ZSL London Zoo ZSL London Zoo News 2021

[The Hedgehog]

First visit for a few months today, notable changes since last time were that Bhanu and Arya the lions are sharing the same area, with her sitting calmly and Bhanu bursting into frequent bursts of roaring. The upper walkway is now open again, so I guess it was closed previously to allow Arya to settle in privately?

We happened to arrive at the gorilla kingdom around the time they were being fed outside, so all four were out in the paddock and Gernot was chest-beating which I hadn’t seen him do previously.

Sun sets before 4pm in London at this time of year, so be prepared for 4pm close if you are planning a trip.

@Red Footed Tortoise I wonder if Gernot’s chest beating is a sign of him maturing. Gernot is approaching the age where he will have to leave so a Silverback can arrive. My reasoning for this is that if a Silverback arrives while Gernot is around a fight could commence. Additionally Gernot is probably becoming Sexually Mature and London Zoo will not want any accidental mating between Gernot and his Mum Effie.

 

[amur leopard]

Here's a quick update from today's visit:

• Biggest news is that keepers are 'pretty sure' that the female Sumatran tiger is pregnant! Lovely news, and good news for the zoo. She was not on show today, with only Asim in the indoor exhibit.
• Bhanu still quite shy around Arya, not going near her much (I'd assume because of the way the three sisters treated him before), but very vocal indeed.
• For anyone visiting, when entering the rainforest house, there is a pile of rocks, beneath which there is always a tamandua sleeping - I'll post images later.
• Muntjac have been moved to a small enclosure right next to the flamingos.

That's about it!

 

[Pacu]

Yes it's a pretty good film, filmed in Durrell Wildlife Park unless I'm mistaken.

and Marwell.

 

[Pacu]

Regrettably, I have no photographs of the inside of the Deer & Cattle Sheds.

I last went inside that building in the early 1960s so we're going back nearly sixty years to when I was a small child.

If I remember correctly after all these years, there was an interior partitioning wall, running the length of the building, separating the cattle side from the deer side. There was at least one arched doorway (maybe more?) in this wall enabling visitors to pass between the two halves of the building.

Yes, similar to in the stork and ostrich house, I believe.

 

[Pacu]

Sounds like a good move to make, extending the giraffe exhibit.

There is very little extra space. The surface is better for their feet, though, and with the moat removed and protection from the street being offered, they are now left out all night if they want to stay out. I'm not especially keen on the new look but I've been inside it and from an animal management perspective and welfare it looks to be an improvement.

 

[Pacu]

Here's a quick update from today's visit:

• Biggest news is that keepers are 'pretty sure' that the female Sumatran tiger is pregnant! Lovely news, and good news for the zoo. She was not on show today, with only Asim in the indoor exhibit.
• Bhanu still quite shy around Arya, not going near her much (I'd assume because of the way the three sisters treated him before), but very vocal indeed.
• For anyone visiting, when entering the rainforest house, there is a pile of rocks, beneath which there is always a tamandua sleeping - I'll post images later.
• Muntjac have been moved to a small enclosure right next to the flamingos.

That's about it!

Muntjac have been in there before. It seemed to suit them well.

 

[Pacu]

I’m tempted to agree with the above. It would be sad for London to lose their Okapi but I don’t think the average visitor would give it much thought

I don't agree, with the large animal collection so small and the regularity with which at least one okapi can be seen, I do think they would be missed.

 

[Pacu]

I thought the footpath was going to be abolished, to give the giraffes and zebras more room to roam. The viewing area as I understand from what a keeper told me that the viewing area was going to be moved where the old anteater home was. If the footpath is going to be abolished, then that would mean the moat would need to eliminated. So don’t still understand what the new fence is for?

They are left to choose whether to be indoors or outdoors, so, given that the huge solid fence you mean id directly where the gates are I imagine it id to prevent them being spooked by headlights and rowdy behaviour etc at night. There is a sand bath there so possible sleeping spot with solid protection around it.

 

[Pacu]

One of the problems was that the koalas were at London Zoo around the time that the zoo was threatened with closure.

What do you mean?

 

[Mfuwe]

So in my opinion and it’s going to be controversial the tiger being pregnant isn’t much to celebrate considering this pairing have had three litters in the past and in 2/3 cases at least one individual as euthanised for being surplus to demand or having questionable genetics. Animals with this genetic combination were expendable before but now there’s long term space for them in the breeding programme ?

Here's a quick update from today's visit:

• Biggest news is that keepers are 'pretty sure' that the female Sumatran tiger is pregnant! Lovely news, and good news for the zoo. She was not on show today, with only Asim in the indoor exhibit.
• Bhanu still quite shy around Arya, not going near her much (I'd assume because of the way the three sisters treated him before), but very vocal indeed.
• For anyone visiting, when entering the rainforest house, there is a pile of rocks, beneath which there is always a tamandua sleeping - I'll post images later.
• Muntjac have been moved to a small enclosure right next to the flamingos.

That's about it!

 

[amur leopard]

celebrate considering this pairing have had three litters in the past

Have they? Where?

I would think any sort of breeding is better than nothing - you seem to be taking a rather over-cynical view in my opinion. It is highly unlikely to be euthanised given how widely it will be broadcast across news platforms etc - euthanasia would cause a massive public outcry.

 

[Mfuwe]

Have they? Where?

I would think any sort of breeding is better than nothing - you seem to be taking a rather over-cynical view in my opinion. It is highly unlikely to be euthanised given how widely it will be broadcast across news platforms etc - euthanasia would cause a massive public outcry.

Yes, i can see why you think that. Both animals came from Ree safari park though at different points , their daughters are at paighton. The male from that litter was euthanised because a lot of European zoos practise culling instead of contraception. The litter prior to that ( i think) had a male cub with a white tail that they kept until he was a sub adult then euthanised because his colouring meant he wasn’t genetically viable for the breeding programme. There was another litter that have gone on to breed themselves. UK zoos don’t often cull their animals because of public opinion but it still seems a shame to repeat the breeding when no one had space for their siblings. Especially considering it’s a EEP so surely someone has to approve the pairing. There’s a thread about the whole thing someone on here, perhaps google it if interested. Google Image Result for https://en.reepark.dk/media/1579/01.jpg?height=350&quality=75
( a picture of “Whitey” because he was cute )

 

[amur leopard]

UK zoos don’t often cull their animals because of public opinion but it still seems a shame to repeat the breeding when no one had space for their siblings. Especially considering it’s a EEP so surely someone has to approve the pairing

I’m sure the zoo didn’t start trying to get Asim and Gaysha to breed without this in mind - I’d remember that the intention in the first place was for the pair to breed and so I’d be surprised if that changed. It would also do wonders for the zoo’s attendance numbers, of course unless the more or less guaranteed upcoming lockdown hinders this.

 

[GaryA]

Although I'm a practical person and have had to have my own animals PTS, the process of euthanising perfectly healthy animals does upset me.
I am sure that there must be some alternative option rather than the needle or the bullet.
There must be an option for these animals to go I into private hands or abroad.

 

[Embu]

How old are Asim and Gasha? If they have already produced a cub with potential genetic issues(the white tail) then is there a risk this could be repeated?

Also if they have daughters at Paignton zoo as a holding pair(whether this is temporary or permanent) then what would be the point in producing more potential surplus individuals for the future? Just seems a repeat (imo) of the lion fiasco of Longleat in order to just have cubs on show.

 

[Nisha]

Asim was born in 2011 at Zoo Frankfurt and Gasha came from Praha (also born in 2011).

They had the following litters together at Ree Park:

May 2015

Whitey (M) - PTS due to a genetic issue mentioned above.

Bethari (F) - Currently at Aalborg Zoo

Rimba (M) - Currently at Ramat Gan

February 2017

Kerinci (F) - Currently at Bioparc Fuengirola

Unnamed (F) - Died as a young adult

September 2018

Litter was 0.0.3 - All died within 3 months of birth (cause not revealed)

January 2019

Carrie (F) - Currently at Paignton Zoo

Padme (F) - Currently at Paignton Zoo

Chewie (M) - Euthanized in 2020

So in total they currently have 1.4 surviving offspring across Europe. ZSL manage the Sumatran Tiger studbook and Global Species Management Plan (GSMP) so it will ultimately be upto them to place any future cubs (once old enough to move on) resulting from this new litter.

 

[Nisha]

How old are Asim and Gasha? If they have already produced a cub with potential genetic issues(the white tail) then is there a risk this could be repeated?

Also if they have daughters at Paignton zoo as a holding pair(whether this is temporary or permanent) then what would be the point in producing more potential surplus individuals for the future? Just seems a repeat (imo) of the lion fiasco of Longleat in order to just have cubs on show.

There's always a risk but it's unlikely. None of the other cubs they've produced to date have suffered from it

Longleat were breeding from multiple female Lions though with no longer term plan (from the upper management) as to what to what would happen they turned from cute cubs into adults. This is one litter from one female Tiger. The Sumatran Tiger GSMP is normally managed extremely well and the chances of future cubs being rehomed (either in Europe or elsewhere) is very high

 

[Pertinax]

@Red Footed Tortoise I wonder if Gernot’s chest beating is a sign of him maturing. Gernot is approaching the age where he will have to leave so a Silverback can arrive. My reasoning for this is that if a Silverback arrives while Gernot is around a fight could commence. Additionally Gernot is probably becoming Sexually Mature and London Zoo will not want any accidental mating between Gernot and his Mum Effie.

Chestbeating in gorillas isn't really a sign of maturing as they will do it from a very young age. But as you pointed out he's now six years old and a few young males have actually fathered babies at that age. Whether or not they remove him before a new male arrives we'll have to wait to find out, but I somehow don't think a new male is quite on the horizon yet, while transfers due to Covid, Brexit etc have been slowed even further it seems.

 

[Dassie rat]

What do you mean?

I thought would be easier to negotiate a replacement koala at a time when a zoo is viable than at a time when a zoo is threatened with closure. About 30 years ago, few koalas were kept in European zoos.

 

[Pacu]

I thought would be easier to negotiate a replacement koala at a time when a zoo is viable than at a time when a zoo is threatened with closure. About 30 years ago, few koalas were kept in European zoos.

Ah, I see what you mean. There were very few outside of Australia at the time. Although the media played it differently, there was actually a very short period of time when it loked as though the zoo may close, although at that point it was a reality.