Nice little things, a few specialists are breeding them in the private sector. I think these might be from Newquay.
First visit for a while: Northern white faced owls (a pair) are in the Blackburn Pavilion, in the aviary to the left of the entrance to the walkthrough The Red-cheeked cordon bleu were doing breeding displays. Lovely little birds Asim the new male Sumatran Tiger still doesn't look comfortable in Tiger Territory. Horse-box is set up next to the okapi enclosure, and the house is closed, so looks like an okapi move is imminent. The inside stall in the giraffe house to the far left has been boarded up with peep holes cut in, and the stall lined with hay bales. Not sure what this is for, but I'll hazard a guess that one of the girls needs isolating and/or veterinary treatment I got some pictures will upload when they're off my camera. Also, in the words of the family member I went with today, after seeing Land of the Lions, the zoo have 'lost the plot'. They were not impressed.
Would have to agree another exhibit that is way overdone and looks out of place and as you say even the "muggles" have noticed.
I too have just visited for the first time in several years and was disappointed. For such a historic zoo, it seemed lacklustre and unimpressive. I visited soon after the Blackburn pavilion was renovated and loved it. The diversity and overall feel was amazing. Returning to find many species gone (hooded pitta, red-legved honeycreeper, great blue turaco, ultramarine grosbeak etc...) and many others only kept as single birds or in pairs was probably the most disappointing part of the zoo. Combined with the "African-themed" walkthrough in Gorilla kingdom and all the empty aviaries on North Bank, the zoo really needs an overhaul of the bird department. The mammals are a little better. I really enjoyed Nightlife because many of the species are rare to see in zoos and I adore nocturnal primates. I do feel more could be displayed but hey. The rest of Clore could do better in the walkthrough, with more small monkeys in particular. The Aquarium is amazing and such a shame that it's closing. I feel the reptile house could do with a renovation. It could be made more modern even in an old building, similar to Bristol. The Casson was closed (has it been closed for long?) and I only saw the Revee's muntjac outside. Overall London is just adequate. Some of the enclosures are great, most are okay and some are bad. The collection seems significantly smaller than the last time I visited and Land of the Lions is less impressive the second time. Of course this is my opinion so you may disagree.
Not really... It is nothing like it used to be certainly. I used to go really often, but now my visits have slightly dried up. I mean, the reptile collection is still great and so is the aquarium to some extent, and apart from that some other parts are good too but a lot of outdated enclosures and a somewhat lacking megafauna tally means it isn't really my recommendation.
I would however recommend Colchester zoo or Whipsnade zoo, both quite close to London (although one is much closer than the other)
The "national zoo" discussion has been split to here: ZSL London Zoo - Is London Zoo the "National Zoo" of the UK?
I counter with if you're going to be in the city you certainly should go. Whilst for regulars frustrated with the general decline and lack of direction and long time visitors who may remember what the zoo was like at its peak there might be cause for some second thoughts but I'd say that there's certainly a lot of good things to enjoy at London Zoo, there's still a good mix ABCs and rarer mammals as well as strong collections of birds, herps, fish and insects as well as an amazing sense of history. Even if the zoo isn't what is was or really what it could be it's important not to lose sight of what it is.
Yes, I do think you are right, @Luca Bronzi should probably go anyway, although of course as a Londoner myself, I am extreeemely frustrated at what it has come down to.
Will people remember that most collections had great collections years ago when most of the exhibits were too small and crowded, as collections have moved on many have lost around 60% of the species they used to hold as the exhibits have become bigger and better for both species and visitors to create a better atmosphere for both species and visitors. I do feel that the collection could do with a few more mammal species but the problem then lies which species do they remove, when they do they will probably be criticized for doing so it's swings and roundabouts these days.
They've got rid of some things that they did well. All the North Bank Pheasantry/owlery/geese and crane paddocks.
I am a bird lover and feel the lose of both the aviaries and the Snowdon building are a poor advert for the Bird collection in the zoo
If it was not for the zebra,okapi and giraffe I would not even go over to the north bank side. I find the tropical/nightlife house boring with not much to see. London zoo needs a big overhaul when the aquarium closes a big part of the zoo will be empty emu and wallabies just don’t cut it on the mappings
In my dreamworld where money isn’t an issue or perhaps simply better spent I wouldn’t mind seeing ZSL relocate their various houses taking up space in the main part of the zoo and consolidating them into a big complex on North Bank on the right-hand side of the bridge, something along the lines of Rotterdam’s Oceanium or LAIR in LA and then have the main zoo opened up more for larger, showier species. Certainly for a zoo so tight on space the Mappins take up a very impressive but almost completely wasted footprint of land.
Oh sorry I just mean I would not go to the other side under the tunnels. I thought that was all the north thanks for letting me know
A young Chinese giant salamander, seized by customs after being smuggled inside a cereal box, has gone on display at London Zoo. See link below for details. Zoo unveils smuggled giant salamander
