http://www.rpoints.com/?ruid=5 2421 earn £5 when you sign up xx Donna xx
http://www.rpoints.com/?ruid=5 2421 earn £5 when you sign up xx Donna xx
Member since:06.08.2004
Reviews:36
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Over the years I have been to Paignton Zoo lots of times so I thought I would write a review and recommend it to everyone so here is my day at the zoo and what I thought of it.
Having been here before I knew to wear a comfortable pair of shoes not a time for high heels girl’s comfortable shoes as the day involves some walking (lets just say there is 75 acres). I would recommend that you don’t set yourself an hour or two to get round the zoo this is basically an all day trip as there is so much to see and do.
Well we got to the zoo at about 10am the zoo has just opened and already it was busy, first stop is to buy the guide book costing £2.50 which does seem a little bit pricey however it contains a map, a break down of the areas, what you can do to help the zoo and other things its overall 44 pages of good reading.
As you enter the zoo there are so many routes to chose from as the zoo is set into 6 different area regions you have the Savannah, Desert, Wetland, Primley, Forest and Tropical Forest. We chose to got to the Savannah first as the main board says the elephants are fed around 10.30 and you get to meet the keepers who actually look after them so if your with young children they get to ask lots of questions and your not expected to find the answers. In the savannah region you will get to see the elephants, giraffes, zebras, rhinoceros, ostriches etc.
The next region we chose was the Tropical Forest section in this section you get to walk through two massive greenhouses and be aware there are some big snakes and if you’re a sissy like me I don’t recommend this section as there are some MASSIVE snakes. There are some cool little frogs which are highly poisonous but they come in some really funky colours. I was really
impressed with the tropicalforest section as they actually have a heat and rainfall system in their don’t worry you don’t have to bring a brolly it’s quite nice actually.
Of we went then to the Desert section this is in one big green house and also outside for the larger animals like the camels, I got to see some very big tortoises they were huge and some of them were over 60 years old it was amazing to think they have been round that long. There was a big disappointment to this section when we past to the camel section they were in their stable room and they didn’t come out at all so I didn’t get to see them.
Next up a trip on the jungle railway which goes around the wetlands so you get to see all the ducks, swans, pelican and other wet land birds. To use the jungle train costs £1 adults 50p children. You don’t have to use the jungle railway to see this section but it makes it fun and if your feet hurt it’s a good excuse. There is actually feed available for 20p to feed the birds, this is good fun especially if you have children however may want to carry a wet wipe as your hands do tend to smell after.
Next to the Primley section we actually made good timing to this section because as soon as we go to the monkey area it was feed time which is around 3pm this is a good time because it means all the monkeys come out and you get to have a good look at them. Again like at the elephant feeding time you get to talk to the keepers and ask them any questions that you want.
Lastly to the forest section this was for me the best out of all of the others. In this section we got to see all the big gorillas and orang-utans and also the big cats. In this section there were two very lively new additions an endangered species have actually managed to be bred at the zoo and early this year the Asiatic Lions gave birth two new cubs and it was so wonderfully actually getting so close to them. There is a huge thick piece of glass must be about a ten inches thick and the lions are on the other side of the glass and it looks like you could just stroke them and it really an amazing site. The tigers were also excellent to watch as well they were a bit more awake than the lions and were actually running around and eating.
On the trip around there are lots of things to do and lots of areas to stop and have a break. There are a few picnic areas which means that you can take a pack lunch and there are lots of play areas so that the adults can have a five minute rest whilst the kids play in there. Along all the exhibits there are DO YOU KNOW information posts about the animals telling you all about them.The main restaurant is called the Island Restaurant the food there is superb and not a bad price really for three adults and three children for a nice dinner cost us about £27. However during the trip round there are a lot of little shops that sell drinks and snacks and some of the things were a bit over priced.
Coming to the end of trip so we popped into the gift shop so many things to choose from well there is everything china, cuddly toys, stationary, wooden ornaments, everything to much to list. Well I bought a fat penguin china money box which is so cute and only cost £3.99; I also bought a cuddly duck stuffed toy which cost me £4, a couple of fridge magnets and a couple of pencils and pens which came to around £3 for the lot. There are some items in the shop which are very expensive however the cheaper items are NOT tat.
OPEN TIMES
Paignton Zoo is open all every day of the year except Christmas Day. The zoo opens at 10am every day but doors close at varying times according to the season and light.
In the winter they are open from 10 am to 5.00pm and the last admission is 3pm. In the summer they are open from 10 am to 6 pm and the last admission at 5pm.
PRICES
The zoo offers many different prices packages so to help I have included them all.
BASIC ENTRY PRICES:-
• Adult = £8.50 • Child (Age 3-15) = £6.20 • Senior Citizen or Student = £7.00 • Family (2 Adults and 2 Children) = £26.70
Pusher/attendant/nurse - Admitted free of charge Accompanying visitors - Normal admittance fees Accompanying guide dogs admitted with blind visitors
Disabled Groups - All disabled persons admitted at group rate with nurses/attendants admitted free of charge.
EDUCATION ENTRY PRICE:-
• Children Under 3 Zoo Entry is free. All accompanying adults £5.80
• Under 16 Zoo entry educational rate £4.40 Zoo entry including a teaching session £4.95
• Over 16 Zoo entry educational rate £4.70 Zoo entry including a teaching session and material £6.60
When booking groups of children with the Education Centre you will be entitled to free places for SOME adults.
The numbers of free adult’s places are as follows:
• 1 Free adult for every 2 paying children 3-5 yrs • 1 Free adult for every 6 paying children 5-7 yrs • 1 Free adult for every 15 paying children 8 yrs & over
All additional accompanying adults: £ 5.80
Here are my favourite animals that i saw at the zoo:-
African Elephant Aldabra Giant Tortoise Asian Elephant Asiatic Lion Cheetah Common Eider Madagascar Teal Mandarin Duck Meerkats Orang Utan Ostrich Red Panda Rhinoceros Hornbill Rothschild Giraffe Sumatran Tiger Western Lowland Gorilla Wood Duck
Well I loved everything about this zoo but during my trip I was looking through all the information in my guide book and I was so surprised to find out how much it costs to feed and clean all the animals and that every penny donated goes to the zoo because they need it. So I thought I would play a part and I asked at reception what I could do and they are a choice of things:-
• You can become a member of PAWS. • You can adopt any animal or plant and make a real contribution to the animal or plant and help with wildlife conservation. • You can become a volunteer and be involved in all sorts of work. • Businesses can support the Zoo too by joining the Conservation Club. • Legacies are a way to support the work that the Trust does in preserving the Devon countryside and global wildlife. • A donations
I decided that I would adopt an animal and my favourite animal are ducks so I adopted a long tailed duck and I was so surprised by what I received by making my adoption. I got a certificate, an engraved plaque by my ducks home, a subscription to Paignton Zoo News, an A4 sized photograph of my long tailed duck and one free visit to the zoo to see her. Well the long tailed duck I adopted who’s name is “Miracle” has been my adoptive animal now for two years and I think that £30 a year is nothing to pay to help preserve a wonderful zoo and they have so many endangered animals and rare breeds I will keep up my adoption membership to help them.
Well I hope you have enjoyed this review about my trip to Paignton Zoo and I would recommend everyone goes there.
Pictures of Paignton Zoo
Lion Cub
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