Port Lympne Wild Animal Park Port Lympne Wild Animal Park news 2021

The bull thats missing is Malewa born in 2018

Kingo is dead i believe

Sammi may still be at Howletts

Thank you so much. Well, I've missed the birth of Azizi in 2018, too. And Kingo passed away in 2017. And I've mixed up the swap of Sammy und Kasungu in 2018. Oh dear, updating lists of rhinos can be pretty confusing ...

So the male black rhinos are now:
Kasungu
Zuri
Malewa
Azizi
 
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I am afraid "changing" is diplomacy for "going down hill".

What bugs me is the rationale / philosophy disband-rewild which is not a vision, but a policy goal. It should be part and parcel for the zoos to operate ex situ captive breeding, participate in global programs in and ex situ and where possible provide stock for rewilding and support ecosystem, species and habitat conservation in situ.

BTW: Under the old management, I was a firm supporter of the parks and found their siting and holding large breeding groups a hall mark for future of larger zoos, now I am no longer so sure. For one, it is wrong to put all eggs in the basket on the wilderness ..., which by all accounts including its biodiversity is as yet shrinking despite CoVid lockdown, even worse now with no effective protection in place ..., so it ain't an end game nor solution for the facilities.
I visited both collections in the late 80s I really liked what they were doing also their breeding record with many species was outstanding. I know someone who had visited about 2 years ago and they told me how run down the place was looking which is a great shame to see a once wonderful collection become what it has become now :(
 
Thank you so much. Well, I've missed the birth of Azizi in 2018, too. And Kingo passed away in 2017. And I've mixed up the swap of Sammy und Kasungu in 2018. Oh dear, updating lists of rhinos can be pretty confusing ...

So the male black rhinos are now:
Kasungu
Zuri
Malewa
Azizi

I had hoped(and still hoping) that Malewa will stay and join the captive breeding programme, just because of his parentage. His father Sammi, was born in Japan and only seems to have 5 living offspring (all of which are currently being kept at PL) plus his mother Solio( whom he is the only offspring so far) was born at PL to a female that came from Africa. Genetically he is valuable to the European breeding programme.
 
In Feb 2021, Port Lympne wrote on Facebook: "Port Lympne is currently home to 14 Eastern black rhinoceros: 5 bulls and 9 cows."

Could someone help to find out, what's wrong with my list, pls? A bull is missing and I've got 10 females not 9:

Black rhino bulls:

Kingo (#341, *1983)
Sammy (#750, *1999)
Zuri (?, *2016)
no name? (?, *2018) - what's the name of this youngster?

Female black rhinos:

Arusha (#342, *1983)
Rosie (#384, *1988)
Vuyu (#558, *1991)
Ruaha #(663, *1996)
Solio (#888, *2001)
Nyasa (#911, *2003)
Nyota (#968, *2009)
Kissima (#992, *2012)
Rukuru (?, *2016)
Milimba (?, *2018)

Which of the females are going to be sent to Tanzania?
I am inclined to think it will be both Rukuru and Milimba.

BTW: I do think that sending on a 17-year old bull black rhino (Zambezi) was a no go given his age and further he is / was genetically important to the program.
 
In Feb 2021, Port Lympne wrote on Facebook: "Port Lympne is currently home to 14 Eastern black rhinoceros: 5 bulls and 9 cows."

Could someone help to find out, what's wrong with my list, pls? A bull is missing and I've got 10 females not 9:

Black rhino bulls:

Kingo (#341, *1983)
Sammy (#750, *1999)
Zuri (?, *2016)
no name? (?, *2018) - what's the name of this youngster?

Female black rhinos:

Arusha (#342, *1983)
Rosie (#384, *1988)
Vuyu (#558, *1991)
Ruaha #(663, *1996)
Solio (#888, *2001)
Nyasa (#911, *2003)
Nyota (#968, *2009)
Kissima (#992, *2012)
Rukuru (?, *2016)
Milimba (?, *2018)

Which of the females are going to be sent to Tanzania?

Vuyu has passed away, and Port Lympne have only had four males (Kasungu, Zuri, Malewa and Azizi) for a long time, so if they have 14 animals then I would assume that the plan to move Mizi from Howletts to Port Lympne has happened. Should put PL at 4.10 animals and Howletts at 1.2
 
When did Vuyu die? Right in thinking that she came from the wild?

I can’t remember off the top of my head, I just remember asking when I visited in late 2019 if she was still offshow with Rosie, and they said she’d passed away. I last remember them mentioning her in 2017 on their social media so perhaps 2018/2019?

She was indeed wildborn, but at least two of her daughters Damara and Nyota are still alive and have bred (both having sons currently at PL, Kasungu and Azizi)
 
Does anyone know if the last Lion cub of the recent litter is still surviving? Unsurprisingly after what happened, its not been mentioned on the FB page recently.
 
Now they are not in Eaza there aren’t allowed to keep any species they dont already have so this may also be a way of bringing in new animals.
They are still listed in EAZA's member map.

When did they become not EAZA and is there an official announcement ?
 
They are still listed in EAZA's member map.

When did they become not EAZA and is there an official announcement ?
They are indeed as yet listed on the EAZA website as member institutions. Does not mean they are member/non member, but seems highly unlikely the website would not be updated regularly .... Otherwise it is extremely sloppy.
 
Vuyu has passed away, and Port Lympne have only had four males (Kasungu, Zuri, Malewa and Azizi) for a long time, so if they have 14 animals then I would assume that the plan to move Mizi from Howletts to Port Lympne has happened. Should put PL at 4.10 animals and Howletts at 1.2
Any information where the calves born at Howletts have gone to?

Male Kasungu (born 2015) got sent over to Port Lympne in November 2018 in exchange for breeding male Sammy.
LINK:

Are you sure that at Howletts, it is females Salome and Damara? That would imply that calf Mizi (born 2016) was also moved either 2018/2019! Further Port Lympne's breeding females are now Ruaha, Solio, Nyala, Nota and Kissima. Both cows Arusha and Rosie have been (are) unlikely to reproduce.

Any news how male Sammy has been doing at Howletts?
 
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Does anyone know if the last Lion cub of the recent litter is still surviving? Unsurprisingly after what happened, its not been mentioned on the FB page recently.
Having followed their birth and the drama that unfolded I’d love to know if the last cub survived x
 
Having followed their birth and the drama that unfolded I’d love to know if the last cub survived x

It has not been mentioned again..;).I think maybe the only way we'll find out is when they re-open and visitors will see for themselves if there is still a cub or not. I rather suspect the latter but hope I am wrong of course.
 
Any information where the calves born at Howletts have gone to?

Male Kasungu (born 2015) got sent over to Port Lympne in November 2018 in exchange for breeding male Sammy.
LINK:

Are you sure that at Howletts, it is females Salome and Damara? That would imply that calf Mizi (born 2016) was also moved either 2018/2019! Further Port Lympne's breeding females are now Ruaha, Solio, Nyala, Nota and Kissima. Both cows Arusha and Rosie have been (are) unlikely to reproduce.

Any news how male Sammy has been doing at Howletts?

Mizi was transferred to Port Lympne in January. Leaving 1.2 at Howletts (Sammy, Damara and Salome). Last I visited a year or so ago before the lockdown, He was sharing a paddock with both the two mature cows, but have not heard of any update or if what the current set up is.
Also regarding the Wild caught cow Vuyu, she passed away on 13th December 2018.
 
This might signal that both females Rukuru and Mizi will leave with female Chanua for Tanzania to the release project.
 
After investigation, Solio had a daughter called Milimba.
Bull Malewa was born to Sammi x Kissima.

Apologies my mistake
 
@Kifaru Bwana will the 3 Rhinos that are being released be safe from poachers and natural predictors?

Hard to predict such things, whether naturally or unnaturally :p

But in all seriousness, one can only hope they will be protected against the former. Not really much they can do to protect against natural predation.
 
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