Don't resign from the ZSL Fellowship. Whilst you're a member you have a vote and can try to change things.
Thank you Tim, but it is increasingly hard to stomach the seemingly eye-rolling embarrassment/contempt that those within the upper echelons of ZSL seem to have towards Whipsnade. The place derserves better. I shall continue to fight the good fight!
Yes, but how? I too have been contemplating giving up my fellowship. I find both zoos unexciting, depressing, and deeply, deeply frustrating. Perusing the recently-published inventories just crystallises these feelings. I get the feeling - possibly unfairly - that the ZSL management think the two zoos are great, still world leaders. If this is indeed the case, it suggests a lack of knowledge of European zoos: as has been discussed here on many occasions, London or Whipsnade would struggle to make it in to any Top 50 on anything other than historical grounds. What can a fellow who has little if any contact with other fellows do to voice his or her displeasure and dismay?
Especially when one asks these sorts of questions towards those within ZSL and they’re met with the same rehearsed, stage-managed, withering dismissive response. I don’t care anymore how proud ZSL are of Land of Lions-they’ve been bleating on about it now in membership renewal letters for the past 2 years!!! Sort out your Living Collections!
Thanks for enlightening me about the fate of the Thommies... my guess is this acquisition of several antelope species to bolster numbers won't be repeated...its not so long ago Whipsnade brought back American bison after requests from locals about 'Bison hill' -but now its empty again...
The same, short term thinking applied to Wild Wild Whipsnade however the breeding with wolverine seems to finally bearing results. The less said about the fate of the wolves and moose the better I think. I honestly don’t think ZSL has, or knows, a long term strategy for Whipsnade-perhaps they never had one! Maybe they’ll let it reach its centenary then sell it off to prop up Regents Park. And, if that’s the case, it’ll be a damn shame because the site’s a blank canvas unhindered by the constraints that hold down London Zoo.
Eaxactly...much trumpeted at the time as a new (and economical) development, and now, only such a few years later, its barely recognisable as a stand-alone area. Unfortunately this kind of short-term thinking seems common place there nowadays. Its why I doubt any further attempt will be made to persevere with any of those small ungulate groups that were added not so long ago. Of these, only the re-established Nilgai have seemed to prosper. But that success is then cancelled out by losing the Axis deer! Looking at the recent inventory, a number of species are now single sex and in tiny number but they just seem content to keep them that way. Of course we all remember the past in our favourite zoos and wildlife parks with rose-tinted spectacles to an extent, but from memory the Whipsnade of my youth was very different from today.
As you are a Fellow of ZSL, surely you and your colleagues have a voice at the AGM. You may find that there are a number of Fellows who feel like you that London and Whipsnade need to be uplifted. You have a vote, can't you use that at the AGM
Whipsnade only last year got its own management as they used to be controlled by people in London and a volunteer told me because they now have there own management they can now apply for funding and new exhibits this only happened since Dominic Jeremy started Also let’s not forget Whipsnade have the largest herd of Asian elephants in the UK plus probably the best facility for them
Its not new exhibits they need- its managing the existing species better. Having a good Elephant group doesn't excuse the other shortcomings in any way IMO.
Funding also means refurbishment for existing buildings etc such as the lick of paint the lions are getting at the moment
this is an extract from the ZSL 200 strategy that is referenced at About the Zoological Society of London
How much time should they have? Both zoos are not in a good way at the moment ( ZSL management may point to increased visitors as an argument against this opinion,, but most zoos are increasing visitor numbers, it is not necessarily a sign of good health!). It's a question of priorities, which ZSL seem to get consistently wrong - flash multi million exhibits for one or a few species at London, whilst a fraction of that could improve both zoos. The mappins, aquarium, Casson and North Bank meanwhile have been left to rot and Whipsnade has begun a steady decline over the last few years which the new 'aquarium' certainly won't fix!
I think your slightly over negative about it all unless you know the complexities of running ZSL look at all the conservation they do all of that seems to be ignored Why do you not think the aquarium will be any good? I think it will be a nice edition next to the butterfly house
Because the new aquarium will not make up for the loss of the London Zoo one and I don't think an aquarium is what Whipsnade needs at the current time.
I think it’s a good opportunity with the closing of the London aquarium for ZSL to reconfigure what species they have so they do not waste time and money on species which are not critically endangered plus their will be 10 habitats in the new aquarium
5 million on Land of the Lions and 7 million now on the Snowdon Aviary. That’s 12 million that would have stretched a lot further at Whipsnade then it has in Regent’s Park.
I aggre although I think the Snowdon will be better than land of the lions I’d wish they would build the elephant a bigger pool!!
But the Snowdon is being renovated for - and someone please correct me if I’ve got my numbers wrong here - roughly 7 times what Yorkshire Wildlife spent on their polar bear exhibits? Like I understand that London’s colobuses need improved facilities but the world is full of colobus monkey enclosures don’t cost millions of pounds. If only ZSL had a spacious well-wooded Site B famously lacking in primates at their disposal! Whipsnade is looking a little too empty for the equivalent of 12 Project Polars to be sunk into showy, costly renovations at London.
