Best UK Wolverine enclosure

[amur leopard]

And yet I (repeatedly) note that the video and photographs provided do tally with my own recollections of the exhibit as of 3 years ago - so your argument seems to come down to "all the bits which people both on-and-off the forum have photographed and recorded video of are misleading, as are your own memories, but I don't actually have any counter-evidence to show a "true reflection" of the exhibit"

You still haven't actually addressed the query from myself and others regarding what factors make Whipsnade superior to other collections in your eyes, either.... merely nit-picking the quality of the media used to illustrate the collection as if this is an argument in and of itself.



Again, HWP is far more naturalistic than the Whipsnade exhibit in all metrics which have been mentioned so far - not merely the factor of size, which everyone seems to agree is more or less irrelevant in this case. Wild Place has more to offer in this regard, given the thick vegetation, but still falls short where climbing opportunities, climate and terrain, and swimming opportunities are concerned.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't posting photos of exhibits and not clearly saying that they are just a part of the exhibit a bit misleading? If @pipaluk can't find any photos of the exhibit as a whole, in full bloom, as it should be depicted given other photos of other exhibits, then that just means that the exhibit hasn't got the best photo coverage on this website and I will try and right that be getting a photo when I next visit. However, you cannot put that against the zoo in question, otherwise smaller zoos with not much coverage would always lose these contests despite occasionally having better exhibits!

As for Wild Place, it has better climbing opportunities than HWP because it has straight, tall and challenging trees just like in the wild, I would argue their terrain is much more realistic than YWP's which looks more like a grassland with a few trees scattered over it. As for swimming opportunities, wolverines don't do too much of that anyway and HWP's pool is about the size of a koi pond so seems to be a relatively irrelevant factor.

But you've voted for Whipsnade's exhibit so if the fact it looks like Whipsnade's exhibit to your eyes (which it does not) is a negative factor, you shouldn't vote for Whipsnade either.

You still don't seem to be grasping my point. Wild Place, and Whipsnade, have done a better job by making an exhibit that closely resembles the wolverines' natural habitat in a climate zone in which wolverines do not occur, in which the primary tree type is deciduous as opposed to evergreen, and in which space is more costly, while HWP have made an exhibit, which, while of good quality when taken out of the blue, is not so good when one realises that the primary tree type is evergreen, that space is very cheap and that the climate zone in which they are located is perfect for wolverines. In fact, if we were to reintroduce wolverines to British soil, the area in which HWP is located would be one of the first reintroduction sites because of its suitability and perfect climate and tree type. Yet they have made an exhibit that is at best mediocre when you consider what they had to work with in the first place. Why not just make it like their tiger habitat? Then I would vote for it...

 

[The_melford_manatee]

Would @pipaluk or any other Whipsnade voter like to answer TLD's question by writing down a few bullet points of what specific factors make it a better enclosure than the others?

I cannot name any in particular but I can explain why I believe your reasons

You stated that Highland has the largest enclosure.Yes,it does but that is still only around 0.013% of the minimum territory they have in the wild.

You said it has good viewing but they all do.They all provide good views going along almost one entire side of the exhibit often from an elevated boardwalk.It is nothing special.

I think Whipsnade has a pool though I may be wrong.

All of the exhibits except Cotswold have dense ground vegetation and I think which if this is the determining factor Highland will be third place within either Whipsnade or Wild Place claiming first.

Whipsnade and Wild Place both have separation areas as well.The separation areas at Wild Place are just as impressive as the main enclosure and are also public.

Your last point is unique to Highland and impressive but it is not really part of the enclosure.

 

[amur leopard]

It is difficult to find photos of Whipsnade's exhibit, but the following illustrate the level of vegetation better, although still slightly undermining it.

It has a fair few trees as well and quite thick vegetation.

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Whipsnade, have done a better job by making an exhibit that closely resembles the wolverines' natural habitat

I repeat - it does not

HWP have made an exhibit, which, while of good quality when taken out of the blue, is not so good when one realises that the primary tree type is evergreen, that space is very cheap and that the climate zone in which they are located is perfect for wolverines.

Actually, the tree cover within Highland Wildlife Park is largely a mixture of deciduous and evergreen, with the balance towards the former (rowan, aspen, juniper and oak being the predominant species, with some plantations of scots pine on the outskirts).

As for swimming opportunities, wolverines don't do too much of that anyway and HWP's pool is about the size of a koi pond so seems to be a relatively irrelevant factor.

I suspect you are rather terrible at judging scale, then, or have seen some very large koi ponds also, wolverines do indeed swim quite often where the opportunity and need arises; as is the case with many mustelids, particularly those from the marten and otter lineages, they are very comfortable in the water.

All of the exhibits except Cotswold have dense ground vegetation and I think which if this is the determining factor Highland will be third place within either Whipsnade or Wild Place claiming first.

Again, Whipsnade is not densely-vegetated.

I'd put the rankings in terms of vegetation cover something like this, with the gaps between collections indicating relative superiority:

Wild Place --- HWP ------ Whipsnade -------------- CWP

 

[amur leopard]

So the HWP enclosure:

• is larger than the others (wolverines have very large territories in the wild)
• has good viewing
• has a large naturalistic pool (wolverines are good swimmers)
  
• gives the wolverines access to the tall trees (wolverines are good climbers)
• has dense ground vegetation
  
• has a separation area
  
• and the Scottish highlands where it is located more closely resembles the animal's natural habitat.

I've never seen a wolverine enclosure in person, but going off the points listed above I don't know why anyone would vote for any of the others* if they were voting for the best enclosure (rather than their favourite one or just one that they've seen).

*not that the rest aren't good quality.

You make some good points here, but 4 of the 7 are not at all unique to HWP, one of them is a point against them in my opinion (the last one - i.e. they should be doing better then), and the other two aren't exactly relevant. They don't have a large pool, as I said before, it is about the size of a koi pond, and the size is largely irrelevant given the exhibit is a fraction of the size of their natural range anyway as @The_melford_manatee has already outlined.

 

[The_melford_manatee]

I repeat - it does not



Actually, the tree cover within Highland Wildlife Park is largely a mixture of deciduous and evergreen, with the balance towards the former (rowan, aspen, juniper and oak being the predominant species, with some plantations of scots pine on the outskirts).



I suspect you are rather terrible at judging scale, then, or have seen some very large koi ponds also, wolverines do indeed swim quite often where the opportunity and need arises; as is the case with many mustelids, particularly those from the marten and otter lineages, they are very comfortable in the water.



Again, Whipsnade is not densely-vegetated.

I'd put the rankings in terms of vegetation cover something like this, with the gaps between collections indicating relative superiority:

Wild Place --- HWP ------ Whipsnade -------------- CWP

When did you last see the Whipsnade exhibit?I did not notice extreme vegetation growth until 2018 and since then I have not visited.Based in the previous photos it looks rather barren and on my recent visit to Whipsnade it looked to be the most impressive of all the enclosures if vegetation is the determining factor(I know it is not but it should contribute).

Exmoor used to have Wolverines and I am not sure if they still do.It is a shame if they don’t because I personally quite enjoyed their enclosure.

 

[amur leopard]

I repeat - it does not



Actually, the tree cover within Highland Wildlife Park is largely a mixture of deciduous and evergreen, with the balance towards the former (rowan, aspen, juniper and oak being the predominant species, with some plantations of scots pine on the outskirts).



I suspect you are rather terrible at judging scale, then, or have seen some very large koi ponds also, wolverines do indeed swim quite often where the opportunity and need arises; as is the case with many mustelids, particularly those from the marten and otter lineages, they are very comfortable in the water.



Again, Whipsnade is not densely-vegetated.

I'd put the rankings in terms of vegetation cover something like this, with the gaps between collections indicating relative superiority:

Wild Place --- HWP ------ Whipsnade -------------- CWP

I don't think the argument can be made that this (HWP):

Is far more densely-vegetated than this (Whipsnade and taken in 2013, so taking into account it has grown a lot since):




Whipsnade have even gone to the trouble of planting pines! Meanwhile, in the Scottish exhibit where the most widespread tree in the country is the Scots pine, there is no sign of it except beyond of the periphery, even though evergreen forests are the natural habitat of wolverines! I believe a great deal more effort has gone into the Whipsnade exhibit than the HWP exhibit...

I don't think the pond in the HWP exhibit can be described as a 'large naturalistic pool'...

 

[TeaLovingDave]

They don't have a large pool, as I said before, it is about the size of a koi pond,

Again - you are entirely incorrect on this point

Note the size of the pond compared to the platform in the nearby tree:

Note the size of the pond compared to the coincidental mallard:

Note the fact the wolverine is indeed making use of the pond, contrary to your claims that they wouldn't do so:

When did you last see the Whipsnade exhibit?I did not notice extreme vegetation growth until 2018 and since then I have not visited.

My last visit was, as noted, in 2017.

Exmoor used to have Wolverines and I am not sure if they still do.It is a shame if they don’t because I personally quite enjoyed their enclosure.

They have never held the species, so not sure where your confusion lies! The species is planned for the future however.

 

[The_melford_manatee]

Again - you are entirely incorrect on this point

Note the size of the pond compared to the platform in the nearby tree:

Note the size of the pond compared to the coincidental mallard:

Note the fact the wolverine is indeed making use of the pond, contrary to your claims that they wouldn't do so:

My last visit was, as noted, in 2017.



They have never held the species, so not sure where your confusion lies! The species is planned for the future however.

The zoo map claims to have them and I saw a large enclosure labelled wolverine at the zoo in the location where they were marked on the map.I assumed that this was an indication it was a wolverine exhibit.

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Is far more densely-vegetated than this (Whipsnade and taken in 2013, so taking into account it has grown a lot since):

And I once again post the following two images (also from 2013) showing more dense tree cover at HWP

 

[TeaLovingDave]

The zoo map claims to have them and I saw a large enclosure labelled wolverine at the zoo in the location where they were marked on the map.I assumed that this was an indication it was a wolverine exhibit.

I suspect they will already be labelling their future exhibit, then as I know it was near-complete when last I heard.

 

[pipaluk]

I suspect they will already be labelling their future exhibit, then as I know it was near-complete when last I heard.

The enclosures were more or less complete last July, but I don't think they would be winning this anyway!

 

[TeaLovingDave]

The enclosures were more or less complete last July, but I don't think they would be winning this anyway!

Seeing them would give me yet another good excuse to revisit, of course

 

[amur leopard]

And I once again post the following two images (also from 2013) showing more dense tree cover at HWP

Yet all the tree cover, especially in the second photo, is beyond the fence delineating the exhibit, so not relevant! They seem to have cleared away the trees when this is exactly what the exhibit needs...

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Yet all the tree cover, especially in the second photo, is beyond the fence delineating the exhibit, so not relevant!

You're looking at the secondary exhibit directly beyond that fence, if you mean at the rear right-hand side many of the trees at the rear left are within the primary exhibit, too.

 

[amur leopard]

You're looking at the secondary exhibit directly beyond that fence

I'm not, I'm looking at the area beyond the back fence for the exhibit to the right.

 

[Zia]

* I have visited Whipsnade twice, in 2012 and 2017, and as such have seen the exhibit in the "more thickly vegetated" state alleged by @Panthera1981 - it really isn't all that thickly vegetated from memory, and this photograph of the Whipsnade exhibit from earlier this year doesn't show much of this nature:

For anyone who is not familiar with the Whipsnade enclosure the outline is in blue below and the red circle indicates the location of the above picture.



For what it is worth, I specifically commented on how much the vegetation had grown in the last time we visited - which was a couple of days before the zoo closed for the Covid19 Lockdown... so I'd say that is about as recent as you could get.

The end of this video gives a slightly wider view than just the one tree:

 

[TeaLovingDave]

I'm not, I'm looking at the area beyond the back fence for the exhibit to the right.

From memory, that bit is partially main exhibit, and partially the nearby lynx exhibit

Satellite resolution isn't great, but these images will hopefully show the delineation of the exhibit (and which large trees are within):

 

[TNT]

Wolverines do have massive territories in the wild but they are around 130-260 square kilometres.2.5 acres(what you stated the Highland enclosure was)is around 0.01 square kilometres.

I did not say that

falls short where climbing opportunities

Claiming that WPP falls short when it comes to climbing opportunities is, quite frankly, ridiculous The trees to the perimeter of the exhibit can't be climbed, but the rest can.

 

[pipaluk]

So Whipsnade's vote is holding whilst votes from some who haven't seen any of the exhibits flood in!!