I especially remember a Temminck’s golden cat in one of this building’s interior cages; this specimen had been presented to the zoo by E. P. Gee (author of “Wild Life of India”) and was originally kept in the old North Mammal House before being moved to the Lion House.
It was a male called 'Tishi'. Gee mentions its early history in his book(p.147-8). I alway felt rather sorry for it living in the Lion House, the only smaller cat among all the big ones but it lived there a long time so I suppose it was perfectly settled.
Thanks for the information Pertinax and Tim. I hadn't realised there were that many outside enclosures, I can only recall seeing lions and tigers outside, though several other species inside.
There was an elderly pair of Jaguar for a long while in one of the smaller outdoor cages, and an immature male Tiger in another.
As I mentioned, I think the old Lion house was actually overcrowded with more species/animals than it was originally designed for- hence the 'indoor' cats being permanently indoors, and vice versa. I know they were rarely, if ever, rotated.
I’m not sure exactly when I first saw the snow leopard in the Lion House; it would have been late 1950s / early 1960s; I was only a small child.
I seem to recall reading that the ZSL received snow leopards from Moscow Zoo in exchange for the Asiatic elephant “Dumbo” about this time, but would need to check further details.
I know that snow leopards were bred at Whipsnade in 1960…..
I’m not sure exactly when I first saw the snow leopard in the Lion House; it would have been late 1950s / early 1960s; I was only a small child.
I seem to recall reading that the ZSL received snow leopards from Moscow Zoo in exchange for the Asiatic elephant “Dumbo” about this time, but would need to check further details.
As mentioned earlier in this thread Pertinax, FBBird and I all saw our first snow leopards in the cage that was built into a side wall of the old Lion House.
Frustratingly I cannot remember where I read that the snow leopards were obtained from Moscow Zoo in exchange for the Asiatic elephant ‘Dumbo’ and I haven’t been able to trace a reference for that, however:-
• the on-line Elephant Database records that Moscow Zoo received the Asiatic elephant ‘Dumbo’ from London Zoo on 3rd September 1958
• the Snow Leopard Studbook records that London Zoo received a pair of snow leopards via Moscow Zoo on 15th October 1958
so the dates tally.
I’m not sure when I first saw these snow leopards but I was only a very young child at the time so I guess it was not long after their arrival; most probably it would have been spring 1959.
It is a matter of deep regret to me that I must have walked past these Snow Leopards on several occasions as a small child, yet don't recall them at all. It also irks me deeply that nobody at
It is a matter of deep regret to me that I must have walked past these Snow Leopards on several occasions as a small child, yet don't recall them at all. It also irks me deeply that nobody at ZSL saw fit to move them to Whipsnade when their pair died (in 1961?).
Neither site has held Snow Leopards since London's animals died, in 1969.
It is a matter of deep regret to me that I must have walked past these Snow Leopards on several occasions as a small child, yet don't recall them at all. It also irks me deeply that nobody at ZSL saw fit to move them to Whipsnade when their pair died (in 1961?).
Neither site has held Snow Leopards since London's animals died, in 1969.
The snow leopard discussion has incresed my interest further now. I'd always thought that i saw my first snow leopard at Marwell in 1978, but it's just possible i saw the ones at London, though too young to recall it! I can recall my father saying 'they had them at London, you saw them there ' about several species i saw later into the 70s
At other zoos, i'll have to find out now.
It's a shame neither zoo has kept snow leopard for so long. There is no reason though that Whipsnade couldnt have spacious open tipped enclosures (built relatively cheaply) for them or leopards, jaguars or all three for that matter. London would have more of a problem, but it will be interesting what the long term plans are for the 'cat' terraces now the tigers have gone.
Strangely enough, despite my memory of them(or rather one) at London, I do not ever remember seeing Snow Leopards at Whipsnade. Does anyone remember/know whereabouts they were kept?
Strangely enough, despite my memory of them(or rather one) at London, I do not ever remember seeing Snow Leopards at Whipsnade. Does anyone remember/know whereabouts they were kept?
Although I have vivid childhood memories of snow leopards in London Zoo I don’t recall seeing them at Whipsnade either; they had gone before I started visiting Whipsnade regularly. (The Whipsnade female died in 1962 and the male died the following year; the Whipsnade born cubs were sent to Bronx Zoo before their parents had died.)
To answer your question: checking some old Whipsnade guidebooks shows that they were kept in that row of cat cages between the brown bear enclosure and the park boundary (i.e. the opposite side of the bear enclosure to Flint Pit Paddock).
(Incidentally, the last London Zoo female snow leopard died in 1966 and the male was sent to Amsterdam the following year as a mate for the female there.)
To answer your question: checking some old Whipsnade guidebooks shows that they were kept in that row of cat cages between the brown bear enclosure and the park boundary (i.e. the opposite side of the bear enclosure to Flint Pit Paddock).
ah, thankyou Tim. I first visited Whipsnade circa 1955 and did so at regular intervals into the '60's. However I don't think I discovered those cages until sometime later so that's why I don't remember seeing Snow Leopard at Whipsnade.(might have done but don't remember it)
