Chester Zoo Chester Zoo cats and baboon pens

[taun]

maybe when phase 2 of the real of the red ape is constructed they could have a south east asian cat speacies exhibited there aswell?

 

[^Chris^]

maybe when phase 2 of the real of the red ape is constructed they could have a south east asian cat speacies exhibited there aswell?

Like fishing cat...

Has any zoo ever kept flat-headed cats?

 

[ZYBen]

they are the best type of cat here in Australia

lol

 

[Sand Cat]

I really hope that Chester do go back into keeping small cats, it makes me sad to think that they used to have such a brilliant collection, and yet now... nothing. I would be quite content with Sand Cats, however it would be really good if they could get something even more unusual. Are Black Footed Cats a realistic option?

 

[zoogiraffe]

Black-footed Cats are probably not a realistic option,i think Belfast have finally got a pair again but unless some come in from Africa not realy on.

 

[Maguari]

Like fishing cat...

Has any zoo ever kept flat-headed cats?

I saw flat-headed cats at Zoo Negara Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur) in 2000. Don't know whether they've been kept in Europe.

 

[kiang]

if Chester were going to bring in smaller cats the most likely animals to be brought in would have thought would either be margay or clouded leopard

 

[MARK]

Port Lympne use to have a very good collection of small cats including Black footed cats but I am not sure if they still do these days also Colchester zoo use to have a fair collection of them

 

[bongorob]

Colchester only have a few species, but Port Lympne still has a good selection. I tried in vain to see rusty-spotted cats at both zoos but I've never seen one yet. So if Chester have a small cat, I hope it is this species.

 

[MARK]

Rob, you say that PL would still have one of the better collections of small cats in the UK

 

[Writhedhornbill]

I have not been to either of Aspinall's parks, but they do seem to do very well with cats overall. These are the species I know taht they keep (I almost garantee that there's more!):

Rusty spotted cat
Barbary lion
Bengal tiger
Amur Tiger
Sumartran Tiger
Snow leopard
Clouded leopard
Fishing cat
Pallas's cat? (not sure about this one?)

 

[^Chris^]

Haven't the Aspinall parks been involved with Marbled Cats too?

 

[MARK]

Yes I think you are right, have you checked on their website?

 

[zoogiraffe]

Cats at Howletts are Amur Tiger,Bengal Tiger,Sumatran Tiger,Northern Lynx,Clouded Leopard,Fishing Cat,Pallas Cat,Indian Desert Cat,Serval,Ocelot,Junglr Cat and African Wild Cat.Cats at Port Lympne are Barbary Lion,Bengal Tiger,Amur Tiger,Snow Leopard,Clouded Leopard,Rusty-spotted Cat,Fishing Cat,Indian Desert Cat,Margay,Caracal,Ocelot,Siberian Lynx and Serval.Hope this helps you out as to what they have got.

 

[MARK]

Wow thanks for that, thats a nice collection of cats

 

[Yassa]

The bengal tigers are probably hybrids. I don`t believe that there are any purepred bengal tigers left in Europe. Do you know if the Aspinall parks are still breeding them?

 

[Pertinax]

Their 'Bengal' tigers are definately not pure. I don't think they breed from them anymore, though not sure. I suspect they are letting them fade out...

You're right- there aren't any purebred Indian(='Bengal') tigers in Europe nowadays.

 

[zoogiraffe]

Their 'Bengal' tigers are definately not pure. I don't think they breed from them anymore, though not sure. I suspect they are letting them fade out...

You're right- there aren't any purebred Indian(='Bengal') tigers in Europe nowadays.

West Midlands claim to have the puriest Bengal Tigers in the U.K but i believe this claim is only from their White Tigers and not the rest of the Tigers

 

[Yassa]

Well after my knowledge all white tigers in captivity today are hybrids; an amur tiger was crossed in relatively early in the breeding line. The white tigers today are too big and their fur is too thick to be pure bengal tigers. Otherwise, they might have some conservation value...

 

[Pertinax]

Well after my knowledge all white tigers in captivity today are hybrids; an amur tiger was crossed in relatively early in the breeding line. Otherwise, they might have some conservation value...

This has been discussed on this Forum before. Also there are several internet sites that detail the history(and crossbreeding) of White Tigers and its definately known that outside of India, all Zoo white tigers are nowadays impure as far as subspecies is concerned.

In the UK the last pure white tigers(possibly also the last pure Indian tigers) were the Bristol line, the founders being imported direct from Rewa in India. Sadly they died out and have no purebred descendants any more.