London Zoo Notes. » London Zoo

London Zoo Notes.
11-07-2007

Penguins now in brand new Penguin Pool behind Parrot House. Formerly Flamingo Pond. Flamingos' now moved to 3 island Pond,(with Pelican's, ducks etc) near Tigers. Lubetkin Penguin Pool stands empty...

Cats- 3 of the smaller cat enclosures now currently house monkeys(Sulawesi, Spider, Francois Langur) Only cats I saw were Tiger, Lion & Serval. London Primates are rather scattered at present...

New'walk-thru' bird flight in front of old Ostrich House. The Anoas are in the old paddock at the rear of the same house- a big contrast between the two sides.

Wading bird enclosure behind sealion pond is no more- probably replaced by Komodo Dragon house...

11-07-2007

Thanks, sounds very similar to when we visited in 2005. I was wondering about the Lubetkin Penguin pool. Open question to anyone- what would you put in there?

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Chris

11-07-2007

I'd demolish it If I could!!!

Maybe Meerkats. I could imagine them scurring up and down those slopes.

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Jonathan Beilby-www.zooscene.co.uk

(Join the hornbill group-www.zoobeat.com/group.php?groupid=2)

11-07-2007

I thought Meerkats or Yellow Mongoose or something. They might be able to escape using the slopes but I think it could be modified in a way to house them that did not infringe any Listting Legislation.

I think knocking it down would be very harsh. its a gorgeous piece of architecture and an interesting piece of history. Now the Casson Elephant House on the other hand...

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Chris

11-07-2007

It has been newly painted/smartened up, even has clean water in it- maybe they'll simply let it stand as a piece of architecture?

12-07-2007

I think Glyn said it flooded when the porcupines were in there so that rules it out as anything other than an aquatic enclosure. Shame it can not be put to some good use really- it'd be awful to knock it down but in a zoo so pushed for room it does seem a waste of space.

Talking of space shortages- would there ever be a situation that'd see London zoo expanding into Regent's Park a little further? I know they got a tiny extension for the Meet the Monkeys are but it was nothing really. Who'd the power lie with there? The Mayor/council/Queen?

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Chris

12-07-2007

Why not put little blue penguins in there?

12-07-2007

There aren't many in our country I don't think, But they'd probably be quite suitable. Otters?

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Jonathan Beilby-www.zooscene.co.uk

(Join the hornbill group-www.zoobeat.com/group.php?groupid=2)

12-07-2007

I don't think it'd really be suitable for penguins again, for the same reasons they moved the Blackfooted out. Maybe otters- though London have a fairly new otter exhibit- maybe for a different otter species?

To what extent are the zoo allowed to alter it?

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Chris

12-07-2007

They have Asiatic short clawed otters at Present, and they have probably the best enclosure that I've ever seen for this species. There are underwater viewing platforms and an inside area which is also on view.

There is soo much space in the exhibit that the zoo could keep lots and lots of otters, without worrying about running out of space. Unfortunatly I have no pictures of this exhibit.

Maybe common or north american river otters. Both are relativly common in Uk zoos. Well the chestnut centre has a few of them, and they seem to breed otters well most of the time.

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Jonathan Beilby-www.zooscene.co.uk

(Join the hornbill group-www.zoobeat.com/group.php?groupid=2)

12-07-2007

If I remember London Zoo's charter entitles them to a furthur 5 acres of Regent's Park. This land is basically south of the present zoo boundary from the Mappin Terraces eastwards to the walk through monkeys. At one time the society were reluctant to claim it in case the public complained at having 'green space' taken from them. The site is occupied by football pitches at present.

I expect the Crown Estates would be responsible for getting things organized if the land was ever to be developed.

12-07-2007

For a zoo like London with such limited space, that extra five acres could be very meaningful if it was ever developed. But for somewhere like Chester, it would be a drop in the ocean...

22-12-2007

There were some fairy blue penguins imported by Bristol within the last couple of years but I think only one is still alive (they never bred).

As for otters, I think the London enclosure is good but Edinburgh's is probably the best for this species in UK, although some of the chesnut centre's otter enclosures are also good.

Always nice to see a different species of otter as although Asiatic short-clawed are cute they are damned boring if you are a frequent UK zoo visitor (the aquatic meerkat!?).

D

24-12-2007

They imported 10, nine soon died and the remainig one was supposed to have been sent to Cologne. I last saw it 2 years ago. I did not visit Bristol this year.

In 2005 I took a holiday in Weston Super Mare and made a special journey to Bristol to photograph the fairy penguin. It was only when I had entered the zoo that I realised I had spent so much time checking my extra lenses and spare film that I had left my camera in the hotel.

As a result I had to return the next week, taking the train from Stoke. It was worth it though, I got some great shots.

24-12-2007

The Fairy Penguin is still there (or was in September at any rate). It's not always the easiest thing to see - feeding time is a good bet if you want to see it.