The name is familiar, but I don’t recognise them as the skinks I usually see in there? I normally see the cream-coloured skinks next to the Panther Chameleon, maybe there’s another tank I’ve missed though?
ZSL London Zoo ZSL London Zoo News 2025
- Thread starter aquilla1
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The name is familiar, but I don’t recognise them as the skinks I usually see in there? I normally see the cream-coloured skinks next to the Panther Chameleon, maybe there’s another tank I’ve missed though?
Kalaw
Well-Known Member
Also Bush Hyraxes at Prague.
Edit: Just remembered Northern Luzon Giant Cloud Rats at Chester as well.
It's a shame that the treeshrews didn't work out, I never got to see them. I completely forgot what happened to the animal but I think she was moved to another collection? Does anyone know why her time at London was so short-lived?
I like 'House' too in relation to zoos, though 'pavilion' sounds even better in my opinion.I do like to use the term “House” instead of the official names because it’s just a nice, kinda antiquated way of simplifying everything
Unfortunately, far from it. The old anteater and vicuna enclosures opposite Tiny Giants, the muntjac enclosure by the Three Island Pond, and the entire expanse of old aviaries on the North Bank are empty as well, plus I'm sure many more I'm forgetting.
cerperal
Well-Known Member
Oh of course
and I even saw them in that exhibit but not the porcupine one. For some reason I was thinking the hyrax exhibit was at Leipzig (who don't even hold the species). I think they're also supposedly held at the ABH alongside the tortoises in Tierpark Berlin but I've never seen them.Yeah, she's been moved on in the past fortnight or so. It boiled down to the fact she is inherently diurnal but kept in a nocturnal exhibit, as well as having no eye shine meaning she was practically impossible to see. I never saw her myself but apparently she would appear once or twice a day for feeding and then disappear off again. Definitely a nice addition but ultimately unsuccessful, hopefully whatever ends up in there next is somewhat more forthcoming
Oh yeah Pavilion is very cool, my personal name for the Cassons is “The Pig Pavillion”
I compiled a little list earlier in thread, let me know if anything else is missing:
Also thanks for remembering that the one by the lions is for Muntjac, completely forgot and said Duiker/Antelope
ZSL just posted a video on the new Capybara House, has a lot of great shots in it and really gives a good overview:
I’m really impressed that they’ve arranged and built all this in like 6 months, maybe less? They weren’t meant to be in London for more than the Summer I believe, so the fact there’s now a permanent custom enclosure is incredible 
Kalaw
Well-Known Member
That looks amazing. Though it's no doubt helped by being so 'shiny and new,' the attention to detail and the landscaping job they've done is seriously impressive. Certainly indoors, I've never seen such an attractive space for the species, and the already-excellent outdoor area will only look better once the foliage has had time to grow in.ZSL just posted a video on the new Capybara House, has a lot of great shots in it and really gives a good overview:
I’m really impressed that they’ve arranged and built all this in like 6 months, maybe less? They weren’t meant to be in London for more than the Summer I believe, so the fact there’s now a permanent custom enclosure is incredible
They're a genuinely lovely species and I look forward to seeing them. I've voiced my disapproval with their new role at Whipsnade before and I'll do so again, but they're as cute as it comes and will be hugely beloved among family groups, especially if marketed well.
What’s the issue with them at Whipsnade? :T
Kalaw
Well-Known Member
Not a remotely satisfying replacement for Common Hippos for me, not to mention hugely out-of-place in an African exhibit.
Well I do agree it’s a bit unusual, why did the hippos leave? I feel like Whipsnade is the perfect place for the larger species, at least compared to London
All they need to do now is to add in a couple tapir and it'll be a great little Pantanal exhibit.
In London or at Whipsnade? Pretty sure it’s the latter as I can’t imagine one tapir fitting alongside the capybara, let alone multiple
London.
Yeah I don’t think that’s ever gonna happen. At least not in the Capybara House. The fencing has only been made tall/strong enough for the capys, and the actual space is just not fit for an animal that large. The old Elephant Paddock was only just big enough for two Malaysian ones (and that was with significant extension over the former ditch), so unless they give up some of the Tiger Territory space it’s basically impossible in 2025.
Lafone
Well-Known Member
ZSL just posted a video on the new Capybara House, has a lot of great shots in it and really gives a good overview:
I’m really impressed that they’ve arranged and built all this in like 6 months, maybe less? They weren’t meant to be in London for more than the Summer I believe, so the fact there’s now a permanent custom enclosure is incredible
Looks like a good space for them and one of the nicest around.
On the hippo front at Whipsnade there are numerous discussions on it which you could read if you wanted to. Nonetheless it's likely Capybara will end up there too (to go with the Tapir who arrived recently) whether they are appropriate or welcome or heartily disapproved of or not. Hopefully they will have a facility in the end as nice as this one, there's a lot to work with in the former hippo exhibit.
I know, but I can dream of a mixed-species South American exhibit...
Kalaw
Well-Known Member
If you'd like to read into it further, there were several pages of very passionate discussion on the ongoing Whipsnade news thread, from page 23 onwards.Well I do agree it’s a bit unusual, why did the hippos leave? I feel like Whipsnade is the perfect place for the larger species, at least compared to London
There is already a tapir mixed with the Capybara at Whipsnade.In London or at Whipsnade? Pretty sure it’s the latter as I can’t imagine one tapir fitting alongside the capybara, let alone multiple
I once had a dream that there were Giant Otters in the former giant tortoise enclosure, perhaps even back when the tortoises were still in there. I wonder if Giant Otters have ever been successfully mixed with Capybaras before, and if London would ever consider attempting it with this new enclosure. They're definitely one of the species I'd like to see at London the most. Failing that, something like mara, agouti or rhea would be nice.
That would've been a great enclosure for otters yeah. I think it's unlikely for that mix because they're carnivorous, though I have seen mara and rhea in with capys before.
Lafone
Well-Known Member
Does anyone mix Giant Otters with anything else? I think they are a fabulous species myself and would be a great addition to either ZSL location.
There is or was a place in Brazil that apparently mixed giant otters with capybara, as well as tapirs and spider monkeys, but the current recommendation is that they are far too aggressive to mix with other species.
If another species were to be mixed into the new capybara enclosure (which, as an aside, looks fabulous), I would be tempted to choose the lowland paca. The enclosure would need almost no changes, save for providing a retreat area for it to rest in, and they are visually distinct so they wouldn't just immediately be mistaken for a baby capybara. They have also been mixed in several zoos with capybara, including this rather great image from a former display at Amazon World Zoo Park in the Isle of Wight.