add my note to it this is the exhibit which is called Wolf Wood next door is the cheetahs and Hyenas
Best UK Wolf enclosure
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Oh I was waiting for you to commentWhilst I don't doubt their "muddy" genetics, that is what they're listed as on a certain database
Yeah, as I've bemoaned before one of the drawbacks with ZIMS is that species are listed as whatever collections put them down as
though in this case it's not so much muddy genetics and more "all the so-called Hudson or Arctic in Europe are zoomix containing domestic blood and little/no Hudson or Arctic blood"
Yeah, as I've bemoaned before one of the drawbacks with ZIMS is that species are listed as whatever collections put them down as
Of course, I know that's the case... it frustrates me too
But for the sake of the challenge, I thought I'd pinch your "pedantic crown" for a moment Looks like this poll’s a one-horse race so far!
Not that their enclosure was anything to write home about (IMO) but whatever happened to the wolves at London Zoo?
Not that their enclosure was anything to write home about (IMO) but whatever happened to the wolves at London Zoo?
The number of wolves at London Zoo dwindled during the 1990s; I think that the last two left the collection in 1998.
Whilst I have, a mildly iconoclastic, belief that Highland Wildlife Park is over-eulogised a little*, there's no denying the enclosures are big and pretty and this really is a one horse race.
*It's great and all (the Tiger enclosure is, again, easily the best in the UK) but I think the trade off between the long drive (especially now there's average speed cameras and a lot of slow moving lorries along most of the way) and relatively small number of, very mammal-centric, species held diminishes it somewhat in the big scheme of things. I'll go and wash my mouth out, and say three hail HWP's, now.
*It's great and all (the Tiger enclosure is, again, easily the best in the UK) but I think the trade off between the long drive (especially now there's average speed cameras and a lot of slow moving lorries along most of the way) and relatively small number of, very mammal-centric, species held diminishes it somewhat in the big scheme of things. I'll go and wash my mouth out, and say three hail HWP's, now.
Score update. Highland currently have a large lead again with just over 65% of the vote. I must admit I thought this vote may be closer with what appeared quite a few good wolf exhibits in the UK. An interesting point is the exhibit at Wild Place shared by Bears and Wives gained 32 votes in the Brown Bear poll but only 1 currently in the Wolf poll.
Why are people putting their wives in a bear enclosure???
Enrichment? Does this cover the government’s criteria for an hour’s exercise during Lockdown?
Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
They may be gone but they did reach cinematic immortality in the cult 80's horror / black comedy film "American Werewolf in London" though
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Depends on the enclosure size and climbing opportunities...
Andrew Swales
Well-Known Member
Only if it takes you less than an hour to drive there...!
Are they actually mixed now? When I went the wolves were confined to a much less impressive enclosure, the bears had both the main enclosure and their separation enclosure. If the bears don't use the enclosure all the time I would not have voted for wild place for bears!
OK, I'll change my bear vote to Whipsnade, I didn't realise the bears were confined to the smaller enclosure which I would rate no better than Welsh mountain which got zero votes!! Think we've been conned!
The explanation given when I last visited was that the bears have been in the smaller enclosure during the winter months while they are much less active. The wolves were then given access to the biggest space to acclimatise to it. When the species have been mixed, I would assume the staff will use the flexibility of the space to rotate access to different spaces (e.g. mixed in the larger enclosure and a separate wolf or bear-only area to which each species has access when they choose).
I would suggest that employing modern, flexible husbandry is not a reason to change your vote; there is no con at play.
I voted on the basis the bears had full access to the main exhibit, if they don't, it isn't a bear exhibit! The smaller exhibit isn't a patch on Whipsnade and no better than Welsh mountain
It is, as it ever was on the exhibit plans, a mixed exhibit for bears and wolves.
Clearly, if the smaller area was all they had access to, then there would be more validity in this argument. But both species are still being established in a new enclosure, and it’s designed to allow staff to shift the species as required. I don’t doubt that in the long-term, the bears will spend the majority of their time in the large space. They might even be in it now - who’s to say otherwise!