Been to the Zoo lately?

JupiterKid · 14-07-2012 07:52PM #1

Anyone here been to the zoo lately?

I hadn't been to Dublin zoo in about 20 years and went earlier today with some friends. Wow - how the place has changed! Gone are the tiny horrible Victorian-era cages and the new African Plains area means that the Rhinos, Giraffes, Lions, Zebras and Elephants have much more room now than before.

The zoo also has been completely modernised and greatly expanded since my last visit and there are many facilities all over the zoo - cafes, restaurants (pricey) and toilets.

The old original section of the zoo has also been revamped and it is all looking really good. I'm not the biggest fan of zoos but I have to say that Dublin zoo seem to have really moved with the times and have given animal welfare more priority.:)

The only drawbacks were the ticket price - €15.50 which is a little steep IMO and the hordes of screaming children and babies but you'll have that at zoos anywhere. The much loved seals are still in the same place and still a big attraction.:D

Pushtrak · 14-07-2012 07:52PM

Yes, frequently. After Hours.

Ghandee · 14-07-2012 07:58PM

I've been to many zoos all over the world, and Dublin zoo its up there among the best. No doubt in my mind.

southcentralts · 14-07-2012 07:58PM

Had a meeting with Mr Lyon there, but he never showed up.

Pure_Cork · 14-07-2012 08:00PM

Dublin Zoo? It's no Fota Wildlife Park.

Chuck Stone · 14-07-2012 08:02PM

I must go to Dublin Zoo some time - never been. Might scoot up on the new express bus some day and bring my niece and nephew.

Do they have Honey Badgers? I like they way they don't give a ****.

Micky Dolenz · 14-07-2012 08:03PM

Zoos are prisons for animals, but unlike prisons, all the animals are innocent.

Will not support such places with my cash.

Washington Irving · 14-07-2012 08:04PM

Not in about eight or nine years

Truley · 14-07-2012 08:05PM

We bring the Summer Camp kids I work with every year. The restaurant is an absolute rip off (€7.50 + for a plate of nuggets, chips and carton of juice) but I guess it can be since it's the only one in the place. I'm not a big zoo fan but it's certainly better than the only other one I went to, Berlin Zoo- that place was depressing and cruel.

Chuck Stone · 14-07-2012 08:05PM

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

Zoos are prisons for animals, but unlike prisons, all the animals are innocent.

Will not support such places with my cash.

Ya think? Aren't the animals happy enough there though? No predators to worry about and well cared for etc.

scudzilla · 14-07-2012 08:06PM

JupiterKid wrote: »

The only drawback was the ticket price - €15.50 which is a little steep and the hordes of screaming children and babies but you'll have that at zoos anywhere. The much loves seals are still in the same place and still a big attraction.:D

Buy an Annual Pass, cost's 110Euro and you can go as many times as you want, and you can take a guest in free aswell

dan1895 · 14-07-2012 08:06PM

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

Zoos are prisons for animals, but unlike prisons, all the animals are innocent.

Will not support such places with my cash.

Maybe 50 or 60 years ago but today most zoos are involved in education programmes, mating programmes and the protection of endangered species.

Micky Dolenz · 14-07-2012 08:08PM

Chuck Stone wrote: »

Ya think? Aren't the animals happy enough there though? No predators to worry about and well cared for etc.

I think they have natural instincts to roam and do as nature intends. They have predators caged up, never been able to hunt and kill.

I'm all for nature reserves.

Micky Dolenz · 14-07-2012 08:10PM

dan1895 wrote: »

Maybe 50 or 60 years ago but today most zoos are involved in education programmes, mating programmes and the protection of endangered species.

Education programmes for the animals? I think most animals have the mating thing nailed, forgive the pun

.

As for the endangered species, what percentage of animals in world wide zoos are endangered?

Chuck Stone · 14-07-2012 08:11PM

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

I think they have natural instincts to roam and do as nature intends. They have predators caged up, never been able to hunt and kill.

I'm all for nature reserves.

Yeah I suppose it's a bit unfair on the big cats/bears etc.

Point taken.

Gummy Panda · 14-07-2012 08:11PM

Is there still red pandas there?

mattjack · 14-07-2012 08:11PM

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

Zoos are prisons for animals, but unlike prisons, all the animals are innocent.

Will not support such places with my cash.

Says the man from a group of trained Monkeees ..:pac:pac::

flash1080 · 14-07-2012 08:14PM

Gummy Panda wrote: »

Is there still red pandas there?

www.redpandatube.com

Capt'n Midnight · 14-07-2012 08:17PM

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

Zoos are prisons for animals, but unlike prisons, all the animals are innocent.

Will not support such places with my cash.

If a cow ever got the chance, he'd eat you and everyone you care about.

JupiterKid · 14-07-2012 08:21PM

Gummy Panda wrote: »

Is there still red pandas there?

Yep. The red pandas are still there. The polar bears are gone however. The seals are still there and still as popular as ever.:)

I'm not a massive fan of zoos but I think that many have changed for the better in that they are doing very good conservation work through breeding programmes. For instance a couple of species of Asian tigers at Dublin zoo are on the verge of extinction in the wild due to habitat loss for palm oil plantations.

Also, there seem the be less species in the zoo than years ago bit for the ones that are still there, their living areas have hugely improved.

For anyone thinking of going - I would recommend a trip to Dublin zoo to see how much it's changed over the past 10 to 20 years. Here's a link to their site:

http://www.dublinzoo.ie/

fat__tony · 14-07-2012 08:23PM

€15.50 is a fair price in my opinion.

A trip to the zoo here in Toronto is $25.

Riddle101 · 14-07-2012 08:23PM

What sort of animals do they have there? I remember the seals and the gorillas alright. But i'm just interested in knowing what sort of exotic animals they have.

Jesus Wept · 14-07-2012 08:27PM

southcentralts wrote: »

Had a meeting with Mr Lyon there, but he never showed up.

I was running late.

Chuck Stone wrote: »

I must go to Dublin Zoo some time - never been. Might scoot up on the new express bus some day and bring my niece and nephew.

Do they have Honey Badgers? I like they way they don't give a ****.

I am inviting myself long. Much like the honey badger, I do not give a ****.

Dartz · 14-07-2012 08:34PM

Not since I lost the key to the magic door.

Richard Hillman · 14-07-2012 08:34PM

Havnt been since i was about 3-4 and dont remember it. Its a very sad sight seeing magnificent predators like Lions and Tigers being held in captivity. They should be out killing stuff and stalking prey. Unless they made the park into a huge nature preserve i dont think i would like to see it.

Seeing a tiger in captivity would be too sad. It would be like seeing your hero, drunk and passed out in a ditch.

antodeco · 14-07-2012 08:46PM

Education programmes for the animals?

Q1 Mr Duck, can you tell me the chemical symbol for sodium?
- Quack Quack

Q2 Mr Duck, what happens when a base and an acid are mixed?
- Quack Quack

Q3 Mr Duck, what name is given to an elementary particle and a fundamental constituent of matter?
- Quark Quark

iguana · 14-07-2012 09:01PM

fat__tony wrote: »

€15.50 is a fair price in my opinion.

A trip to the zoo here in Toronto is $25.

But the zoo in Chicago is free.

Capt'n Midnight · 14-07-2012 09:20PM

antodeco wrote: »

Education programmes for the animals?

Q1 Mr Duck, can you tell me the chemical symbol for sodium?
- Quack Quack

Two ducks flying over Belfast zoo

one says to the other " Quack Quack"

and the other one goes "I'm going as quack as I can"

Capt'n Midnight · 14-07-2012 09:27PM

Richard Hillman wrote: »

Seeing a tiger in captivity would be too sad. It would be like seeing your hero, drunk and passed out in a ditch.

Heros like you see in the old MGM movies ?

MGM with the Lion roaring in the title, the lion from Dublin Zoo, you know one of the last of the Barbary lions before they became extinct ?

vektarman · 14-07-2012 09:28PM

I haven't been to the zoo since I saw some scumbags throwing penguins into the lions - the penguins were allright though, the the lions couldn't get the wrappers off.....

DEFTLEFTHAND · 14-07-2012 09:36PM

Summer of 2001 was the last time. I would like to go again but I'm too lazy.

Been to the Zoo lately?

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