I believe one Koala died and the other was sent to Lisbon. I have no doubt though that if London had really wanted a replacement for the Koala that died they could have twisted San Diego's arm and got another one, but I believe that the Koalas never really turned out to be as popular as they expected - they were obtained to be replacements for Chia-Chia after he left for Mexico. What years were the Koalas at Regents Park?
1989- 1991, i.e. between "Chia-Chia" and "Ming-Ming".
London's Koalas weren't marketed at all. I remember turning up at London one Saturday in the spring of 1989 to be stunned at their arrival. No press launch, no banners along Parkway.
Credit where it's due - I think that such a crowd-pleasing animal [why is it that so many "Premier League" zoo animal attractions, elephants and chimps apart, are actually very somnolent animals? ] would be sold better by ZSL today.
1989- 1991, i.e. between "Chia-Chia" and "Ming-Ming".
London's Koalas weren't marketed at all. I remember turning up at London one Saturday in the spring of 1989 to be stunned at their arrival. No press launch, no banners along Parkway.
Credit where it's due - I think that such a crowd-pleasing animal [why is it that so many "Premier League" zoo animal attractions, elephants and chimps apart, are actually very somnolent animals? ] would be sold better by ZSL today.
Wow, that is a surprise. I wonder why that was? I totally agree, considering the limited collection at London now it would surely bring in many more visitors. I believe Ming-Ming and the last Panda overlapped for a while?
You may be able to help me with a question about Ming-Ming - did London have to pay a fee similar to the modern norm or was she loaned for free? Or was she outright given to London but they returned her during the 90's recession?
Wow, that is a surprise. I wonder why that was? I totally agree, considering the limited collection at London now it would surely bring in many more visitors. I believe Ming-Ming and the last Panda overlapped for a while?
You may be able to help me with a question about Ming-Ming - did London have to pay a fee similar to the modern norm or was she loaned for free? Or was she outright given to London but they returned her during the 90's recession?
I don't know, but if you can obtain a DVD copy of "The Ark" by Molly Dineen, you'll see her arrival (along with a cringeworthy introduction to the public by Cilla Black!) and a hint of the politics involved. Plus the documentary's a fascinating watch!
Ming-Ming and her mate Bao-Bao were the only Giant pandas I remember at London (visiting in the school holidays standing in a line in the rain with my grandparents, pushing my way to the front window only to see an inanimate furball!). I believe their arrival was controversial with some at the time due to the zoo being in the middle of it's closure crisis. I don't know if they had any impact on the gate but they failed to mate (despite Cilla's best efforts!) and the public interest petered out. I don't know of their fate after they left.
Personally, I'm torn between ZSL obtaining Giant panda again (if they ever dared to try!). They're box-office but, ultimately, don't do much...much like Koalas! Theres also a lot of political red tape involved, although I don't know how close ZSL came to getting a pair before Edinburgh got them. I think they were in the running.
I don't know, but if you can obtain a DVD copy of "The Ark" by Molly Dineen, you'll see her arrival (along with a cringeworthy introduction to the public by Cilla Black!) and a hint of the politics involved. Plus the documentary's a fascinating watch!
Ming-Ming and her mate Bao-Bao were the only Giant pandas I remember at London (visiting in the school holidays standing in a line in the rain with my grandparents, pushing my way to the front window only to see an inanimate furball!). I believe their arrival was controversial with some at the time due to the zoo being in the middle of it's closure crisis. I don't know if they had any impact on the gate but they failed to mate (despite Cilla's best efforts!) and the public interest petered out. I don't know of their fate after they left.
Personally, I'm torn between ZSL obtaining Giant panda again (if they ever dared to try!). They're box-office but, ultimately, don't do much...much like Koalas! Theres also a lot of political red tape involved, although I don't know how close ZSL came to getting a pair before Edinburgh got them. I think they were in the running.
I'll definitely get a copy of that. It would be interesting to see if more people came to see them, but ultimately the zoo survived the closure crisis, and it may have played a part.
In regards to Giant Panda's, it seems to be one of the species definitely associated with London Zoo - Chia-Chia and Chi-Chi certainly have their place in British Culture - and I would love their return. London certainly isn't a world class zoo any more and bringing back Panda's would help this. The Tiger development is certainly a step in the right direction however I'm yet to see if the 'Land of the Lions' *CRINGE* will also do that.
Ultimately, returning of Koala's is much more realistic, but if London could stump up the fee, China would surely oblige. Do you know any more information of London being in contention to get Panda's?
Finally - why were no Koala's exhibited before these ones, especially during the zoo's peak years in the late 70's-80's?
Thanks for taking all these questions, I honestly do appreciate your answers.
Actually London Zoo had several koalas before these; the first arriving in 1880 more than a century before these; this was (I think) the first living koala ever seen outside Australia.
Yes of course, how could I forget about them! Still surprising that they went a century without having any others, especially when other animals from own under such as Echidna and Platypus were present at various points.
It wasn't a gift - Churchill apparently decided he wanted one for the London Zoo. It was transported on a ship but never arrived, expiring a couple of days out from Liverpool.
("Two in the Bush".......Gerald Durrell, conversation with David Fleay)
As for the Koalas - getting the leaves they need is a major effort for zoos in Australia - Taronga Zoo used to have two horticulturalists employed just for that purpose - so for zoos outside Australia it would be an even bigger impost on resources.
