I'm currently studying Zoo Biology Bsc at Nottingham Trent University, and in our third year we do a "zoo tour". This tour consists of 5 zoos in the UK over 5 days. The zoos vary most years, but Bristol is always on the list. So if you were planning your own zoo tour, what zoos would you go to, and in what order? I'll give you mine once there have been some responses
If it had to be the UK and five zoos, I'd probably do Chester, Paignton, Bristol, Cotswold and Colchester. Is that feasible in five consequent days as long as it's not necessarily in that order? In general, I'd choose the Rhine-Ruhr area or somewhere in the Netherlands as those two areas have plenty of zoos that can be reached in one day journey from a single "base of operations". I've seen none of the zoos in the former area, and in the Netherlands I've only seen Amersfoort and Harderwijk, so I guess I still need to see the big guns sooner or later. Or maybe Singapore, but in terms of economy the Rhine-Ruhr area and the Netherlands would be more realistic for me.
Ooh nice question! I am instantly going to cop out and give three alternatives as the thought of only choosing 5 zoos stressed me out (I also just stuck with the UK). Zoos I love: Exmoor, then Monkey World, then Hamerton, then YWP and finally Chester (starting at the bottom and working up!) (CWP/Bristol excluded because I can do them easily in a day trip from home, though they’d be on a list of my favourite zoos.) Zoos I’ve not yet been to: Newquay, Colchester, London, Edinburgh, Blackpool (not sure what the best order there would be). Zoos that are distant and hard for me to get to: Howletts (and Port Lympne and Wingham), Highland Wildlife Park, Isle of Wight Zoo, Dublin, Welsh Mountain Zoo (think I need a helicopter for that tour!)
Love your last list haha. I live in the southwest so I can agree, they would all be a pain to get to! I have been to the Isle of Wight zoo and Wingham... But only as I was in the area for other reasons, not just for the zoos. I wouldn't have Bristol on my list either... I love it there, but I've been far too many times. Good choice with Exmoor, it will always be a favourite of mine.
The fifth I’m not sure of . . . but the first four for me would be Edinburgh, Chester, Belfast and Colchester for me. On the basis that all of the zoo tours I book involve all of the zoos within my country of choice where I can see my favourite species.
