Blackpool Zoo Blackpool Zoo News 2024

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I realise I was there when Esha must have been preparing to give birth (3/11/2024) she looked really uncomfortable and I posted a picture in media on the 4th.
 
The male elephant at Blackpool, conceived with Karishma before he left whiosnade but like noorjahan the fetus failed to develop and died but Karishma has retained it ever since 2020 so she is currently non breeding but is only 26! So I don’t know what they will do going forward x
Thanks for the update and that is indeed a huge shame considering her age and genetic value.

I believe it also a similar case with Lucha, another of Whispnade's cows, who also didn't pass her fetus for a while (or still hasn't, correct me if I'm wrong).
 
I do think this has got something to do with Emmet as out of his 16 calves 9 barely lived to 3 or were stillbirths. Still a sad outcome :(
I don't think it really has anything to do with Emmett himself.

Not including these two recent calves, he has had fifteen calves in total, nine of which have passed. Five of which passed to EEHV, and his other adult son, to food poisoning.

It's also worth noting his three previous stillbirths he sired also were born to first time mothers in the early 20's. Considering it's recommended for cows to breed prior to their late teens to avoid permanent damage to the reproductive system, it's easy to see a connection here with the stillbirths.

With these two recent births it's obviously difficult to say, but it seems the combined facts of Noorjahan having such an extended period since her last calf and Esha never witnessing a birth of her own has played a part in this outcome.
 
With these two recent births it's obviously difficult to say, but it seems the combined facts of Noorjahan having such an extended period since her last calf and Esha never witnessing a birth of her own has played a part in this outcome.

I think that is probably the case. The previous regime at Twycross- no bull, only very occassional breeding, has possibly come back to haunt them now. Not Blackpool's fault of course, rather Twycross for holding on to them unbred for so long in the past to cause this situation. But hopefully they will have further pregnancies that end more successfully.
 
The zoo uploaded a video to their YouTube channel talking about a new snake enclosure they've built, their boa constrictor Cinders has been put in here after a few years of being off-show. As a reptile lover I'm happy about this, and Cinders's new enclosure does look very nice:

Please can you tell me where this snake lives, I've visited twice in December and not managed to see it. I love snakes and really miss the old reptile house
 
The keeper talks about closing the old house down so they could improve it. Does this mean it'll be open again soon?
 
The keeper talks about closing the old house down so they could improve it. Does this mean it'll be open again soon?
The old reptile/elephant house has been closed since 2017, I believe the zoo are interested in reopening it once fully revamped, however, other plans have taken priority over this first. The off-show reptile collection itself has massively dwindled and is a lot smaller than it was when the house was previously opened. It would be nice to see the house open again under a full revamp, however, that is something where funds come into play, a very nice tropical house with hornbills and a large species of crocodilian would be lovely :p
 
I think that is probably the case. The previous regime at Twycross- no bull, only very occassional breeding, has possibly come back to haunt them now. Not Blackpool's fault of course, rather Twycross for holding on to them unbred for so long in the past to cause this situation. But hopefully they will have further pregnancies that end more successfully.
True, the breeding policy at TWZ was essentially quite flawed (to put it diplomatically). So, for Blackpool Zoo it was an acquired non asset rather than due to their husbandry or management of elephants at Blackpool Zoo. It is unfortunate they lost their 2 calves in separate incidents recently... . I am quite hopeful for these breeding cows for the foreseeable future and that they can create a functioning matriline with both these new cows.
 
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I think that is probably the case. The previous regime at Twycross- no bull, only very occassional breeding, has possibly come back to haunt them now. Not Blackpool's fault of course, rather Twycross for holding on to them unbred for so long in the past to cause this situation. But hopefully they will have further pregnancies that end more successfully.
Why did Twycross not want a bull?
 
Why did Twycross not want a bull?
From what I understand Twycross handled their elephants predominantly in free contact. i.e. the keepers trained the elephants so they could go into their space and take care of them. Something that was common practice at one point but no longer is.
And whilst a bull elephant can be okay to work with much of the year, when he's in musth [when most reproductive activity in males takes place] one is in real trouble.
So my guess [inform me if I'm wrong] is that Twycross wished to work with elephants in free contact, but decided to forgo infrastructure needed to handle a bull successfully. One 'happy medium' that has been found is to keep females and males separately much of the time; so the females can be worked with FC; but the male is strictly PC. Even so only Woburn really does this today, and given a recent elephant attack [November/December 2024] who knows how much longer this will go on for.
 
Twycross did not have the facilities to savely hold a bull and was not interested in investing the money that would have been necessary to build a bull barn and paddock.
 
Other Mid/Late 2024 News Not Mentioned:

On July 19th, the zoo announced they opened a new Changing Places restroom to the public, which is located next to the Lake View Food Court.

Blackpool Zoo


On October 16th, the zoo announced they installed a new climbing structure inside the Amur tiger exhibit.

Blackpool Zoo

On October 20th, it was announced that the zoo renovated the indoor Bornean orangutan exhibit, installing a new climbing frame.

Team Building with BITE

On November 18th, it was announced that the zoo transferred a (1.0) coppery titi monkey to Yorkshire Wildlife Park in South Yorkshire.

Yorkshire Wildlife Park
 
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