ZSL Whipsnade Zoo ZSL Whipsnade Zoo News 2023

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Lafone said:
Sounds like it was a good day out! I wondered if the new bear side area was either to offer rotation if all the bears are being introduced or an alternative area to the main paddock a bit like Hamerton. But cubs is a good shout too - having a few outdoor spaces will certainly add more versatility.

Good to see the new area start!
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yeah rotation is definitely an option!

Yeah was a great afternoon…slightly pushed for time but got everything in!
 
cerperal said:
In contrast, the sloth bear in Berlin Zoo often puts on a great show... of pacing up and down the glass.
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I recall when I was at Berlin, I found the glass around the Sloth Bear to be a pain to photograph through - or even see the bears through to a good degree.
 
dillotest0 said:
I recall when I was at Berlin, I found the glass around the Sloth Bear to be a pain to photograph through - or even see the bears through to a good degree.
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Yes, I assume there's some reason for it but the large black lines running across it definitely impede the view. Luckily when I was there last summer he was putting on a great display at the glass, but still annoyingly hard to photograph or see for that matter.

Either way, Colombo's exhibit was certainly better for animal and in some ways visitor. But now I do have a slightly better excuse for convincing the commanding officer we need another Berlin holiday
 
One thing I forgot to mention was the appalling behaviour of a large family at the ostrich paddock. They were laughing loudly and running up and down, clearly intimidating the animals. Zoo behaviour from visitors can be truly awful.

it reminded me of a visit to London zoo where there were loads of school kids clearly upsetting the macaques. A keeper had to have a very strong word with them about all the noise. Really sad to see how some visitors treat the animals
 
For those of you who wanted to know where Dobby the Aardvark came from well I have spoken to a colleague who works at Whipsnade Zoo and she told me that it is her who arrived recently from Chester Zoo and she's doing really well in her new home
 
Jedd Cullinan said:
For those of you who wanted to know where Dobby the Aardvark came from well I have spoken to a colleague who works at Whipsnade Zoo and she told me that it is her who arrived recently from Chester Zoo and she's doing really well in her new home
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All three were certainly very active! It’s such a nice space for them all :)
 
Panthera1981 said:
And on the subject of space, should ZSL wish to ever make a statement, convert the Passage Thru Asia into a Polar bear facility. The area’s practically a blank canvas.

It’s getting increasingly difficult to get excited about a group of inbred Fallow deer!
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Okay mate, do you know when or how did you assume this?
Will be surprised actually if they made a proposal in converting this exhibit as a polar enclosure in the next few years. Very cool animals though, got some great pics of them when I went to the Highland Wildlife park back in summer 2019 and 2021.
 
I don’t think they’d ever get polar bears honestly, given all the controversy that comes with polar bears in zoos nowadays, especially new enclosures. I don’t know how much attention it got, but Born free did a huge rant about how bad it was that Edinburgh got giraffes and how to enclosure isn’t big enough. I’m sure they’d rant about that too if that ever happened.
 
animallover22 said:
Okay mate, do you know when or how did you assume this?
Will be surprised actually if they made a proposal in converting this exhibit as a polar enclosure in the next few years. Very cool animals though, got some great pics of them when I went to the Highland Wildlife park back in summer 2019 and 2021.
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I believe Panthera was just saying it would be an amazing space for a polar bear enclosure (which it would), rather than ZSL have suggested or planned it.
 
3 boys have settled in very well; Earl, Einstein and Elvis.

Very early signs that Einstein and Beebee are pairing up, but that could all change…

But so far, so good, five happy dogs
 
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It’s that time of year again…the Wild Boar have produced piglets!

I do wonder what happens every year to the boarlets. When the boar first arrived at the zoo (originally 2 females) they were already pregnant and on “rental” from a local farmer. Ominously you never hear what happens to the offspring!

I imagine there’s no long term “value” to the boarlets as (1) I’d assume they’d be classified as “farm stock” but (2) they couldn’t go into the food chain due to the environment they’d been reared in and the rules and regs involved, and (3) they’re not “pure breed” with an associated studbook…if such a thing exists for Wild Boar!
 
Panthera1981 said:
It’s that time of year again…the Wild Boar have produced piglets!

I do wonder what happens every year to the boarlets. When the boar first arrived at the zoo (originally 2 females) they were already pregnant and on “rental” from a local farmer. Ominously you never hear what happens to the offspring!

I imagine there’s no long term “value” to the boarlets as (1) I’d assume they’d be classified as “farm stock” but (2) they couldn’t go into the food chain due to the environment they’d been reared in and the rules and regs involved, and (3) they’re not “pure breed” with an associated studbook…if such a thing exists for Wild Boar!
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It is piglet good news but like you I wonder if they just go to slaughter somewhere for use outside the human food chain (unless they are keeping them on a regimen that’s certified and then sending them to fatten). Brings into question whether they should breed them given they aren’t contributing to a population. I do hope they go to other collections or something but I suspect the worst!
 
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