Dublin zoo needs A HAIR CUT ...

DJKAV

DublinWriter wrote: »

Dude! I was just about to mention that book to the PC-brigade in here. It totally changed me from being an anti-Zoo person.

After not visiting the Zoo for 25+ years, I found myself twice there this year.

Can't believe the OP said there was a litter problem. There's bins every 10 meters and I saw plenty of employees going around cleaning up around the place.

Overall a good day out, but they need to start running the little motorised carts for free like they used to do in the 70's/80's. Having to pay extra for the African Planes excursion is a joke.

I never said there was a litter problem ..... never said that your going off topic now ..

What i said was it`s very overgrown ....

krankykitty

DJKAV wrote: »

"in the way" was not what I meant. What I said way small children could not see any of the animals because of the overgrowth throughout the whole zoo... understand that the animals need privacy but you have too see the zoo enclosures to understand the whole place is overgrown except the african plains ... It just needs to cater for children between 1-6 if you had a child in a buggy they couldn`t see a thing .... This is a pity see as the childs needs are why you are their in the first place ? !!

I'm very familiar with the enclosures.

The child's needs? Unfortunately, the zoo does not exist solely to entertain children and as you are a visitor in the animal's home, their needs come first. I'm sure it is frustrating to not get a good view, but there is a lot of work gone into the planting around the zoo to ensure that animal's requirements, as much as possible, are taken care of. I am in the zoo on a regular basis and while I'll agree with you that in some places it may be hard to see the animals, particularly if they have chosen to stay out of view, there are on the other hand many exhibits that it would be rare not to get a good view.

As a matter of interest, what particular exhibits did you think were very overgrown? Have you mailed/phoned Dublin Zoo to ask what their views are?

Sundew

Igy wrote: »

Frankly they need more land, but I'd say it'll be a cold day in hell before the OPW just gives them a huge chunk of it

They would just prefer to see another block of faceless apartments built like on the Phoenix Park race course :mad:

fitzyshea

I dont understand what everyone is giving out about. I was there only a few weeks ago and I thought it was well worth the €14. Yes some of the animals cant be seen but I think the idea is to give them as much of there habitat back. When i was there the elephants and giraffes were indoors been fed but you could still go around and see them in there houses. I think it needs more land so the animals have more room to move but in fairness its a great day out and one of the best attractions in dublin.

DJKAV

krankykitty wrote: »

I'm very familiar with the enclosures.

The child's needs? Unfortunately, the zoo does not exist solely to entertain children and as you are a visitor in the animal's home, their needs come first. I'm sure it is frustrating to not get a good view, but there is a lot of work gone into the planting around the zoo to ensure that animal's requirements, as much as possible, are taken care of. I am in the zoo on a regular basis and while I'll agree with you that in some places it may be hard to see the animals, particularly if they have chosen to stay out of view, there are on the other hand many exhibits that it would be rare not to get a good view.

As a matter of interest, what particular exhibits did you think were very overgrown? Have you mailed/phoned Dublin Zoo to ask what their views are?

I`m sorry but its all about the children for me i didn`t see many grown men and wemon walking around checking out the monkeys and having trouble seeing into the enclosures... this thread started buy stating that it was very hard for young kids to see the animals because of poor housekeeping with certain pens and enclosures .. The wolf enclosure for one and also the tiger was very overgrown. THE OTHER exhibits which were very well kept were the animal farm but all we have to do is look out our window at home to see cows horses and rabbitts....

THE ZOO IS for kids and they should be able to expierience it without having to climb on parents shoulders and on fences to see the animails..


.

Gaspode

Igy wrote: »

Frankly they need more land, but I'd say it'll be a cold day in hell before the OPW just gives them a huge chunk of it

cobweb wrote: »

I do think though that a huge chunk of the park should be given to the Zoo so the animals can have bigger living environments

IRcolm wrote: »

I also agree with giving the zoo more space in the park.

Igy wrote: »

Unfortunately, the least-used parts of the park are at the north west end, which is the opposite end to the zoo, but there's plenty of space around the zoo that could be used if the will was there. I doubt that it is, though.

It's only a few short years since a large chunk of the park was given to the zoo, i.e. the african plains area. This was originally part of the lands around the Aras.

I think Dublin Zoo has come on in leaps and bounds in the last 15 years or so, and I think credit should be given to them for that. I was there in the 70s as a child and really the conditions now are fantastic by comparison. I've also been to planty of zoos abroad and Dublin is one of the better ones!

I comiserate with the OP if they felt they couldnt see enough animals, but unfortunatley that's the way it goes sometimes in the zoo. Sometimes the animals are visible, sometimes they're not - the animals do what they want. Also, resources are limited in the zoo, so cutting back the growth of plants is probably only something they can do every couple of months or so. There is also the chance that they deliberatley left it that way for the sake of the animals in those particular enclosures.

I suggest OP that you write to the director of the zoo with your complaint, it's the only way they'll know there's an issue and will do something about it.

On the side issue of catering in the zoo, I too think its brutal, too dear, really crap - bring a picnic!

krankykitty

DJKAV wrote: »

THE ZOO IS for kids and they should be able to expierience it without having to climb on parents shoulders and on fences to see the animails..

The zoo is NOT ONLY for kids though. Kid's entertainment/education is by far not the only reason that the zoo exists. Would you prefer that the animals needs weren't met just so your kids can get a good view? I suppose you'd want them to bring back bear dancing and chimp tea parties too just so Little Johnny and Little Mary get a good day out. :rolleyes:

Maybe there's a valuable lesson in all of this in that kids learn that maybe, just maybe, they cant get EVERYTHING they want in life INSTANTLY. Maybe they'll learn that the animals have a right to have their needs met as much as possible. Just a thought.

DJKAV

krankykitty wrote: »

The zoo is NOT ONLY for kids though. Kid's entertainment/education is by far not the only reason that the zoo exists. Would you prefer that the animals needs weren't met just so your kids can get a good view? I suppose you'd want them to bring back bear dancing and chimp tea parties too just so Little Johnny and Little Mary get a good day out. :rolleyes:

Maybe there's a valuable lesson in all of this in that kids learn that maybe, just maybe, they cant get EVERYTHING they want in life INSTANTLY. Maybe they'll learn that the animals have a right to have their needs met as much as possible. Just a thought.

WHAT HAS KIDS LEARNING A LESSION IN LIFE GOT TO DO WITH THEM BEING ABLE TO SEE ANIMALS? Thats why their in a cage ? ...Come on it`s a service and they if they are not going to provide a good in they should charge less...

krankykitty

DJKAV wrote: »

WHAT HAS KIDS LEARNING A LESSION IN LIFE GOT TO DO WITH THEM BEING ABLE TO SEE ANIMALS? Thats why their in a cage ? ...Come on it`s a service and they if they are not going to provide a good in they should charge less...

The point I'm making is that it's not just providing a service....

Have you called/emailed them to complain about it?

DJKAV

Sorry no didn`t complain....i just asked did anybody have the same opinion as me?...

IT`S FOTA wildlife this weekend fingers crossed....;)

Noopti

WHAT HAS KIDS LEARNING A LESSION IN LIFE GOT TO DO WITH THEM BEING ABLE TO SEE ANIMALS? Thats why their in a cage ? ...Come on it`s a service and they if they are not going to provide a good in they should charge less...

As soon as I read this I realized you haven't got the first clue on the main reasons for zoos.

Yes, it is a service. A service to conservation programmes, not to your kids. If you donate money to a charity helping children in Africa do you expect them to fly you over there so you can look at them?

The main function of modern Zoos are there to help with the conservation of endangered animals and provide education to people on animals and the issues surrounding them. NOT so that your kids can look at a monkey or an elephant.
True, part of the education and attraction is seeing the animals, but if you use some common sense you will realise that if you can't see the animal "properly" it is for a reason.

DJKAV

i give up .....obviously ye don`t have 3 and four year olds trying to see animals in the zoo...

please end this ... it`s getting out of hand .. started off with a child not being able to see into enclosures beacuse of overgrowth and now it`s exploded into people not having a clue about zoos ..... forget about it ..

Rashers

DJKAV wrote: »

i give up .....obviously ye don`t have 3 and four year olds trying to see animals in the zoo...

I'm a grandfather who took my kids and grandkids to the zoo.

Back when I took my kids to the zoo they could see all of the animals very clearly and up close.

The lions, for instance, were in large cages inside what was known as the Lion House. If a lion wanted some fresh air it could walk through a door into another part of the cage which was open to the air but roofed over.

Monkeys, caged too. And people used to give them lit cigarettes. You can use your imagination there.

Camels, giraffes, zebras, rhinos, hippos... all in enclosures that barely left them space to turn.

Polar bears. In a pit with a water feature not much bigger than my garden pond.

Brown bears. In a pit too and once a child fell into that pit.

Now that we're in a (hopefully) more enlightened time, would a child really want to see all of that?

Or is it better for both the kids and the animals that they (animals) be seen in a more natural environment than a concrete cage?

DJKAV

i really don`t know

Rashers

DJKAV wrote: »

i really don`t know

Maybe this would help you decide. See the red bricked building top right? The lions enclosure. Bottom left is a Polar bear in very unnatural surroundings.

I'm sure, in this day and age, no one would want their kids to see any of that.

Ste.phen

Thanks for that pic, hard to imagine now!

DJKAV

excellent pic .... point taken ...

razorblunt

Was there a fortnigt ago for the first time in 10 years, I was amazed at the improvements made think they provide some great areas for the animals although I would agree that the Gorillas need more room.

I was dissapointed the Reptile House was closed though but sure what can you do, cant understand the point of the petting zoo, pigs and sheep locked up in small huts!

jazoo

Dublin zoo had a FAS scheme in that every building had its turn to be renovated. I worked there almost 19/20 years ago in the restaurant&bar .At that time the bat house was being renovated.From what i can remember they have a very tight budget so its hard to keep exhibits looking new.I had a membership when my son was young we used to go all year round winter time & christmas time are the best times to go.support dublin zoo more people mean better conditions for animals....

Rashers

The lion enclosure that I mentioned in an earlier post?

This is it.... the lion enclosure in the 1950s.

Glad my grandkids will never see a lion living in this kind of misery.

DJKAV

very small enclosure for lions .... these days they have much more room ... the animals are well looked after i`ve never said otherwise .. but from a spectator point of view it was very though to see them ... seems that their has been alot of work done in the past few weeks also up there ...

maybe this forum helped i`m not sure...!