LAND OF THE TIGERS TO OPEN AT YORKSHIRE WILDLIFE PARK IN 2011
MAJOR construction work has commenced at Yorkshire Wildlife Park for a huge state-of-the-art tiger reserve, which will be home later this year for two pairs of endangered Amur (Siberian) Tigers. The Amur Tiger is the largest big cat in the world. Threatened by habitat loss and poachers, this tiger is critically endangered with fewer than 400 animals thought still to survive in the wild.
Directors at Doncaster's award-winning walkthrough safari park have been working with the studbook keeper for Amur Tiger European Breeding Programme to identify the four individuals that could come to Yorkshire from other zoos and parks from around Europe. Tigers in the breeding programme are selected for their suitability and genetic diversity for the breeding programme. Moves and breeding recommendations are made by the studbook keeper who coordinates the whole programme.
Two pools and a waterfall for the water loving tigers will feature in the tigers' new home, which is being created at the park alongside a natural British Nature wetlands reserve. Viewing for visitors will be along a stunning 150m walkway with views to one side of the endangered cats and from the other side to the endangered British wetland habitat and the rich bird and animal life that lives there. Yorkshire Wildlife Park is working closely with biodiversity experts and the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust to protect and encourage biodiversity in the wetland habitat at the Park.
The first pair of the endangered breed will move into the new reserve Land of the Tigers in spring, where they will spend a few months getting used to their new surroundings and each other before YWP welcomes the second pair. The tigers will live as pairs, as unlike lions, they are not a social cat that lives in large groups. It is hoped in the future, the tigers will make their own contribution to the European breeding programme.
The first two tigers have now been identified and plans are being developed for their relocation to Yorkshire. A young two year old male tiger called Vladimir is to travel to Doncaster from the Highland Wildlife Park in Kingussie. The second tiger has a longer journey to Yorkshire. Elsa, an 8 year old tigress will travel from Sofia Zoo in Bulgaria, where she has been housed since being seized by the Ministry from a private collection. YWP responded to a request for a home from Sofia Zoo and directors travelled to Bulgaria last week to see Elsa.
Animal Director John Minion said, “We are all excited about the first tigers coming to Yorkshire Wildlife Park and being involved with their conservation on an international level. There is a lot of hard work now to be done on the paperwork and logistics of moving these big cats to Doncaster. But this is another big milestone for the Park. “
The timings for the arrival of the tigers and for the opening of Land of the Tigers at Yorkshire Wildlife Park are not yet known. Further updates will be issued by the Park as the project progresses.
Yorkshire Wildlife Park, the park behind the massive rescue of 13 lions from a rundown Romanian zoo last February, has plans to work closely with Tiger Conservationists to help tigers in the wild, raising awareness and funds to support the endangered animals through 21st Century Tiger. This charity supports various projects for tigers across their range states.
Park Director Cheryl Williams explained “This is a very different project from the Lion Rescue, which was based on animal welfare. This is a conservation project and we shall work with the European breeding programme and other zoos and parks which hold tigers and also with those who are doing work out in the wild ranges of the tigers that is so important for the survival of these magnificent animals in the wild. “
All five subspecies of tiger (Amur, Bengal, Sumatran, Indochinese and South China) are listed as critically endangered. On February 2nd 2011 the Chinese Year of the Tiger draws to a close. It has been 12 years since the last Year of the Tiger. During that time it is estimated that wild tigers numbers have halved to fewer than 3200.
