Best UK Wombat enclosure

[Shirokuma]

Fair enough fancy posting some of them here? Looking on Google myself all I can find is a handful of CGI mock-ups of the entire Koala/Wombat complex by the design firm that planned the exhibit, and these seem to show only the Koala segment.

 

[Shirokuma]

There’s also footage here from around 5:00 with an overhead view at 7:41

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Cheers

Looks like the Longleat exhibit is a bit smaller than the Hamerton one, and a lot sandier substrate. I'd point out the fact it doesn't look like the wombats can be separated if need be, but that's a moot point given the fact that one of the pair died shortly after arrival anyway! To my eyes the only real "advantage" the exhibit has is the presence of a large amount of mock-rock to add visual theming - which is a debatable advantage given the fact that some, like myself, don't like excessive use of mock-rock

There’s also footage here from around 5:00 with an overhead view at 7:41

No, there isn't the timestamps you give talk about the ostriches, and the vulture exhibit, respectively.

 

[amur leopard]

'They love sweetcorn'. Then cuts to a wombat quite literally turning its nose up at corn

In all seriousness though, I believe that if the wombat(s) did indeed end up dying due to husbandry issues, it should be reflected in the vote. It would also make the above video pretty spooky...

I cannot find any behavioural differences that suggest that the enclosures would have to be so different, and can find absolutely nothing to suggest that South hairy-nosed wombats don't need to dig as much as their Common counterparts, rather the opposite in fact if anything. Are there any glaring differences I have not picked up?

 

[Shirokuma]

No, there isn't the timestamps you give talk about the ostriches, and the vulture exhibit, respectively.

 

[TeaLovingDave]

and can find absolutely nothing to suggest that South hairy-nosed wombats don't need to dig as much as their Common counterparts, rather the opposite in fact if anything. Are there any glaring differences I have not picked up?

As far as I am aware, the main differences between the two wombat genera are that Vombatus are a little more cosmopolitan in habitat and diet, being found in a wide range of habitats including mountain pasture, rainforest, arid grassland and open woodland and (although largely feeding on grasses) eat a wide variety of plant matter, whilst Lasiorhinus are restricted to arid/semi-arid grassland and woodland , and are much more obligate grazers.

As you note, the other difference is that Lasiorhinus tends to dig deeper due to the arid conditions of their habitat.

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Very convenient that the video makes a point of saying that their wombat "doesn't like digging" good way to get out of having to explain the lack of burrowing activity!

 

[britishzoofan]

Poll closed. Congratulations to Hamerton on winning the vote for Best UK Wombat enclosure. It was a very one sided vote demonstrating the excellence of the Hamerton exhibit. Hamerton has now won 2 out of the 3 polls it has entered. Longleat's new Australian areas have not fared well in these polls with both losing to older exhibits.

Hamerton: 90.9%
Longleat: 9.1%

 

[britishzoofan]

I thought I would provide a summary of all the winners so far. In brackets it reflects the winners if you take into account votes after the poll closed. I would be interested to hear which result everyone found most surprising on reflection.

Bornean Orangutan: Chester
Sumatran Orangutan: Chester
Chimpanzee: Edinburgh
Gorilla: Jersey (Paignton/Jersey)
African Elephant: Howletts
Asian Elephant: Whipsnade
Elephant Safari: Woburn
Black Rhino: Chester
Indian Rhino: Whipsnade
White Rhino: Marwell
Rhino Safari: Woburn
Hippo: Longleat
Pygmy Hippo: Whipsnade
European Brown Bear: Wild Place
Polar Bear: Highland
Sun Bear: Chester
Spectacled Bear: Chester
Jaguar: Chester
Leopard: YWP
Snow Leopard: Highland
Clouded Leopard: Cotswold
Cheetah: Hamerton
Sea Lion: Colchester/Blackpool (Colchester)
Wolf: Highland
African Wild Dog: Chester
Lion: YWP
Safari Lion: Woburn
Tiger: YWP
Okapi: Wild Place (Chester/Wild Place)
Giraffe: Marwell
Penguin: Edinburgh
Aardvark: Blackpool
Bush Dog: Colchester
Giant Otter: Chester
Komodo Dragon: Colchester
Wolverine: Highland
Malyan Tapir: Port Lympne
Koala: Edinburgh
South American Tapir: Newquay
Wombat: Hamerton
Giant Tortoise: Paignton*

* still in progress

 

[britishzoofan]

In terms of wins for each collection.

Chester: 8 (9)
Highland: 4
Whipsnade: 3
YWP: 3
Colchester: 3
Edinburgh: 3
Woburn: 3*
Hamerton: 2
Wild Place: 2
Marwell: 2
Blackpool: 2 (1)
Longleat: 1
Cotswold: 1
Port Lympne: 1
Paignton: 1** (2)
Howletts: 1
Jersey: 1
Newquay: 1

* all safari only categories
** still in progress

 

[britishzoofan]

Now if you look at percentage of votes on average you can compare collections who have entered a different number of polls. I have removed the safari only polls from the results.

Highland: 45%
Hamerton: 44%
Chester: 36%
Wild Place: 28%
YWP: 25%
Whipsnade: 24%
Edinburgh: 22%
Cotswold: 16%
Longleat: 15%
London: 14%
Marwell: 14%
Jersey: 13%
Colchester: 12%
Blackpool: 11%
Port Lympne: 9%
Africa Alive: 8%
Howletts: 8%
Paignton: 8%
Knowsley: 7%
Twycross: 7%
Noah's Ark: 6%
Bristol: 2%
Dudley: 1%
South Lakes: 1%
Banham: 1%
Belfast: 0%
Wingham: 0%

If you want to know any other collections just ask.