Yorkshire Wildlife Park YWP Project Polar
- Thread starter Nisha
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Yupik is still very popular in Morelia, so if left to the local authorities, she will not be moved.
Her enclousure is actually rather large and has recieved improvements recently. However, Profepa ( procuradoria federal de protección al medio ambiente) issued a statement about yupik a weeks ago. Considering that all 3 polar bears left in Mexico are female (at Guadalajara, Leon and Morelia) and that Yupik is the youngest bruin, it is possible that she could be moved for breeding purposes if Morelia could not take adequate care of her. This is first declaration from Profepa which has the legal capacity to do so. However, it has also been said that Yupik would be returned to a climate and area near her original habitat. That would mean Canada not the U.K.
Her enclousure is actually rather large and has recieved improvements recently. However, Profepa ( procuradoria federal de protección al medio ambiente) issued a statement about yupik a weeks ago. Considering that all 3 polar bears left in Mexico are female (at Guadalajara, Leon and Morelia) and that Yupik is the youngest bruin, it is possible that she could be moved for breeding purposes if Morelia could not take adequate care of her. This is first declaration from Profepa which has the legal capacity to do so. However, it has also been said that Yupik would be returned to a climate and area near her original habitat. That would mean Canada not the U.K.
15 acres for the whole development and 10 for the actual enclosures, perhaps?
It is a valid point , and maybe the terms "relocation or transfer" would probably be better to use than "rescue".
I do think YWP are capitalising on a situation whereby they can gain public support, and finnancial support from the media, by bringing in several animals from some perhaps less ideal situations,notably in foreign countries, which they can then use to provide another attraction and also bring huge publicity to the zoo.
Don`t get me wrong, the plans for the Polar Bear exhibits look fantastic and their creation would be a very welcome addition to UK bear-keeping for sure, and I still think this is a very progressive and dynamic collection which is certainly one to watch in the future, it is run by zoo keepers which makes a massive difference, I have always said zoos should be run by zoo keepers or zoo people in the very least.
In truth the outside enclosure itself is not the real issue here, though yes the den area is too small and she should definately not be confined to it for 18 hours a day. Even if it is to protect her from the searing heat, this only highlights the main problem. The constant excessive heat is the main issue for an animal not designed to cope with it. There is also a lack of proper enrichment and definately a lack of social enrichment for she has remained in solitary existance since the age of three months old.
Morelia is not Cancun or Acapulco. It is in the mountains of Michoacan. Actually, Guadalajara and Leon have much higher temperatures than Morelia, and no one mentions their polar bears. The annoucement by Profepa states an important fact, that Yupik is still of breeding age and maybe usefull to the genetic pool of captive polar bears. In this sense, her relocacation to Canada makes much more sense.
Canada is certainly preferable to Mexico, but wherever Morelia Zoo is situated it is still a hot country. At 22 year old she will be in the latter stages of her life and if you think an unsocialized elderly bear will easily mix or breed you obviously no nothing about Polar Bears.
Artificial insemination has been used with good results in the giant pandas at chapultepec
zoo. But then, again, why even move Yupik from Morelia if AI could be used ? I have seen much worse exhibits in the eastern european zoos on the zoochat gallery. At any rate, Yupik´s future will be decided eventually by the Profepa authorities who are competent professionals. What is seems strange is the the idea of building an enclousure
for her in the UK, when the option of moving her there has never even been mentioned at all in Mexico. Only a move to canada has been expressed.
zoo. But then, again, why even move Yupik from Morelia if AI could be used ? I have seen much worse exhibits in the eastern european zoos on the zoochat gallery. At any rate, Yupik´s future will be decided eventually by the Profepa authorities who are competent professionals. What is seems strange is the the idea of building an enclousure
for her in the UK, when the option of moving her there has never even been mentioned at all in Mexico. Only a move to canada has been expressed.
bluetoffeezoo
Well-Known Member
Post from YWP facebook.........Yorkshire Wildlife Park is launching a bid to rescue a polar bear from soaring temperatures and a concrete enclosure in a Mexican zoo.
The award winning park has offered to re-home long suffering Yupi into a spectacular new polar bear reserve, which is already under construction.
YWP is aiming to raise £150,000 towards the project which will be a centre for Polar Bear conservation as well as for polar bears in need of rescuing.
The park, which rescued a pride of lions from Romania 3 years ago, decided to build the centre after being approached to see if they would offer a home to Yupi from Morelia Zoo.
Since then YWP has been consulting with experts worldwide to bring polar bears back to the UK for the first time in many years. There are no other polar bears in England.
Yupi has been at Morella since 1992, after being captured in the wild as a cub. Her concrete enclosure has virtually no shade, and offers little stimulation .
The soaring temperatures are difficult for a polar bear – the world largest carnivore and a vulnerable species - to deal with as they easily overheat.
Campaigners have been trying to encourage the zoo to move her to a more appropriate home for many years.
Now YWP, in Branton near Doncaster, has launched the Project Polar and is building a unique Polar Bear reserve, which is due to be completed early in 2014 and is believed to be the largest in Europe.
The park is still waiting an official response to their offer to re-home Yupi.
YWP Director Cheryl Williams said:” We would be delighted to rehome Yupi and hope to hear from the Mexican authorities soon.
“She is over twenty years old and it would be wonderful if she could enjoy the rest of her life in our new reserve.
“The 10 acre reserve will be divided into four sections, each featuring landscaped hills, valleys and a main lake with streams, pools and waterfalls – an environment designed to stimulate their natural behaviour.
“I hope all our visitors join in with our appeal to bring Yupi to Yorkshire Wildlife Park.”
Whatever happens with Yupi, a polar bear will definitely be arriving next year in Yorkshire.
YWP has also been liaising with the European breeding programme for Polar bears and is expecting the arrival of a young male bear in Spring 2014. The details will be confirmed over the next few weeks.
Cheryl Williams added: ”We will concentrate on bears which are not currently required in the breeding programme or have been retired from it and will work with staff and research students to study the optimum welfare and husbandry for the bears in the new state of the art enclosure.”
The landscaping of the reserve will mirror the Arctic Tundra with grass, herbs, shrubs and heathers. There will be rocky areas which will also provide shelter for the bears as well as their main house.
The enclosure will help stimulate the natural behaviours such as swimming, roaming and foraging. The bears need the space to roam in a physically varied and stimulating complex environment and the staff will have a lot of training, support and facilities to create an enrichment programme to keep the polar bears stimulated to behave naturally.
YWP Director John Minion explained ` This is the ultimate project for YWP. It is combining conservation, welfare and husbandry and education about the impacts of climate change and global warming. Polar bears are an iconic species that are increasingly threatened in their native habitat and we need to fight their cause.
“It is important that the polar bears in Europe are coordinated as part of the European breeding programme and it is also important that we understand how to care for these bears appropriately in captivity and provide for their needs. It is a very exciting project for us.’
Visitors to the park are being encouraged to fund raise or contribute to Project Polar.
Funds will be used for the rescue and relocation of bears, the development of the facilities, research, conservation and education for the Polar Bear Centre at the Park. Find out more on Yorkshire Wildlife Park
YWP puts conservation at the heart of all its activities – and provides visitors with unrivalled access to some of the world’s most beautiful and rarest animals on earth, including the Amur Leopards and Tigers as well as the African Painted Dog.
KEY POLAR BEAR FACTS
Polar Bears have amazing strength. They are the largest and most dangerous of the 8 species of bears – an adult polar bear can weigh 400 – 600kg (775 – 1200 lbs). At the shoulder they can be 3.5 – 5 ft tall and an adult male may reach over 10 feet tall when standing on his hind legs. As efficient predators, they are very intelligent and develop hunting strategies. They normally live until they are 25- 30.
Listed as a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List, the polar bear has been affected by sea ice losses in the Arctic from global warming which have caused a loss of habitat and prey. In summer 2012, sea ice losses in the Arctic were larger than the size of the United States. Biologists estimate that there are 20,000 – 25,000 polar bears. About 60% of these live in Canada and they are also found in the U.S. (Alaska), Russia, Greenland and on Norway’s Svalbord archipelago. At the 2009 meeting of the IUCN Polar Bear Specialist Group, scientists reported that of 19 subpopulations of bears 8 are declining, 3 are stable and 1 is increasing. There was not sufficient data to determine the status of the other 7 populations. YWP will be working with the conservation organisation Polar Bears International to raise funds and support research and work with polar bears in the wild.
The award winning park has offered to re-home long suffering Yupi into a spectacular new polar bear reserve, which is already under construction.
YWP is aiming to raise £150,000 towards the project which will be a centre for Polar Bear conservation as well as for polar bears in need of rescuing.
The park, which rescued a pride of lions from Romania 3 years ago, decided to build the centre after being approached to see if they would offer a home to Yupi from Morelia Zoo.
Since then YWP has been consulting with experts worldwide to bring polar bears back to the UK for the first time in many years. There are no other polar bears in England.
Yupi has been at Morella since 1992, after being captured in the wild as a cub. Her concrete enclosure has virtually no shade, and offers little stimulation .
The soaring temperatures are difficult for a polar bear – the world largest carnivore and a vulnerable species - to deal with as they easily overheat.
Campaigners have been trying to encourage the zoo to move her to a more appropriate home for many years.
Now YWP, in Branton near Doncaster, has launched the Project Polar and is building a unique Polar Bear reserve, which is due to be completed early in 2014 and is believed to be the largest in Europe.
The park is still waiting an official response to their offer to re-home Yupi.
YWP Director Cheryl Williams said:” We would be delighted to rehome Yupi and hope to hear from the Mexican authorities soon.
“She is over twenty years old and it would be wonderful if she could enjoy the rest of her life in our new reserve.
“The 10 acre reserve will be divided into four sections, each featuring landscaped hills, valleys and a main lake with streams, pools and waterfalls – an environment designed to stimulate their natural behaviour.
“I hope all our visitors join in with our appeal to bring Yupi to Yorkshire Wildlife Park.”
Whatever happens with Yupi, a polar bear will definitely be arriving next year in Yorkshire.
YWP has also been liaising with the European breeding programme for Polar bears and is expecting the arrival of a young male bear in Spring 2014. The details will be confirmed over the next few weeks.
Cheryl Williams added: ”We will concentrate on bears which are not currently required in the breeding programme or have been retired from it and will work with staff and research students to study the optimum welfare and husbandry for the bears in the new state of the art enclosure.”
The landscaping of the reserve will mirror the Arctic Tundra with grass, herbs, shrubs and heathers. There will be rocky areas which will also provide shelter for the bears as well as their main house.
The enclosure will help stimulate the natural behaviours such as swimming, roaming and foraging. The bears need the space to roam in a physically varied and stimulating complex environment and the staff will have a lot of training, support and facilities to create an enrichment programme to keep the polar bears stimulated to behave naturally.
YWP Director John Minion explained ` This is the ultimate project for YWP. It is combining conservation, welfare and husbandry and education about the impacts of climate change and global warming. Polar bears are an iconic species that are increasingly threatened in their native habitat and we need to fight their cause.
“It is important that the polar bears in Europe are coordinated as part of the European breeding programme and it is also important that we understand how to care for these bears appropriately in captivity and provide for their needs. It is a very exciting project for us.’
Visitors to the park are being encouraged to fund raise or contribute to Project Polar.
Funds will be used for the rescue and relocation of bears, the development of the facilities, research, conservation and education for the Polar Bear Centre at the Park. Find out more on Yorkshire Wildlife Park
YWP puts conservation at the heart of all its activities – and provides visitors with unrivalled access to some of the world’s most beautiful and rarest animals on earth, including the Amur Leopards and Tigers as well as the African Painted Dog.
KEY POLAR BEAR FACTS
Polar Bears have amazing strength. They are the largest and most dangerous of the 8 species of bears – an adult polar bear can weigh 400 – 600kg (775 – 1200 lbs). At the shoulder they can be 3.5 – 5 ft tall and an adult male may reach over 10 feet tall when standing on his hind legs. As efficient predators, they are very intelligent and develop hunting strategies. They normally live until they are 25- 30.
Listed as a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List, the polar bear has been affected by sea ice losses in the Arctic from global warming which have caused a loss of habitat and prey. In summer 2012, sea ice losses in the Arctic were larger than the size of the United States. Biologists estimate that there are 20,000 – 25,000 polar bears. About 60% of these live in Canada and they are also found in the U.S. (Alaska), Russia, Greenland and on Norway’s Svalbord archipelago. At the 2009 meeting of the IUCN Polar Bear Specialist Group, scientists reported that of 19 subpopulations of bears 8 are declining, 3 are stable and 1 is increasing. There was not sufficient data to determine the status of the other 7 populations. YWP will be working with the conservation organisation Polar Bears International to raise funds and support research and work with polar bears in the wild.
They appear to have fully aired their plans here regarding this species. As suspected, it is a several-pronged approach- they are offering a home to the Mexican female, while at the same time making efforts to acquire Bears from other sources too, such as surplus ones from the EEP breeding programme.. Seems there will be at least one there by the Spring.
I'm a little surprised they aren't moving on Indian Rhino yet though- EEP is apparently asking for new holders.
I'm a little surprised they aren't moving on Indian Rhino yet though- EEP is apparently asking for new holders.
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I think maybe 'A polar bear will be at the park by May' might be more accurate, at least at present.
Perhaps Flamingo Land getting them as well might have put them off for now? (being one of their major neighbours) There is also another collection in the North of England that is high on the list for them.... so more competition when/if that happens.
On the other hand another UK holder for Black Rhinos would be VERY welcome if your reading this YWP
By another collection in the north, i hope that means Blackpool? i can't think of anywhere else remotely suitable!Perhaps Flamingo Land getting them as well might have put them off for now? (being one of their major neighbours) There is also another collection in the North of England that is high on the list for them.... so more competition when/if that happens.
On the other hand another UK holder for Black Rhinos would be VERY welcome if your reading this YWP
I'm sure you're right but maybe Knowsley would also be another good northern collection that would be suitable?
I agree with the sceptical comments whilst I'm excited by the development it does sound a bit dubious/patronising/neo colonial for a uk zoo to sweep in on a Mexican zoo to take their polar bear away. And I'm not thrilled at the prospect of a connection with zoo check.
camel leopard
Well-Known Member
I doubt that Blackpool would get rhino in the next few years but maybe in the future. The elephants is the next big project and space is limited for a large rhino exhibit.
zoogiraffe
Well-Known Member
On the other hand another UK holder for Black Rhinos would be VERY welcome if your reading this YWP
I am sure before too long another place will get them!