Best Meerkat enclosure in the North West

SimonTALM

SimonTALM

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I'm looking for the best (from a togging point of view) Meerkat enclosure in the north west.

I know that Chester Zoo, Knowsley Safari Park and South Lakes Zoos all have Meerkats but I don't know / can't remember what the Meerkat enclosure is like.

Can anyone help, it Simples ;)
 
Um, well, Chester has earth and holes and meerkats...and rhinos for neighbours...planning a wedding there?
 
You might want to comparethemeerkat.com for a list of different places :D
 
There's a report on the BBC website about people trying to buy meerkats as pets. At the end the reporter produces a Mr Potato Head and tells viewers that only one of them should be in your home. I'm sure he'll look back on that with pride :D
 
trisha said:
Um, well, Chester has earth and holes and meerkats...and rhinos for neighbours...planning a wedding there?
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Cheers for a sensible answer - pitty the others couldn't manage it :suspect: :D

I'm actually wanting photos of meerkats to compare (no really) :lol:

Seriously I'm wondering if anyone has been to all 3 locations (or another I've not listed) in the north west and can advise on the best enclosure from a photographic POV
 
Chester isn't bad, they don't seem to have many meerkats to be fair but there is one particularly high point where the sentry sits that can give you some pretty good photo ops.

Can't help with any of the other places though I'm afraid!
 
Paul Nellist said:
Best place i'v seen meerkats is Stapely Water Gardens, they have an indoor enclosure behind glass but they are so lively and unpredictable!!

http://www.stapeleywg.com/
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Thanks but I was hoping to avoid enclosures behind glass

kittylitter said:
Chester isn't bad, they don't seem to have many meerkats to be fair but there is one particularly high point where the sentry sits that can give you some pretty good photo ops.

Can't help with any of the other places though I'm afraid!
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I think it may be looking like Chester, Fingers crossed for good weather at the weekend - after all it Simples ;)

inaneredstripe said:
my other half went to twycross recently for a days play with the cameras.
she got some awesome shots of the meerkats.
she reckons the enclosure is brilliant for photography.
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Twycross, bit far for me this week unfortunately, however may give it a shot later in the year. Thanks for the tip :D
 
Yep, Chester has good access for glass-free photography, just not a very imaginative enclosure except for close-ups: I've got some pretty ok meerkat shots from there and i expect flickr etc are full of them.
 
....and they're just to the right of the main gate too.
 
Try Blackpool mate! You won't regret it! While you are there have a look at the Lemurs. You actually walk through the enclosures1

3263763162_31987ea6c2.jpg


Taken with a P & S. Going back end of May with my DSLR!
 
wontolla said:
Try Blackpool mate! You won't regret it! While you are there have a look at the Lemurs. You actually walk through the enclosures1

Taken with a P & S. Going back end of May with my DSLR!
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Thanks for the tip and Blackpool may be good for lemurs but from what I remember it's carp for Meerkats - both of them are inside behind very dirty glass in a very dark enclosure. I also dislike Blackpool for the size of the Elephant enclosure - it's tiny and cruel :(
 
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Sounds like Chester then...

I was at South Lakes last year and recall the lemurs (excellent toggin), but don't remember seeing any meerkats...

Erm... can I ask why meerkats particularly?
 
Chester has an excellent marmot encosure right next to the meerkats too.

Got this lettle fella there a few weeks back.
DSC_0091-1.jpg
 
SimonTALM said:
Twycross, bit far for me this week unfortunately, however may give it a shot later in the year. Thanks for the tip :D
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The Twycross enclosure is brilliant. Completely open, there's just a low wall around the edges and the whole thing is probably less that 3m accross.
You can almost touch them!
 
Jim.R said:
The Twycross enclosure is brilliant. Completely open, there's just a low wall around the edges and the whole thing is probably less that 3m accross.
You can almost touch them!
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This sounds similar to the Lakeland Wildlife Oasis on the A6 at Hale near Milnthorpe (right on the Cumbria Lancashire border). Here's one I took a couple of years ago. Haven't been lately so I don't know if anything has changed but here is the link to their website. http://www.wildlifeoasis.co.uk/


DSCF3881.JPG
 
stoneblower said:
This sounds similar to the Lakeland Wildlife Oasis on the A6 at Hale near Milnthorpe (right on the Cumbria Lancashire border). Here's one I took a couple of years ago. Haven't been lately so I don't know if anything has changed but here is the link to their website. http://www.wildlifeoasis.co.uk/
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Cheers, that looks quite good and quite a bit closer than Chester from my usual weekend haunt.
 
Knowsley was surprisingly good. There's no glass and you can get quite close.
(near the parking area, not the drive-through bit)

There are some cute otters nearby, also tog-friendly.

This pic taken with 70-200@200 (D3x), cropped to ~80%

Knowsley_meerkat.jpg
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if it's not meerkat specific sites you're looking for.
what about monkey forest near j15 on the M6? a nice walk through the park and free range monkeyness throughout.
 
DizMatt said:
if it's not meerkat specific sites you're looking for.
what about monkey forest near j15 on the M6? a nice walk through the park and free range monkeyness throughout.
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Cheers - I was specifically after Meerkats. I have been to the Monkey Forest and it's well worth the trip
 
I took this at Chester Zoo last Thursday if it helps. You do get quite close to the little fella's

3523309470_7eff8564c6.jpg
 
Nope (fortunately :D).
I was the chinese chap walking around with a 100-400mm white lens. Didn't take too many photos, as was with family most of the time, when they were not in the play areas.
 
Ar yes I remember you.. lol saw you once, and was intimidated by your massive lens :(
 
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