h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Yorkshire Wildlife Park, South Yorkshire, UK - A87860046
Author: Bluebottle - U43530

An article about a zoo. As the Meerkats would say, 'Simples'.

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This is interesting.

"It was officially opened by Justin 'Mr Tumble' Fletcher" - better to put "in 2009" after "opened".

Does "ha ha" need a footnote? I think this has to be the first time I've seen it written down, although I have encountered several 'in the field'.

"Three of the animals found at the zoo are considered to be critically endangered." - I see later that this means three animal types that are critically endangered, rather than just 3 animals. I counted 4 species mentioned in here, too...

Just out of interest, what kind of prices can people expect to pay to get in? Is it about £20 each?

" glass walls provided for younger viewers" - what does this mean? Is it that tall people can see over a wall, but there are glass walls if you can't see over the wall?

Is Warning Tongue Lane on maps? (What a fantastic odd lane name!) Many is the time that my family have wanted to follow brown signs to an attraction only to discover that the details are inadequate...

Thanks for your comments – footnote on ha-has added, to aid those who don't have English as their first language.

I've tweaked the 'three of the animals are considered to be critically endangered' bit. The three animal species critically endangered are:
Addax
Amur Leopard
Black-and-White Ruffed Lemur

The zoo contains domesticated Bactrian camels. While Wild Bactrian camels are critically endangered, I don't know enough about camels to say how different the domesticated variety is, but apparently the wild Bactrian camel is different to the domesticated Bactrian camel found in the park. Presumably mankind has utilised selective breeding techniques over the centuries to make subtle differences.

I can't remember what the price of admission is, which is seasonal, but it was a bit high. It was the height of the summer holidays when we went. I do remember that they didn't do family tickets, student discounts and Blue Peter badge winners do not get in free. That said, their guide books were only 50p each – less than they were charging for postcards – which was really good value.

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Hi BB.
Sorry this has languished so long with no more comment. I found this on the website if it helps: http://www.yorkshirewildlifepark.com/#!opening-times--pricing/c1hrm
so if my son were to go along with his wife and 2 sons aged 7 and almost-5, it'd cost them £58 during the main season. After half-term it's a little less (but still eye-watering) £54.

I think the Entry is ready to go except for:

>>In February 2014 the Copenhagen zookeepers shot Marius and dissected him in front of watching children not expecting to see a giraffe cut up into little pieces and then fed to lions.<<

The external link to BBC news requires a title tag please -

the Copenhagen zookeepers shot Marius

and if this were my Entry my language regarding such an act (in front of children and unsuspecting adults) would have been a lot stronger. (I will quite probably tweak it so if I end up subbing this). I was particularly annoyed as I have two young grandsons who are animal lovers and really love days out involving visiting them in whatever place they reside. (They live in South Yorkshire so I am sure they have been here). If they'd been in Copenhagen Zoo that day they'd have been traumatised.

GB

Thanks for reading through, GB

Zoos, alas, are expensive and always will cost about the same as theme parks, but then they have to make enough money to be able to feed and heat the animals in winter when there are very few visitors, as well as engage in breeding programmes etc, so I don't begrudge the charge too much. Still cheaper than taking the family to a theme park or to see a pantomime. (Have you seen panto prices lately?)

I put an ALT tag when I meant to put in a TITLE tag, so I changed that.

I hope no-one thinks that I approve in any way of Copenhagan Zoo's actions regarding their giraffe, and I could write an awful lot more about it than I did. However this article is about Yorkshire Wildlife Park, which let me stress has never slaughtered giraffes, and I did not want to write too much about a different zoo or inadvertently give the impression that it was Yorkshire Wildlife Park that had done this.

I was very shocked at the time that I heard that this had happened, and would be very interested to know how you would teak it if you did sub it.

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No problem BB.

I would, of course, discuss any changes with you when I have my sub-ed hat on.

What I meant was my language would be stronger by embellishing what you have already written, as I knew it was the Copenhagen Zoo which had done this - I found just hearing about it distressing, never mind the poor unsuspecting witnesses who were actually there.

I can see you have changed the original
"In February 2014 the Copenhagen zookeepers shot Marius and dissected him in front of watching children not expecting to see a giraffe cut up into little pieces and then fed to lions."
to
"In February 2014 the Copenhagen zookeepers shot Marius and dissected him in front of watching children not expecting to see a giraffe slaughtered, butchered and then fed to lions."

which is just about what I would have said.



GB

This is looking good

Just a few bits I spotted on second readthrough:

"This contains a 10-metre tall climbing frame (though fortunately not too close to the 8-metre tall viewing tower, which has no netting or glass separating visitors from the enclosure." - the bracket needs closing.

I don't think the phrase "not particularly inbred" helps, as it wasn't the reason for the horrible event in Copenhagen, so perhaps a few more words about Marius being too genetically similar to the others in the zoo would be better, although the link you have added is excellent. It might be nature, but not everyone wants to see it even on TV, never mind right in front of them...

I remember the bear pit in Chester Zoo and it is very impressive to see how conservation has moved on since those days

The Painted Dogs are described as the second most endangered carnivore, but there are the Amur Leopards and the Amur Tigers that you have already mentioned...

Thanks for your comments there, I've tweaked the viewing tower, giraffe and painted dog bits so that should be clearer.

I've not been to Chester Zoo but it is supposed to be one of the best zoos in the UK. I'd really love to be able to go back in time and visit the zoo they purpose-built for the filming of John Cleese's 'Fierce Creatures' – an underestimated film…

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Congratulations!

Yes, Chester Zoo has expanded recently, too, so it is very impressive - I look forward to visiting the new areas somewhen soon.

I'm not sure whether I've seen Fierce Creatures, but possibly not as I was a bit ambivalent about A Fish Called Wanda...

I'd quite like to visit, though not sure how easy it is to get to Chester Zoo from Leeds. Maybe one day…

Personally, and rather controversially, I prefer 'Fierce Creatures' to 'A Fish Called Wanda'. What I also find intriguing is that the film's original ending was completely scrapped and a new one filmed, so I'd love to see a DVD extra of the original ending.

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