ZSL Whipsnade Zoo ZSL Whipsnade Zoo News 2022
- Thread starter Lafone
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Lafone
Well-Known Member
I wonder if they would go down in something new the other side of the zebra.
A keeper said they have a female in mind but she is not old enough to introduce to Nilo for at least a year.
I visited Whipsnade today, the first time for about 7 years. My feelings were very mixed. It is still a stunning place with amazing amounts of space for the animal enclosures and a lovely walk on a sunny winter’s day. However, there were a number of things which made me sad. Walking past the former lion enclosure, empty and forlorn. I was looking forward to seeing the elephants but only saw 3 outside their house in the caged off area. The whole enclosure looks very dilapidated although the elephants themselves looked OK. One lonely cheetah in the huge area of Cheetah Rock. No bears to be seen, maybe hibernating? I did fall in love with the lynx who posed nicely for me. And the wolverine was very active, racing round the area with lots of enthusiasm. Saw 2 of the tigers asleep, but after the keeper talk, one
did have a walk round.
All in all I had a good day, given the winter no show of bears, hippos etc. The walk and scenery was lovely but I do feel the zoo is nowhere near as impressive as the last time I came. I will try and visit again in the Spring and see if it was just that some animals had been moved temporarily or whether the zoo just needs filling up a bit.
did have a walk round.
All in all I had a good day, given the winter no show of bears, hippos etc. The walk and scenery was lovely but I do feel the zoo is nowhere near as impressive as the last time I came. I will try and visit again in the Spring and see if it was just that some animals had been moved temporarily or whether the zoo just needs filling up a bit.
Rajang-GOAT
Well-Known Member
Assuming you are talking about the brown bears, I would suggest that you research on their situation.....
Lafone
Well-Known Member
It does feel liked it’s emptied out a bit. There are plans to restock the lions and the cheetahs and that would be good.
On the bears there were three but a wind blown tree allowed two to escape the enclosure and they shot them both.
There’s only one left and the last time I saw her outside was late September (visit most weekends) so she may be out when the winter ends but unlike when the three of them would be out in the enclosure playing with their ball and on the hammocks she sat at the rear staring at the boar whenever I saw her.
I think your visit note accurately reflects the current position. It’s still a lovely place with some amazing animals… but …
Lafone
Well-Known Member
Also was there today and two wild boar are back in their enclosure near the lynx although the signage on the fence still states they are not there. Spy boar.
Nilo (red panda) does seem to be very happy in his new home - the biggest tree in the middle of the former squirrel monkey enclosure has been cut down however and is lying around in bits. But he still has two new trees to play in.
Quite a bit of tree felling appears to have gone on around the site over the last 2 weeks.
Nilo (red panda) does seem to be very happy in his new home - the biggest tree in the middle of the former squirrel monkey enclosure has been cut down however and is lying around in bits. But he still has two new trees to play in.
Quite a bit of tree felling appears to have gone on around the site over the last 2 weeks.
Unless I missed a post, what were reasons for the Red Panda move? The previous enclosure had plenty of positives imo.
Lafone
Well-Known Member
Haven’t heard a reason though there was quite a bit of conversation before it happened.
I’d guess it was simply to make use of the larger space without having to leave it highlighted as empty as no other plans to occupy it.
The old enclosure was ok but not as large or as varied so this is a better space - the new one is probably more on a par with the space offered at YWP or similar and has multiple areas vs just one big tree and two huts.
No apparent plans to do put anything in the old one (just signage to show where the panda moved to).
The new one could do with a bit of a tidy up - the old shed looks slightly scruffy now and the bridge is in a bit of a mess. The drained moat looks a little odd. But overall it’s a more spacious place with more room for privacy.
If you plan on moving on an individual animal from an exhibit designed for the species instead to an old enclosure not to leave it empty ... that is implying something about management. IMO It seems animal care and husbandry staff are not in the driving seat.
Now, we all know that CoVid has had a major impact on zoos, but this excuse does not cut it at Whipsnade where species reductions and a less filled up zoo animal collection and paddocks have become the norm pre-pandemic (how I detest using that word ...).
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Lafone
Well-Known Member
Very fair.
I think the old and new enclosures are pretty similar in this case (the old one was fairly small though the tree itself is big there wasn’t as much hiding / roaming about space as you see in some red panda enclosures - but that’s just based on me looking at lots of them, I’m not a panda expert or anything).
I’d agree this isn’t really a welfare thing - if it was then they’d have made the move consciously when Nilo’s mother was still alive.
It’ll be interesting to see what happens with the collection as a whole over the next 12-18 months as the zoo currently runs the risk of being a big park with a few large animals at either end and giraffes in the middle.
Interestingly, regular visitors to London often feel it is the poor relation to Whipsnade. The reality is that the two sites are radically different and the cost of doing anything in London is ridiculously high.
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I don't think a gate fee increase at London would be reasonable, particularly as they have to deal with the 'where are the elephants, where are the bears?' from casual visitors and more worryingly, closure of the aquarium and imminent closure of the reptile house from the rest of us.
Lafone
Well-Known Member
I think we’d all like to see both thriving with expanding collections.
At the moment it seems a bit rob one give to another back and forth and there’s been a decline in the large beasties that give whipsnade its uniqueness.
Whipsnade has always been about the ‘bigger’ animals and they are different places but given the organisation has banded them together it should be run to fairly benefit both.
London always seems to be more well cared for (signage for example is in a poor state at Whipsnade apart from the new one saying the lions are dead at the entrance so people can decide not to come in) but it’s fair that if you go somewhere all the time you do notice the smaller issues more.
In terms of landmark species though whipsnade is at a bit of a low ebb. But hopefully 2022 will bring good stuff.
Ectotherm
Active Member
Read it again,
I never mentioned increasing gate fee's more over gate fee's will increase via boots through the gate
Squirrel monkeys
Lafone
Well-Known Member
Read it again,
I never mentioned increasing gate fee's more over gate fee's will increase via boots through the gate
Squirrel monkeys
Indeed I acknowledged that mistake in a post the first time it was pointed out; someone is just quoting the original.
Lafone
Well-Known Member
Read it again,
I never mentioned increasing gate fee's more over gate fee's will increase via boots through the gate
Squirrel monkeys
There is an interesting point on gate fees at whipsnade where it appears there are more subs / members proportionally and therefore less high single admittance than in London.
One off tickets are expensive and while subs are more predictable it suggests people visiting London would be the group to target. So boots make different amounts - this is reflected in the annual report.
I know you weren’t saying increase gate fees but it’s an interesting visitor demographic difference.