ZSL London Zoo ZSL London Zoo News 2024

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A male okapi is due to arrive shortly to join the current single female

The previous spider monkey enclosure will eventfully house the spare group of squirrel monkeys which are currently in the enclosure by gorillas. This won't happen straight away however, once moved this will allow them to expand into that space for gorillas.
 
LucasRyan said:
A male okapi is due to arrive shortly to join the current single female

The previous spider monkey enclosure will eventfully house the spare group of squirrel monkeys which are currently in the enclosure by gorillas. This won't happen straight away however, once moved this will allow them to expand into that space for gorillas.
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Any idea as to where this bull came from?
 
Yeah, the enclosure is at the back of the market area, right up by the back of Tiny Giants(/Web of Life/BUGS). We went to the enclosure four or so times during the day on Saturday (plus one group member who was in earlier did an extra one first thing) and we had brief views in the outside caged section on two occasions in the later afternoon (plus the same on the solo mission first thing..!). They were using the further pophole that seems to link to an offshow indoor area rather than the onshow one, so we never saw them indoors.
 
Daubentoniidae said:
I hopefully going to the zoo tomorrow for the first time in a while so hoping to see the new developments like the reptile house and giant tortoise house, they look very good as well as aiming to at least glimpse the Indian mongoose.
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Don't miss the new toads, between the aquarium toilets and the Mappin Terraces (where the Congo caecilians used to be)
 
On a different note, I've just come across a 2005 'development proposal' from a Dutch zoo design firm here: https://erikvanvliet-zoodesign.com/...2/01/21-21-basiskader-Tekening-London-Zoo.jpg

I doubt this plan was ever much more than wishful thinking (or maybe part of a design competition?) but it's certainly interesting, albeit bordering on the fanciful. Some of the (many) highlights include:
  • expanded enclosures for Asian elephants and Indian rhinos around the Casson
  • a range of Asian carnivores (including snow leopards and sloth bears) and caprines on the Mappins
  • a complete redevelopment of the Clore, including 'koalas and other marsupials', monotremes and manatees (!)
  • a series of exhibits for polar bears, walruses and fur-seals
  • kiwi in the Blackburn
Obviously, much of this was never feasible but the sheer ambition is certainly commendable!
 
Thanks for posting this. It's many years since I last saw this and it's great to be reminded of this imaginative, if over-ambitious, plan.

Obviously its never going to materialise but I especially like the hippos, manatees and Indian rhinos!
 
Gavialis said:
On a different note, I've just come across a 2005 'development proposal' from a Dutch zoo design firm here: https://erikvanvliet-zoodesign.com/...2/01/21-21-basiskader-Tekening-London-Zoo.jpg

I doubt this plan was ever much more than wishful thinking (or maybe part of a design competition?) but it's certainly interesting, albeit bordering on the fanciful. Some of the (many) highlights include:
  • expanded enclosures for Asian elephants and Indian rhinos around the Casson
  • a range of Asian carnivores (including snow leopards and sloth bears) and caprines on the Mappins
  • a complete redevelopment of the Clore, including 'koalas and other marsupials', monotremes and manatees (!)
  • a series of exhibits for polar bears, walruses and fur-seals
  • kiwi in the Blackburn
Obviously, much of this was never feasible but the sheer ambition is certainly commendable!
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Whatever this firm were smoking it must’ve been strong! Ambitious is putting it mildly. :cool:
 
Gavialis said:
On a different note, I've just come across a 2005 'development proposal' from a Dutch zoo design firm here: https://erikvanvliet-zoodesign.com/...2/01/21-21-basiskader-Tekening-London-Zoo.jpg

I doubt this plan was ever much more than wishful thinking (or maybe part of a design competition?) but it's certainly interesting, albeit bordering on the fanciful. Some of the (many) highlights include:
  • expanded enclosures for Asian elephants and Indian rhinos around the Casson
  • a range of Asian carnivores (including snow leopards and sloth bears) and caprines on the Mappins
  • a complete redevelopment of the Clore, including 'koalas and other marsupials', monotremes and manatees (!)
  • a series of exhibits for polar bears, walruses and fur-seals
  • kiwi in the Blackburn
Obviously, much of this was never feasible but the sheer ambition is certainly commendable!
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Fascinating - a bit like redesigning London in sandbox mode in Planet Zoo...
 
Gavialis said:
a complete redevelopment of the Clore, including 'koalas and other marsupials', monotremes and manatees (!)
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The Clore Pavilion opened in 1967
Marsupials include::
Dusky slender opossum, grey short-tailed opossum, four-eyed opossum
Kowari. Tasmanian devil
Rufous spiny bandicoot
Naked-nosed wombat (including Tasmanian wombat)
New Guinea ground cuscus
Common striped possum, Leadbeater's possum, sugar glider
Narrow-toed feather-tail glider
Long-nosed pororoo
Goodfellow's tree kangaroo, grizzled tree kangaroo
Monotremes include: Eastern long-beaked echidna,
 
amur leopard said:
  • Small-webbed bell toads (about seven or eight of them, only ones in Europe besides Tula in Russia) now in the former Congo Caecilian exhibit. Likely came from TP Berlin.
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Rather foolishly forgot to cross-check my photos with images of the species in question and turns out they appear to just be Bombina bombina - thanks @Prochilodus246 for pointing this out. Interestingly this species was (visibly) behind the scenes at London in previous years but was signed correctly as B. bombina. This all raises the rather puzzling question of where the B. microdeladigitora tag came from given those same toads have been at London for years and with correct signage. You'd imagine there must be frogs of that species at ZSL somewhere for that to happen - potentially a mix up or even a temporary swap?

In the meantime, apologies for the inadvertent misinformation :P.
 
cerperal said:
Clearly that Dutch design firm worked out how to turn off animal welfare. Pity they never shared how with anyone else

I imagine the paths were probably easier to lay in the actual zoo...
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Condors in the Blackburn? Good grief.
 
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