ZSL Whipsnade Zoo Whipsnade Updates
- Thread starter ajmcwhipsnade
- Start date
Rhinos of Nepal building
Maybe they should think about modifying the 'Rhinos of Nepal' building now to make it more user-friendly?
It seems to me from the Gallery as if both female rhinos have had their new calves back in the old sheds and yards- is this because they're nervous of the young calves with the watermoats in the new house? I can't think of any other reason.
Does that mean there is just the young female (and maybe the bull at bathtime) using that big new house at present?
I do like the new house a lot but the design seems to have its shortcomings- not only will the adult females still(?) not go in the water, but now it seems the water moats in all three stalls make it unsuitable for maternity use also. One 'dry' stall without access to water might be a useful adaptation?
Maybe they should think about modifying the 'Rhinos of Nepal' building now to make it more user-friendly?
It seems to me from the Gallery as if both female rhinos have had their new calves back in the old sheds and yards- is this because they're nervous of the young calves with the watermoats in the new house? I can't think of any other reason.
Does that mean there is just the young female (and maybe the bull at bathtime) using that big new house at present?
I do like the new house a lot but the design seems to have its shortcomings- not only will the adult females still(?) not go in the water, but now it seems the water moats in all three stalls make it unsuitable for maternity use also. One 'dry' stall without access to water might be a useful adaptation?
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My summation is correct and states otherwise: she will be 4 years of age by this December and potentially may breed to the adult male. Some Indian rhino cows have been documented at calving at ca. 4.5 years of age.
Okay, I see what you mean. But I doubt they will breed from her quite that soon. They left getting a bull (Jaffna) over from Basel for the two original females until they were way over ten years old( far too long I'll agree)
just found this... so it seems hoovie is a whipsnade descendant.
Zoo hippo dies after eating ball. - Free Online Library
Zoo hippo dies after eating ball. - Free Online Library
I think they must do this to if they want to have 3 breeding females.
If they only intend to keep 2 females, the present arrangement is adequate for the adult trio plus their offspring - although I think a yard beside the new house might be valuable to complement the 3 paddocks.
I don't think it would be too difficult to modify the ramps in the new house, and perhaps to make one of the pools shallower so that it would be safer for a calf.
Alan
Whipsnade/Dublin Hippo connection
Very interesting.
I've tracked the Whipsnade/Dublin Hippos connection with the help of a Prague Zoo studbook as follows. Confusingly two different 'Henry's are involved;
Whipsnade's breeding pair Henry & Belinda arrived there in 1950 (aged two)
Henry fathered 24(!) calves at Whipsnade, some by his own daughter Wendy who was born in 1967(including the female Wanda/Linda that went to Dublin) but 14 of those DNS. (Henry died in 1993, Belinda in 1995.) Its remarkable how many Hippo births are of calves that die almost straight away- in zoos everywhere.
Dublin-have had several different hippos, including a couple of males also born at Whipsnade Zoo,(they died) but the relevant ones are;
male Tom/Henri from Rotterdam (born in Amsterdam)
female Wanda/Linda from Whipsnade (born Whipsnade 1974 Henry x Wendy)
This pair bred several times at Dublin but some calves DNS. Others went to Longleat and Woburn. Hoover/Hoovie(9) was the last that survived.
After Linda's death from swallowing the tennis ball Dublin acquired the young female Heidi from Basel Zoo. She has bred once (in 2006), but it was a DNS. Fathered by the old male Henri.
So Hoover/Hoovie is a direct descendant of Henry/Belinda. With him gone to Whipsnade, Dublin still have(?) a pair- the old male Henri and younger female Heidi.
The same SB also lists West Midlands with 11 Hippos- largest group in Europe, but with no male at all- the last was 'Garfield' which died in 2006.
Very interesting.
I've tracked the Whipsnade/Dublin Hippos connection with the help of a Prague Zoo studbook as follows. Confusingly two different 'Henry's are involved;
Whipsnade's breeding pair Henry & Belinda arrived there in 1950 (aged two)
Henry fathered 24(!) calves at Whipsnade, some by his own daughter Wendy who was born in 1967(including the female Wanda/Linda that went to Dublin) but 14 of those DNS. (Henry died in 1993, Belinda in 1995.) Its remarkable how many Hippo births are of calves that die almost straight away- in zoos everywhere.
Dublin-have had several different hippos, including a couple of males also born at Whipsnade Zoo,(they died) but the relevant ones are;
male Tom/Henri from Rotterdam (born in Amsterdam)
female Wanda/Linda from Whipsnade (born Whipsnade 1974 Henry x Wendy)
This pair bred several times at Dublin but some calves DNS. Others went to Longleat and Woburn. Hoover/Hoovie(9) was the last that survived.
After Linda's death from swallowing the tennis ball Dublin acquired the young female Heidi from Basel Zoo. She has bred once (in 2006), but it was a DNS. Fathered by the old male Henri.
So Hoover/Hoovie is a direct descendant of Henry/Belinda. With him gone to Whipsnade, Dublin still have(?) a pair- the old male Henri and younger female Heidi.
The same SB also lists West Midlands with 11 Hippos- largest group in Europe, but with no male at all- the last was 'Garfield' which died in 2006.
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I agree- the present arrangement of vacating the House for the old sheds and yards when the females have small calves seems pretty ridiculous to me. I fear cost may prohibit changes being made though?
I think that sort of thing is common in a lot of Zoos.
I think I would prefer to see Whipsnade just with the common hippos now. As it is they can never have all 3 on show in the indoor area- unless the Pygmies' pool becomes available to them. One will always be hidden behind and I think you'll find that's still quite primitive!
Jordan-Jaguar97
Well-Known Member
Are the Pygmy Hippo's still at Whipsnade?
Regards Jordan.
Regards Jordan.
catinthehat
Well-Known Member
don't common hippos live in groups in the wild, so wouldn't they be able to give the three of them access to the big pool and then all the back areas to? or will the male have to be kept separate from the girls?
They're herd animals so there's no problem having them all together outdoors. The indoor exhibit area is scarcely big enough for three hippos though- hence my suggestion about using both indoor pools for common hippo. I'm not even sure the old area behind the exhibition House has a pool but I presume there must be one of sorts.
That's interesting. Whipsnade have been keeping Common Hippos almost ever since they opened, but until recently you could never see them indoors! Their indoor 'shed' at the back of the outdoor enclosure has been unchanged since certainly the 1950's, probably longer still. There may have been some changes to it when it was linked up to the new house though.
monkeyworld
Well-Known Member
Can any-one provide me with a full list of Greater one rhinos at Whipsnade?
Many thanks
Many thanks
catinthehat
Well-Known Member
They definitely look like they have been wallowing somewhere!
Whipsnade have 6 asian rhinos currently. An Adult male is called Hugo (b. 2002). They have two older adult females from Nepal (b. 1996) called Behan and Beluki. Behan has had two calves both at Whipsnade, Asha (female, born 31/12/2006) and Ajang (male b. 31/08/2010). Beluki has had two calves too (Rap a male, who was born in 2007 and had moved to West Mids) and a female calf born a couple of weeks ago who doesn't have a name yet!
Whipsnade have 6 asian rhinos currently. An Adult male is called Hugo (b. 2002). They have two older adult females from Nepal (b. 1996) called Behan and Beluki. Behan has had two calves both at Whipsnade, Asha (female, born 31/12/2006) and Ajang (male b. 31/08/2010). Beluki has had two calves too (Rap a male, who was born in 2007 and had moved to West Mids) and a female calf born a couple of weeks ago who doesn't have a name yet!
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