Colchester Zoo Anouska to depart Colchester

Jacobea said:
I think it's a shame that they're sending Anouska away :( She and Igor appeared to get along very well and certainly seemed to be pine for each other when seperated - animals they might be, but they have feelings too.

Also, I thought Amurs, although endangered like all species of tiger, were at safe numbers in the captive population? If so, seems like even less of a reason, again IMHO to split a perfectly happy, albeit non-breeding, couple. After all, haven't we already got several established breeding pairs of Amur tigers in the UK?
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As Kifaru Bwana has said - we cannot afford to be so sentimental in this if the population is to continue to thrive. Igor is a potential breeding male. it would be different if he were past breeding age, or unsuitable for breeding for other reasons.
 
karenZOO said:
I agree Bug & Goretex we were watching them both on Wednesday for ages and Annouska cannot take her eyes off Igor lol and he kept going back to her all the time and greeting sooo sweet!
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Don't forget that they are just demonstrating typical Tiger male/female interactive behaviour and would do the same thing to any other Tigers they were familiar with too. I am not belittling this- only that splitting them up and providing fresh partners is unlikely to cause them to pine too much for each other- which might make you feel less upset by it...;)
 
I know Pertinax but i'm your 'joe public' zoo goer that doesn't think about breeding programmes lol and it was 'woo at the zoo' week for valentines :rolleyes: didn't help they had a big dangling pink heart in the enclosure :D

I know it would be a waste of Igor's gene pool to stay with her but always thought he may be the one that gets moved :eek: would be nice to have cubs as I feel this enclosure is ideal (well compared with some where the poor male gets locked up or vice versa when cubs are born)
 
karenZOO said:
I know it would be a waste of Igor's gene pool to stay with her but always thought he may be the one that gets moved :eek: would be nice to have cubs as I feel this enclosure is ideal (well compared with some where the poor male gets locked up or vice versa when cubs are born)
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As you say - Colchester's exhibit can be divided and from that point of view is ideal for a breeding pair - exactly why it is to be Anouska that moves rather than Igor.
 
karenZOO said:
i'm your 'joe public' zoo goer that doesn't think about breeding programmes lol and it was 'woo at the zoo' week for valentines :rolleyes: didn't help they had a big dangling pink heart in the enclosure :D

I know it would be a waste of Igor's gene pool to stay with her but always thought he may be the one that gets moved :eek: would be nice to have cubs as I feel this enclosure is ideal (well compared with some where the poor male gets locked up or vice versa when cubs are born)
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Well, I think that's lousy taste- A valentine heart in the enclosure if the two animals are going to be parted.!!! That's really taking the public for suckers!! :rolleyes:

Incidentally I don't think you're a 'joepublic' zoo goer as you notice lots of things they never do.. like rats in the enclosures.;)

I did like Colchester's new Siberian Tiger enclosure and it would be very suitable for breeding as you said- with the two outdoor areas available when there are/were cubs. But could you persuade them to plant a few little clumps of Birch and Pine trees though- it would making it even more natural looking.
 
lol Pertinax it would be nice to see some other planting other than just round the 2 pools - and maybe a pink and blue stripped fake rock cub den :D :p :rolleyes:

All this after May please Colchester so my partner can enjoy his tiger experience :D
 
Pertinax said:
No thankyou...::( I do wonder if they spray it on the enclosures with a special hose though- like a sort of Giant cake icer.
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This is exactly how it's done - I saw it in progress on the (then) Little Blue Penguin exhibit at Cologne.
 
cheetahgirl said:
lsp's are all pure bred i e-mailed them and the said they are all pure bred
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Longleat? When did you e-mail them as the problem wasn't discovered until about a year after Longleat obtained them? I have information from a reliable source that they are hybrids.
 
Stripes said:
Longleat? When did you e-mail them as the problem wasn't discovered until about a year after Longleat obtained them? I have information from a reliable source that they are hybrids.
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It's all laid out in the studbook (yes I've been delving recently) in great detail, it's not a secret or anyone's fault, just that the particular line (from the male called Roman(?)) was found to have Sumatran genes when re-tested after Longleat got the 3 females.

Lovey tigers are often able to make new friends if they have that disposition in the first place, I'm sure this pair will do OK!
 
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