ZSL Whipsnade Zoo ZSL Whipsnade Zoo News 2025

[cerperal]

Do you happen to know how old they are? That doesn't seem too promising.

Not promising at all, but there's likely a few members here that remember a similar situation occurred in the 2000s and seemingly overnight Whipsnade gained a breeding herd! Hopefully some concrete news on them arrives soon, someone may have to just ask a keeper or email in.

Regarding age - I can't help there, sorry. But not very old from what I can remember, a new group arrived around 2020 of fairly young individuals so I would imagine the female that died last year was a holdover from the old group. Back when there was a breeding bull, 2 calves and at least 2 females

Hopefully someone else has their ages noted down but given they never went public with which female died it's hard to judge anyway

 

[Panthera1981]

Thanks for all the photos, certainly a much larger enclosure and better housing than before. Fingers crossed they can get a bull, as they really on their last legs at Whipsnade (and in Britain as a whole)

AFAIK Gaur have never been that common in UK zoos. I only know of ZSL and Port Lympne as holders in recent memory.

 

[Cat-Man]

Not promising at all, but there's likely a few members here that remember a similar situation occurred in the 2000s and seemingly overnight Whipsnade gained a breeding herd! Hopefully some concrete news on them arrives soon, someone may have to just ask a keeper or email in.

Regarding age - I can't help there, sorry. But not very old from what I can remember, a new group arrived around 2020 of fairly young individuals so I would imagine the female that died last year was a holdover from the old group. Back when there was a breeding bull, 2 calves and at least 2 females

Hopefully someone else has their ages noted down but given they never went public with which female died it's hard to judge anyway

Thanks for the information, it certainly seems it’s been a turbulent ride for them at Whipsnade. I’ll attempt to email them this week and see what I can find out!

Does anybody know where the two calves went to?

AFAIK Gaur have never been that common in UK zoos. I only know of ZSL and Port Lympne as holders in recent memory.

Yep, ZTL confirms this. The two Aspinall Parks, ZSL and Chester have held them *relatively* recently, and before that Plymouth and Belle Vue, both now closed.

I’m not sure they’ve ever been common anywhere! The cost of keeping them must be significant, and although the public do like large bovines, they certainly don’t provoke the same amount of interest as say, Rhinos do. If they did, I’d expect way more collections to have Cape Buffalo, given their high salience in the public conscious via tv shows etc.

 

[ajmcwhipsnade]

My earliest memories of Gaur at Whipsnade are them in what is now the older of the three Asian Rhino paddocks (former Black Rhino enclosure according to an old guidebook I own). I remember being absolutely terrified of them as a small child haha.

 

[cerperal]

AFAIK Gaur have never been that common in UK zoos. I only know of ZSL and Port Lympne as holders in recent memory.

They've never been particularly common in Europe in general, but the zoos that have held them (and continue to) generally breed them very successfully. All the more shame the herd at Whipsnade, which also happens to have a perfect exhibit for them, seems to be living on borrowed time

Thanks for the information, it certainly seems it’s been a turbulent ride for them at Whipsnade. I’ll attempt to email them this week and see what I can find out!

Does anybody know where the two calves went to?

Yep, ZTL confirms this. The two Aspinall Parks, ZSL and Chester have held them *relatively* recently, and before that Plymouth and Belle Vue, both now closed.

I’m not sure they’ve ever been common anywhere! The cost of keeping them must be significant, and although the public do like large bovines, they certainly don’t provoke the same amount of interest as say, Rhinos do. If they did, I’d expect way more collections to have Cape Buffalo, given their high salience in the public conscious via tv shows etc.

I think you're quite right about them not provoking as much interest, and unfortunately that seems to trickle down to the zoo's media as well. The last official post about them even being at the zoo seems to be from 2016, announcing the birth of female calf Miumiu. As for where she went, or the male calf born a few years earlier, or the ones born after, I am unfortunately none the wiser. I would like to think that they moved to other collections on the continent as both adolescent bulls born at the zoo left during the first pandemic, in turn adult females arriving from the continent.

 

[cerperal]

My earliest memories of Gaur at Whipsnade are them in what is now the older of the three Asian Rhino paddocks (former Black Rhino enclosure according to an old guidebook I own). I remember being absolutely terrified of them as a small child haha.

I have similar memories, unfortunately being a tad too young to see them in the now pig and deer paddock. I distinctly remember other visitors paying some attention but generally deeming them to be just large cows and me being stood there in awe of the old breeding bull. A fully grown male doesn't look real, between the horns and the obscene amount of muscle. I'd say that and touching the male rhino at Marwell are my main zoo memories as a child.

It's a shame, the average person knows gaur quite well in image thanks to a certain energy drink, just not by name.

 

[Baringogiraffe12]

Thanks for the information, it certainly seems it’s been a turbulent ride for them at Whipsnade. I’ll attempt to email them this week and see what I can find out!

Does anybody know where the two calves went to?



Yep, ZTL confirms this. The two Aspinall Parks, ZSL and Chester have held them *relatively* recently, and before that Plymouth and Belle Vue, both now closed.

I’m not sure they’ve ever been common anywhere! The cost of keeping them must be significant, and although the public do like large bovines, they certainly don’t provoke the same amount of interest as say, Rhinos do. If they did, I’d expect way more collections to have Cape Buffalo, given their high salience in the public conscious via tv shows etc.

Breeding history of gaur at ZSL Whipsnade since 2007;

2007: 1,0 Mohan
2011: 1,0 Odin
2012: 1,0
2014: 1,0
2015: 1,0
2016: 0,1 Miumiu

The 2007 calf, Mohan went onto become the breeding bull with an imported female, 'Mia' - they produced Odin in 2011, who then sadly died in 2012/13. Following that, they had three male calves born, it is listed on Zootierliste they held 4,1 in 2016, which subsequently changes to 3,2 in 2017. From memory, I can't recall them importing any new females, nor any new births occurring. I believe the last bull they held, died around 2020/21.

 

[Cat-Man]

My earliest memories of Gaur at Whipsnade are them in what is now the older of the three Asian Rhino paddocks (former Black Rhino enclosure according to an old guidebook I own). I remember being absolutely terrified of them as a small child haha.

They've never been particularly common in Europe in general, but the zoos that have held them (and continue to) generally breed them very successfully. All the more shame the herd at Whipsnade, which also happens to have a perfect exhibit for them, seems to be living on borrowed time



I think you're quite right about them not provoking as much interest, and unfortunately that seems to trickle down to the zoo's media as well. The last official post about them even being at the zoo seems to be from 2016, announcing the birth of female calf Miumiu. As for where she went, or the male calf born a few years earlier, or the ones born after, I am unfortunately none the wiser. I would like to think that they moved to other collections on the continent as both adolescent bulls born at the zoo left during the first pandemic, in turn adult females arriving from the continent.

I have similar memories, unfortunately being a tad too young to see them in the now pig and deer paddock. I distinctly remember other visitors paying some attention but generally deeming them to be just large cows and me being stood there in awe of the old breeding bull. A fully grown male doesn't look real, between the horns and the obscene amount of muscle. I'd say that and touching the male rhino at Marwell are my main zoo memories as a child.

It's a shame, the average person knows gaur quite well in image thanks to a certain energy drink, just not by name.

I agree, they are imposing beasts, and there is nothing quite like a bull. By some distance the most impressive bovine, in my opinion, and always the highlight of a Whipsnade trip.

And it’s terrible they aren’t promoted more. I mean, they aren’t even labelled on the map!

 

[cerperal]

I agree, they are imposing beasts, and there is nothing quite like a bull. By some distance the most impressive bovine, in my opinion, and always the highlight of a Whipsnade trip.

And it’s terrible they aren’t promoted more. I mean, they aren’t even labelled on the map!

It may have taken them a decade, but they finally added them this year! Just next to the otters and the giraffes, besides the nilgai

The 2007 calf, Mohan went onto become the breeding bull with an imported female, 'Mia' - they produced Odin in 2011, who then sadly died in 2012/13. Following that, they had three male calves born, it is listed on Zootierliste they held 4,1 in 2016, which subsequently changes to 3,2 in 2017. From memory, I can't recall them importing any new females, nor any new births occurring. I believe the last bull they held, died around 2020/21.

Thank you for confirming the births! I had the order the wrong way round, in that Miumiu was the final calf and not the first of the current group. They definitely gained a new female between 2019 and 2022, during which period the other male calves left, confirmed by Zootierliste with them holding 3,2 in 2019 and 0,3 in 2022. The problem (and this unfortunately applies to both ZSL collections) is that they never made the 2019 or 2020 inventories public, and with the zoo closed for much of 2020 nobody could confirm any movements.

 

[Baringogiraffe12]

It may have taken them a decade, but they finally added them this year! Just next to the otters and the giraffes, besides the nilgai


Thank you for confirming the births! I had the order the wrong way round, in that Miumiu was the final calf and not the first of the current group. They definitely gained a new female between 2019 and 2022, during which period the other male calves left, confirmed by Zootierliste with them holding 3,2 in 2019 and 0,3 in 2022. The problem (and this unfortunately applies to both ZSL collections) is that they never made the 2019 or 2020 inventories public, and with the zoo closed for much of 2020 nobody could confirm any movements.

Sadly this is indeed the case, even more frustrating being unable to confirm where the female in 2019-2022 arrived from, though given the lack of gaur in Europe, it shouldn't be too hard to trace. Berlin, Cabarenco, Dortmund and Tallinn all held more than one female at that point, the remaining holders only held one female and/or bulls at that point. That is assuming of course, the female did indeed arrive from Europe!

 

[Kalaw]

Unfortunately one died before the New Year, which I believe leaves them with just a pair as of now. Certainly they must look rather small in such a large paddock now...

I would not say small by any means! It is still immediately obvious that they are larger than any other bovids, and they aren’t even bulls. Yes, their size was more obvious when you saw them more up-close by the elephants, but I would not say they are dwarfed by their new space whatsoever.

I agree, they are imposing beasts, and there is nothing quite like a bull. By some distance the most impressive bovine, in my opinion, and always the highlight of a Whipsnade trip.

And it’s terrible they aren’t promoted more. I mean, they aren’t even labelled on the map!

A slight improvement on before when they didn’t even have an icon on the map, but still questionable and disappointing, especially when the icon resembles a Cape buffalo more so than a gaur.

 

[Cat-Man]

It may have taken them a decade, but they finally added them this year! Just next to the otters and the giraffes, besides the nilgai

I would not say small by any means! It is still immediately obvious that they are larger than any other bovids, and they aren’t even bulls. Yes, their size was more obvious when you saw them more up-close by the elephants, but I would not say they are dwarfed by their new space whatsoever.

A slight improvement on before when they didn’t even have an icon on the map, but still questionable and disappointing, especially when the icon resembles a Cape buffalo more so than a gaur.

Yes, I should have clarified I meant labelled by name, as this discussion came from my query regarding the mystery bovine on the map. If I, a genuine zoo enthusiast, didn’t know that was a Gaur, what hope does Joe Bloggs have?

 

[Panthera1981]

Breeding history of gaur at ZSL Whipsnade since 2007;

2007: 1,0 Mohan
2011: 1,0 Odin
2012: 1,0
2014: 1,0
2015: 1,0
2016: 0,1 Miumiu

The 2007 calf, Mohan went onto become the breeding bull with an imported female, 'Mia' - they produced Odin in 2011, who then sadly died in 2012/13. Following that, they had three male calves born, it is listed on Zootierliste they held 4,1 in 2016, which subsequently changes to 3,2 in 2017. From memory, I can't recall them importing any new females, nor any new births occurring. I believe the last bull they held, died around 2020/21.

I would argue that Whipsnade only really started taking the Gaur seriously during the Mohan/Mia period. The intention was to build up the herd but, frustratingly, Mia kept on producing male offspring! By 2016 it was too late. Mia was the older of the two (by some degree if I recall) and certainly wore the trousers in the relationship! I think she was an import from France. Mohan had a reputation of being a big softie!

 

[Lafone]

Unfortunately one died before the New Year, which I believe leaves them with just a pair as of now. Certainly they must look rather small in such a large paddock now...

On the contrary I think occasionally they are just far away.

 

[Lafone]

I would not say small by any means! It is still immediately obvious that they are larger than any other bovids, and they aren’t even bulls. Yes, their size was more obvious when you saw them more up-close by the elephants, but I would not say they are dwarfed by their new space whatsoever.

A slight improvement on before when they didn’t even have an icon on the map, but still questionable and disappointing, especially when the icon resembles a Cape buffalo more so than a gaur.

They also feature graphically in the Lowland Anoa / Sulawasi macaque house for size comparison purposes which is a nice touch if people want to go and see them for real too later on

 

[cerperal]

I would not say small by any means! It is still immediately obvious that they are larger than any other bovids, and they aren’t even bulls. Yes, their size was more obvious when you saw them more up-close by the elephants, but I would not say they are dwarfed by their new space whatsoever.

On the contrary I think occasionally they are just far away.

Sorry, my wording was far too ambiguous there. I just mean it more in a metaphorical sense as the numbers have depleted so much. I haven't seen them in about 5 years because they always insist on being in their house when I visit, but you would have to try very hard to make even the females look genuinely small

 

[Lafone]

Sorry, my wording was far too ambiguous there. I just mean it more in a metaphorical sense as the numbers have depleted so much. I haven't seen them in about 5 years because they always insist on being in their house when I visit, but you would have to try very hard to make even the females look genuinely small

I was just enjoying an opportunity to bring in Father Ted tbh

This is a good time of year to find them outside - not over warm but pleasant and not too many flies.

 

[Panthera1981]

I was just enjoying an opportunity to bring in Father Ted tbh

Does the zoo gift shop sell toy Gaur so we can test this theory?

Which reminds me, it’s Eurovision this Saturday. I must dig out my copy of “My Lovely Horse.” It would be rude not to!

 

[rhinofan12]

As well as the Gaur being an underrated species i also feel the next to them Nilgai also don't get the attention they deserve. A wonderful animal in another large enclosure, I wonder if they have a future at Whipsnade as there numbers seem to be going down, I'm sure they are down to 7 now.

 

[Pertinax]

As well as the Gaur being an underrated species i also feel the next to them Nilgai also don't get the attention they deserve. A wonderful animal in another large enclosure, I wonder if they have a future at Whipsnade as there numbers seem to be going down, I'm sure they are down to 7 now.

I believe the current Nilgai are a fairly recent addition too, as the species seemed to have died out at Whipsnade at one stage. The new group increased to over a dozen at one stage a few years ago but seems to have dwindled again now. This does seem a bit of a current trend at Whipsnade- replace a previously-held species (Thompson gazelle, impala, blackbuck etc) but then let them dwindle/die out again.