Coventry Zoo and The Zulu

hi luke my contacts inform me that the head, spear and toe was finally scrapped sorry after 2011 but whereabouts unknown and regarding the roundabout ride outside the market I remember this as a child with my parents eating ice cream and just watching it go around, now I started work at the market in 1976 and may have known uncle bob and auntie flo but not sure, but I was sorry and very upset to see the roundabout go from outside but now its inside but I was one of the team to do this but it will never be the same.

Possibly the clearest one yet of the 'old fella'.

A very rare shot!

I remember going to the zoo and being upset by the elephant. It was displayed in an enclosure made entirely of concrete with a chain attached to one of its legs. It stood there just rocking from side to side. Never have liked zoos since. So glad attitudes towards how we treat wild animals have changed over the years. Post copied from topic What happened on THIS day in Coventry's history? on 17th Jul 2017 3:54 pm

A recent Coventry Telegraph article discusses the Coventry zoo and the Zulu statue (from 15 October 2017).

It's a shame they didn't decide to pass what was left of the Zulu to The Herbert

Coventry Evening Telegraph, 24th October 1975. "The Zulu warrior of Coventry Zoo gets a facelift from Leslie Kiernan (16), of 36, Flecknoe Street, Willenhall, Coventry."

Shows you well how big he was!

Hi I work in what is now the racquets centre, previously the site of the zoo. It's hard for me to try and imagine there was ever a zoo there. I'm not from Coventry so don't have any family locally that I can ask about it. I'd love to know more about the layout if possible, a map of the site or some aerial photos. When I am walking about at work I often wonder what it might have been like. From the research I've done I've learnt it was pretty poor as a zoo, especially towards the late 70's. But I'd love to know more about peoples experiences, any stories or memories from visiting or peoples feelings towards the zoo at the time. If you have photos they would be great to see. Thanks for your help

Welcome to the site!

Oh wow! That's brilliant - thank you so much!

CoventryZooPark - this is the view from the flyover. One of my my lads is a member at David Lloyd - you can still see some of the hard-standing concrete areas around the side of Leaf Lane where some of the pens were. It's more noticeable in winter when the greenery has died back.

And the view looking the other way as the flyover was going up.

Ok, I'll look out for that by Leaf Lane! The photos are great, starting to get my bearings now. Never expected to get responses on this so quickly -thank you! Great forum

I well remember the zoo from the sixties. There was a low walled enclosure supposedly in the shape of Noah's Ark where there were rabbits, guinea pigs and tortoises, the floor was all concrete. There was also at least 2 bears at the zoo, one was black with white v-shaped marking on its chest, it often stood up on its hind legs. The hippo had huge yellow teeth, I'm pretty certain that one day it mauled a zoo keeper.