A day at the zoo has always been a firm favourite among traditional days out, reflected by the fact that there are over 530 zoos in the UK at present. Animal-captivity for the sake of our viewing pleasure may be disapproved of by some, but the days of bear fights and bicycle-riding juggling monkeys are long gone, writes Ross Watson
Modern-day Zoos
‘Conservation, education, research, recreation,' these are the four roles of a good modern zoo, according to BIAZA (British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums). ‘In a perfect world there would not be a need for zoos, or other conservation organisations, nor would we be living through this period of mass extinction. Fortunately, in the 21st century, good zoos have risen to the challenge and are becoming a united and powerful force for conservation.'
This sentiment is epitomised by arguably two of the best known zoos in the country, both run under the guidance of the Zoological Society of London. London of course boasts the very well known London Zoo, which has just opened the awesome Gorilla Kingdom, a brand new £5.3m enclosure that has taken almost 18 months to build and is now home to a colony of stunning western lowland gorillas. A little further out of town in the heart of Bedfordshire is Whipsnade Zoo, which has recently overseen the birth of an Asian rhino calf and an Asian elephant calf. The rhino's arrival is particularly good news as she represents a new bloodline, making her a very important addition to the European Endangered Species Programme.
The northerners among us may well argue that the best zoo in the country can actually be found in Chester. An incredibly popular tourist attraction, Chester Zoo is internationally recognised for its innovative enclosure designs and numerous breeding successes.
Educational Zoos
The aforementioned zoos are generally seen as the major British zoos, and take this role very seriously by ensuring that their conservational work has a strong educational element within. But as the red-faced black spider monkey once said to the gorilla, size isn't everything, so below are a few of the lesser known zoos who pride themselves on providing an educational animal experience.
Paignton Zoo: Offering a fantastic educational experience for all ages. Situated in the heart of the zoo, the Education Centre is staffed by experienced, professional zoo educators and can cater for learners of all ages and abilities.
Drusillas Park: Widely regarded as the best small zoo in the country, Drusillas has earned that reputation by creating an animal and child-friendly environment (they recently launched the only live Thomas the Tank Engine theme ride in the country) where the accent is on interactive involvement, conservation and fun-finding-out.
Colchester Zoo: Colchester Zoo's award winning education team is dedicated to ensuring that you get the most from your visit. Their excellent package gives you a wide range of resources plus over 30 different talks on a wide variety of topics, from Key Stage 1 right through to Higher Education.
