Apart from specialist collections whose specialism would exclude them (aquariums, bird parks/falconries etc), Edinburgh springs to mind as the biggest meerkat-shunner.
Woburn and Highland are also meerkat-free.
ZSL London Zoo ZSL London Zoo News 2011
- Thread starter bongorob
- Start date
Apart from specialist collections whose specialism would exclude them (aquariums, bird parks/falconries etc), Edinburgh springs to mind as the biggest meerkat-shunner.
Woburn and Highland are also meerkat-free.
Sounds like some sort of animal disease...
You might think so, I couldn't possibly comment.
Actually, Howletts is another Meerkat-Free Zone.
Wearing both my green and blue anoraks here, there was a book published in the nineties,By Underground to the Zoo, featuring London Zoo advertising on the underground and also the London buses, some very impressive artwork also some history of the zoo, featured on the front cover, would you believe penguins!
This was discussed recently on another thread- don't ask me which- I think it was mentioned there are about four that don't. Isn't Edinburgh one of them? (at least at present)
Wonder why Edinburgh no longer have Meerkats?, they had a modern impressive enclosure next to that other zoo "rarity" Asian short clawed otters.
I think I'm right in saying they replaced them with the much more unusual European Sousliks - much more fun for us zoo nerds, not that different for the mainstream visitors, but with the drawback of sleeping half the year!
I think I'm right in saying they replaced them with the much more unusual European Sousliks - much more fun for us zoo nerds, not that different for the mainstream visitors, but with the drawback of sleeping half the year!
I suppose however that to the "Joe Public" visitors the meerkats are a great attraction, they only go to perhaps one zoo a year and to see such trendy animals as meerkats, Asian short clawed otters, ring tailed lemurs, etc. must be most enjoyable, don't get me wrong I like seeing them as much as anyone else indeed after a life time of keeping various pet animals it was only about six years ago that I really became interested in the humble guinea pig after watching them in the pet's corner at Twycross, owning them had never crossed my mind before and I am pleased to say I have had them since, an amazing little animal they are.Also if you look into the history of London Zoo you will see that in the sixties they had a free flight budgie enclosure, if my memory serves me correctly Longleat had one in the seventies and later the present Marquis of Bath wished to re instate this attraction in a former dove house, he was prevented from doing this as Longleat were informed that it was illegal to allow wild animals to be at liberty, spoil sports!
To my mind, Guinea Pigs are far and away the most suitable of all small mammals for keeping as Pets. They are fascinating creatures-colourful, sociable, do not produce large litters of young, don't smell, don't bite and are a good size for handling. In some ways they resemble small hoofed stock in their behaviour, feeding and breeding!
Even more important I don't think they suffer the stresses so many other small mammals do in captivity, particularly hyperactive ones such as Gerbils and Hamsters when confined in small cages, and Rabbits when confined in 'solitary' and in hutches.
I am always attracted to stop and have a look at Guinea Pig colonies in Children's zoos if I am nearby.
Back to London Zoo developments...
I remember the free flight Budgerigar aviary at ZSL. It was on one of the islands of the '3 Island' pond (Pelican area). I don't think it was particularly successful, possibly Sparrowhawks learnt to take them.
From memory other places that have had free flying budgies in the past;
Woburn- one of the previous Dukes of Bedford(the bird fancier one) circa 1930/40's?
Queen Mother- I think an aviary at Sandringham?
Abbey Gardens, Tresco, Isles of Scilly- may still have them.
Gorilla progress.
Does anyone know if the four adult Gorillas have been united into a group yet, after the unfortunate death of the baby, or are they still continuing with more gradual introductions?
Apparently Kesho & the mother Mjuku were already mating just a few days after the baby died. So she may soon be pregnant again.
Does anyone know if the four adult Gorillas have been united into a group yet, after the unfortunate death of the baby, or are they still continuing with more gradual introductions?
Apparently Kesho & the mother Mjuku were already mating just a few days after the baby died. So she may soon be pregnant again.
volvox
Well-Known Member
As far as I know (I'm always saying that!) the whole group has been socialising under keeper observation every morning, with visitors kept away to give them peace and privacy till the afternoon, when they're split up again. It's going fine and yes, Mjukuu has been mating with Kesho already. So there may be a proper family group in the not too distant future. What happened was horrible but not unnatural; and there will hopefully be a happy outcome.
The penguins were in their new pond yesterday! Looks great. They are having a while to acclimatise and then the enclosure will be open to visitors on Friday.
The penguins were in their new pond yesterday! Looks great. They are having a while to acclimatise and then the enclosure will be open to visitors on Friday.
As I said in the p.m., I was completely wrong about my prediction of the outcome
- I really thought it was going to work okay with Kesho. But going on previous history of situations at other zoos, I think I should have been less optimistic. Kesho/Mjuku mating so quickly after the loss helps establish a proper bond between them and I am confident that now(soon) they can have a proper settled group.
I would predict that within 6-12 months the entire reporting on gorillas in ZSL RP will change dramatically. Any good silverback will mate when introduced to a new group almost overnight. It is a the method to demonstrate leadership and authority.
Believe so- she was the first female he was introduced to and they've been together a fair bit since then I think.
she had two babies while in Berlin but did not rear them. If she becomes pregnant at ZSL I think there's only a slim chance she would do any better, despite having observed excellent maternal behaviour in Mjuku.
I think definately No or they wouldn't have gone forward with obtaining another male and allowing him with Effie.
In the ITV series where they were trying to find the cause of Yeboah's illness, the idea of a possible link with Effie was mentioned, because both males died after about the same length of time after mating with her, but I think it was just an odd coincidence. I am sure they investigated the idea though. I have never heard official reports on either male's death, just the causes you mention above, so probably yes in both cases.
