Dudley Zoological Gardens African Hunting Dogs
- Thread starter stephend
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From your comments I assume the Asiatic lions now have a new exhibit elsewhere. So what about the Sumatran tigers at Dudley (now African wild dogs are to occupy the old lion enclosure)? Any indication the current Sumatran female will have a partner again?
As you mention the Bornean orangs? What are the plans now?
The zoo only has one elderly female lion, they lost the male last year. They have moved it to a new enclosure which is a fair size so Believe they are planning for more lions. The tiger is elderly & think the plan is to just let her enjoy her retirement.
Whats happening with the orangs is anyones guess. The zoo does not make public any plans they have so we can only speculate. Does anyone know why the indoor viewing area is always closed now?
Yeah the lions new exhibit 'Lion Ridge' has just opened or will be open for Easter. Its apparently 1 acre big and is one of the biggest cat exhibits in the UK. Its mentioned on the zoo website : Dudley Zoological Gardens :
As far as i know personally the old pair of sumatran tigers are still at the zoo as the old breeding female came back from London as she didn't get along with the male there.
No idea about the orangs. The rumour i heard was in the local paper but with Dudley Zoo sometimes they propose these big ideas but fail to deliver so for now the orangs will be stuck in that terrible relic of an enclosure up by the castle.
As far as i know personally the old pair of sumatran tigers are still at the zoo as the old breeding female came back from London as she didn't get along with the male there.
No idea about the orangs. The rumour i heard was in the local paper but with Dudley Zoo sometimes they propose these big ideas but fail to deliver so for now the orangs will be stuck in that terrible relic of an enclosure up by the castle.
Well by chance I was at Dudley Zoo today so can answer part of the question.
Yes the Hunting Dogs are going in the old Lion enclosure, the path by the pen is now shut off for re- construction, but from what I saw they are building a viewing box. The dogs are already there but are off public view, but I saw them in their pen, there are at least 4 that I could see and they looked good. I took some (long range poor pix), so may upload them if anyone is interested.I'd also have to assume that they came from West Mids Safari Park.
The new Lion area is now open, but it's sad to see only the only old female there, but at least she was making the most of the sun today and was lying in the best sun trap spot she could find, however it didn't make good viewing as she is too far away.
Not sure what others will think about the new area, I think it's big, but too open with little to look at, maybe it will improve with new lions coming in..
I can also answer some other questions as I'm a season ticket holder and get zoo nooz, but as someone else said they make plans but these don't always happen, but I'd rather say that they do happen but perhaps not as quickly as they should! So here are the plans,
new enclosure for tigers
re building of the orang house ( so it looks like they won't get a new home, just a refit, which is a shame)
walkthrough aviary
underwater viewing of penguins
new chimp house ( don't know why as the chimp house they have is new and looks good to me)
new layout based on African animals to include new Giraffe house. ( could be very interesting if I knew where they planned to put it and what animals they plan to keep).
Now that seems like a lot of work and if it's all done will go a long way to improving the zoo which is looking better these days.
Finally after answering all these questions I have one to ask, does anyone know what happened to the bison and zebra at Dudley? They used to live where the reindeer now live.......
Yes the Hunting Dogs are going in the old Lion enclosure, the path by the pen is now shut off for re- construction, but from what I saw they are building a viewing box. The dogs are already there but are off public view, but I saw them in their pen, there are at least 4 that I could see and they looked good. I took some (long range poor pix), so may upload them if anyone is interested.I'd also have to assume that they came from West Mids Safari Park.
The new Lion area is now open, but it's sad to see only the only old female there, but at least she was making the most of the sun today and was lying in the best sun trap spot she could find, however it didn't make good viewing as she is too far away.
Not sure what others will think about the new area, I think it's big, but too open with little to look at, maybe it will improve with new lions coming in..
I can also answer some other questions as I'm a season ticket holder and get zoo nooz, but as someone else said they make plans but these don't always happen, but I'd rather say that they do happen but perhaps not as quickly as they should! So here are the plans,
new enclosure for tigers
re building of the orang house ( so it looks like they won't get a new home, just a refit, which is a shame)
walkthrough aviary
underwater viewing of penguins
new chimp house ( don't know why as the chimp house they have is new and looks good to me)
new layout based on African animals to include new Giraffe house. ( could be very interesting if I knew where they planned to put it and what animals they plan to keep).
Now that seems like a lot of work and if it's all done will go a long way to improving the zoo which is looking better these days.
Finally after answering all these questions I have one to ask, does anyone know what happened to the bison and zebra at Dudley? They used to live where the reindeer now live.......
Probably because they are ashamed of the decrepit conditions in there- arguably well below the minumum standard for keeping Apes nowadays as its so old and outdated and very dark- so keeping it shut to the public prevents any unwanted critisism...
I wish Dudley Zoo wouldn't keep announcing grand plans and then changing them or delaying them indefinately.
The last plan for the Orangutans and Chimps- announced with a big flourish not very long ago, was to move them to the old Carnivore areas- the old polar Bear enclosure would be redesigned as an inside area for the Orangutans. Now it seems thats yet another plan that has been dropped. Their existing building is so unsuitable it would really be just as economic to build them an entirely new enclosure.
The Chimpanzees proposed move(to where now?) is because they may sell off that area of the zoo. Unless they can form a better social group with both sexes, they might do better to just phase them out altogether?
I think that plan to sell of the land fell through so as far as I know the zoo will remain the same size which doesn't really answer why they need a new chimp house.
Also with the plan to sell land gone it also means that any plans they had to spend big money on new enclosures are also gone, but as you said there's no reason why they can't do something with the old polar bear pit for the orangs although how it can be much better then where they are now is open to question, it would be just moving them from one concrete house to another unless they will but them into the tiger or Asian bear pit
Also with the plan to sell land gone it also means that any plans they had to spend big money on new enclosures are also gone, but as you said there's no reason why they can't do something with the old polar bear pit for the orangs although how it can be much better then where they are now is open to question, it would be just moving them from one concrete house to another unless they will but them into the tiger or Asian bear pit
I think the orangs would gain from moving to either of the pits but i still wouldn't say that the exhibit would be an amazing improvement for them. The pits aren't exactly huge and because of the set up i would think unless placed dead in the middle there may be risks in giving them the tall poles to climb that they would need. The chimps though would be at a great disadvantage when you compare the size of their present enclosure to the one they could possibly move into (tiger/bear pit).
May be a crazy idea but would it be possible to split the large outside area the chimps have and possibly use the other half for the orangs. The chimps rarely leave their inside area (i've seen it twice and once was just because a keeper was doing a scatter feed) so this land is being hardly used. If it was possible to build a new house at the opposite end of the enclosure to the chimps house i do think it would be a huge improvement for the orangs. It would also be a good use of the small amount of land available for development at the zoo.
May be a crazy idea but would it be possible to split the large outside area the chimps have and possibly use the other half for the orangs. The chimps rarely leave their inside area (i've seen it twice and once was just because a keeper was doing a scatter feed) so this land is being hardly used. If it was possible to build a new house at the opposite end of the enclosure to the chimps house i do think it would be a huge improvement for the orangs. It would also be a good use of the small amount of land available for development at the zoo.
I only thought of that yesterday, beat me to it! They would obviously need extra climbing structures for orangs, and the fence needs rethinking before someone gets killed!
RTB1987;159212. May be a crazy idea but would it be possible to split the large outside area the chimps have and possibly use the other half for the orangs.If it was possible to build a new house at the opposite end of the enclosure to the chimps house i do think it would be a huge improvement for the orangs. It would also be a good use of the small amount of land available for development at the zoo.[/QUOTE said:I think that's a very good idea, provided the land sell-off idea has fallen through(yet another change of plan?)
I think a new enclosure for the Orangutans would be far preferable to either renovating the existing one or using the old carnivore areas- sunken enclosures aren't the best fo Apes anyway. I can't see why they need to move the Chimps either, if the land sale isn't going to happen. I agree their outdoor enclosure is hardly used- its very large but featureless and seems they don't use it much anyway so halving their area would do no harm.
Pertinax,
The zoo wasn't at fault for the land deal falling through, I think it was more to do with the economic climate we are in, so from a point of view that Dudley was going to have alot of money to spend and now don't I think their listed plans are quite good, but as you say lets hope they do happen.
The orang idea to build on half the chimp land is a very good one, I wonder if it's worth putting this idea to the zoo?
When I went yesterday it was a nice sunny day, but the chimps were all inside again, so they wouldn't really notice if half their land was taken as they are never outside anyway!
The zoo wasn't at fault for the land deal falling through, I think it was more to do with the economic climate we are in, so from a point of view that Dudley was going to have alot of money to spend and now don't I think their listed plans are quite good, but as you say lets hope they do happen.
The orang idea to build on half the chimp land is a very good one, I wonder if it's worth putting this idea to the zoo?
When I went yesterday it was a nice sunny day, but the chimps were all inside again, so they wouldn't really notice if half their land was taken as they are never outside anyway!
Pesumably if the sale of the land has fallen through, does that mean a lot of Dudley's major renovation plans won't happen either?
I feel they should at least build a new enclosure for the orangutans if they plan to keep them longterm. Either that or dispense with the Chimpanzees entirely and use their house for the Orangutans, but with an entirely renovated outdoor area. Half the area for chimps and haLF for Orangutans would work okay too, if they were to build a modern new Orangutan house at the other end.
Sorry to deviate from the orangutan discussion but Chizlit when you went was what used to be a little enclosure for i think Arabian Gazelles still empty? I think they used to have a small breeding herd but then about 3 or 4 years ago i went and they seemed to have left. Was wondering if they were going to do anything with that exhibit?
Also it was hinted at by Kifaru Bwana that the female was on her own, is that true? If so has the male left or passed away?
Also it was hinted at by Kifaru Bwana that the female was on her own, is that true? If so has the male left or passed away?
Well RTB 1978 you got me there as I can't answer that question! But I do remember the gazelles, so i know the exact spot you mean, but if I don't remember anything being there then I guess there was nothing to look at if that makes any sense! But we can add the gazelles to the mysterious disapearing Dudley Zoo animals! I know why the elphants went, but the bison and zebra remain a puzzle!
Did you know there is a mongoose exhibit by where the gazelles used to be, could this have been built in place of the gazelles home?
I'll just have to pay more attention next time I go.....
Did you know there is a mongoose exhibit by where the gazelles used to be, could this have been built in place of the gazelles home?
I'll just have to pay more attention next time I go.....
i think the mongoose exhibit was built where the spider monkeys, that now reside down by the flamingo pool, used to be. I honestly can't remember any bison being present at Dudley Zoo and the zebras like you said did seem to disappear overnight almost 
The last time i saw the zebras they were sharing the same paddock as the giraffes and i'm sure the little house/hut they lived in is still there attached to the giraffe house
Also by the female being left on her own i was referring to the sumatran tiger female not one of the gazelle...sorry about that
The last time i saw the zebras they were sharing the same paddock as the giraffes and i'm sure the little house/hut they lived in is still there attached to the giraffe houseAlso by the female being left on her own i was referring to the sumatran tiger female not one of the gazelle...sorry about that
Could you please tell me are the african hunting dogs the animals they are keeping in the old elephant house? Keep going past there & can here animals in there but there are no signs.
I hope that dudley zoo keeps on improving as this was the place I went so many times in my youth like every other kid in the area. It would be nice if the council got the community involved. Community service could be done there & if they just got local companies to sponsor projects I would be one of many who would give up the odd weekend a month to give my time to work at the zoo. A cup of tea now & then wouldn't go a miss and you got my support. Painting a fence, a reptile house or helping to construct play equipment for chimps is way better than doing the back garden. I don't think I would be the only one.. I think its time we do something for the place instead of attacking it..
Stephend,
No the dogs are in the old lion enclosure, but off show in the lions (I guess) nightime sleeping area, although I think the old elephant house does back onto the lions sleeping area so it could be that's why you heard the noise.
I'm not into knocking the zoo either, sure it has it's problems (I think the orang house has been rightly picked up on here), but they are trying.
One time I was at the zoo I complained that I thought the lynx house was totally unexceptable and would something be done about it, I was told there were no plans, but I should send an email, and you know what a new lynx house was built, I'm not saying it was because of me, but perhaps my comments did help.
Dudley does have people who help out round the site for free, so I'm sure you would be more than welcome, but as you said getting greater local help would improve things a lot.
And RTB 1978, I think the male tiger went away on breeding loan (but don't quote me on that) so I guess he'll be back.
About the bison and zebra's, you know where the reindeer are now, well they were in those two enclosures (that now house alpaca and reindeer), I don't even remember the zebra being in with the giraffe's...!
And too throw even more into the pot where on earth did the camels go?!!
No the dogs are in the old lion enclosure, but off show in the lions (I guess) nightime sleeping area, although I think the old elephant house does back onto the lions sleeping area so it could be that's why you heard the noise.
I'm not into knocking the zoo either, sure it has it's problems (I think the orang house has been rightly picked up on here), but they are trying.
One time I was at the zoo I complained that I thought the lynx house was totally unexceptable and would something be done about it, I was told there were no plans, but I should send an email, and you know what a new lynx house was built, I'm not saying it was because of me, but perhaps my comments did help.
Dudley does have people who help out round the site for free, so I'm sure you would be more than welcome, but as you said getting greater local help would improve things a lot.
And RTB 1978, I think the male tiger went away on breeding loan (but don't quote me on that) so I guess he'll be back.
About the bison and zebra's, you know where the reindeer are now, well they were in those two enclosures (that now house alpaca and reindeer), I don't even remember the zebra being in with the giraffe's...!
And too throw even more into the pot where on earth did the camels go?!!