Call Sign May 2009 - Page 23 - Tom Whitbread at London Zoo

Tom Whitbread at London Zoo So that you can tell your passengers about it…!
On 2 April this year, I was happy to accept an invitation to the new Animal Adventure section of the London Zoo (ZSL) at Regents Park. This came about because I subscribe to the Zoological Society of London by purchasing a yearly ticket for one of my grandsons and myself. We do cause something of a problem when we both go there, as we have the same name and birthday. Both of us were born on 29 July, were both christened Thomas Whitbread - but some 55 years apart! Many people take the zoo for granted, but they do some marvellous work in preserving endangered species of animals, reptiles and fish. It continues this work through the support and generosity of likeminded people such as myself, donating to the upkeep and research completed by its employees. Older members reading this article will remember the old children’s area situated by the newly refurbished penguin pool and play area. Also there were a few goats, rabbits and sheep and even, I think, a donkey. Now they have activity areas and adapted areas where children can get close to the animals and watch them being fed whilst being told about the particular animal’s habits. You enter between two areas for the Red Panda and the Ring Tailed Coati before proceeding to an adventure area. This has climbing ropes and bamboos, also hill climbing ropes and a challenging cargo net to transverse before continuing on to see the Meerkats, Yellow Mongoose, Prairie Dogs, Porcupines and Aardvarks. To get closer to the Meerkats, children can crawl through a two-foot high pipe that goes up in a glass dome in the centre of the Meerkats enclosure so they can watch them running around. My grandson thought it would be great if I could also crawl through this pipe with the tiny children! I didn’t want to look silly so I did it. Along the way I also banged my head and ruined the knees of my trousers! But	*Tom Junior in the glass pipe with a Meerkat keeping an eye on him!* it made the watching kids happy and gave me a greater insight into what they could achieve in seeing the animals up close. Then it was onto the play area with its large tepee, oversize acorns, flowerpots and an imitation pond, which the children can walk through. But beware as they walk across the pond; hidden water spouts and fountains suddenly come to life, soaking any child to close to the outlets. Mind you, few of them looked upset – more delighted! Then on to see the Kune Kune Pigs, Llama and Alpaca; this is opposite to the area that is fenced off, but has entry gates so the children can play and stroke the sheep and goats. Then at the furthest end is a meeting room and bird pen with a Seriema "Snake Basher!" As it’s name tells you, this is a large bird that grips snakes in its beak before smashing them on a rock until dead! Into the meeting room at 1.15pm where the children can go and be instructed on workings of the zookeepers, they are also given a zoo shirt or jacket to wear. Once fully attired, they are instructed on how to prepare the food for the Kune Kune pigs so that they have to work to gain access to their food. The children are then taken to help feed the small pigs before going into the sheep and goat enclosure to help clean up. There are also keepers walking around with birds of prey on gloved hands explaining to the young children what they are and how they live in the wild. While the children are enjoying themselves, there is a brand new	shop and cafeteria for adults to relax in with a cup of coffee whilst being able to keep an eye on their offspring. When the children are exhausted, you can take a leisurely short walk to the new Blackburn Pavilion, which has the most amazing animated clock at its entrance. Inside you have an information area on the birds, with some very large cages housing toucans and other large birds. You can then go through the fine chain link curtain that stops birds flying out of a freedom area. In this area, there are around 40 different types of birds flying about in an area of ponds, bushes, trees and a waterfall. You can then walk along a wooden walkway and have birds flying freely around you or possibly just walking around in front of you. You also have a new Gorilla Kingdom, Butterfly Paradise, Gibbons enclosure and a Bugs theatre with activity den. My grandson especially liked the Clore Rainforest Lookout, a building where you can get close to animals from the tropical rainforests of South America. If you decide to get a yearly ticket for the Zoological Society of London, your fee will include as many visits as you like during the year to either London or Whipsnade Zoo. You will also get invites to special openings of new projects, this way you do not get crushed by crowds or the more unruly children. It will also allow you to tell passengers who enquire about new items at either zoo that you were one of the first to be invited to oversee the opening of it, so you can tell them about it! This type of knowledge nearly always puts you in line for a larger gratuity from a very grateful passenger. May your working life become profitable again within this year... Tom Whitbread DaC Board Member

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