ZSL London Zoo ZSL London Zoo News 2025
- Thread starter aquilla1
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They're cute, placid, lots of places do experiences where you can stroke/feed them etc. There have been lots of 'memes' (I'm not sure they are technically memes but whatever) about how chill they are with just about every animal you can imagine. Lots of merchandise around, much like sloths - I personally think they're much nicer than sloths and they've had a moment for about 10 years. So there's been t shirts, wrapping paper, stationery etc. with them on.
Kalaw
Well-Known Member
Internet driven, yes. Videos of cute animals tend to do well with algorithms and go viral, with cats of course being the classic example. Around 4 years ago, inexplicably, it became a viral trend to compile cute montages of capys over a popular Don Toliver track, but since then all manner of capybara videos have blown up for their cuteness.
I feel as though internet trends, likely fuelled by cuteness, something that more zoos should look to take advantage of in marketing. Look at the Pygmy Hippo calf from Khao Kheow, Moo Deng, for example, who some people flew across the globe to see because of how popular she was online.
Are you referring to a new pygmy hippo bull for the cow already on site?
Second question: What is really holding up anyway the arrival of a new male (pygmy) hippo?
Charles
Well-Known Member
I remember it being said a while ago that Pygmy hippos are one of the only species with fewer males available then females, Edinburgh have alot of breeding success with theirs so there probably trying to find a good genetic match (Amara coming from Edinburgh I think?)
plus Brexit paperwork I think unfortunately
cerperal
Well-Known Member
Yes, a new bull to accompany and breed with current female Amara.
As for what's holding it up, @Charles covered most of the problems. It's been a struggle to find a bull of breeding age, and even more of one to find the means to transport one once he is chosen. Brexit certainly plays a part but it's more the actual act of physically moving a hippo; a similar issue is preventing Wilfred the giraffe from moving on too. I believe a bull was selected but for a mixture of reasons out of London's control, it fell through - so equally bad luck.
Unrelated to the hippos, but the sloth youngster Nova will be moving to a collection in Kent in the coming weeks
LittleRavenwood
Active Member
Do you know which collection in kent?
Typhlonectes
Well-Known Member
Only Wingham and Hemsley keep sloth so most probably one of the two
It shouldn't be any more difficult than moving e.g. a Tapir, i.e. Pygmy Hippo is a similar sized species. Don't Ventura or other zoo animal transporters specialise in this sort of thing or is a Pygmy Hippo a somewhat bigger challenge. Perhaps the importation itself and documentation played a role too. I know these things have become more difficult if not impossible for some species in the years since Brexit.
Lafone
Well-Known Member
Video on the BBC of a full health check for Kiburi the Gorilla at London, illustrating some of the logistical challenges involved in vet care for such large primates
London Zoo's biggest gorilla has full health check-up
and article on the ZSL site about the process
King Kiburi – special care for London Zoo’s biggest primate | London Zoo
London Zoo's biggest gorilla has full health check-up
and article on the ZSL site about the process
King Kiburi – special care for London Zoo’s biggest primate | London Zoo
cornu aspersum
Well-Known Member
Which species was it?
cerperal
Well-Known Member
Sorry, stupid of me not to say! Ring-tailed, that's the brothers Spike and Morombe who have passed in the past few weeks (also the oldest of the group)
The issue isn't with Brexit, although gor the first couple of years ot caused a lot of problems. The stumbling block now is Bluetongue virus, and the rules governing the import of Artiodactyls. Unfortunately the government has cut funding to DEFRA by 40 % so review of bluetongue legislation is low on their list of priorities. Incredibly damaging for any zoos with these animals in their collection
I was reading a statement from David Field at Edinburgh Zoo in relation to all this, specifically with them trying to bring in two more Indian rhinos. But highlighting the problems more generally.
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Lafone
Well-Known Member
Yes, interesting stuff, the statement is on the Edinburgh website along with a link to the letter to the Government co signed with the Chiefs of BIAZA, EAZA and ZSL seeking, among other things, exemptions and clearer quanrantine rules for large animals in particular.
Zoos urge DEFRA to tackle red tape preventing rare animal transfers
The funding reduction to DEFRA is 2.7% in real terms according to authorities, so they would probably have time to look at it and have not lost nearly half their resources as suggested above. Whether it is a priority of course is another matter.