Bristol Zoo Project The Wild Place news 2023

Rajang21 said:
Red river hogs are on the link shared by @Charles.

0.2 reindeer went to Beale Park this week so presumably they are being phased out if they haven’t been already.
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Yes, I missed the Hogs, thanks. They fit with the African forest -themed species like the Okapi/Gorilla/Mandrill etc. I noticed the reindeer move to Beale Park just now- I guess they will all go as not being part of their new conservation-orientated plans.
 
Pertinax said:
Does this mean existing species like Red River Hog, Reindeer etc that aren't mentioned will go? I have just noticed two reindeer have moved to the Beale trust at Pangbourne yesterday- does that indicate a phaseout perhaps?

It seems odd to replace the rarer Drills, which they had until recently at the zoo site, with Mandrills but no doubt colour is a factor there. Pleased to see that Okapi will return and another iconic species at the old zoo in the past- Grevy's Zebra, too. Its possible the current plains zebra and eland might disappear as a result of these plans too.
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The drills had left the collection before the zoo had even announced they were closing, so it’s unlikely they were going to come here, I think the zoo by getting Grevy zebra it is so they have more threatened species and same with the Nile lechwe I’m presuming are replacing the eland

I think the red river hogs will probably move back to their old paddock
 
Charles said:
The drills had left the collection before the zoo had even announced they were closing, so it’s unlikely they were going to come here, I think the zoo by getting Grevy zebra it is so they have more threatened species and same with the Nile lechwe I’m presuming are replacing the eland
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Some years ago the zoo were going to get Mandrills, they were featured on a older plan in an exhibit near the Pygmy hippo. But instead they got the Drills. Mandrills are showier but not so rare I don't think. It seems fairly obvious the Eland and Plains zebra will be replaced by the Grevy's and Lechwe, so both will probably leave since neither are endangered.
 
I found it odd that neither the red bellied lemurs nor the weaver birds are on the list, to be honest Initally I thought the weaver birds would leave but then a keeper said they’re staying, but the red bellied lemurs are endangered so I’m hoping it’s a mistake but it’s also sad that there aren’t more birds in my opinion
 
Just for interest's sake, I compared the most recent species plan with the species from the conservation breeding centre's older plans (included below) and noted that the following species are no longer mentioned:

- Annam leaf turtle
- Lesser Antillean iguana
- Radiated tortoise (albeit these may have been replaced by the Egyptian tortoise)
- Roti Island snake-necked turtle
- Powder-blue panchax

The original conservation breeding centre species list is included here:
New Bristol Zoo
 
dillotest0 said:
I find it interesting that animals like gibbons, wisent, tigers, Przewalski's horses are nowhere to be found despite appearing in initial spreadsheets for the new Bristol Zoo - though I appreciate maybe these animals will arrive later.
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I think I might know what you are talking about, I believe these few species (and orangutans) were shown as potentially part of phases 2 and 3, however this is just the species list for Phase 1 (probably?) and the rebranding next year, so it makes sense that they don't mention any species in future phases for the moment, as a lot can change in the time between now, and when Phase 1 is finished and construction for Phase 2 begins.

Charles said:
(I don’t know for sure) they said 76 species will be at the collection and only 71 are detailed unfortunately I think Pygmy hippo are unlikely although I think they would be a great entry attraction
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Yeah I was just thinking that they might fit with the Central African Forest theme, and it would be nice to see them as part of the area since they only left the Clifton site fairly recently, and even if they don't arrive in Phase 1 (this would make sense as they are probably quite expensive to house at the standard that the Bristol might aim for), I could see them coming to that area of the zoo in the future as part of Phase 2 or 3, though I accept it might not happen at all.

Charles said:
The drills had left the collection before the zoo had even announced they were closing, so it’s unlikely they were going to come here, I think the zoo by getting Grevy zebra it is so they have more threatened species and same with the Nile lechwe I’m presuming are replacing the eland
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I think this really shows commitment to their goal of trying to primarily have highly threatened species, not just for the future, but changing around the current Wild Place collection to invest in species that are Endangered, Critically Endangered, etc.
 
The Pygmy goats were more able absent from the new species list I wonder what will be going there or for the time being it will be left empty
 
I noticed that the Dik Dik, Meerkats and the Parma Wallaby were also left out of the species list
 
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Does this mean that all the Reindeer have left?, I've just had a look at their latest map and it no longer highlights Reindeer.
Also ZTL still lists Parma Wallaby being at WPP
 
Mazoku said:
That’s what I’m thinking too. I think ostrich will be in Benoue National Park extension with grevy zebra and black rhinoceros? (I might be wrong) Nile Lechwe is likely
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I thought that maybe this is going to be a temporary paddock for something and ostrich or lechwe would make sense as there most likely going in with the giraffe and there isn’t enough shelter space at the moment for either

where in uk zoos have Nile lechwe and red necked ostrich?
 
Charles said:
I thought that maybe this is going to be a temporary paddock for something and ostrich or lechwe would make sense as there most likely going in with the giraffe and there isn’t enough shelter space at the moment for either

where in uk zoos have Nile lechwe and red necked ostrich?
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This make much sense to keep them in temporary enclosure until the extension is ready for them to move in there. I assume Benoue National Park extension is in phase 1 if I'm right?

According to zootierliste, only 4 zoos in UK have Nile Lechwe (Folly Farm, Africa Alive, Blair Drummond Safari Park and Watatunga Wildlife Reserve). Only one zoo in UK have Red-Necked Ostrich, Paignton Zoo
 
Mazoku said:
This make much sense to keep them in temporary enclosure until the extension is ready for them to move in there. I assume Benoue National Park extension is in phase 1 if I'm right?

According to zootierliste, only 4 zoos in UK have Nile Lechwe (Folly Farm, Africa Alive, Blair Drummond Safari Park and Watatunga Wildlife Reserve). Only one zoo in UK have Red-Necked Ostrich, Paignton Zoo
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The Paignton bird is a female. They did have one male and at least another female. They shared the zebra paddock, before the now singleton moved into the old bison area.
 
TriUK said:
The Paignton bird is a female. They did have one male and at least another female. They shared the zebra paddock, before the now singleton moved into the old bison area.
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Paignton used to have 2.1 in 2019 - one male was still immature so didn’t develop his black feathers.
 
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