Rotterdam Zoo Blijdorp News 2023
- Thread starter Blijdorpenaar
- Start date
Have they been taken to Hamsterdam?
I am just flabbergasted at what is happening at my favourite Dutch zoo. The European hamster reintroduction project is far from complete and to my knowledge has only scratched at the surface of saving the species long term prospects in the Netherlands (southern province of Limburg).
It is all the more surprising that this may already have happened as early as 2017/18 season. In complete silence, .... What you do not protect at home, you gave a real issue with explaining the need for ex situ conservation and just a few focal species overseas.
Welcome to Blijdorp zoo! Home of bad financial decisions and questionable promises. Take a seat in the broken-down Amazon hall and watch as we create a new island-themed area in our oce- I MEAN- expand our gorilla habi- I MEAN- create a new conservation plan for 2050
To be fair Gaia zoo has a great breeding program still ongoing behind the scenes for the European hamsters. I was lucky enough to see it, and I personally think this effort suffices for the reintroduction and population management. Also some German zoo's participate as well and are really putting effort into it. So the project is in good hands, although it would have been nice to have the support of blijdorp as well.
Rotterdam used to receive national subsidees for the hamster project, but under the Rutte administration this budget shrank significantly ánd was devolved to the provincial level (as were basically all things nature conservation). Because the reintroductions are taking place in the province of Limburg and not South Holland, moving the project to Gaia was considered the most efficient way to use the scarce funds.
What about the knowledge and experience at Blijdorp with this hamster project? Have these items also been moved from South Holland towards the far end of The Netherlands at Kerkrade?
I do want to add Gaia zoo was already present in the project before taking it over. According to ZTL they received the last animals in 2017. I know they were already part of the project since 2006. I last saw the facility in 2016.
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A second Kemp's ridley sea turtle has washed up in the Netherlands and was brought to Blijdorp. This time it was washed up in the south of the Zeeland province
How come these sea turtles wash up more regularly at the wrong end of the Atlantic? Environmental conditions and change in gulfstreams or other factors?
Painted storks and Northern treeshrews seem to have left the collection. Painted storks are only held in three zoos in Europe now
The animal was named BLØF, after the Dutch band that originated from the same area as the turtle washed up on. BLØF will accompany the other Kemp's Ridley turtle behind the scenes to acclimate. There are still plans to house both animals in the public area of the Oceanium, and the animals will eventually be brought back to America to be released later in 2024.
According to ZTL, both are females.
The animal was named BLØF, after the Dutch band that originated from the same area as the turtle washed up on. BLØF will accompany the other Kemp's Ridley turtle behind the scenes to acclimate. There are still plans to house both animals in the public area of the Oceanium, and the animals will eventually be brought back to America to be released later in 2024.
According to ZTL, both are females.
For the third time in a short time, a sea turtle has been taken in at Diergaarde Blijdorp's Oceanium. This time it is a loggerhead sea turtle. The animal is probably about 2 years old. It had hypothermia but is otherwise undamaged and reasonably active. If all goes well, the loggerhead sea turtle will also be released back into its natural habitat.
Source: Facebook Diergaarde Blijdorp
Source: Facebook Diergaarde Blijdorp
JurassicMax
Well-Known Member
This morning a second Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) was brought to Blijdorp, this animal was found on the beach at Dishoek near Vlissingen. This animal appeared to be seriously weakened and was covered in encrusted mussels.
It's not mentioned in the article, but I persume that if all goes well that also this animal will be released back into its natural habitat.
Does anyone know if there are currently also sea turtles being found on beaches in other European countries such as Belgium, France or the UK?
- Yes, Thanks to Menno for looking this up!
Both in Belgium and Germany a Loggerhead turtle has washed up on the beach recently.
Sources:
Website of Omroep Zeeland (23/12/2023)
It's not mentioned in the article, but I persume that if all goes well that also this animal will be released back into its natural habitat.
Does anyone know if there are currently also sea turtles being found on beaches in other European countries such as Belgium, France or the UK?
- Yes, Thanks to Menno for looking this up!
Both in Belgium and Germany a Loggerhead turtle has washed up on the beach recently.
Sources:
Website of Omroep Zeeland (23/12/2023)
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Some short bits of news:
-Arrival of a small group of rubby shelducks, on display in the vulture aviary
-Departure of the last Manchurian crane, painted storks and arrau turtles
-Death of the last northern treeshews
-Birth of a Balabac chevrotain! Currently Rotterdam houses 1.1.1, after the departure of two females to Berlin and the death of two others.
-Birth of 2.1 Visaya warty hog
-The Mhorr gazelle ladies are finally accompanied by a breeding male again! His name is Theo, from Planckendael.
-Death of 0.1 bongo antilope, 0.1 North African ostrich, 0.1 lion-tailed macaque, 1.0 forest reindeer, this years white-headed vulture and 1.1 Raggi's bird-of-paradise. Only one male remains of the latter species...
-Arrival of 0.1 meerkat. On display there's currently the breeding couple (+ a "step" son, from the males side). 1.1 offspring are kept behind the scenes because they didnt mingle well with the new female.
Sauce and seconds: Kort Nieuws #192
-Arrival of a small group of rubby shelducks, on display in the vulture aviary
-Departure of the last Manchurian crane, painted storks and arrau turtles
-Death of the last northern treeshews
-Birth of a Balabac chevrotain! Currently Rotterdam houses 1.1.1, after the departure of two females to Berlin and the death of two others.
-Birth of 2.1 Visaya warty hog
-The Mhorr gazelle ladies are finally accompanied by a breeding male again! His name is Theo, from Planckendael.
-Death of 0.1 bongo antilope, 0.1 North African ostrich, 0.1 lion-tailed macaque, 1.0 forest reindeer, this years white-headed vulture and 1.1 Raggi's bird-of-paradise. Only one male remains of the latter species...
-Arrival of 0.1 meerkat. On display there's currently the breeding couple (+ a "step" son, from the males side). 1.1 offspring are kept behind the scenes because they didnt mingle well with the new female.
Sauce and seconds: Kort Nieuws #192
JurassicMax
Well-Known Member
This morning a third Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) was brought to Blijdorp, this turtle was found on the beach at Castricum.
According to this article, not one but 2 loggerhead turtles were found yesterday. Apart from the one near Vlissingen, one was also found near 's-Gravenzande.
Blijdorp has only confirmed the arrival of the turtle that was found near Vlissingen.
Source:
Website of NOS (24/12/2023)
Instagram of Diergaarde Blijdorp (23/12/2023)
According to this article, not one but 2 loggerhead turtles were found yesterday. Apart from the one near Vlissingen, one was also found near 's-Gravenzande.
Blijdorp has only confirmed the arrival of the turtle that was found near Vlissingen.
Source:
Website of NOS (24/12/2023)
Instagram of Diergaarde Blijdorp (23/12/2023)
How many does that make? 6?
What's happening out on the Atlantic?
What's happening out on the Atlantic?
In the Netherlands, there are now 5, two Kemp's ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys kempii) and three loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta). Loggerhead sea turtles have also recently washed ashore in Belgium, Germany and the UK (the one in the UK was dead).
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Uncommon cold sea temperatures and possibly currents changing?
This morning, a fourth loggerhead turtle was washed ashore and transferred to Blijdorp. This animal was found on the beach at Vlissingen. The animal was covered in encrusted mussels.
Source: Rijnmond
The cold water causes the turtles to go into a kind of hibernation. As a result, they get tired and come ashore to rest.
Source: Rijnmond
A reason is not really known. The curator of Blijdorp Zoo thinks the animals took a wrong 'turn' on the Atlantic, after which they ended up in the English Channel. Via there, the currents take them into the North Sea.
The cold water causes the turtles to go into a kind of hibernation. As a result, they get tired and come ashore to rest.
Bløf, one of the two Kemp's ridley sea turtles has died. Although the animal is said to have had a revival, it eventually declined. It could not dive properly and had a deviation to the left while swimming. The exact cause of death is being investigated. The other Kemp's ridley sea turtle Boeier is doing well. The four loggerhead sea turtles Breeze, Bodhi, Brick and Blitzen are also doing well so far.
Source: Rijnmond
Source: Rijnmond