BBC article

[Feltwell]

This is worth a quick look:-

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/8293467.stm

Dudley Zoo is a hard one. Frankly it's a run down and depressing place to visit, not helped in my case by my own internal argument over ethics of keeping animals in zoo's vs the conservation of endangered species vs my own desire to let my kids see and learn about different species of animals!

I do feel sorry for the zoo though - they are stuck with various animal enclosures which are not up to modern standards of animal welfare and so cannot be used, but also (if they are correct) cannot be developed to come up to the required standard due to their listed status.

At this rate Dudley will end up with a listed, but closed, derelict and decaying, zoo.

 

[yamin]

I too struggle with the whole zoo and ethics dilemma. In the case of Dudley though, I would say that there are several better planned and more humane (if a zoo can ever really be that) zoos around the country that can surely cover the 'chance to see a live exotic animal' angle. This simply (!) leaves the difficult question of what to do with the old zoo buildings at dudley. If my memory serves me well, they are on the top of a fairly impressive inner city hill, maybe their location could aid in any attempts to attract other uses for the buildings..........they must virtually back on to the Black COuntry museum - maybe they could do something with them.....

 

[TimM]

More on Dudley Zoo...

http://www.c20society.org.uk/docs/building/dudley.html

 

[Feltwell]

I too struggle with the whole zoo and ethics dilemma. In the case of Dudley though, I would say that there are several better planned and more humane (if a zoo can ever really be that) zoos around the country that can surely cover the 'chance to see a live exotic animal' angle. This simply (!) leaves the difficult question of what to do with the old zoo buildings at dudley. If my memory serves me well, they are on the top of a fairly impressive inner city hill, maybe their location could aid in any attempts to attract other uses for the buildings..........they must virtually back on to the Black COuntry museum - maybe they could do something with them.....

I'm with you on the "several better planned" argument. Dudlay Zoo is indeed on a hill, a very steep one at that, but don't forget this is Dudley, not Birmingham - it's not prime land by any means. There's plenty of much flatter land wanting redevelopment in that area!

I don't argue the zoo building's architectural merit - but what can you do with a redundant polar bear pit?? The age old problem of what to do with a structure once it's original use is no more.

 

[JoceAndChris]

What a great shame for the site to run to dereliction, when now there's more interest in our environment than ever before.

"they are now talking about an expanded zoological and environmental theme park."

Let's hope so, there are lots and lots of rare breeds of domestic animals that don't mind captivity too much as long as their needs are catered for. I'd put my vote in for lemon millefleur sablepoots, silver spangled Appenzellers, Sicilian Buttercups, and gold laced Polish for starters. That would take up a good deal of it. Then I'd have rare pigs, alpacas and cows.

Read The Life of Pi? Fantastic pro-captivity arguments in the early chapters. If it's a really well planned zoo with loads of room I don't have a problem with it. Those lions at Longleat looked pretty happy to me, strange to see them amongst the dandelions of an English meadow though.

 

[Pford75]

I don't argue the zoo building's architectural merit - but what can you do with a redundant polar bear pit??

And from the Independant...

Why are we asking this now?

Prison governors in England and Wales yesterday called for an end to all sentences of less than one year in a radical proposal to ease overcrowding. Paul Tidball, the Prison Governors' Association president, warned ministers that cuts and overcrowding could lead to "widespread disorder" within the prisons system. He said: "Prison, the most expensive disposal option for the courts, should be reserved for those of highest risk to communities and citizens."

I see an opportunity here

 

[Feltwell]

I see an opportunity here

:lol:

"Hanging's too good for them. Throw them in the pit"

"Bu@@er, forgot to put the polar bears in first"

 

[Feltwell]

Let's hope so

I suspect that your approval of Dudley Zoo would decline if you visited. Interestingly, and somewhat controversially, there was a board up near where the birds are kept urging people not to keep cats as pets, and detailing how badly the UK wild bird population was affected by the domestic moggie. It was actually a very well put argument, and quite brave of the zoo I thought to let the keeper concerned put this up.

 

[JoceAndChris]

Interestingly, and somewhat controversially, there was a board up near where the birds are kept urging people not to keep cats as pets, and detailing how badly the UK wild bird population was affected by the domestic moggie. It was actually a very well put argument, and quite brave of the zoo I thought to let the keeper concerned put this up.

Oooh you tease. :twisted: You knew that would wind me up! Just you let me at that keeper and I'll give him what for!!! I've got ten thousand arguments up my sleeve for why the wild bird population has changed and it has very little to do with cats and everything to do with loss of habitat, and increase of raptors. I've a good mind to write to him and set him straight. Cats actually improve the intelligence of the bird population by picking off the weakest, so what you get now is a lot of very feisty birds wise to them. And cats can be trained not to. Since I pulled a baby blackbird out my cat's mouth and gave him a strict talking to he has never ever done it again.

I see an opportunity here

:lol: Me too.

 

[Feltwell]

Oooh you tease. :twisted: You knew that would wind me up!

Moi?? :lol: Where's a "looking coy" smilie when you need one eh?

I have a theory that madness is directly proportional to number of cats owned. Think about it - whenever you see the type of programme on television where "it took the council 8 weeks and 15 skips to empty the house" the owner generally has at least 10 cats.

I'm getting worried - a lady that I've just employed told me today she has 8 cats. No signs of overt madness so far, but I'm keeping a careful eye on her....... :wink:

 

[skier-hughes]

And cats can be trained not to. Since I pulled a baby blackbird out my cat's mouth and gave him a strict talking to he has never ever done it again.

Nope, she just ensures she stays away from you once the datardly deed is done...........................

 

[JoceAndChris]

@ Feltwell: :lol: Well Mr Coy, she sounds like a very sensible person indeed. You should promote her straight away.

Though I've only got one, I swore fidelity a long time ago and he's held me to it on pain of death.

Skier Hughes, on this occasion you are wrong!! xx

 

[MdB]

A link for Joce.
A link not for Joce.

 

[JoceAndChris]

:lol:

How marvellous both links are. I want to meet the cat who brought home the partridges. He sounds like my kind of boy.

 

[skier-hughes]

Skier Hughes, on this occasion you are wrong!! xx

ME WRONG, never, well not since Sunday night anyway.




Jo went to london Sunday night

 

[TimM]

I don't know about cats. You can just preserve old bear pits for the sake of it. There's one in Sheffield botanical gardens, (sadly?) sans bear. Finding new uses for the buildings might be easier if they weren't actually in the zoo... Dudley isn't the only place (London Zoo has an even richer range of modernist heritage) but thanks to its low profile (it is after all, not Birmingham) this is far more at risk.