Personal Visit Highlight Regrettably I didn't do much travelling this year (something that I intend to compensate for in 2018). My zoo visiting highlight was attending ZooHistorica at Wroclaw, my only journey abroad this year. As always, ZooHistorica was an excellent event which provided a good opportunity to catch up with old friends. Most of the many ZooHistoricas I've attended have been held in zoos that I know well, and which I have visited many times previously, so I was pleased that this one provided the opportunity to visit somewhere new as I'd never been to Wroclaw before. I liked Wroclaw Zoo enormously; a choice collection with interesting species, some impressive modern exhibits and some historically interesting old buildings. I'll definitely return. Particular highlights of my Wroclaw visit were bear cuscus (a species I'd never seen before) and hartebeest (one of my favourite species and one I'd not seen for some time). The conducted tour of the old Pachyderm House given by an enthusiastic keeper, who had a great knowledge of the building's history and its former inhabitants, was another highlight. Within the UK, my zoo visiting highlight was my first visit to the Yorkshire Wildlife Park with its superb polar bear exhibits. (Many thanks to "Pipaluk" for doing the driving on a very long journey.) As I've mentioned elsewhere, in another thread, I was very impressed by Yorkshire's polar bear accommodation. It was great to see polar bears with a large deep pool and a spacious land area with lots of natural vegetation. Favourite Piece of Zoo News Although not a particularly exciting species, my favourite zoo news was Whipsnade's acquisition of three new brown bears from Sweden. I was delighted that the rumours Whipsnade was going to stop keeping brown bears in that iconic enclosure were, apparently, unfounded. Another favourite news item of mine was the three quolls (ex Leipzig) that arrived at Linton Zoo. Biggest Disappointment The most shocking news was the appalling incident in Thoiry where poachers killed a white rhinoceros and sawed off its horn. On a personal level, my biggest disappointment was that I didn’t revisit any of my favourite foreign zoos; this is something I plan to rectify in 2018.
1. Personal Zoo Visit Highlight -Meeting up with ShonenJake13, gentle lemur, bongorob and Nisha -Visiting my first zoo outside the British Isles, Rio Safari Elche, hopefully the first of many. -Enjoying doing this year's UK challenge taking me to great new zoo's like Slimbridge, Birdworld and ICBP Newent. -Picking up many mammal firsts including African Civet, Rusty-spotted Cat, Aardwolf, Greater Grison, Angolan Giraffe and Asiatic Black Bear. 2. Favourite Piece of Zoo News -The successful birth of 11 Orangutans in Europe this year, aswell as 4 in the UK. -The announcement of Dudley's long awaited new Orangutan outdoor enclosures. Also, Wilhelma giving there Orangs an new enclosure and announcing they plan to build a new house within the next 15 years. -The import of Black Lion Tamarin to Jersey. 3. Biggest Dissappointment -Howletts' last 2 Sumatran Surili passing away before I had a chance to visit (still yet to visit but it's on the list!) -Cotswolds Wildlife Park being closed for my visit although it did mean I had a very enjoyable visit to Dudley Zoo instead.
Personal Zoo Visit Highlight Photographing snow leopards in a light snowstorm at Zoo Salzburg while having the zoo almost entirely to myself. (Plus staying four nights in Salzburg which is undeniably one of the world's most beautiful cities). Snow Leopard in snowstorm by Arizona Docent posted 16 Dec 2017 at 8:04 PM Favorite Piece of Zoo News Recent announcement that a sales tax dedicated to supporting my local Reid Park Zoo passed. It just barely passed, but it passed. This will allow major new developments to proceed. Biggest Disappointment Visiting my local Reid Park Zoo recently after an absence of several months and seeing it in a state of deterioration with many empty exhibits and the geographic theming abandoned. (However the new zoo tax above should turn this around).
Personal Zoo Visit Highlight: Seeing an active tree pangolin at the Brookfield Zoo multiple times over the past few months. Remarkable creatures! I reckon the day the babies are put on exhibit I'll be first in the building. Favorite Piece of Zoo News: -The Africa Rocks developments at Sand Diego. Looks bloody brilliant! -Learning the rather infamous former cheetah/cassowary enclosure at Chester will finally have an inhabitant after nearly two years of nothing. Biggest Disappointment: -The tragic killing of a white rhino at Paris zoo by poachers. -The Trump administration lifting a ban on importing elephant trophies into the US from Zambia and Zimbabwe. Over all, 2017 was a pretty decent year, certainly better then 2016. However, if all goes to planned, 2018 could be my best year to date as far as zoos and wildlife go. Wish me luck!
@pachyderm pro The white rhino killing was Thoiry Zoo, not Paris Zoo. Still I agree it is disgusting.
Personal Visit Highlight Without doubt the 3 days I spent in Berlin, visiting Aquarium, Tierpark and Zoo. Definitely the best collections I have seen in a very long time! saw many species I hadn't seen in 20 plus years, some never previously. Best News Can't decide between : New brown bears at Whipsnade Asiatic black bear at Wingham Andean Bear born at Chester Quoll arrival at Linton Greater Grison going onshow at Hamerton Disappointment The closure of Chestnut Centre Twycross getting rid of Elephants, only Common Hippo replacing them could make up for it!
Congrats to Sooty Mangabey, I got to write that same highlight last year, and I don't think there are many things that can come close to writing "visited San Diego Zoo". I know how it feels. 1. Highlight: I think Copenhagen way back in January is the most memorable moment of the year for me this year. I loved the Nordic species, with ice on the ground and crisp cold air in my lungs. And firepits and furs. Lovely. 2. Best News of the year: this has to be same as last year; just a continuation of the thriving commercial success and subsequent new building projects in my home zoo Chester. I do have reservations about the zoo's approach to certain things, which is not always to my taste, but I won't lose sight of the bigger picture which is that my local zoo is a good one, is growing and flourishing, and I can visit whenever I like. 3. There's been some bad news this year in the zoo world as everyone has already mentioned. The most negative thing about this season for me personally is that after a great start my zoo visiting tailed off. Only three new collections, and I didn't even get to Chester nearly as much as usual - but the reason why was great fun.. a little cockapoo puppy made our family complete in May and consumed loads of time and attention. So that's not bad news at all. Roll on 2018!
Reading the previous posts in this thread makes me feel a little smug as I did see the snow leopard cubs at Twycross and I saw a humpback whale in Start Bay on February 26th. My highlight of the year was visiting Chester to see the new developments in Islands: I had to get up awfully early to meet bongorob and SMR there, but it was well worth it. The new Malayan tapir exhibit, walk-through aviary and splendid sun bear exhibit are all part of the best news of the year with the bonus of the Javan green magpies going on show in their own aviary. I also had a good view of the spectacled bear cub on this visit. The saddest news was the death of Salome, Bristol's gorilla. I had first seen her as an infant at Regent's Park in 1976 and I have good memories of her with sons Namoki and Kukena at Bristol. I saw her for the last time in May and I know that I will really feel her absence next time I go there.
