Someone, please revoke this jackass' EAZA accredidation. Yesterday, preferably. I don't know why this wasn't done sooner after the Javan gibbon debacle.
Howletts Wild Animal Park Howletts Wild Animal Park 2022
- Thread starter Quincey
- Start date
Especially the cubs…they’ll need it!
Lion boys went last week —- imo shouldn’t been sent back to Africa they have no value to wild population
last time i was there I spoke to a member of staff who said plan atm is to give the empty enclosures a revamp before filling them but no plans to bring amur tigers back to howletts
last time i was there I spoke to a member of staff who said plan atm is to give the empty enclosures a revamp before filling them but no plans to bring amur tigers back to howletts
If captive African lions have no value to wild populations, why do so many zoos keep them?
If memory serves correct from when I went to Howletts in 2019, the two lions at Howletts [sister + castrated brother] were "Barbary" lions... 
Wouldn't be surprised if nothing is said about their death, as that is how it went when the cheetah [inadvertantly] stabbed itself with antelope horn while eating..!
Though if anything, with the depletion of megafauna around the park [cheetah, lions, elephants to go..] I wouldn't be surprised if this is the 'beginning of the end' for Howletts, as it would essentially become a place with a few 'oddities' to keep animal enthusiasts happy, but perhaps not the general visitor. The enthusiast is no doubt delighted by the appearance of bongo, dhole, Iberian wolf, but with Wingham in driving distance, the general visitor probably wouldn't care for what gems are left at Howletts !
Wouldn't be surprised if nothing is said about their death, as that is how it went when the cheetah [inadvertantly] stabbed itself with antelope horn while eating..!
Though if anything, with the depletion of megafauna around the park [cheetah, lions, elephants to go..] I wouldn't be surprised if this is the 'beginning of the end' for Howletts, as it would essentially become a place with a few 'oddities' to keep animal enthusiasts happy, but perhaps not the general visitor. The enthusiast is no doubt delighted by the appearance of bongo, dhole, Iberian wolf, but with Wingham in driving distance, the general visitor probably wouldn't care for what gems are left at Howletts !
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Zoos keep them for their exhibit value- the main reason most zoos exist- to show animals to the public.
There are many species that have become extinct and could have been saved by zoos. Keeping lions for their exhibit value is not conservation. The money spent keeping them in zoos would be better spent preserving them in the wild.
From memory the deaths of both Layla and Jabir were reported by the parks at the time they died.
The two Lions sent to Africa are cubs born at PL in two seperate litters- the older one is a handraised male survivor of a litter born in midwinter, the young one a brother from the next(successful) litter and removed to be a companion for him. As PL Lions are still advertised as 'Barbary' (North African) stock, sending them to South Africa seems rather odd also.
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I'm not arguing about whether its conservation or not- you asked why so many zoos keep them- the simple answer is- for exhibition. People want to see Lions when they visit zoos, so the zoos keep them.
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No Barbary Lions are pure anyway, but Oudrika's parentage makes the Howletts/PL lions even more tainted. Somehow despite that they still persist in promoting that they are Barbary.
As well, I think when I went to Howletts in 2019, there was a visible sign about a location in North Africa where the lions could potentially be sent in future...
I guess I'll take it that sign is rather outdated..
As well, I think when I went to Howletts in 2019, there was a visible sign about a location in North Africa where the lions could potentially be sent in future...
I guess I'll take it that sign is rather outdated..
They have a lot of outdated signage at the Parks, some of it ten years old or more. E.g. 'Only breeding pair/group of Drills in UK' Hasn't been correct in years. References to possible release sites for 'Barbary' lions aren't limited to Port Lympne though, but its always 'in the future'.
The siamang is classified as the only species of genus Symphalangus...
Makes one wonder what an 'impure' siamang is meant to be !
Subspecies?
Oh good grief! You couldn’t make it up!
But then, if you’re Damian Aspinall, I suppose you can!
I agree with this i believe conservation strategies should benefit the wild population as a whole especially genetically or as a means of widening geographic spread to prevent the likelihood of extinction level events. Aspinal seems to prioritise the the intrinsic worth of the animal itself and how being returned “home” benefits them. Having said that i’m very on board with his / Ashia cheetah release programme