I assumed they went off to woburn as their herd appeared at the time the whipsnade one vanished.
ZSL Whipsnade Zoo Whipsnade Zoo 2014 #1
- Thread starter BongoHardwood
- Start date
The red river hog fairly recently took over what had been the sitatunga enclosure for several years.
The neighbouring enclosure(which i think the rr hogs still use) nearer the giraffes - was that the one which held vultures? When was that & what species were they?
the vultures were there a good few years ago and I believe they were Ruppell's Griffon Vulture (well that's what I always knew them as).
They were Rüppell's Griffon Vultures.
Thanks to both of you. I only began visiting again in 2006, after a gap of over 20 years(hard to believe as i now go at least 6 times a year!), i think they had gone by then.
I believe if my memory serves me well that they tried housing vultures in the old tiger enclosure on the downs next to the old lion enclosure. but I don't think that plan lasted long.
IanRRobinson
Well-Known Member
A roofed over aviary was built in the early 1970s roughly where the old elephant arena stands, near the Moose. This held Ruppell's, African White-backed, and Lappet-faced Vultures. A storm blew this down ca 1985.
ZSL was too broke at the time to afford to replace it, so the vultures had their wings clipped and were moved into the smaller of the Red River Hog enclosures. This had kept Collared Peccaries up until then.
ZSL was too broke at the time to afford to replace it, so the vultures had their wings clipped and were moved into the smaller of the Red River Hog enclosures. This had kept Collared Peccaries up until then.
yeah that's what I remembered, but as I said it didn't last long. There was also Anoa in the old lion enclosure for a while.
When I visited a few months back I noticed the RR Hogs had access to both the enclosures.
Reading the heritage signs, there is a henge-type monument marking Sir Peter Chalmers Mitchells's grave located somewhere in the zoo (this should not be confused with the pillar located near the Discovery Centre).
Where exactly IS this, and can it be viewed from a public pathway? It would be nice if this could be viewed by visitors within the context of the rest of the grounds, as I believe it's an important part of the zoo's history.
Where exactly IS this, and can it be viewed from a public pathway? It would be nice if this could be viewed by visitors within the context of the rest of the grounds, as I believe it's an important part of the zoo's history.
BongoHardwood
Well-Known Member
As far as I am aware this is within the massive off-show paddock on the right hand side past the hippos/kudu where the emus and black fallow can (sometimes) be seen.
IanRRobinson
Well-Known Member
Yes, the larger of which once held the Tommies. I'm afraid that the Hogs are, to quote a buddy, "giving it a hell of a kicking"....
Yes, the larger of which once held the Tommies. I'm afraid that the Hogs are, to quote a buddy, "giving it a hell of a kicking"....
Now I remember the Thomson's Gazelles in a slightly different paddock
- a larger grassy one that I don't see anymore, so maybe I am wrong and you are correct.
RR Hogs turn every paddock they live in bare- even that large one at Howletts.
Is this the paddock on the hill to the right of the Kudu paddock? have always wondered what it was.
Its the one at the end of the drive down past the Hippos. Its blocked off by a fence/gates(?) and forms the continuation of this shallow Valley. I read on here before that it was originally intended to form the access route into the Park.
IanRRobinson
Well-Known Member
Indeed. Sir Peter Chalmers Mitchell hoped that a spur would be built onto the railway to take it to Studham, and that the Park's entrance would be up a grand drive. Hence the short path leading from Holly Frindle Paddock (home to the Greater Kudu) that leads past the hippo ponds is called Sir Peter's Way.
Whether the land would have been developed if World War II, the subsequent years of austerity, the need to rebuild London Zoo and the problems that began assailing ZSL from about 1974 we will never know.
I have been told that there are flood control issues to address in this area - which I can believe; the hippo ponds look as if a stream had been dammed there.
Be that as it may, beyond that fence lies Sir Peter's grave ("Little Stonehenge") and black Fallow Deer. In 100 acres of undeveloped land....
You say 100 acres of undeveloped land but looking at google maps the paddock in question in squashed between a golf course. anyway, I have never paid much attention to that paddock, didn't know emu had been in it.
Emu were in a fenced area behind the kudu housing for several years . Still there last year, but i haven't looked lately.
slightly changing the subject, does Whipsnade still have sitatunga? I do need to get back there soon, its unusual to have been this long without a visit.