Good luck to it, but there will only ever be one zoo with large animals in Yorkshire for me. I doubt the YWP will ever have anywhere near the number of species that over the last 53 years have called a certain corner of North Yorkshire home - but then as I hinted I have a major emotional connection with Flamingo Land: I was born the year Flamingo Park opened, it was the first zoo I was taken to as a toddler, and the first thing I ever did at school was to draw a picture of it etc, etc.
1. Chester Zoo. Pretty obvious why, it's got a few big gaps but otherwise is a world class zoo. And they have an actual elephant herd made up of several generations of related cows. 2. Dudley Zoo. A combination of nostalgia, easy access and their ability to survive and improve on a shoe string makes them rank pretty highly. 3. Bristol Zoo. Great animal houses. 4. Cotswold Wildlife Park. They have a collection with many unusual species and a very handsome site. I have no idea what to put at number 5. WMSP has the most sentimental value, but even I acknowledge it's a bit tacky. Blackpool, London and Whipsnade all really impressed me in their own ways, but I've only visited them each once. BNC is a little too small to rank up there, South Lakes has a few problems and it's been a while since I've been to Twycross.
1. colchester zoo because its the one i live closest to 2. Yorkshire wildlife park because i like to see the rescued lions as they are my favorite animals . 3. banham zoo because again they have a lovely cat collection . 4. Africa alive mainly because i have a annual pass so i go to banham and africa alive for free so i go at least 2 times a year and its a nice place to walk around ( you can also camp there ) 5. paradise wildlife park because i love cats and as you can see they have a massive collection and i am a big fan of whf .
Emotional and nostalgic attatchments i.e. Zoos we visited the most frequently in our early and formative years no doubt play a significant part in our selection processes here. For me that's why I would definately include London, Whipsnade and Bristol. Chester I didn't visit until a lot later and only irregularly ever since owing to distance, but I would still acknowledge its superiority in these rankings as its a bit of a stand-alone really.
I think this thread is 100% about emotional and nostalgic etc attachments as the task is to select our personal favourites. Chester is obviously an excellent zoo, but I have fallen out of love with it and, generally speaking, zoos of its size. The fact that you are able to describe it as a "stand-alone" speaks volumes for the state of affairs at Regent's Park in recent years.
My list is based on visits over the last 5 years 1 – Birdland Park and Gardens – This was obvious as I love birds I find this collection very inspiring and such a wonderful selection of species with hardly any repeated around the collection like a certain big zoo. 2 – Cotswold Wildlife Park – great location easy access for both abled and disabled people, some beautiful rarities and great friendly staff (what more could you ask for) 3 – Hagley Falconry Centre – A great collection of birds of prey again easy access for both abled and disabled people, great staff very friendly and knowledgeable with what must be the most beautiful Vulture you can see (Himalayan) 4 – London Zoo – I love this place on a personnel note a great bird collection and reptile collection but does need to be updated in some area’s 5 – Dudley Zoo – a zoo that over the years has been on the edge of closure and as such a small budget to improve on the facilities it does wonders and now with the Tecton buildings finally being refurbished (why has it taken so long oh forgot English Heritage were involved) here’s looking forward to the new improvements and maybe a few new species soon. I would include both Blackpool Zoo and BNC (that was) in the list but it’s only the top 5
London today doesn't get close to Chester, or plenty of other zoos in the UK! I have an emotional attachment to London, but I'm afraid it doesn't come close to my 5 favourites or what I consider the 'best' 5.
Your five favourite..... I can't put these in any order, but for unusual stuff in a charming setting, Exmoor (saw my first Rusty-spotted Cat today -- no idea they were that small) and Newquay (Black Wildebeest, Kaiser Newts, breeding Blyth's Hornbills) do it for me. When I finally get to visit Shorelands, I'm sure I'll feel the same way about that place, judging from their species list. And then there's Jersey, which isn't in the UK.
Jersey is in the UK as far as Zoochat UK threads are concerned, so for me it's 1) Durrell - superb in every way 2) Chester - great variety of animals and high standards 3) Paignton - my local zoo so I know many of the residents as individuals 4) Colchester - lots to see 5) Monkey World - 16 orangs, need I say more?
London. Not perfect, of course, but still good - and its nostalgia-rating is high! Colchester. Tacky and badly designed and filled with ugliness, but still rather loveable. Cotswold WP. ...because it succeeds in all the areas where Colchester fails. Whipsnade. The soft play area may make my stomach sink, but in the right weather there is no better zoo to visit. In the wrong weather, however.... RSCC. Because it's just about the only place to which I can go in the UK and see mammal species that I find genuinely exciting. Bubbling under.... Shorelands. Just because I thought it was splendid, in every way.
The species at Exmoor and Hamerton are pretty exciting too even if they are not in the realm of tarsiers!
My five favourite Zoos are. DUBLIN, great zoo, well laid out, brilliant African Plains Eehibit,BRISTOL, lovely setting, good breeding record,WELSH MOUNTAIN ZOO, very good new exhibits and nice setting.TWYCROSS ZOO okay it is my local one but has always had a good breeding record not just with Primates but generally.BIRDLAND well laid bird garden in a beautiful village!
My favorite visits in recent years are as follows - like others I'm not ranking best or better than these are just my top five for impressing me and seeing something new on a visit: Chester Zoo - my local and I still never tire of visiting - actually excited for the opening of islands. Knowsley Safari Park - coming on leaps and bounds under the current excellent management - collection is increasing and improving and you can't beat sitting in a warm dry car watching soggy white rhino gently steaming after a summer storm. Blackpool Zoo - has some really unusual exhibits and Tiger Cubs at the momen, yes yes I'm a sucker for a furry butt cub! Dudley Zoo - first visit last year since I was a nipper - I was really impressed with what they have done considering the constraints of listed buildings and being on the hill of a castle. Highland Wildlife Park - I adore this place - have visted twice in the last year and truely wish it was geographically closer as I'd be there much more often. Honorable Mentions go to: Welsh Mountain Zoo - great friendly knowledgable staff a real credit to their zoo, always trying to improve and truely stunning scenery. Gauntlet Bird of Prey Centre - an impressive collection with very dedicated staff - the free flying shows are worth the trip alone - where else will you see over 17 kites flying at once along with Maribou storks, vultures and many others, it's a real spectacle.
Very nice but I don't see any Maribou Storks and Vultures flying WITH those kites at the same time - I rest by my challenge!!
My top 5 that I've visited (in no particular order bar number one) are :- Chester - a giant amongst the UK zoos, a well rounded collection that is constantly improving, with the addition of Islands it will surely be even higher on the worlds stage. Dudley - a well rounded collection that does have a sentimental attachment. I love taking the kids there as it brings back so many memories of my visits. I just wish they'd scrap the bloody funfair though... Birmingham Nature Centre/Wildlife Conservation Park - my local zoo, I tend to make quite a few visits each year and for the price it offers true value for money; sentimental reasons may also play their part too! Paignton - always been a firm favourite, I can barely remember the old zoo but truly love the place as it is now, Crocodile Swamp, the tenrec house and tropical/desert houses are particular highlights. Bristol - it's amazing what they've done on a 12 acre site in the middle of a city. The animal houses are fantastic and the place oozes history. Honourable mentions go to Shaldon, Cotswold, Living Coasts and Whipsnade. I don't rate London too highly but understand the historical importance of the zoo and society as a whole.
I would have to go with..... 1. Chester, great collection 2. Knowsley, my local and constantly changing 3. Blackpool, interesting exhibits well set out 4. Dudley, great little collection 5. Twycross, the bonobo have it!
In alphabetical order only : Chester - Big, local-ish, great diversity of animals, large and small. Cotswold wildlife Park - The best gardens and the layout is excellent, plus I can take my dog too Curraghs - I love the Isle of Man, and Curraghs is typical of the island. A very decent collection all round considering its location on a small island. Best zoo food to date too. Knowsley - My local, in the last 4 years it has come on very well in my opinion, and I will be there by 4pm today Southport - Gone, but not forgotten. Hand feeding otters, a blind lion, Mini Moo and the first place I ever saw a Mandrill and I was immediately transfixed by them.
As an impoverished student I haven't been to anywhere near as many zoos as most people on here. I like zoos with a bit of personality and character so here's my top 5 favourite: 1) Durrell - the serene. 2 visits. An extremely pleasant place and you never forget seeing Gorilla and Aye-Aye for the first time. A king of conservation. 2)Dudley - the bonkers. Many many visits. Not exactly on my doorstep and never going to be in a list of best UK zoos, but still has me returning time and time again. A green woodland oasis on a lone, trilobite laden, limestone hill in the middle of a deprived industrial town. Also, throw in an 11th century castle, the worlds largest collection of Tectons and the only vintage chairlift in the country. I enjoy seeing it improve steadily but it still has a very long way to go. 3) Paignton - the wonderful. First proper visit this summer and thoroughly enjoyed it. A top notch zoo in very nice setting. 4) Chester - the superior. 3 visits (but not for a while). Best zoo in UK by far. So many great exhibits and nice to see how it should be done. Can get very busy and a lot of walking if you want to see everything. 5) Africa Alive - the...errrm...African. 3 visits (including 2 as Suffolk Wildlife Park). Not the most exciting of collections and hasn't changed much over the years but still a good day out.
A very entertaining thread! I've added up the totals simply for the sheer joy of doing so. There are 34 zoos on the list and that alone showcases the diversity of choice amongst British zoo nerds. To absolutely no surprise the top 5 are Chester, London, Bristol, Colchester and Cotswold, although what did shock me was the fact that Dudley received 6 votes. I especially liked that almost everyone typed out a brief explanation for their choices. I do suspect that some zoo nerds have perhaps not made it to places like Durrell or Edinburgh and that is why they are lower on the list. Chester - 12 London - 8 Bristol - 7 Colchester - 7 Cotswold - 7 Dudley - 6 Whipsnade - 6 Paignton - 5 Twycross - 4 Blackpool - 3 Durrell - 3 (although not technically in the U.K.) Knowsley - 3 Welsh Mountain - 3 Africa Alive! - 2 Birdland - 2 Edinburgh - 2 Howletts - 2 Monkey World - 2 Paradise Park - 2 Yorkshire Wildlife Park - 2 Banham - 1 Birmingham Nature Centre - 1 Broxbourne - 1 Curraghs - 1 Exmoor - 1 Flamingo Land - 1 Hagley Falconry Centre - 1 Hamerton - 1 Highland Wildlife Park - 1 Living Coasts - 1 Newquay - 1 RSCC - 1 Sewerby - 1 Southport - 1 (now closed)
