- Blackpool Zoo
Just two miles from the famous
Blackpool sea-front inLancashire ,England , Blackpool Zoo provides a home to over 1,500animal s from all over the world. The Zoo aims to provide its visitors with a stimulating, informative and enjoyable experience that demonstrates its role in the conservation ofendangered species . Since the purchase of the Zoo in 2003 by a private company, £10m has been invested in updating facilities on the site including the animal enclosures and plans are in place for 2007 for further investment in the Zoo.In recent years the Zoo has been the subject of demonstrations by local animal rights campaigners, who allege that the conditions in which some of the animals are kept do not reflect their natural
habitat and therefore are not conducive to the animals' welfare. These groups stage peaceful pickets and distribute leaflets, usually on bank-holiday weekends. The Zoo prepares for these events by producing targeted, anti-protestor literature that is distributed upon their arrival.2005 saw the opening of the '
Dinosaur Safari ', a walkthrough exhibition featuringplastic models of 32 life-size dinosaurs around a trail. The exhibition has had a lukewarm reception as the models of the dinosaurs are deemed by many to be unrealistic and the extra cost of the trail catches many guests unaware. The Dinosaur Safari was however made free or included within the normal price entrance to the zoo, in mid 2007. Giraffes are back in 2008, the last time they were at the zoo was 1993. A new house is being built on the south side of the zoo.Animals
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Mammal s":Asian Elephant ,Tapir ,Capybara ,African Lion ,Amur Tiger , Bongo,Muntjac Deer ,Red Panda ,Zebra ,Reindeer ,Californian Sea Lion ,Otter ,Sitatunga ,Bactrian Camel ,Kangaroo ,Wallaby ,Wallaroo ,Meercat ,Arabian Gazelle , MarkhorGoat ,Vicuna ,Llama ,Potoroo ,Rabbit ,Guinea Pig , MiniatureDonkey ,Zebu , PygmyGoat andPouched Rat .
*"Primate s": WesternLowland Gorilla ,De Brazza , KingColobus , Black FacedSpider Monkey ,Ring-tailed Lemur , Red-ruffed Lemur ,Black Lemur , Red-frontedLemur ,White-faced Saki , RedTiti Monkey , BorneanOrang-utan , PileatedGibbon ,Goeldi's Marmoset ,Squirrel Monkey ,Marmoset ,Cottontop Tamarin andEmperor Tamarin .
*"Bird s":Peacock &Peahen ,Hornbill ,Guinea Fowl ,Emu , Rhea, Eastern WhitePelican ,Spoonbill ,White Stork ,Bantam , SebastopalGoose ,Black Swan , Cranes, Slender BillCockatoo , RoseateCockatoo ,Macaws , African GreyParrot , Blue ThroatedConure , TocoToucan ,Great Grey Owl ,Ostrich andLovebird
*"Reptile s,Insect s andFish ": Mexican Red KneedTarantula ,Jungle Nymph ,Rhinoceros Iguana ,Giant Tortoise ,Leopard Tortoise , Nile Monitor Lizard,Gecko ,Skink , Green Anaconda, Burmese Rock Python, Common Boa, Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake,Leopard Gecko , YacareCaiman ,Assassin bug , Red-belliedPiranha , Yellow BelliedToad , Blue Poison DartFrog , WhiteTree Frog , GiantCockroach ,Africa n LandSnail ,India nStick Insect . In 2006, "Amazonia" opened: a walk-through enclosure ofSouth America nanimal s andbird s including 5 species ofmonkey s.External links
* [http://www.blackpoolzoo.org.uk Blackpool Zoo Official Site]
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