Living Coasts | |
---|---|
50°27′29″N3°31′30″W / 50.458°N 3.525°W | |
Date opened | 14 July 2003 |
Date closed | 16 June 2020 |
Location | Torquay, Devon, England |
No. of animals | Over 600 |
No. of species | Over 50 |
Annual visitors | 100,000+ |
Memberships | BIAZA, [1] EAZA, [2] WAZA [3] |
Major exhibits | Auk Cliff, Penguin Beach, Underwater Tunnel, Mangroves: The Roots of the Sea, Local Coasts, Discover Zone |
Owner | Wild Planet Trust |
Website | www.livingcoasts.org.uk |
Living Coasts was a coastal zoo at the site of Torquay Marine Spa in Devon, England. It was owned by South West Environmental Parks as part of the Wild Planet Trust, formerly known as Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust, which also operates Newquay Zoo and Paignton Zoo. It was a registered charity, based around seabirds and other coastal wildlife. The site had a covered giant aviary which included several animal enclosures and habitats including an artificial tidal estuary, a penguin beach, a tropical mangrove swamp, and underwater viewing areas.
Living Coasts was also home to the oldest African Penguin in the UK, named Pat, before he was euthanized in 2015 at the age of 37. [4]
Living Coasts was Britain's first and only coastal zoo. [5] It was a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA), the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA).
On 16 June 2020, Living Coasts announced it would not be reopening following its closure during the COVID-19 pandemic. [6]
Some of the species they had during the almost twenty years before closure were common cuttlefish, common octopus, lesser octopus, tropical white spotted octopus, wonderpus, african penguins, gentoo penguins, macaroni penguins, south american fur seals, asian short clawed otter, atlantic mudskipper, tufted puffin, inca tern, common tern, australian big bellied seahorse, short snouted seahorse, black necked stilt, red billed choughs, spiny starfish, Red-Legged kittiwake, black legged Kittiwake, Indian bluespotted Ribbontai ray, whiptail ray, upside down jellyfish, common redshank, white spotted pufferfish, figure of eight pufferfish, pied avocet, pigeon guillemots, common guillemots, edible crab, broad clawed porcelain crab, common hermit crab, european spider crab, land hermit crab, ruffs, red lionfish, common lobster, banded archerfish, Scatophagus argus, striped mullet, thick lipped grey mullet, Barrow's goldeneye, bank cormorant, common murre, snake lock anemone, strawberry anemone, rhino beetle, sun beetle, tompot blenny, Chough, orange chromide, shore clingfish, death head cockroach, four eyed fish, leopard gecko, goby, stick insect, silver moony, oyster catcher, greater pipefish, broadnose pipefish, common sea urchin, green sea urchin, blue baboon spider, corkwing wrasse, longtailed duck, bristletail filefish, bearded reedling, wolffish, horseshoe crab, blacktailed godwit, black rat, black scoter, and common scoter.
Living Coasts opened to the public on 14 July 2003, [7] built on the site of the former Torquay Marine Spa. As of 2011 was being visited by over 100,000 visitors a year. [8] It officially closed in June 2020, following significant loss of income caused by the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. [9] [10]
The aviary was 19 metres (62 ft) at its highest point and had a total volume of 1.8 million cubic feet (51,000 m3). This free flying enclosure was home to mammals and birds including South American fur seals, African penguins, macaroni penguins, sea ducks, pied avocet, redshanks, black-necked stilts, ruffs, and terns.
The aviary was the first open-air auk exhibit in the world, and won a design award. [11] It was also the first place in the U.K to breed pigeon guillemots, common guillemots and tufted puffins. Also found in the auk enclosure were red legged kittiwakes and red billed choughs.
Aquarium tanks inside the aviary had a total capacity of 1,214 cubic metres (321,000 US gal).
Special shows, extended talks and hands-on events were available throughout the site each day. [13] Other programs let visitors be keeper or junior keeper for the day, take part in one of the penguin feeds, [14] or (for certified SCUBA divers) take a 45-minute swim with the penguins. [15]
Living Coasts had a cafe that overlooked Torbay and the Tradewinds gift shop, themed on a colonial harbour. Both facilities were open to visitors and non-visitors.
On 23 March 2020, Living Coasts, along with other visitor attractions nationwide, temporarily closed during the COVID-19 pandemic and consequent lockdown. [16] On 11 June, the House of Commons debated the reopening of zoos amid mounting concerns that many could face permanent closure without visitor revenue. On 15 June, the Government announced zoos could re-open to the public with strict social distancing rules in place, however Living Coasts remained closed. On 16 June, Wild Planet Trust announced the permanent closure of Living Coasts due to its costbase, need to make efficiencies and inability to afford required substantial maintenance. Homes were sought for the zoo's animals. [17] Despite euthanasia fears, on 19 June 2020 it was then announced that homes had been found for all animals. [18]
London Zoo, previously known as ZSL London Zoo or London Zoological Gardens and sometimes called Regent's Park Zoo, is the world's oldest scientific zoo. It was opened in London on 27 April 1828, and was originally intended to be used as a collection for scientific study. In 1831 or 1832, the animals of the Tower of London menagerie were transferred to the zoo's collection. It was opened to the public in 1847. As of December 2022, it houses a collection of 14,926 individuals, making it one of the largest collections in the United Kingdom.
West Midland Safari and Leisure Park is a safari park located in Bewdley in Worcestershire, England. It was opened under the name of West Midland Safari Park in Spring 1973.
The Berlin Zoological Garden is the oldest surviving and best-known zoo in Germany. Opened in 1844, it covers 35 hectares and is located in Berlin's Tiergarten. With about 1,380 different species and over 20,200 animals, the zoo presents one of the most comprehensive collections of species in the world.
Colchester Zoo is a zoological garden situated near Colchester, England. The zoo opened in 1963 and celebrated its 60th anniversary on 2 June 2023. It is home to many rare and endangered species, including big cats, primates and birds as well as many invertebrates and fish species.
The National Marine Aquarium, which opened in May 1998, is situated in Plymouth in south-west England. It is the largest aquarium in the UK, home to over 5,000 animals.
Edinburgh Zoo, formerly the Scottish National Zoological Park, is an 82-acre (33 ha) non-profit zoological park in the Corstorphine area of Edinburgh, Scotland.
The Sea Life London Aquarium is located on the ground floor of County Hall on the South Bank of the River Thames in central London, near the London Eye. It opened in March 1997 as the London Aquarium and hosts about one million visitors each year.
Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park, formerly Birmingham Nature Centre, and before that Birmingham Zoo, is a small zoo on the edge of Cannon Hill Park in Birmingham, England. It is owned and managed by Birmingham City Council.
Leipzig Zoological Garden, or Leipzig Zoo is a zoo in Leipzig`s district Mitte, Germany. It was first opened on June 9, 1878. It was taken over by the city of Leipzig in 1920 after World War I and now covers about 27 hectares and contains approximately 850 species. By 2020 the zoo featured six different theme worlds, aiming at providing habitats appropriate for the species on display.
Belfast Zoological Gardens is a zoo in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is in a relatively secluded location on the northeastern slope of Cavehill, overlooking Belfast's Antrim Road. Opened in 1934, it is the second-oldest zoo in Ireland, after Dublin Zoo, which opened in 1831.
The Highland Wildlife Park is a 105-hectare (260-acre) safari park and zoo near Kingussie, Highland, Scotland. The park is located within the Cairngorms National Park. The park is run by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland and is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA).
Paignton Zoo is a zoo in Paignton, Devon, England. The zoo was started as a private collection by avid animal collector and breeder, Herbert Whitley, in the grounds of his home Primley House. It was opened to the public on a number of occasions, originally as Primley Zoological Gardens, and closed twice due to disputes with the tax authorities. The commercialisation of the zoo came when animals and attractions were relocated from Chessington Zoo during World War II, and the site was named as Devon's Zoo and Circus
Exmoor Zoo is a conservation centre in Exmoor, North Devon, England. The zoo developed from Exmoor Bird Gardens, opened on the site of a farm in 1982. The current owners took over in 1993, and have enlarged and developed the zoo, now specialising in the conservation of smaller animals. The zoo has been a member of BIAZA, the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums, since 1995 and recently became a member of EAZA in 2018.
Newquay Zoo is a zoological garden located within Trenance Leisure Park in Newquay, England. The zoo was opened in Cornwall on Whit Monday, 26 May 1969 by the local council. It was privately owned by Mike Thomas and Roger Martin from 1993 until 2003. In August 2003 Stewart Muir became the new Director and the zoo became part of the Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust, alongside Paignton Zoo and Living Coasts. The zoo is part of a registered charity, and was awarded various South West and Cornwall 'Visitor Attraction of The Year' and 'Sustainable Tourism' awards for excellence in 2006, 2007 and 2008. Newquay Zoo is now run as part of the Wild Planet Trust, the new name for the Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust.
The Madrid Zoo Aquarium is a 20-hectare (49-acre) zoo and aquarium located in the Casa de Campo in Madrid, Spain. The zoo is owned by the city, but is managed by the international entertainment operator Parques Reunidos. Opened in 1770, it is one of the largest zoos in Spain and one of the few zoos in the world that houses giant pandas.
Africa Alive! Zoological Reserve, formerly known as Africa Alive! and Suffolk Wildlife Park, is a zoo located in Kessingland, Suffolk, UK. It is situated off the A12 at Kessingland 2 miles (3 km) south of Lowestoft.
Banham Zoological Gardens is a 50-acre (20 ha) zoo in Banham, Norfolk, England. The zoo itself, which today is home to more than 2,000 animals, opened to the public in 1968, became a charity in 2013, and has since been often awarded the prize of Norfolk's Top Attraction, by numerous different organisations, with an annual visitor attendance of in excess of 200,000 people. It is part of the Zoological Society of East Anglia, a registered charity which also owns Africa Alive Zoological Reserve near Lowestoft, Suffolk.
Wild Planet Trust, formerly known as the Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust (WWCT), is a registered charity, set up to run Paignton Zoo after the death of its founder, Herbert Whitley, who established the zoo on his estate at Primley, Paignton in Devon in the 1920s.
Barcelona Zoo is a zoo in the Parc de la Ciutadella in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The zoo used to be internationally known as the home of Snowflake, the only known albino gorilla, who died in 2003.