I was interested to see how the votes would go - Im not really surprised at the top half to be honest although i think PWP (broxbourne) might have got a vote more than pp(cornwall)
I've just re-read the thread and you're right! Also, shame on the person who voted Dublin; that is most definitely not in the UK!
1. London - My local and as a member I pop in regularly for the odd hour. 2. Whipsnade. Included in my ZSL membership. I usually get out here once a year, but it is so difficult by public transport. I think you really have to see London and Whipsande as a package. I love the fact that you can sit down in a secluded spot and just observe and with a bit of luckk you will see nobody else, but you might find yourself surrounded by inquisitive mara. 3. Wild Wood. I'm really interested in conservation of British wildlife and this is a fascinating niche zoo. 4. Blackpool. My local when I was growing up. I had a special relationship with one of the sea lions. I sung to her, she let me tickle her face. 5. Chester. Because it is the most comprehensive.
Whilst Dublin is not in the UK,it's Zoo along with that at Fota near Cork belong to the Federation of British and Irish Zoos therefore it should be included in my opinion under those circumstances.!
Not in any order or my favourites but these are the best zoos i've visited. 1 Cotswold 2 Paignton, 3 Bristol 4 Chester 5 Port Lympne (Before the changes)
I have been to seven UK zoos, so here are my top five. The two that did not make the cut are London Zoo (substandard exhibits, no matter how historic it is) and Howlett's (lack of variety). 1. Wildlife Heritage Foundation (cats, cats, cats ) 2. Highland Wildlife Park (beautiful scenery and exhibits) 3. Port Lympne (tons of small cats) 4. Chester Zoo (consistent exhibit quality) 5. Edinburgh Zoo (three different golden cat exhibits)
Your comment about the Edinburgh golden cat exhibits is, sadly, out of date as the new director has given the taxon the boot! Just the one surplus male left that has not been sent away as yet. I have to admit it amuses me you dismiss Howlett's for lack of variety when your main criterion for a good zoo is lots of cats - especially when it certainly has more variety than the WHF! But it takes all sorts
Curraghs is also not technically in the UK, although it is for ZooChat purposes. My five would be (in no particular order)... Chester Whipsnade Cotswold ...for definite. Chester is my 'home' zoo (despite never being the closest to home for me) and is, I think, fairly objectively the best in the UK. Cotswold is stunning and Whipsnade just makes for a wonderful day out - it always feels very peaceful, even when busy. And for the last two... Colchester, London and Bristol are all great - Edinburgh would have been after my first couple of visits but has thinned out a bit and Highland might be more likely to make the cut - YWP is the most exciting to visit in many ways - RSCC, as noted, has rarities aplenty - Living Coasts is superb - and I would've liked to include Blackbrook at it's birdy height... Today I'm going for (as favourites to visit, not necessarily 'best'): Chester Whipsnade Cotswold London (history gets it in) Yorkshire WP (Polar Bear in day trip reach gets it in ) But ask me another time and the last two would probably change - Colchester and Bristol in particular are very close.
I think that this thread shows how subjective our judgements are. We have so many reasons for choosing zoo A as a favourite rather than zoos B, C or D. Obviously the animal collection is a prime consideration; my choice of Howletts was based mainly on the gorillas and other primates. I think we all have fond memories of our first visit to our first proper zoo, and that zoo is automatically in our top five. Other memories count as well, both good and bad; London and Whipsnade both have good memories for me because I can remember my wonder at seeing so many species for the first time - but Birdland would have to be utterly wonderful before I could add it to my list, because I have such vivid memories of the original Birdland of 40 years ago (which I know is unfair). Then there are other factors: scenery (Edinburgh, HWP, Port Lympne or Whipsnade for me), buildings, favourite individual animals (how often does Pertinax visit Pertinax?), catering and, of course, accessibility - I'm sure more people would have agreed with karoocheetah and added HWP to their list if it wasn't so far north (but then of course it wouldn't be the same). I will add one more, in the next few weeks Martin Mere will become my favourite - not because of its collection, but because hundreds of whooper swans and many thousand pink-footed geese will be arriving on the reserve and the surrounding farmland, accompanied by many other waterfowl and some hungry peregrines. Other zoos have nature reserves, but none of them can match Martin Mere's spectacle. Alan
Updated List of 37 Zoos: Chester - 16 London - 10 Cotswold - 9 Bristol - 8 Whipsnade - 8 Colchester - 7 Dudley - 6 Paignton - 6 Blackpool - 4 Twycross - 4 Durrell - 3 (although not technically in the U.K.) Edinburgh - 3 Knowsley - 3 Welsh Mountain - 3 Yorkshire Wildlife Park - 3 Africa Alive! - 2 Birdland - 2 Highland Wildlife Park - 2 Howletts - 2 Monkey World - 2 Paradise Park - 2 Port Lympne - 2 Banham - 1 Birmingham Nature Centre - 1 Broxbourne - 1 Curraghs - 1 (although technically not in the U.K.) Exmoor - 1 Flamingo Land - 1 Hagley Falconry Centre - 1 Hamerton - 1 Living Coasts - 1 Newquay - 1 RSCC - 1 Sewerby - 1 Southport - 1 (now closed) Wildlife Heritage Foundation - 1 Wild Wood - 1
One more thing: there are more than 120 votes and I just noticed that not a single one of you voted for Marwell! Interesting...
Funny enough, none of the first three collections I visited (HWP, Flamingoland, Edinburgh) are in my top 5 as cited above..... though Edinburgh might have been were it not for the significant losses to the collection of late.
Regarding the scenery of a zoo, Whipsnade of coarse with its views of the Downs, Edinburgh's impressive view from the top of the hill, a zoo that is not mentioned on here very often Trotters World in Cumbria, what a back drop. I always when at Twycross, admire the view across the green fields at the bottom of the zoo looking across the over spill car park, green fields as far as the eye can see, you would not think you were only a short car journey away from the huge urban Midlands. The zoo with the best scenery as far as I am concerned, was the now closed Cricket St. Thomas Wildlife Park, perhaps the most pleasant setting for a zoo, if it had still been open it would have definitely featured in my top five list.
I might have done 5 years or so ago, but no chance now! Its interesting that so many have chosen either their local zoo(which is why it doesn't surprise me that Dudley has so many votes) or their first zoo. London was the zoo I visited most as a child, and it's largely due to those memories that today's zoo just doesn't excite me enough to place it anywhere near my top 5 favourites or best! I couldn't pick my nearest zoos, Linton or Shepreth, but chose 2 near ones in Whipsnade & Colchester, the 2 I visit the most. The other 3, I have visited less in total than I will go to Whipsnade this year probably! The only reason being that they are all over 200 miles away.
Just the one male now, who is on the surplus list so may depart any time. The other 1,1 went to Exmoor, which has a pretty damn good array of cats - I suggest you visit next time you hit the UK. If memory serves the current list is as follows: Tibetan Golden Cat Sand Cat Caracal Puma Leopard Ocelot Rusty-spotted Cat Palawan Leopard Cat. Well, it is not exactly what one would call a zoo - it is a private collection which has open days and photography experiences. As such it is not as commonly visited by UK Zoochatters when compared to other collections in the area such as the Aspinalls and Wingham.
I also noticed that. Howletts may not have birds, reptiles, fish etc but its collection of larger mammals is very varied IMO. I think the reason this thread has produced such attention is that everyone can pitch in with a 'top five' of their own.
