When I've been there the bull (seen here)has always had access to all three stalls and you can see the door is open to the outside yard(at least, maybe a paddock too)
I don't for the life of me, understand why the two mothers and calves are still kept in the old quarters (if they are?). Here's this modern house with all mod cons and just one Rhino living in it most of the time afaics(can see). I think they may have been worried of the danger of small calves with the watermoats (but they knew they would have calves when they designed it?) but they aren't tiny anymore. I can't think why else they aren't kept in here.
When I've been there the bull (seen here)has always had access to all three stalls and you can see the door is open to the outside yard(at least, maybe a paddock too)
I don't for the life of me, understand why the two mothers and calves are still kept in the old quarters (if they are?). Here's this modern house with all mod cons and just one Rhino living in it most of the time afaics(can see). I think they may have been worried of the danger of small calves with the watermoats (but they knew they would have calves when they designed it?) but they aren't tiny anymore. I can't think why else they aren't kept in here.
I'm afraid it's this sort of silly lack of attention to detail with regard to practical animal management issues that makes some of us so sceptical about current ZSL animal exhibit planning.
As I understand, the slope into the pool is thought to be an issue.
I would very much like to know the exact reason for this odd setup.
I believe the 'slope' is why the adult cows won't go in the pool, but surely that wouldn't prevent them being kept in here, so I wonder if its also regarded as dangerous for the calves too?-though if the mothers won't enter, they possibly wouldn't either anyway. I'm surprised they haven't drained it and made an alteration to the design-its been like this several years now- or will they just keep it semi-empty (of rhinos) indefinately? Bizarre-they might as well not have bothered to build it!...
