Letters: National Parrot Zoo
Dear Parrots magazine,
National Parrot Zoo
I have not visited the National Parrot Zoo, much as I should like to do so, so I cannot comment on all of the points raised by D Woodbury and Greg Glendell in their letters in the May issue. I am surprised, however, that the lack of heated accommodation is criticised, as I should not have thought it common practice to provide heat for the majority of parrot species, especially not medium to large birds. I have visited many zoos and bird gardens where there is clearly no heated accommodation for psittacines and I cannot imagine many private aviculturalists would provide it for their aviary birds - I certainly should not consider doing so for any but the smallest and most delicate species. Deaths are always unfortunate but no animal is immortal and disasters can happen. My local zoo at Sewerby Hall, Bridlington has had a very unlucky few months with snow causing the roof of the aviary for foreign finches to collapse resulting in the escape of most of the birds, and repeated incursions by predators. A Stoat killed several birds including some psittacines and a Fox killed many more specimens, mostly waterfowl and pheasants, over a period of several weeks until it was finally thwarted by an electric fence.