Typhlonectes
Well-Known Member
Thanks, edited out
ZSL London Zoo ZSL London Zoo News 2025
- Thread starter aquilla1
- Start date
I wonder if someone has seen the headline of this article and jumped to conclusions - if you read it, the frogs have stayed in Ghana, now under human care.
https://www.zsl.org/news-and-events...ion-critically-endangered-atewa-slippery-frog
However, it would be brilliant, if, as a result of this, some have now come to London.
https://www.zsl.org/news-and-events...ion-critically-endangered-atewa-slippery-frog
However, it would be brilliant, if, as a result of this, some have now come to London.
Alwaysevergreen
Well-Known Member
Visited London Zoo yesterday to renew my membership and wanted to see the Rufous & Black Elephant Shrews. Was speaking to the keeper yesterday am and they had mixed them together for the first time yesterday morning. They are super things to watch and very bold and having chased each other around for a little while, they chilled out. The keeper was saying, that if all goes well with this species, they will be able to bring in another species of Elephant Shrew, and they are hoping these will breed and he thinks they are about 18 months to 2 years old. The female was a lot bigger than the male and certainly stood her own ground. The barriers will stay up for the next couple of weeks, as it’s half term and they want them to settle in and not risk anyone banging the glass, but they are very active.
There is also a baby Copper Titi Monkey which is about 2 weeks old in the rainforest exhibit.
The lighting in the nocturnal house seemed brighter than usual, but I still failed to see anything.
Zoo Town the new soft play area in the old reptile house is now open.
Also note, that for the next two weeks, parking is not free to Gold Members in the car park, it’s £17.50. The car park is also only half occupancy due to half of it being used for workers for an event at Regent’s Park.
Round Eared Elephant Shrew have passed away and are no longer held by the collection.
There is also a baby Copper Titi Monkey which is about 2 weeks old in the rainforest exhibit.
The lighting in the nocturnal house seemed brighter than usual, but I still failed to see anything.
Zoo Town the new soft play area in the old reptile house is now open.
Also note, that for the next two weeks, parking is not free to Gold Members in the car park, it’s £17.50. The car park is also only half occupancy due to half of it being used for workers for an event at Regent’s Park.
Round Eared Elephant Shrew have passed away and are no longer held by the collection.
According to the most recent ZSL Animal Inventory, there are still scarlet-chested sunbirds and splendid sunbirds (as at 1st January 2025).
Dr. Loxodonta
Well-Known Member
I can also confirm that both species were present in their original numbers (from the start of the year), based on my visit on the 21st.
Not much to update from today's visit, but can confirm the new Sengis are very bold, one came right up to the glass. The pair have been introduced to each other now
Collared Trogons in both areas of the Blackburn Pavillion walkthrough, and the entrance aviary on the far right.
Inside of the Cassons partially open for a nocturnal animal-based interactive event, presumably Halloween-related. Only the first area is open, but got a view of one Babirusa in the inside area.
Saw the Lilac-Breasted Roller in the Bird Safari catch a worm! Just a small bit of natural behaviour which was great to see
Collared Trogons in both areas of the Blackburn Pavillion walkthrough, and the entrance aviary on the far right.
Inside of the Cassons partially open for a nocturnal animal-based interactive event, presumably Halloween-related. Only the first area is open, but got a view of one Babirusa in the inside area.
Saw the Lilac-Breasted Roller in the Bird Safari catch a worm! Just a small bit of natural behaviour which was great to see
I remember them being similarly active when I first/last saw them, although I’m sure they had mesh before and not glass? I also recently gained the ability to upload media here, but sadly it constantly fails the video upload, so it looks like I won’t be able to share my footage of them
By “first area” do you mean the round centre, or do you mean just the side with the babirusa and not the RRH?
I remember them being similarly active when I first/last saw them, although I’m sure they had mesh before and not glass? I also recently gained the ability to upload media here, but sadly it constantly fails the video upload, so it looks like I won’t be able to share my footage of them
They're in the enclosures down by the fish that have held various tamarins over the years, I might be remembering wrong but don't remember those ever having mesh fronts?
Yes, just the area up to the Babirusa indoors. The doorway through to the RRH inside is blocked.
Aww that’s a shame, normally that whole bit is one open area. Do you have to be there to do Halloween activities, or can you just walk in to see the animals?
Just walked in! There isn't really much to see, got lucky with one Babirusa being inside. There wasn't many people in there, but the few families that were seemed to be enjoying the interactive activities
Kalaw
Well-Known Member
The zoo hasn't held Round-eared Sengi for over a year now. Presumably, given reports from other members that the zoo is looking to bring this species back, that is what was meant by the keeper that told you they want to get another sengi species.
cerperal
Well-Known Member
Agreed, given London are on the waiting list for the species. The UK population crashing to a single individual (London's young, coincidentally) and a lack of breeding on the continent has made them a fairly rare commodity.
I had a brief visit today and saw the new African pygmy dormice, a lovely addition to the collection. One thing I haven't noticed anyone mention is that only the adult pair babirusa remain, and the young have been sent to Whipsnade. On a sad note - the female Hanuman langur that gave birth a month or so ago has passed away, and the baby had to be euthanised
A real shock for me, as mum and baby were doing really well when I last visited. Condolences to the keepers and volunteersBoth the titi and saki babies are doing really well, the titis in particular are lovely to watch interact and care for theirs.
Edit: other minor things I should mention but don't deserve their own post - the barriers are gone from the B&R sengis, the titi baby is coming up to 2 weeks old this coming week, and there was some assessing of the warthog/wild dog enclosures being done by both keepers and what looked like a maintenance/construction team. I have an inkling of why but I'm far from certain so I'll stay quiet(ish) for now...
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Alwaysevergreen
Well-Known Member
Wasn’t round eared elephant shrew that he said they would get. It was another species. They said the species but I’m not sure if it’s okay to say it or not.
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cerperal
Well-Known Member
I've been told round-eared by multiple keepers and volunteers, and it's the only other species kept in captivity worldwide that I'm aware of. But I know things get miscommunicated and London likes to magically acquire things from nowhere sometimes so you could be quite correct, apologies for doubting you if so. I guess we have to wait and see
LittleRavenwood
Active Member
I hope it's another species. Managed to spot the black and Rufus sengis at Hertfordshire yesterday and loved them though wasn't expecting them to be as large as they were, and I think it'd be amazing to see more species in the UK.
Kalaw
Well-Known Member
No worries, if you're not sure whether you can say it you don't have to. But as cerperal says, only Round-eared and Black-and-rufous are kept in captivity (unless there are some in private collections), and I'm not aware of any sengi-related in situ conservation programmes ZSL are involved in which could result in captive specimens arriving (like the Darwin's Frogs). Very, very exciting times if what you're saying is true!
Springbok
Well-Known Member
Where in the zoo are the sengis kept?
It could also have been an alternative name for the Round eared (Karoo sengi?). As you said a different species coming in seems very unlikely. There have been whispers of more ambitious plans coming though (even on this thread…) - it’s certainly something I’d be less sceptical of now than, say, a few years ago.
Dr. Loxodonta
Well-Known Member
The Rufous and Black Sengis are currently housed in the former Golden Lion Tamarin enclosure, located at the rear of the Clore Pavilion (now known as ‘Rainforest Life’).
cerperal
Well-Known Member
The similarity of their names (and the closeness of their exhibits at Regent's Park) continues to annoy me, but it's the former golden-headed lion tamarin exhibit - the golden lion tamarins are still in the exhibit just to the left.
I think the original comment might have been asking about Hertfordshire Zoo though, in which case they're apparently housed near/under the jaguars based off that thread earlier today