The Wapiti herd left in 2002 to make way for the construction of the Lost Kingdom. I have just been looking at my notes and on 30th August I have noted the Wapiti and Bison were due to leave the following week. My next notes are re 12th October which is odd as surely I should have made two visits in September - eventually I shall come to the photos for that period, but I have not got those in scrapbooks so it is not easy to check. Anyway on that date I have noted that the Wapiti and most of the Fallow Deer had gone, but 1-2 Bison were to stay (these were moved to the old Elephant House). I think the Wapiti went to private owners. I do remember the departure of the stag featuring on a Zoo Vet television programme. He went via a North Yorkshire animal dealer who dealt regularly with the zoo (and still does with Sewerby) and was said to be going to be run with Red Deer hinds. This suggests he went separately from the hinds. Something is telling me some of the Wapiti if not all went to an estate in Scotland. As an aside, last year or so an animal (I cannot remember what, but it must have been an ungulate) was delivered to Sewerby in a horsebox with two compartments. Remaining in the box but obviously going somewhere was a hybrid Wapiti x Red Deer.
It has just come to me there was a time I had forgotten (twice!) to buy a new notebook and I made my notes on pieces of paper - it must have been September 2002! I wonder what I did with the notes?
