ZooChat Challenge UK 2012

Well in that case better make about this time next year then to visit Chester then,oh hang on a minute something else will bound to have happened or have been annouced to be due by then so delay it again!The problem with Chester is you are never going to see everything you want to,see as something else is always about to happen around the corner.

 

I was surprised to count that I'm also stuck on one, and that was just a few weeks ago (sun bears at Colchester).

It's still a bit reassuring that I've seen six species outside the UK this year (even though that's entirely thanks to Madrid).

And congrats, SMR.

 

Well done SMR

 

Just a quick note to say that, although I haven't technically completed the challenge, I have now seen all 8 bear species in the UK, having seen Zara the Polar Bear at Heythrop.

[Obviously not counting because a) it's a Heythrop bear, and b) SMR has won anyway, so I guess the challenge is now defunct [unless some are continuing just for the hell of it ]]

 

It's still quite a feat and Heythrop is not the easiest collection to see either, so well done!

 

So how many Polar Bears are there in the UK? I thought it was just Highlands Wildlife Park but obviously Heythrop has them too. Are those the only two collections to have them?

 

Yes. Two(young) males at HWP. One(older)female at Heythrop.

 

Here's my photographic evidence: ZooChat UK Bear Challenge

I didn't do too well with the bear at Dudley, that photograph required me to hang the camera over the edge of the enclosure!

 

If we're including Heythrop now, I managed 50% of the challenge;

Spectacled at Chester
Brown at Welsh Mountain
Polar at Heythrop
Asiatic Black at Heythrop

best try harder next year, or are we having a mini challenge for the remainder of the year. Do we even have to do it as a yearly thing, we could just start a challenge at any time and it finishes when the first person meets the criteria. just a thought.

 

Still on one

 

If we're playing to second, third, fourth place etc, then I'm assuming Heythrop still doesn't count. I was just stating that I'd seen the 8

As for next year [and to an extent, the remainder of this year] I have several challenges that I have set myself to complete. They're designed to make me visit some new and interesting collections, and to make me get out of the country at least once to have any hope in hell

 

Ok, so still not counting Heythrop, and realizing that I haven't actually visited WMZ this year, I am still on 1, Spectacled at Chester. lol

 

In my, admitedly slightly biased, opinion it's better off as an annual challenge -you can have too much of a good thing. It's quite a challenge in itself working out a challenge that is difficult enough to keep people busy for at least half a year and is at the same time (as far as possible) equally"doable" regardless of where a person is based. If we started doing challenges too frequently I believe there's a significant possibility they'd become less fun and have less impact as they'.

Remember, nobody wants to watch the league or ango-Italian cups anymore.

Also, I think it's nice to have a "close season" where we can plan our collections to visit on a basis that doesn't have to fit in with an underlying plan to achieve a goal.

 

I think it is harsh not counting Heythrop. A Polar bear is a Polar bear and as there are only 2 places to see them, discounting one is harsh. They have keepers who look after them like zoos and you pay an entry fee to see them!. I reckon SMR made sure he did Woburn to get all 8 species before the Heythrop open day
I say well done to all, especially you crazy guys who get around the country on public transport, hats off to you. I have enjoyed reading the updates here weekly about peoples progress. As a suggestion for next year, how about Shorts ‘the inventor’ and SMR ‘the current champion of the task’ putting their heads together to set something up for 2013?

 

...and no Gardens challenge SMR... just saying!!

 

Cue snippy response about gardens currently at Chester!

 

I like to line them up for Him....it's a service I provide!

 

Are we referring to SMR as 'Him' now? He's clearly been promoted to deity in my absence!

 

oops - see how a slip of the capital key provides instant deification! scary that