Sun Wukong
Well-Known Member
Then please tell me, why HWP is not (or rather, no longer) keeping Saigas? And why f.e. mountain tapirs wouldn't be good candidates...
Highland Wildlife Park highland wildlife park
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Writhedhornbill
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Mountain tapirs are a possible candidate, but at the moment, they are struggling in zoos.
There are some at LA, a pair at San Fransico, a pair at Cheyenne mountain springs and a pair at Mountain View. Recently, LA has had a birth, but this is the only birth of this species in Captivity since 2004.
LA zoo is one of the only zoos to have had any success with this species, and until any more individuals are brought into Captivity, there is not much that can be done with this species.
The adult pair at LA have bred numerous times, and the young have been moved to Mountain view and San Fransico. The Curator at San Fransico Likes the species very much, and they live in a spacious exhibit at the zoo.
This species, in my opinion, is the nicest tapir species, the White lips, and white ear rim make them look quite comical.
There are some at LA, a pair at San Fransico, a pair at Cheyenne mountain springs and a pair at Mountain View. Recently, LA has had a birth, but this is the only birth of this species in Captivity since 2004.
LA zoo is one of the only zoos to have had any success with this species, and until any more individuals are brought into Captivity, there is not much that can be done with this species.
The adult pair at LA have bred numerous times, and the young have been moved to Mountain view and San Fransico. The Curator at San Fransico Likes the species very much, and they live in a spacious exhibit at the zoo.
This species, in my opinion, is the nicest tapir species, the White lips, and white ear rim make them look quite comical.
Sun Wukong
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@Writhedhornbill; You do know how closely this mountain tapir US population is related to each other-and that the American zoos are going to phase out the husbandry because they can't get any new ones from Ecuador/Columbia. So no matter how You or the curator like the species, it won't change much.
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I know that the HWP is themed around mountains and tundras quite generally, but i do think they will stick to palearctic species, for the time being at least. Maybe some North American species will be exhibited, but somehow I don't imagine them taking on the likes of spectacled bear, gelada or vicuna for a long time.
I've not been to this collection but it is high on my want-to-see list. With the rate of new developments it's hard to keep up with what they do have, but I understand new-in are tigers, and waldrapp ibis, and soon to be snow and amur leopard. A new polar bear exhibit there, as well as musk ox, saiga, himalayan black bear and a few more bird species would be the icing on the cake.
I've not been to this collection but it is high on my want-to-see list. With the rate of new developments it's hard to keep up with what they do have, but I understand new-in are tigers, and waldrapp ibis, and soon to be snow and amur leopard. A new polar bear exhibit there, as well as musk ox, saiga, himalayan black bear and a few more bird species would be the icing on the cake.
Well, if their staff is prepared to care for bears or monkeys, I hope they get other species soon. Good for visitors, good for conservation - all should be OK!
BTW, what are really temperatures at HWP? I think it is still mild weather compared to e.g. Berlin or Moscow zoos.
BTW, what are really temperatures at HWP? I think it is still mild weather compared to e.g. Berlin or Moscow zoos.
The winters are very mild compared to Moscow, Berlin or even New york, there are a few snowfalls every year, it is the wind chill, rather than the snow up there, blowing down through the glen.
I can forsee gelada coming to the hwp, after an email to Iain Valentine at Edinburgh, i noted there is a sheer cliff area between the chough aviary and the markhor/bharal enclosure that would make a great exhibit for gelada, he agreed and said he wanted to get the numbers up at Edinburgh first.
I can't see pronghorn coming to the park for a start they are primarily a plains animal, or for that matter mountain tapir as the remit for the park is tundra and mountain species only, along with Scottish natives.
The Amur tiger, Amur leopard and bactrian camel will all be coming up from Edinburgh zoo this year.
I also personally believe the vicuna will come up at some point too as well as the polar bear.
I would also like to see the pair of Japanese serow at Edinburgh in the fantastic new Japanese macaque enclosure at the park.
The park is split into two distinct areas the drive through reserve and the walk round area. The walk round area surround a large rocky outcrop which currently holds the bharal, markhor and goral, and is very steep to walk around, and to build on too, i don't think there is that much space to build on in the walk round area.
I can forsee gelada coming to the hwp, after an email to Iain Valentine at Edinburgh, i noted there is a sheer cliff area between the chough aviary and the markhor/bharal enclosure that would make a great exhibit for gelada, he agreed and said he wanted to get the numbers up at Edinburgh first.
I can't see pronghorn coming to the park for a start they are primarily a plains animal, or for that matter mountain tapir as the remit for the park is tundra and mountain species only, along with Scottish natives.
The Amur tiger, Amur leopard and bactrian camel will all be coming up from Edinburgh zoo this year.
I also personally believe the vicuna will come up at some point too as well as the polar bear.
I would also like to see the pair of Japanese serow at Edinburgh in the fantastic new Japanese macaque enclosure at the park.
The park is split into two distinct areas the drive through reserve and the walk round area. The walk round area surround a large rocky outcrop which currently holds the bharal, markhor and goral, and is very steep to walk around, and to build on too, i don't think there is that much space to build on in the walk round area.
So why did you bother suggesting it when you knew it is highly unlikely to be available? (Likewise SNM)
You have mentioned that saiga are being offered to zoos so it is a more realistic proposition for the HWP. I have no idea whether the zoo management are interested in this species but I think it would be great if they were to consider it.
Sun Wukong
Well-Known Member
@Pygathrix: Because summa summarum the situation & future of saigas in zoos is very much alike to that of the mountain tapir and, to a lesser extent, of Snub-nosed Monkeys (beside the Golden)-even though the surrounding conditions are a bit different. I just wanted to know the reason why You ruled out the Mountain tapir in the first place, as unfortunately my powers of mind-reading aren't so far-reaching--yet...
I was thinking of potentially "available" animals like the pronghorn and saiga, as opposed to "wishlist" ones like mountain tapirs, that's all. Skittish nervous creatures like these could do well in the right circumstances given the park's large amount of space and relatively low visitor numbers. A South American section with mountain tapirs, spectacled bears, vicunas etc would be fine but not likely to happen, just as giant pandas and golden monkeys would sit nicely with the snow leopards and tigers.
Sun Wukong
Well-Known Member
Actually, the mountain tapir is as much a "wishlist" animal as the saiga. I don't know whether the saiga offer is still valid, as no zoo seemed to have been interested, and the number of saigas in captivity is about as high (or rather: low) as the one of the mountain tapir.
Golden Snub-nosed monkeys are another affair; they are quite successfully breeding in China and more than a few Chinese institutions keep them; here, it's merely the money factor that limits the wider spreading of the species in the zoos worldwide, as for the Chinese gentlemen in charge GSnM = cash cow, just like giant pandas...
Golden Snub-nosed monkeys are another affair; they are quite successfully breeding in China and more than a few Chinese institutions keep them; here, it's merely the money factor that limits the wider spreading of the species in the zoos worldwide, as for the Chinese gentlemen in charge GSnM = cash cow, just like giant pandas...
I suspect that although a number of zoos would like to keep and breed these extremely impressive primates(someone referred to them as 'Michael Jackson' lookalikes
) the cost of renting them from China might be the prohibiting factor- unlike Pandas the monkeys would probably not bring in a large enough revenue to make the exercise worthwhile. I believe that Dublin Zoo had snub-nosed monkeys on loan for a while a few years ago but I don't know how popular an exhibit they proved to be, or whether they drew additional attendance, I rather doubt it.
Sun Wukong
Well-Known Member
Exactly-that's what I meant with "money factor". But I think that f.e. the Czech zoos could help here; if someone is sharp enough to get Golden takins from China, then getting GSnMs would just be the next step...
Unfortunately, the director of Liberec zoo who made the deal is no longer available...
The red pandas have arrived now
BBC NEWS | UK | Scotland | Highlands and Islands | Valentine's Day hope for pandas
BBC NEWS | UK | Scotland | Highlands and Islands | Valentine's Day hope for pandas
That article seems to confirm the polar bear will move. I guess there's still plenty of time for them to change their mind, but I hope she does.
zoogiraffe
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It does say long term plan to move her wouldn`t think shes has to many years left as shes quite old now,so its probaly just a cover for more coming in.
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