore at least).

Even today, when travelling I will visit a zoo or wild animal park just because I like visiting them. Even if they turn out to be crap.

The only time I travelled anywhere to see a particular species in captivity was when I flew to Wellington to see a kakapo.

And these days I'm travelling to places to see things in the wild.



Hix

 

You don't have black sheep in NZ? Not even in your family? ^^

 

I missed the opportunity to add two more logical reasons, (I have realised that after posting the thread):
-Love to go to Europe and visit zoos just because you love zoos (as Hix already explained).
-Visiting a particular famous zoo.

If I ask myself what will be the most likely reasons I would go to America or in Australia, or in Asia, those will be San Diego zoo, SDSWAP, Los Angeles zoo and Bronx zoo (or winning a green lottery card ), Australia zoo in particular, and Singapore zoo and Indonesia's Tamar Safaris, respectively.

 

I always thought Australians came to European zoos to see Thylarctos plummetus

Drop Bear - Australian Museum

 

Lovely movie, indeed, even though I can't recall a single truly melanistic sheep in it.

Well, I didn't start with the whitewashing... ^^

 

Why on earth would we travel across the planet to see something we can see in our own backyards? And in larger numbers. Sometimes I really don't understand how some of you people think.



Hix

 

Whether Christmas Islands is closer to (Western) Europe or to California? Or even Australia I think it is almost the same distance to America as it is to Europe?
Also in California it can not be seen Kordofan, Angolan, Cape or pure Rotschild's giraffes.
Also I don't think that America or Singapore would have greater diversity of zoo birds than Weltvogelpark Walsrode (650+ species of birds) (San Diego Zoo - around 270 species of birds?)?

 

Probably most visitors won't Chli, but some passionated about giraffes maybe (or most certainly someone that will do genetic research of the Kordofans let say for example), why not - beside giraffes as main reason, will visit Europe.

 

Only the ones with good zoological taste.

 

Also, Europe (mostly in France) is the only place where Kordofan giraffes (though maybe a relatively inbred) may be seen in a safe political background in comparison to relatively unsafe Central Africa (natural range of this subspecies of the Northern giraffe).

 

Not sure who that could be?

My answer is 'all of the above', other than that I don't care about different giraffes (indeed, I lean towards arguing that all the species should be maintained as a single population of 'zoo giraffes'), and koalas are hardier than people seem to think.

I like seeing new species, but I'm not super-specific about what they are. When I first started my recent burst of travels I had giant anteater, giant otter, Siberian tiger, okapi, bonobo, proboscis monkey, slow loris, aye-aye, river dolphin, pangolin, naked mole-rat, kea, kiwi, emperor penguin, whale shark and manta ray on my list, though it was always an informal list that didn't govern which zoos I visited (other than going to Atlanta specifically for the whale sharks). I'd already seen my beloved hornbills for the first time in my only previous overseas trip to Bali in 2012.

I've ticked off all of those species except the river dolphin now, so it really is about visiting the zoos themselves, as opposed to hunting life ticks. I also don't keep track, as some people do, of what animals I've seen and not seen, other than particularly notable species like those above.

Tell me about it. During the mating season I have to wear armour to go to my mail box.