Marwell Zoo

Those that know me, know I'm not a zoo person.  On one hand I realise the work a zoo does, on the other I don't particularly like seeing animals in restricted areas.  I'd had a number of requests for a visit to a zoo so chose the one that is closest to my ideals.  Marwell Zoo didn't disappoint. 

It's one of the main zoos in Europe that run breeding projects to return endangered species to the wild.  So. my photo is of an animal behind a net.  Does it show that the monkey was having fun, swinging on the net to steal plants that grew on the far side?  How can you help but keep an animal enclosed, even though their offspring are destined to roam free? 

Not an easy question, I know, but, I can thoroughly recommend this zoo. The pens are vast, the vegetation shows care and consideration. The animals are in great condition and they can escape the visitors if they wish... many prefered to stay out of sight.  

Ok, the vegetation was so thick in places that photography was a no no. That means the animals had privacy.  I have some super shot of their Snow Leopards, which I'll add in the morning. They weren't easy to get. Who cares?  The animals had places in which they could hide. There is an area where there are a number of fish tanks... each contains a third of the world population of that species of snail.  Who cares about something as insignificant as a 10mm snail? 

The staff were superb and one woman went out of her way to tell us when animals had moved into view.  Yes, the group dispersed, lost each other and found ourselves again.  It was a fantastic day out and I, for one, won't hesitate to support the zoo's efforts.  

As for the Photographic Group... I believe we all got some superb shots and I look forward to seeing the images of things I didn't see.  Ten hours is a mighty short time when the subjects are well cared for and in plenty!