wasn't it slighty mixed with a north chinese leopard?
i think it may have been mentioned a while back on the forum
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Best Big Cat Collection in a Small Zoo
- Thread starter Mike11
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wasn't it slighty mixed with a north chinese leopard?
i think it may have been mentioned a while back on the forumwasn't it slighty md with a north chinese leopard?
One of the Founders for the Amur leopard breeding programme (Founder 2) was a North Chinese/Amur leopard hybrid. The founder is slowly being bred out - in order for a leopard to be recommended for breeding or for the reintroduction programme it must be less than 20% "Founder 2".
I was under the impression though that the old breeding pair at Cotswold were from Helsinki/Marwell and if they were they have very low percentages of Founder 2 - if any. But some of the offspring carried the "short tail gene" including the female still at Cotswold and therefore were not recommended for breeding (the old boy still there is a bit past that anyway
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mhale
Well-Known Member
Thrigby Hall big cats
If you are interested in going to Thrigby Hall, please see the photos of some of the big cats, including the black leopard, that I have uploaded to the Thrigby Hall gallery. Apologies for the quality of my photos.
One of the photos of the sumatran tiger is from the tunnel under the enclosure.
If you are interested in going to Thrigby Hall, please see the photos of some of the big cats, including the black leopard, that I have uploaded to the Thrigby Hall gallery. Apologies for the quality of my photos.
One of the photos of the sumatran tiger is from the tunnel under the enclosure.
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mhale
Well-Known Member
In my opinion, the tiger tunnel is quite an interesting idea because it allows an unusual view of the tigers without invading their privacy (as the windows aren't at their eye level).
The tunnel is at a right-angle underneath the enclosure and has a set of windows at the far end, so visitors can only see in one direction.
The tunnel is at a right-angle underneath the enclosure and has a set of windows at the far end, so visitors can only see in one direction.
mhale
Well-Known Member
No, there is not a glass ceiling. It is actually pretty dark in the tunnel until you get nearer to the windows.
I was very impressed with Thrigby Hall's walkways, tunnel etc. as I really didn't expect such innovation at a small animal collection. Seeing the animals from different viewpoints was a real joy.
I was very impressed with Thrigby Hall's walkways, tunnel etc. as I really didn't expect such innovation at a small animal collection. Seeing the animals from different viewpoints was a real joy.
mhale
Well-Known Member
The snow leopard enclosure has some steps to the side which take you up above so that you can look down on the cats, plus it is the start of a walkway that goes up alongside the snow leopards and then on to the adjacent amur leopard enclosure. The walkway is at tree height so you are looking down at the cats (as you can see from my photos of them). It is also possible to see the front of the enclosures from ground level.
"The Cloisters" is the area that the small cats are kept in. This is near to the tigers. There is a corridor that takes you past each of the cats, and they have glass windows into each of their enclosures. There is also the opportunity to climb a few steps and stick your head out of a 'bubble' to see the Asian Golden Cat (I think). It is a very peaceful area.
The tropical house also has a walkway that winds its way around the various crocodile pools etc.
"The Cloisters" is the area that the small cats are kept in. This is near to the tigers. There is a corridor that takes you past each of the cats, and they have glass windows into each of their enclosures. There is also the opportunity to climb a few steps and stick your head out of a 'bubble' to see the Asian Golden Cat (I think). It is a very peaceful area.
The tropical house also has a walkway that winds its way around the various crocodile pools etc.
johnstoni
Well-Known Member
I was also excited to see the innovative design of thrigby's viewing areas. However, we must not get carried away (I'm not saying anyone has) about the actual standards of enclosure for the inhabitants. The leopard and small cat enclosures are rather small, only one leopard cage allows for vantage points for the cats, as you say many of the others involve visitors looking down on the animals. The leopards could do with much more space and height. The 'cats cloisters' have very low wire roofing, and are more suited to ground living animals. Even rusty spotted or jungle cats would be more suitable that the ageing, single, specimens of clouded leopard and temmink's golden cat that have lived there for over a decade now. There is significant space in the old courtyard for them to extend this exhibit, or better still, the clouded leopard should be given the first leopard cage on the other side of the park, as it is tall and secluded.
Incidentally, does anyone know when the Sumatran tigers last bred? ISIS only lists one there, but I think there are at least two. Are these an old breeding pair?
Incidentally, does anyone know when the Sumatran tigers last bred? ISIS only lists one there, but I think there are at least two. Are these an old breeding pair?
mhale
Well-Known Member
You're absolutely right. I have, so far, only explained what the enclosures are like from the public's point of view. There is no doubt that the leopards and the smaller cats need more room than they currently have, and it is sad to see the cats in "The Cloisters" being kept singularly rather than in pairs.
I don't know when the Sumatran tigers last bred, but there were definitely two of them (in interconnecting enclosures) when I visited last September.
I don't know when the Sumatran tigers last bred, but there were definitely two of them (in interconnecting enclosures) when I visited last September.
zoogiraffe
Well-Known Member
I cannot tell you when they last bred but i do know that they have 2 females 1 of which i think is 1 of the cubs from the last time they bred at Thrigby the other is a young female from an over represented line within the breeding program,so for the present they are purely holding surplus animals to the breeding program.
GillP
Well-Known Member
Has anyone been to Linton Zoo in cambridgeshire? in my opinion its the best cat collection in a small zoo im a bit biased though as its my favourite and home zoo!
Also Highland Wildlife Parks Big Cat Collection is growing very rapidly and i think for the best
I've been to Linton quite a few times ..... it's the nearest zoo to me apart from Shepreth Wildlife Park.
Hmmmm ......... I can't help but always feel a little depressed after visiting there. The tiger enclosure and the new lion enclosure seem okay but the older lion enclosure right at the end of a path seems small and without much variation - if I recall correctly it's pretty flat with a singular platform.
Similarly, the leopard enclosures also appear terribly small for animals their size - and dated and shabby. I know improvements take time and money but it's near impossible not to feel saddened when you see animals living in seemingly cramped conditions.
One of the things I've noticed about Linton is the lack of information available. Maybe I've been there at the wrong time but apart from at designated "feeding times" and "keeper talks" there never seems to be any staff about of whom you could ask questions (Yes, I appreciate that as it's a small zoo they are probably very busy) but compounding this I find the info boards lacking as well - some simply state the common & latin name of a given animal but without any further info about habitat etc.
I also think it's important to involve visitors by keeping them updated about what's happening in the zoo. Most people - and especially returning visitors - want to know about pregnancies, deaths, illness, transfers to other zoos, and plans for improvement, which area is next on the list for an update etc. Unless I've been looking in the wrong place, none of this type of news is posted up anywhere. For example, not so long ago the lions in the older enclosure had had 4 gorgeous cubs who have now presumably been rehomed - but there's nothing to explain where they've gone, nor was there any info (when I visited anyway) when they were still there stating how many males or females, when they were born and so on.
Paulkarli08
Well-Known Member
the cubs you are talking about were 3 boys and 1 girl. i think the boys went to combe martin zoo? I dunno about the female, she may have gone to the breeding centre in africa, as the park as well as paradise wildlife park have a policy of sending african lions born from their collections to africa
glasgowanimal
Well-Known Member
Highland Wildlife Park (HWP) currently has a breeding pair of Amur Tigers (Panthera tigris altaica) and a young pair of Carpathian Lynx (Lynx lynx carpathicus)
Edinburgh Zoo hold a breeding pair of Amur Leopards and a breeding pair of Pallas Cats that are due to move to HWP later this year
Edinburgh Zoo hold a breeding pair of Amur Leopards and a breeding pair of Pallas Cats that are due to move to HWP later this year
GillP
Well-Known Member
Thanks for this.
I have just actually checked Linton's website and found this from June 2007 :
and this:
...... which confirms what you said about the 2nd litter, though doesn't elaborate on the 1st !
The website also has a Lion Diary which currently gives quite a bit of info about the 2nd pair of lions in the new enclosure, and their cub which was born last year. There are some cute pics of her cuddling up with the zoo's ginger tom cat .......... who seems to be the animal my 5 year old daughter takes greatest delight in at Linton
, despite the fact we have our own version at home !I have to say the website is reasonably informative but will still like to see more info instantly available at the zoo itself.
The first litter 1 female and 3 males went to Heythrop maybe on way to Africa and the next litter again 1 female and 3 males, the 3 males went to Combe Martin and the female went to Wildlife Heritage Foundation but was sadly killed by another young lioness a few months afterwards 
Any questions on Linton just ask i basically live there!
Any questions on Linton just ask i basically live there!
The pair of lynx are actually 2.0
and the Amur leopards have only recently been brought together and have never bred.
Snow leopards are planned for the park too.