Four Brown Hyena pups have been born at Hamerton to pair Amari and Zumbi. The pups were born in October and are doing well - reported on their social media.
Hamerton Zoo Park Hamerton Zoo News 2024
- Thread starter WhistlingKite24
- Start date
On January 25th, the zoo announced that the path past the brown hyena exhibit had reopened to the public.
Hamerton Zoo
Lafone
Well-Known Member
Had a lovely day out at Hamerton today. Met @Crowthorne which was excellent! You know you are at the zoo with a zoochatter when you discuss the colour of Harvest mice!
Lots of active animals enjoying the sunshine on an otherwise chilly day.
The brown hyena female and pups were visible - pretty exciting stuff all round - they look lovely. A couple of hyenas were also visible in the enclosure beyond the bears (which is now signed) and the male father to the pups is in the other den in the same area as the female (separated). Super to see them. A proper treat.
Was also easy to see the new cheetah cubs in the enclosure behind the serval (a handy sign points visitors to a good viewing spot) and they were outside with their mother off and on. They look great and it will be awesome if they do move to the front enclosure at some point.
The ushant sheep on some shelves animal display is coming along nicely (see photo)… well the new unknown enclosure opposite the tigers has had some more stuff added to it anyway.
Lots of wood and new shipping containers in the car park too so looks like work going on all round. Work also happening in the flamingo enclosure too (picture below) as the flamingos were inside. Looks like a new outside structure for them, possibly a shelter.
Was great to see the juvenile brush turkeys out in enclosures and doing well.
The young turaco who was in the nursery on my last visit has joined the azure winged magpies in the aviary next to the lilac breasted roller and is super friendly and curious - coming up to sit really close to the fence and paying lots of attention to visitors. A nice moment to be able to see one up so close.
There was a Ruppels griffon vulture egg in the incubator in the nursery which was cool to see (picture below). And on the subject of new arrivals a couple of small wallabies were hopping about.
As we were leaving, one of the golden possums was outside the enclosure next to the civets just sitting on a branch - very nice to see and a great way to end the day.
Lots of active animals enjoying the sunshine on an otherwise chilly day.
The brown hyena female and pups were visible - pretty exciting stuff all round - they look lovely. A couple of hyenas were also visible in the enclosure beyond the bears (which is now signed) and the male father to the pups is in the other den in the same area as the female (separated). Super to see them. A proper treat.
Was also easy to see the new cheetah cubs in the enclosure behind the serval (a handy sign points visitors to a good viewing spot) and they were outside with their mother off and on. They look great and it will be awesome if they do move to the front enclosure at some point.
The ushant sheep on some shelves animal display is coming along nicely (see photo)… well the new unknown enclosure opposite the tigers has had some more stuff added to it anyway.
Lots of wood and new shipping containers in the car park too so looks like work going on all round. Work also happening in the flamingo enclosure too (picture below) as the flamingos were inside. Looks like a new outside structure for them, possibly a shelter.
Was great to see the juvenile brush turkeys out in enclosures and doing well.
The young turaco who was in the nursery on my last visit has joined the azure winged magpies in the aviary next to the lilac breasted roller and is super friendly and curious - coming up to sit really close to the fence and paying lots of attention to visitors. A nice moment to be able to see one up so close.
There was a Ruppels griffon vulture egg in the incubator in the nursery which was cool to see (picture below). And on the subject of new arrivals a couple of small wallabies were hopping about.
As we were leaving, one of the golden possums was outside the enclosure next to the civets just sitting on a branch - very nice to see and a great way to end the day.
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As mentioned, had a great day at Hamerton with @Lafone 
my first visit since 2019, so interesting to see what had changed. New species for me were Brown Hyena, Black-backed Jackal, White-nosed Coati and the back end of a Syrian Brown Bear. Very good to see all the other rarities again, such as the Grison, Wombat, Tayra, Oncilla, Rusty-Spotted Cat, Golden Possum (and this being Hamerton the list goes on!)
Malayan Tigers Cicip and Sahaja are still there (first saw them in 2015 at RSCC); though Cicip is starting to look like an older boy now, he was still very active. Sahaja was very vocal.
Black-backed Jackals were active, am always surprised at how small jackals are. Conversely the Brown Hyenas seemed bigger than expected. Saw all four cubs which was wonderful, and the cheetah cubs.
No-shows for the Ringtail and Bat-eared Fox in particular.
As always, loved the Outback Aviary!
my first visit since 2019, so interesting to see what had changed. New species for me were Brown Hyena, Black-backed Jackal, White-nosed Coati and the back end of a Syrian Brown Bear. Very good to see all the other rarities again, such as the Grison, Wombat, Tayra, Oncilla, Rusty-Spotted Cat, Golden Possum (and this being Hamerton the list goes on!)Malayan Tigers Cicip and Sahaja are still there (first saw them in 2015 at RSCC); though Cicip is starting to look like an older boy now, he was still very active. Sahaja was very vocal.
Black-backed Jackals were active, am always surprised at how small jackals are. Conversely the Brown Hyenas seemed bigger than expected. Saw all four cubs which was wonderful, and the cheetah cubs.
No-shows for the Ringtail and Bat-eared Fox in particular.
As always, loved the Outback Aviary!
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Had my first visit to Hamerton yesterday and was very impressed with what I saw. It was good to see lots of different animals that aren’t in other zoos (although I don’t believe they are the only UK zoo with wombats as Longleat have them as well).
Didn’t see the Brown Hyenas so guess they were off show.
Plenty of red kites flying around.
The Syrian Bears were out and having a good time fighting each other.
Will definitely be visiting again.
Didn’t see the Brown Hyenas so guess they were off show.
Plenty of red kites flying around.
The Syrian Bears were out and having a good time fighting each other.
Will definitely be visiting again.
Kalaw
Well-Known Member
Longleat does indeed also have wombats, but they are of the Southern Hairy-nosed Species, while Hamerton's are Naked-nosed, so a separate species and even genus.
The Brown Hyenas in the main enclosure (with the roof, opposite the Cheetahs/Servals), showed very well at the end of the day last weekend, but they are all very shy and liable to dash indoors
There are also another pair behind the Brown Bears that are signed from the bear viewing platform, but they are quite far off
Moorhunhe
Well-Known Member
It's a male Wombat. The couple is still in the aviary, but they took this male out in hopes the couple will enjoy some more alone time
We went today, and asked the keeper. Though, we noticed ourselves it looked very fit for a Wombat.
I saw one adult out between 3.15 -4.00 yesterday and 2 youngsters made a couple of brief appearances as well
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Moorhunhe
Well-Known Member
So we went today. And as mentioned above, 1 Wombat has moved where the Donkeys are. They made a new enclosures for him.
We saw at least 3 hyena pups. Maybe all 4, but it's hard to tell when they come outside not all together, lol.
I don't know which adult was outside, but they all seemed very skiddish and shy.
Still no sightings of the bat eared foxes
And we also didn't see one Corsac Fox, which thought was a bit strange. They always show themselves at some point.
Cheetah cubs were playing a lot, but obviously with them being in the distance, only visible through my boyfriends p950 camera, haha.
I like the photography session they are offering.
But tickets on sale on a Saturday, for a session 4 days later, and both me and my line manager don't work on Friday, so asking Monday to have the day off 2 days later, that won't work.
The Saturday session, I don't drive and boyfriend cannot get Saturdays off.
Not a great job on their part to push this through last minute, but that's just my personal thought.
The brown hyena now behind the bears, don't know what to think of that really, it's quite the distance to try and spot them.
I feel I have a love/hate relationship with Hamerton. Always very excited to go, the keepers are super nice and always answering questions we have, but mostly when leaving, a bit dissapointed. I don't get this with other places we go to.
Like, not a full feeling, if that makes sense.
I'm probably just that extra bit weird, lol.
As I'm walking towards the jackals, boyfriend was a little behind, he suddenly speeds past me, and I'm like 'you can see one there' and he kept walking, so I was a bit 'what's he doing??'
I saw the other jackal eating and searching/digging, and I catch up with him, only for him to then say to a family 'can you not feed them? You're not allowed to'
To which the dad then says, not to be *rsy about it! Because 'it's just a boiled egg!'
While the kids were cheering him on and laughing while he threw the food.
We went straight to the cafe, as we couldn't see any keepers nearby on our way over there, and told the lady what was going on. She was well ticked off and immediately radio'd someone with a description of the family.
We saw at least 3 hyena pups. Maybe all 4, but it's hard to tell when they come outside not all together, lol.
I don't know which adult was outside, but they all seemed very skiddish and shy.
Still no sightings of the bat eared foxes
And we also didn't see one Corsac Fox, which thought was a bit strange. They always show themselves at some point.
Cheetah cubs were playing a lot, but obviously with them being in the distance, only visible through my boyfriends p950 camera, haha.
I like the photography session they are offering.
But tickets on sale on a Saturday, for a session 4 days later, and both me and my line manager don't work on Friday, so asking Monday to have the day off 2 days later, that won't work.
The Saturday session, I don't drive and boyfriend cannot get Saturdays off.
Not a great job on their part to push this through last minute, but that's just my personal thought.
The brown hyena now behind the bears, don't know what to think of that really, it's quite the distance to try and spot them.
I feel I have a love/hate relationship with Hamerton. Always very excited to go, the keepers are super nice and always answering questions we have, but mostly when leaving, a bit dissapointed. I don't get this with other places we go to.
Like, not a full feeling, if that makes sense.
I'm probably just that extra bit weird, lol.
As I'm walking towards the jackals, boyfriend was a little behind, he suddenly speeds past me, and I'm like 'you can see one there' and he kept walking, so I was a bit 'what's he doing??'
I saw the other jackal eating and searching/digging, and I catch up with him, only for him to then say to a family 'can you not feed them? You're not allowed to'
To which the dad then says, not to be *rsy about it! Because 'it's just a boiled egg!'
While the kids were cheering him on and laughing while he threw the food.
We went straight to the cafe, as we couldn't see any keepers nearby on our way over there, and told the lady what was going on. She was well ticked off and immediately radio'd someone with a description of the family.
Moorhunhe
Well-Known Member
Lafone
Well-Known Member
Shame to see Cicip go, rare tigers and hard to see in Europe. And a sad time for the keepers and team at Hamerton.
How visible are the hyenas and jackals at the moment?
Lafone
Well-Known Member
Saw both on my last visit in late Jan, someone may update if there are any changes, but jackals in particular were very active and hyenas had to go back a few times to spot them.
Laboratory 7
Well-Known Member
Never had a problem viewing either,in fact the jackal from my experience can often be found, sleeping directly under one of the viewing areas. The old jackal at the back of the Malayan tiger is the hard one to spot, but at least she isn't as bad as the bat eared fox as I believe the best time to see them is midnight.