Rajang-GOAT
Well-Known Member
I would have thought Damian Aspinall is in charge of the charity and the parks, so how would they ask him to step down? Or is he not fully in charge of the organisation?
Port Lympne Wild Animal Park Port Lympne Wild Animal Park News 2022
- Thread starter Embu
- Start date
There actually 2 linked charities. If I understand correctly, The Howletts Wild Animal Trust (THE HOWLETTS WILD ANIMAL TRUST - Charity 1100845) runs the zoos: while The Aspinall Foundation (THE ASPINALL FOUNDATION - Charity 326567) has much larger assets, so I presume it actually owns all the land and controls the work overseas. Mr Aspinall is currently Chair of the Aspinall Foundation and a Trustee of both charities. They are both under investigation by the Charities Commission, following reports of expenditure which is incompatible with their charitable status, but the results of these investigations have not been published yet.
With a considerable amount of surfing and searching it turns out we are talking about a former litter of Barbary lions. Unfortunately, not all of us are on a first name in the know.
His mother is a Boras, Sverige (Sweden) born female (5) and his father Oudrika (16) and has just had another litter with the old man Oudrika.
Source: An update on our Port Lympne lion family
Apologies to correct Khari who is not to be considered a barbary lion due to the hybridisation of his mother ( oudrika / lilly / dolores).His father passed away several months ago ( milo / adras) and the two following litters are 18months and approx 12 months respectively.
I am surprised ... and somewhat shocked! It endangers creating super zoo mix lions on top of the zoo mix / generics African lion issues we already have. EAZA needs a true pure-bred lion population to conserve under ex situ. Also, I do think / feel there is a rationale behind preserving what little genetics remain of the Barbary lion lineages and put that Morocco lion reintroduction project in motion (at some point).
I would strongly argue attempting to preserve the Barbary lion lineages are unfortunately a futile effort, they’ve been hybridised for years and what remain are typically geriatric and related. Unless i’m forgetting someone Milo and his mother ( who died several months ago) were the last “purebred” individuals in the country. You can only preserve a gene pool for so long. The zoo mix is as close to a well maintained population as it will ever be given a lack of a well enforced stud book. Attempting to maintain separate populations of what are debated subspecies would only create issues in minimising capacities and creating homozygous populations.
@Megan, I think the genetic evidence has determined at least various distinct African lion lineages in wild populations. On top, I do think with the new genetics and DNA research taking precedent much of the taxonomic descriptions and the scientific teaching at universiteit of its subspecies/ESUS of African lions of old have all too soon and conveniently so been thrown out the window (with very small sample sizes used to base hypotheses and the study results) and too the wild dogs to devour. I really would wish for zoos to go beyond the extra mile to invest and conserve in captivity ex situ (as representative populations in need do exist in the wilds) lion lineages closely resembling those from Africa that can stand the test of time in captivity.
As it is, we continue to fail and not address at the population level for an African lion studbook and do not phase out the zoo mix (which are based upon overproduction from a few restricties breeding group lineages (e.g. Givskud) and a few others and mixing these in with the zoo mix/generics of old). It will never be anything that is valid along the lines of ESU/subspecies nor phenotype African lions. Hence, I continue to favor really investing in ex situ breeding of West African lions and or North-East / East African African lions (which are both possible) using source populations with a direct link to and assist in protecting wild populations at risk (Leipzig Zoo at one time was a proponent of this). Both the current bleyenberghi and angolensis European populations were also too small in populations and too inbred at present, so we need new lions imported from either West Africa and/or East/North East Africa.
As it is, we continue to fail and not address at the population level for an African lion studbook and do not phase out the zoo mix (which are based upon overproduction from a few restricties breeding group lineages (e.g. Givskud) and a few others and mixing these in with the zoo mix/generics of old). It will never be anything that is valid along the lines of ESU/subspecies nor phenotype African lions. Hence, I continue to favor really investing in ex situ breeding of West African lions and or North-East / East African African lions (which are both possible) using source populations with a direct link to and assist in protecting wild populations at risk (Leipzig Zoo at one time was a proponent of this). Both the current bleyenberghi and angolensis European populations were also too small in populations and too inbred at present, so we need new lions imported from either West Africa and/or East/North East Africa.
felis silvestris
Well-Known Member
Apparently boris still is PM until Autumn unfortunately, although at least he’s resigning
The Hedgehog
Well-Known Member
@felis silvestris does this news save the Elephant Heard from being released into the wild and killed? I hope so Howeletts have an impressive Heard and contributes massively to the EEP
felis silvestris
Well-Known Member
I have no clue.
Still a very extensive collection of large mammals. See their website for species held. Be prepared for the rather country-club atmosphere though, as its increasingly marketed these days for overnight-stayers in the various (expensive) glamping and hotel-style units. There a golf-type buggies for the paying guests to use too. Be prepared also for some stiff walking up the paths that wind around the pedestrian/walking areas, some of which are quite steep as its a hillside location. Approximately half the collection(mainly the ungulate herds) can only be seen from the Safari-type trucks that drive round the very spacious reserves. At busy times you may have to queue to get on these. The trucks do not stop long to allow detailed observations but pass through the reserves at a fair pace. However, the whole park is well worth visiting if you have not been before, particularly if your journey to get there is not too long...
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Building on the comments by @Pertinax; I'd recommend one of the more intimate safari tours, rather than the big busses. They're quire expensive, but if you can stretch your budget that far then they're more than worth it.
Canary
Active Member
Thanks for your comments. I'm in the area for a few days so I might visit Howletts too. Am fairly young and fit so should be OK for me
How can anyone on here know the answer to such a question.
Yes, I think you are probably correct. Lets hope too that the proposed restrictive changes to UK Zoo legislation, are revisited in a more professional and informed manner, now that some of their political support is going. Just in the nick of time, perhaps?
taun
Well-Known Member
Not really they still have ties with the house of lords. And if you think Johnson will give it up easily he wont he will cling to the job as long as he can....
