Babirusa in the UK - how many are left?

[Nanook]

As the title says........does anyone know how many Babirusas are left in the UK, and at which zoos ?

 

[lamna]

Zootierliste says only Chester and South Lakes, but I know that Nick at Dudley was alive recently, I'm fairly sure he's still kicking.

 

[Communityzoo]

As far as I know, its just one elderly single male left at Dudley, and the two breeding pairs/small groups at South Lakes and Chester. I believe these two zoos, and possibly Antwerp are the only zoos in Europe still breeding this species - unless new pairs have been established elsewhere, I think the remaining animals across Europe are also elderly pairs or individuals.

 

[Blossom]

As far as I know, its just one elderly single male left at Dudley, and the two breeding pairs/small groups at South Lakes and Chester. I believe these two zoos, and possibly Antwerp are the only zoos in Europe still breeding this species - unless new pairs have been established elsewhere, I think the remaining animals across Europe are also elderly pairs or individuals.

What happened to the babirusa at Beale Park, was there ever a breeding pair?

 

[zoogiraffe]

I think Chester have 3.3,although 2.2 are the off spring of the breeding pair,but there are plans to bring in different animals to make new pairs and possibly move a pair to another collection.

 

[Animal Friendly]

Twycross Zoo, when under the direction of Molly Badham and Nathalie Evans held babirusa in the collection and were successful in breeding this species.

 

[bongorob]

I think Chester have 3.3,although 2.2 are the off spring of the breeding pair,but there are plans to bring in different animals to make new pairs and possibly move a pair to another collection.

They had 3.3 eight days ago.

 

[Nanook]

Thanks guys.
The last I heard, some years ago now, was that "new animals" were meant to be being imported into the UK population. But I doubt if that ever happened because the population has been in a steady decline for some time, with those remaining animals being all largely related stock ?

 

[Nanook]

What happened to the babirusa at Beale Park, was there ever a breeding pair?

I only remember them having a single male, which was only being held temporarily, which was many years ago now.

 

[FBBird]

Babirusa....

Jersey got out of them many years ago, when did Thrigby Hall stop keeping them?

 

[pipaluk]

Jersey got out of them many years ago, when did Thrigby Hall stop keeping them?

Thrigby still had one when i visited in February/March last year, but i believe it died shortly afterwards.

 

[Nanook]

Jersey got out of them many years ago, when did Thrigby Hall stop keeping them?

Yes, as did Marwell. But I don`t know about Thrigby - anyone know ??

 

[pipaluk]

Yes, as did Marwell. But I don`t know about Thrigby - anyone know ??

We posted at exactly the same time! Answer above.

 

[Nanook]

We posted at exactly the same time! Answer above.

We did indeed!!! Thanks pipaluk.

 

[Communityzoo]

A group of Visayan warty pigs have replaced the babirusa at Thrigby Hall.

 

[Communityzoo]

Assuming South Lakes only have the breeding pair and their most recent (single) offspring, this would leave ten individuals remaining in the UK, and 9 of these are of breeding age or younger and held in institutions with a track record for breeding them. In some ways, this is a better situation than ten years ago when there were lots of non-breeding pairs dispersed across a larger number of zoos. The only difficulty remaining is the very small gene pool which may have been a factor in the decline of the population in recent years.