ZSL Whipsnade Zoo Hippos at Whipsnade

Jambo said:
Hippo gestation is eight months, so it's very possible if she conceived soon after that she could be due again.
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Yes, I suppose it depends if the breeding pair are living together or not, but I couldn't tell you as I have no idea what the hippo set up at Flamingo Land is like, and whether they have room to comfortably house adults separately for a long period of time or not.
 
sparkes12 said:
I feel the Hippo enclosure is more then adequate as it is as i can't see them ever having anymore then 3 hippo/3 pygmy hippo at any given time.
Last year I heard the keepers saying that they were waiting for Hodor to get the green light to move on and start hopefully breeding himself at another collection, also that they are actively looking for a mate for Tapon the pygmy hippo.
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I really would hope that Whipsnade would invest in a new common hippo habitat (the current one is so hopelessly "dazed" and "dated" and stick with pygmy hippo only at London Zoo Regent's Park.

I really am at odds why not that ZSL not rebrand both institutions as partners and add-on value with single attractions for zoo visitors at each site (and lo-an-behold ZSL recreated the pygmy hippo habitat quite recently at Regent's Park and now sits content to have just a lone female pygmy hippo there). Just don't make sense .. to me!

Much better in my humble opinion.... (unlikely to happen it seems), but it would certainly create a continuous landscape with other African hoofstock and well something of a great landmark and reason to yahoo, yahoo, yahoo ... visit Whipsnade. Certainly an added visitor benefit.
 
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Kifaru Bwana said:
I really would hope that Whipsnade would invest in a new common hippo habitat (the current one is so hopelessly "dazed" and "dated" and stick with pygmy hippo only at London Zoo Regent's Park.

I really am at odds why not that ZSL not rebrand both institutions as partners and add-on value with single attractions for zoo visitors at each site (and lo-an-behold ZSL recreated the pygmy hippo habitat quite recently at Regent's Park and now sits content to have just a lone female pygmy hippo there). Just don't make sense .. to me!

Much better in my humble opinion.... (unlikely to happen it seems), but it would certainly create a continuous landscape with other African hoofstock and well something of a great landmark and reason to yahoo, yahoo, yahoo ... visit Whipsnade. Certainly an added visitor benefit.
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I don't agree the current exhibit is hopelessly dated. I don't know what dazed would be in reference to the exhibit.

Not changing something if it works doesn't make it 'hopelessly dated'. Whipsnade has always created a focus in both the exhibit and from an education point of view in that area by having both types of hippos in close proximity to each other; that might be argued as a reason to visit already.

I'd also suggest Whipsnade is a significant collection with reasons to visit it. Of course there are lots of things they could do more of and judging by recent changes we are on a positive track there, but 'hopelessly dated'? That's too dramatic for me.

As mentioned upthread the pygmies at Whipsnade and London are distantly related so a new male is being sought to replace London's former male Thug who was not too old to breed with the new female, he just died unexpectedly. I don't know why it would make sense to move pygmy hippo Tapon to London to have a non breeding pair there, creating a gap at Whipsnade but in any case I imagine the studbook plays a part vs reversing some 'dazed' state.
 
cerperal said:
Completely in agreement, apologies if my reply came off as trying to disprove what you said. Prague's exhibit doubtless seems even worse given the quality on display elsewhere at the zoo but it's the only exhibit (minus the polar bears but they're getting a new one) I'm left with thinking wow, that is truly dreadful. Berlin is certainly lacking in indoor land area but the grazing space makes up for it outside - although I do think it's worth mentioning in recent years the hippos and nyala have been often separated, but I couldn't say why.

I genuinely believe Whipsnade provides one of the best exhibits for the hippos themselves in Europe and it only moderately let down by somewhat below average viewing
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Yes I agree with that as the layout of the hippo complex and just Africa in general doesn't really provide an opportunity to have any unique viewing e.g. underwater viewing
 
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