Edinburgh zoo is bringing in 2 sloth bears over the next week also
Yorkshire Wildlife Park Yorkshire Wildlife Park News 2025
- Thread starter Smaggledagle
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ZooNews2024
Well-Known Member
From what I was told by a colleague who visited, the enclosure was tiny and the bears dreadfully sterotyped - although the latter was not perhaps the zoos fault, and potentially more to do with the origin of the animals.
I volunteered there including the time both these two and the preceding pair were there;
the enclosure wasn’t tiny, and quite complex. I don’t know what efforts were made to address the stereotyping. However, I think it became apparent that Andean bears (the females anyway) do better when not housed together. Maybe that was a factor in them moving on?
But weren't Jersey's only ever a male/ female pair apart from when cubs were born? I know they had several consecutive pairs through the decades they had them, ever since the male 'Pedro', who was one of the zoo's very early residents, was eventually, after many years living alone, partnered with a female 'Petronella' provided by Brookfield Zoo in the USA. After Pedro died they had Spencer from Whipsnade. Later there was Wolfgang and Barbara. I don't know the names of the most recent bears or any of their history though.
From memory I wouldn't call their enclosure in the First Impressions building, tiny, and I think the one that had stereotypical behaviour wasn't as a result of the enclosure. Rather like the recent Whipsnade hippos move, it was a shame that they went out of a species they had held and bred a number of times and after so long, but no doubt they have a bigger enclosure at Knowsley
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It’s the females that possibly do better not housed with a male full time. From memory I think it was Barbara who stereotyped, partly due to sexual harassment from Wolfgang.
And yes, I wish Jersey still had the species.
So many long term species have gone from the zoo, another notable one being Sulawesi Macaques
Could these rescues be seen to have been a way for UK zoos to reintroduce bears to the UK zoo scene when so many had disappeared due to perceived problems with their keeping?
I don’t have a problem with bears in zoos, absolutely love seeing them, but just wondering, to add into discussion, if this was a way back in for bears?
Formerly they had a thriving group of Sulawesi Macaques, 20 + yet when they transfered them out there were just four left But the mixing of the two small unfamiliar groups at Whipsnade has certainly had positive results birthwise already.
As to the bears I see what you mean now. I guess they are together at Knowsley but with more space to avoid each other. Is it still Wolfgang and Barbara at Knowsley now, do you know, or some newer replacements?
On July 1st, the zoo announced that another gelada monkey was born. The zoo also announced they sexed the first gelada as (1.0) and named it Tekeze.
15K views · 367 reactions | The baby boom continues… We have added another Gelada Monkey to our troop, the second Gelada baby to be born at #YorkshireWildlifePark this year Visit https://bit.ly/NewGeladaBaby to read more. | Yorkshire Wildlife Park
Adorable Gelada Monkey Born | News | Yorkshire Wildlife Park
On July 3rd, the zoo announced their (1.0) eastern black rhino named Jasper passed away at age 33 due to age-related illnesses.
Yorkshire Wildlife Park
Jasper the Eastern Black Rhino peacefully passes away | News
There's a difference between zoos being about conservation, and being SOLELY about conservation... I mean if they were, why do they nearly all have meerkats? 'Rescue' animals can definitely have an educational role to play, besides the fact that its giving some animals a second chance at a decent life instead of being treated as disposable. But I doubt I'm going to convince anyone here; those who disagree with such projects will probably remain unmoved, and the rest will already be pleased.
One thing I will say though, is where were YWP when the Cat Survival Trust collection needed re-homing? They seem a lot better at taking on megafauna from overseas than helping when there's a problem in the UK. A shame, as IMO some Pumas would have been a wonderful addition!
They do seemingly have a focus on overseas rescues. Pumas would certainly fit the park very well (large mammal), it’d be great to see an open-topped exhibit for the species, similar to the Amur Leopards.
News wise, the three lion cubs now have access to the main reserve for those that were wondering, confirmed today by visiting/park socials.
The leopard cubs will apparently take ‘a little longer’ to be in the main exhibit and are still viewable on ‘cub cam’.
News wise, the three lion cubs now have access to the main reserve for those that were wondering, confirmed today by visiting/park socials.
The leopard cubs will apparently take ‘a little longer’ to be in the main exhibit and are still viewable on ‘cub cam’.
I was sad Jasper got retired so quickly from breeding. The last 5-6 years with both Chester and Port Lympne have largely been non events. I would like to see the black rhino birth quotum rise from the current 2-3 haphazardly to say 7-10 per year!
NOTA BENE: Remember: the European population is quite large and it would be great if the Back to Africa black rhino transfers can continue ... and with the added bonus of perhaps acquiring some surplus bulls East African back to European zoos.
I rather suspect you are recalling the existence of that thread incorrectly, given the fact that your figures for several of those species are incorrect!
In 2008 the following were also present:
Spectacled Bear - South Lakes
Sun Bear - RSCC
Brown Bear - Welsh Mountain Zoo, Blair Drummond, Dartmoor Zoo, Heythrop Zoo.
Asian Black Bear - Heythrop Zoo
Also, as regards Sloth Bear - although there were no other holders, there were three individuals at Whipsnade, rather than the two you suggest. It wasn't until 2017 that the older female died and left the collection with two remaining individuals.
Thanks for providing the correct info - I had suspected I’d undercounted the brown bear population, but completely forgot about the others!
There’s a reason for this… because it makes them money and good PR!! Ukraine+lions = kerching. It’s a proven winning formula for them now. You don’t get much more charismatic than a lion for most UK public so ‘rescuing’ some from a war torn Eastern European country is the perfect sob story. And after that you have more lions in your zoo that the public will continue to come and pay to see. Rescuing pumas from a home county would not have done nearly as well for them, even if the place was a hell hole for those cats.
ZooNews2024
Well-Known Member
Yes, it does seem as these 'projects' are chosen for a varying number of reasons, and the actual animal detail is not always at the top of the list.
Whilst I agree with your point in the context of PR and don’t doubt the lure of charismatic lions rescued from Ukraine by a UK zoo, it’s strong to assume it’s just pushing for a sob story. Hardly tedious.
Rescues from war zones aren’t going to be more cost-effective than acquiring animals from established collections in countries like France or Germany. These operations are instead typically undertaken because they align with an organisation’s ethical commitment to animal welfare and are in the best interests of the animals involved—despite significantly higher logistical and financial costs. As you point out, these animals are coming from a nation under siege and facing extreme pressures, which necessitates rigorous safety and welfare measures throughout the rescue and relocation process. Plus, people are going to come see Lions wherever they came from! The new cubs are likely more of a pull for the average visitor.
The park has already established its entire ‘lion country’ facility as a place for rescued lions from Romania and now Ukraine, hence they seem to be looking to continue that. The space is there, costs won’t balloon to include building new enclosures in time for new arrivals or a different animal.
The aforementioned focus on ABC’s here kind of hints that YWP in particular isn’t actively looking to rescue much else. Many places have animal exhibits dedicated to rescues of large mammalian species (i.e. circus elephants/big cats) and the tale behind it does good to lobby one of the needs for zoos and wildlife parks very existence… How does that need to be cynical?
Behind the hyena.