ZSL Whipsnade Zoo ZSL Whipsnade Zoo News 2022
- Thread starter Lafone
- Start date
Oh wow that’s cool! Yeah looks big as you say!
With the exception of a minor upgrade a few years ago, substantial improvements to this enclosure have been years in the planning (and by “years” I mean the bears using the original dens and housing dating back to the 1930’s!).
Maybe the zoo’s hand was finally forced after the escape a few years ago, but I believe part of the enclosure has some Listed status, which may have hindered progress. These improvements could also bode well for finally getting a breeding male!
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Rajang-GOAT
Well-Known Member
Any reason why he moved and not his son Hodor? Surely if it was the other way around and Hoover stayed, he would have been able to breed again with the mother of Hodor.
AlexanderTHG
Well-Known Member
I don't know why, but the EEP wouldn't have made the move for no reason. Perhaps an over-represented bloodline at Whipsnade, or an under-represented bloodline at Flamingo Land.
Lafone
Well-Known Member
Looks good! Has been a while the old house always looked ok size wise but getting a bit tatty! Hopefully the new bear group will be a real treat in 2023!
Whipsnade Zoo closed today, Monday 12th December, due to snow.
According to ZSL website:
ZSL Whipsnade Zoo is closed today - Monday 12 December 2022 - due to snow. If you have already purchased a ticket for today, the team will be in touch with you to rearrange your visit. Thank you for your understanding.
See link below.
Opening times
According to ZSL website:
ZSL Whipsnade Zoo is closed today - Monday 12 December 2022 - due to snow. If you have already purchased a ticket for today, the team will be in touch with you to rearrange your visit. Thank you for your understanding.
See link below.
Opening times
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Lafone
Well-Known Member
Whipsnade remains closed today too hopefully we’d see some reopening by the end of the week.
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Lafone
Well-Known Member
Following the above Whipsnade sent an email stating they plan to reopen on Friday at 12pm and will announce any changes on social media.
They’ve also noted the external car park may be shut and if this is the case people can take cars into the zoo for free on Friday and Saturday.
That may mean the zoo is busy on Saturday and the internal car areas more crowded than usual. But will depend if people brave the weather.
They then expect normal opening conditions from Sunday.
They’ve also noted the external car park may be shut and if this is the case people can take cars into the zoo for free on Friday and Saturday.
That may mean the zoo is busy on Saturday and the internal car areas more crowded than usual. But will depend if people brave the weather.
They then expect normal opening conditions from Sunday.
Lafone
Well-Known Member
Whipsnade opened at 10am today and as expected the external car park was shut but despite that was not too crowded and was easy to park inside.
Quite a bit of snow around which made for some lovely backdrops and views. Beautiful views across the downs from the top of the park too. Cold day but some active animals in the snow were a treat.
Great to see the new bear house construction in person - it certainly is looking like it will be an excellent size! Much to look forward to there.
The young giraffe Wilfred is really lovely and was right up at the viewing window at the side of the house, getting a good view of visitors and offering one too.
One thing I noticed since my last visit at start November is that the lion Khari has lost some of his mane, particularly around the head area - some mane hair was lying around in the outside area near the glass, but even without seeing any shed it is obvious it isn’t quite the head of hair he had before. I thought it looked a bit sparse in November but just put it down to it being a soaking wet day. I hadn’t seen anyone say he was neutered or there was an intent to neuter him so assume some other cause. Of course I am sure the keepers are keeping a good eye on him and in the right conditions it will hopefully grow back.
Quite a bit of snow around which made for some lovely backdrops and views. Beautiful views across the downs from the top of the park too. Cold day but some active animals in the snow were a treat.
Great to see the new bear house construction in person - it certainly is looking like it will be an excellent size! Much to look forward to there.
The young giraffe Wilfred is really lovely and was right up at the viewing window at the side of the house, getting a good view of visitors and offering one too.
One thing I noticed since my last visit at start November is that the lion Khari has lost some of his mane, particularly around the head area - some mane hair was lying around in the outside area near the glass, but even without seeing any shed it is obvious it isn’t quite the head of hair he had before. I thought it looked a bit sparse in November but just put it down to it being a soaking wet day. I hadn’t seen anyone say he was neutered or there was an intent to neuter him so assume some other cause. Of course I am sure the keepers are keeping a good eye on him and in the right conditions it will hopefully grow back.
I assume the bear house will be off show?
Lafone
Well-Known Member
There was a suggestion from one of the keepers that it might have viewing and one end is very near the path so perhaps we might be lucky with some windows! But that’s purely speculative. As building progresses to sticking in the walls etc though we should be able to get an early view as it’s all easy to see.
that’s cool though, and obviously the most important thing is that it’s ultimately for the bears
Lafone
Well-Known Member
Yes it’s exciting to have such a large new building and to have new bears to go in it! Along with Cinderella getting an accommodation upgrade. With new facilities and such a nice paddock it could be a new stand out.
100%!
From Instagram, two baby otters were born in October!
Lafone
Well-Known Member
How cool! Had always thought otters Carol and Ernie were just good mates! If it is them as the parents. Haven’t seen any sign of the cubs so far so looking forward to seeing those!!
One male and one female and Ernie and Carol are indeed the parents.
Rajang-GOAT
Well-Known Member
I had my second ever visit to Whipsnade today (my first was back in May 2019- so I had some vague memories), and although I was only there for the second half of the day (it would be great to visit again in the a more appealing-weather wise- season of next year), there were still some highlights and things that made the trip worth it, and taking a vehicle around helped with the not so great wet and windy weather there was today.
- The Hippo house was great- a nice atmosphere in the pleasant, also as well planted, sort of greenhouse building, and it really is quite an experience being so close and in the same room as such impressive animals, with the pygmy hippo and both common hippos inside at the same time, I wonder does anywhere else in the UK have both types of Hippo or is Whipsnade unique in providing the opportunity of being able to compare both species alongside each other? Also can anyone give me more information about this enclosure and it's history (Hippo house)?
- I got a good view of all 3 Cheetah brothers snuggled down in a cave in their enclosure, and hopefully some good photos too. I was surprised (maybe shouldn't have been) to read on an information board the amount of space and extra paddocks there are off show at Cheetah Rock, adding to what I thought of as an already great exhibit.
- I also got good views of the penguins (the Rockhopper youngster, Dobby included), Wolverine (it was also great to see the Bear enclosure and the ongoing improvements), a good first impression of Passage through Asia, and good views of the Lynx almost as soon as I got into the park.
- I managed to get reasonable indoor views of both Wilfred (baby giraffe) and Nang Phaya (baby elephant), however definitely not ideal for photos.
- I didn't manage to get to the Aquarium (one of my main motivations for visiting along with the two individual youngsters mentioned above).
- I still had a reasonable visit considering the weather, despite there being much I either missed out on (the aquarium, and much in the centre of zoo) or would have happily spent more time at (White Rhino house, Elephant house, Hippo house), but as I said this just gives me more motivation to try and visit again in 2023.
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glad you had a good visit (despite the typical whipsnade winter weather!).
The old hippo house was a small building that had a perplex window that was often scuffed and dirty from memory. You went over a little bridge and the land area was much smaller. I only went into the old house a couple of times as a kid as I think the current hippo house was opened in 1996.