Dartmoor Zoo Dartmoor Zoo news 2025

Their old pair of male Spanish Wolves, aged 14 and 15, have been PTS.

What a great age for the pair. Obviously it'll take time but do we know the plans for the enclosure? I belive Knowlsey keep the same species, unsure of other UK collections of Iberian
 
What a great age for the pair. Obviously it'll take time but do we know the plans for the enclosure? I belive Knowlsey keep the same species, unsure of other UK collections of Iberian
They won't be getting more wolves as there are so few left in zoos. My understanding is that they would like to get another canid.
 
They won't be getting more wolves as there are so few left in zoos. My understanding is that they would like to get another canid.

They certainly won't get any more Spanish wolves. ZTL only lists Blackpool and Knowsley in the UK with them now, does that mean that Howletts/PL no longer have any? I can't remember where Dartmoor got those males from, would it have been Howletts?

Perhaps Dhole might be a suitable replacement if they could get them.
 
Given the Iberian wolf's difficulties adapting to new environments (Spanish ethologists who have worked with Iberian wolves agree that to achieve the highest standards of animal welfare, pups must be imprinted on the caretakers and their environment before they open their eyes) and the fact that it is a regional subspecies, Dartmoor Zoo's preference for other canid species is a significant decision.
 
I know Port Lympne's were extremely timid and hardly even showed themselves unless they were fed. Always a noshow for me. Blackpool's are very showy and unafraid on the other hand but I was told they were handraised. I don't know about Knowsley's ones.

I think this is a fading subspecies in the UK that may soon disappear entirely unless Knowsley breed them(?). I believe Blackpool's are (now) just two elderly females since a third one died.
 
I know Port Lympne's were extremely timid and hardly even showed themselves unless they were fed. Always a noshow for me. Blackpool's are very showy and unafraid on the other hand but I was told they were handraised. I don't know about Knowsley's ones.

I think this is a fading subspecies in the UK that may soon disappear entirely unless Knowsley breed them(?). I believe Blackpool's are (now) just two elderly females since a third one died.
If you want iberian wolfes with good behaviour you have to hand raised them (with brothers and sisters to make the imprinting successful with his own species)

I supose that the future of wolves in british zoos will be that all will be european ones
 
Back
Top