to take kids to the zoo?

[paperdress]

I remember feeling stridently opposed to animals in captivity as an earnest teen, then spent a few decades not really giving zoos a second thought but now i find myself considering a b'day visit to the zoo for DC.
Part of me feels the same as i did all those years ago; a bit queasy and outraged at wild animals in small enclosures and away from their natural habitat. But part of me sees zoos as part of the DC's storybook/telly landscape, a normal and ok thing for kids to engage with.
What to do?

I have been to Chester zoo ,YWP and Trentham monkey forest this summer.All of those I think are ok apart from the giraffe enclosure at YWP which seemd completely devoid of stimulation until the park keeper came and waved some branches about for a few minutes.

I think older children and teens get a lot more out of a zoo visit than little ones thoughl

True Wilson, but at least we are more concerned about animal welfare than some countries.

Some zoos are terrible and should be shut down. I am lucky to have never visited one, but a friend did- without realising- and was shocked, I saw some of the pictures.

We are lucky to live near Whipsnade Zoo, Colchester Zoo and London Zoo. Whipsnade is amazingly large, you should see the rhino enclosure, the deer, everything- it's massive! It is truly stunning how big it is, and there is a lot of conservation effort going on (I should know, I'm married to a man working in a breeding program for the wild). Colchester Zoo is also good, and large. London Zoo is very big, which I was surprised by as it's in London, but it's really good.

Some zoos are very conservation focused, many are, sadly, not, and I would never visit one knowingly, as it's abominable that they can legally be allowed to live like that.

It depends on the zoo and the animal. Many zoos are involved in conservation, only have animals bred in captivity and many animals adapt very well to that environment, e.g. lions which are very happy to laze about as long as they are fed.

Chester zoo is brilliant, the enclosures are really designed with the animals in mind.

*Monkey World Ape Rescue Centre in Dorset is fantastic if you're near there - all the animals are rescues from circuses / concrete zoos / tourist attractions and what not so they're all living far better lives than they would be doing otherwise and are rehabilitated to live back in social groups like they would in the wild.

Might not be the best for variety but it's a truly wonderful thing they are doing IMO*

it is lovely there Its a great place to visit

Intitgrand - the YWP enclosure is not the proper enclosure. They are going into the plains bit. Their current enclosure is part of their interaction and has little in it etc due to that. Is part of a planned integration from where they were into the bigger enclosure with other plains animals. It does look sparse but done for a reason apparently. Again - to do with conservation and animal led stuff.

I am glad to hear that. I have been there since they got the giraffes. That's how they integrated the lions as well.

I haven't been there since the giraffes arrived. D'oh!

I don't think London zoo is that big, it's a long time since I've been but the animals really didn't seem to have much space at all. I much prefer the 2 aspinell zoos, howletts and port lympne

mrsjay tbh I just wish that zoos, animal circus etc had never existed in the first place then we wouldn't need to rehome / rescue animals.

I AGREE WITH YOU STEPAWAY BUT I DO THINK THERE IS A PLACE IN THE WORLD FOR ZOOS, I WOULD NEVER GO TO A CIRCUS WITH ANIMALS EVER, I DONT THINK THEY ARE ALLOWED IN THE UK ANYMORE ?

oh sorry caps locked

Animals in circuses has indeed been made illegal yayyy.

It's been all over my Facebook (I friended RSPCA) that people are boycotting Bluewater Shopping Mall because they had a show with a raccoon riding a bike. What dickweed actually thought an act like that would go down well?!!

I thought so strumperton although some of the rest of the world still have the poor creatures performing

oh I saw that and i am sure that racoon was on BGT didnt get through mind but i am positive it is the same person, I am glad folk are reporting it and not being entertained

same person and racoon*

The sheer amount of messages Bluewater received restored my faith in mankind

iT is nice that people are more informed these days I can remember back in the 70s 80s seeing animals on street corners to get your picture taken with i am sure i have a picture with me and a baby monkey ,

There was an animal circus in our town just last year. It was very odd driving to the supermarket past grazing zebras

Are you in England? I thought it was made illegal before last year. That's so sad :(

Yes, I am. It shocked me too. We would have gone but obviously as soon as we realised there would be animals we didn't.

I wonder if there's some loophole, like the animals can't perform but they can appear.

mrsjay oooh I thought you were SHOUTING at me then.... got all nervous

as if 9stepaway* i have crisps in my keyboard had bother with my caps for a few days