I still wonder why they got rid of the Mandrills that were in here(?) or were they seperate from the Hippos before they left? I can only presume they weren't getting along as a mix or then had nowhere else to put them, as otherwise why get rid of a good exhibit?
I still wonder why they got rid of the Mandrills that were in here(?) or were they seperate from the Hippos before they left? I can only presume they weren't getting along as a mix or then had nowhere else to put them, as otherwise why get rid of a good exhibit?
AFAIK, the exhibit was split in half for some reason stopping the Pygmy Hippos being mixed with the Mandrill. If this is the reason they 'left' then it wouldn't surprise me.
Several times in the past I've seen photos of the Pygmy Hippo 'threat-yawning' at the male Mandrill, so I suspected all was not rosy in that particular garden.
These type of exhibits sometimes work okay for a while and then for some reason aggression levels rise. Mandrills are a good display and I'm sorry to see them go from anywhere (even here). I presume no explanation was given about why they left, which is a pity.
Several times in the past I've seen photos of the Pygmy Hippo 'threat-yawning' at the male Mandrill, so I suspected all was not rosy in that particular garden.
These type of exhibits sometimes work okay for a while and then for some reason aggression levels rise. Mandrills are a good display and I'm sorry to see them go from anywhere (even here). I presume no explanation was given about why they left, which is a pity.
During my visit, the Pygmy Hippos were both threat-yawning at each other and often charged each other. I believe the official word from South Lakes was: "The Mandrill group have left the Park for a collection in Europe" - I looked on the Facebook page earlier however the post has since been erased.
Several attempts to keep pygmy hippos and mandrills together (Halle and probably also Melbourne) have been ended due to increasing displays of interspecific aggressive behaviour, usually with dominant mandrill males trying to bully the hippos. I guess that might have been a reason for ending this combination at South Lakes?
I believe so, on at least two occasions. The first birth was in the old enclosure (now Giant Otter enclosure) which died at a young age. The second was a rather calf, in February 2012 and the calf died at around ten days old. The female, I believe produces a lack of milk or a problem similar to that which is why both calves have not been reared.
