No, despite many visits to Whipsnade since the ‘new’ Indian rhino accommodation was built, I have never seen any of the Indian rhinos use the indoor pool; however, I know that the male sometimes uses the pool inside the new house (but never when I've been watching him).
(I visited Whipsnade yesterday with a small group of fellow ZooChatters; as we walked by the new house we said “Wouldn’t ‘Pertinax’ be astonished if we saw a rhinoceros using the inside pool” - so your comment was anticipated .)
(I visited Whipsnade yesterday with a small group of fellow ZooChatters; as we walked by the new house we said “Wouldn’t ‘Pertinax’ be astonished if we saw a rhinoceros using the inside pool” - so your comment was anticipated .)
Indeed I would. As you know, its one of my favourite issues. I only raised it again as Panthera1981 seems to go regularly and could have seen or known something.
When I visited and walked through that House a few months ago there was dung in the water, but (as usual) no sign of any Rhinos.
Its been discussed on here a number of times(usually by me ) and its an ongoing riddle(for me anyway) to exactly what is wrong.
Originally I believe the adult females, which had not had deep bathing water for many years since they left the London Cotton terrace enclosure, would not enter the indoor pools. I saw a ZSL video of keepers trying to lure them in with food but that didn't work. It seems the access ramps/steps may be the problem. The bull Hugo may have been used to a similar set-up/access to a pool where he came from(Rotterdam?) hence why he uses them- sometimes.
What I find even stranger is why there are hardly ever any rhinos in there- even the bull is often in the small paddock and old house too. I think that is because he can have an outdoor paddock there. Maybe the water is thought dangerous for the calves too? Another fault I've been told is the access from the new house to the large paddocks is only through one small yard, not several holding areas.
The females (and their calves when they have them) don't actually use that house so there's never an opportunity for them to use them! They clearly make good use of their outdoor wallows though!
The females (and their calves when they have them) don't actually use that house so there's never an opportunity for them to use them! They clearly make good use of their outdoor wallows though!
Oops, I didn't see your second post! Anyway, I think there my be a combination of all those reasons.
Despite the fact that calves may cope with the water, it's an unnecessary risk and with the females producing calves regularly it sort of means they wouldn't be able to use them for a while fairly often, and with the females not being particularly fond of these pools anyway it makes sense for the two males who use the pools to occupy this house.
The new house has 3 stalls all connecting to one sand yard and then one paddock. The current occupancy level is quite high with Ajang still at Whipsnade so the old house is definitely needed to accommodate the rhinos (and Mohan the male gaur lives in one stall when the female is due to give birth and all the animals need to be separate at night). There are only 3 paddocks too, which is fine when it's the male and the two females (with calves) but if, like now, the calves must stay beyond the point of living separate from their mothers then one animal can use the whole new house indoor space and the sand paddock. It is also handy to keep the male away from the females if he is wanting to get to them all the time - being in the adjoining stall may cause upset.
Yes, I can see the explanations here. Its that thing where a new-build house doesn't always get used quite the way one might quite expect, due to the animals themselves, and the space dictates, combined with their necessary management.
I would still love to see the cows and calves on display in there and using it fully- maybe that will happen one day....
