That's often, but not always, the case: but there is an important difference between a clear and unobstructed, if distant, view and a view like this with obtrusive foreground clutter (the mara is blameless of course) and an ugly background as well. What makes this a such a good example of bad exhibit design, is that as far as I can tell there is no unobstructed vantage point for Emmet's enclosures.
From memory if he's in his sand yard you can just about get an unobstructed view from the raised public walkway. I always feel rather sorry for Emmet- in all my visits I've never seen a female in with him ( it must happen occassionally obviously), though he has some tactile contact through the fence of course.
From memory if he's in his sand yard you can just about get an unobstructed view from the raised public walkway. I always feel rather sorry for Emmet- in all my visits I've never seen a female in with him ( it must happen occassionally obviously), though he has some tactile contact through the fence of course.
I've never seen him with a cow or in his sand yard either. It is possible that they do not mix him with cows while visitors are around. Your memory is probably better than mine and you may have visited Whipsnade more recently too, but I think are still some wires in the way, not enough to spoil the view for visitors, but quite sufficient to look horrible in a photo.
Maybe the new developments will allow visitors a better view of ZSL's largest and most impressive animal.
I've certainly seen him mixed once with the cows during visitor hours: all in the sand paddock during wintertime. He was VERY interested in Karishma and continually followed her around (the outcome was likely Max!). The calves seemed to want to play with him too.
AFAIK, Emmett is very much a favourite amongst the head keepers.
In some Zoos bull elephants live with the herd on a more regular basis, at least in the daytime. Obviously they can be dangerous and need seperate secure bull accomodation, particularly when in 'Musth' periods. But I wonder why he's never in with the cows in the main paddock? Security risk? Contact issues? Because they walk the females in the zoo and not him?
