Likewise, I couldn't find the enclosure at Blijdorp.
ZSL London Zoo ZSL London Zoo News 2025
- Thread starter aquilla1
- Start date
Finally managed to get the images off my SD card, here’s the best one of the Cassons work:
Still unable to add media, but I can at least upload externally and add stuff here.
Here’s the images of those. Apologies again for the quality, they’re 3DS photos so look significantly better on the proper screen (and in 3D):
You can see the succulents in the old enclosure just behind them, although sadly didn’t get a standalone photo of those (I was pretty eager to leave once I realised it wasn’t meant to be open), I did get closer ones of the statue though:
Curious if anyone recognises where it comes from?
I thought someone had mentioned it before possibly, did you share any photos of it at the time or am I the first to do so?
As an aside for those who want a feel for the exhibits and buildings at London Zoo can I suggest viewing this Youtube video (i think from earlier this year)
London Zoo Tour | The World's Most Historic Zoo?
London Zoo Tour | The World's Most Historic Zoo?
Actually probably filmed about a year ago
cerperal
Well-Known Member
The capybara should be moving to their new exhibit this week, if not then next provided nothing goes wrong. It's set to open to coincide with ZooTown
Unfortunately, the male pygmy hippo has been delayed again - spring 2026 is the new date. But Whipsnade isn't getting a female until winter 2026/27, so I suppose it could be worse
Unfortunately, the male pygmy hippo has been delayed again - spring 2026 is the new date. But Whipsnade isn't getting a female until winter 2026/27, so I suppose it could be worse
Oh that’s good, in the old Tortoise House right? I do think it’s a good place for them overall, although I’m not sure why they’re being crate trained for it? It used to be pretty common to walk certain animals to their enclosures instead of crating them (they still walk the elephants at Whipsnade from time to time I believe), maybe capybaras can’t manage the whole walk under the tunnel?
That’s a shame, have really been wanting to see more of the hippos and was looking forward to the male coming in
cerperal
Well-Known Member
Indeed, and I believe the crate training is a mix of policy change and access problems - they can't be walked in or out of either exhibit particularly easily, and crate training is a necessary skill anyway for vet visits
I'm glad that part of the zoo is going to be used again, and it's a fairly good sized enclosure for capybara too so I'm silently hoping that they'll get an interspecies mix somewhere down the line, or even a larger group of capybara like how they live in the wild.
cerperal
Well-Known Member
Just repeating what I was told by a keeper and then a volunteer today, logic being that it will create a specific area around the old reptile house (capys being a big hit with kids as well). Obviously nothing is set in stone until it happens but they both seemed fairly confident in that time frame, apparently the exhibit is done
I can't definitively say they don't, but I'd be surprised if they still did this given they practise protected contact with the elephants.
No, walking the elephants at Whipsnade has now ceased...
Aww, well it’s a shame they stopped as it seems like it was good recreation for them
Based on uploads on YouTube it seems they only stopped around 2016-2017, what is protected contact and when did it come in?
Protected contact in regards to elephants is where elephants and keepers to some degree share a space, but one rarely if ever encroaches on the boundaries of the other - so I.e. keepers do not go into the elephant’s space with the elephant except for exceptional circumstances, such as medical circumstance.Aww, well it’s a shame they stopped as it seems like it was good recreation for them
Based on uploads on YouTube it seems they only stopped around 2016-2017, what is protected contact and when did it come in?
Free contact is where elephants are managed so that keepers and elephants share the space totally. The elephants have to be trained from a young age to tolerate the keeper’s presence as a normal social interaction, so that the elephants can be trained for other activities, be it enrichment or husbandry.
The move from free to protected has largely been a safety measure - whilst an elephant walking around with a keeper with little more than an ankus [a stick used to guide the elephant, shaped something like a fireplace poker] for protection can work well 90 days of 100, the risk of injury is always present, as seen at Woburn in 2024, before they went fully protected contact. It also allows for the elephants to have a more natural social structure, as opposed to one guided by people and their interests.
Oh, I thought London Zoo was the last place to practise total Free Contact? It’s what might have led to the death of James “Jim” Robson, since he and the other keeper were literally trying to integrate themselves as part of the herd (and walked about freely in their enclosure).
It’s also possible the fact elephants are Matriarchal by nature causes issues when it’s men attempting to lead them, and really I’m surprised they haven’t tried employing more women to be elephant keepers :/