Colchester Zoo Colchester Zoo news 2013

I have to see from my most recent visit, 20 days ago I would say that the red river hogs may be breeding well but the enclosure simply can't cope with the shear number of occupants.

On a side note here am I right in saying that they are planning to build new pathways linking up the red river hog enclosure and the nature reserve with perhaps a few new exhibits being built there?
 
Went to the zoo again for a full afternoon today. This is what I noticed:

- Both Geoffroy's cats were up and active
- The tamandua has now moved into the all-indoor enclosure housing the red titi monkeys and a lone golden lion tamarin; the sloth that originally lived there has now moved into the tamandua enclosure
- There is a very young and new-looking baby silvery marmoset in the Worlds Apart walkthrough
- No sign of the second Victoria crowned pigeon fledgling
- All ten of the smooth-coated otters including the three new pups were out and in their main pool
- There is a new black-spotted pufferfish in the aquarium at Orangutan Forest
 
Goretex said:
I have to see from my most recent visit, 20 days ago I would say that the red river hogs may be breeding well but the enclosure simply can't cope with the shear number of occupants.
Its strange how small their enclosure is- its very narrow at the back, and far smaller than the Warthog enclosure- yet on my last visit there were more RRH's than warthogs. I would like to see them keep the same large group but enlarge their enclosure- preferably by widening it considerably if that is possible. (I can't remember if it is)
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News on their website reports a second Komodo dragon hatching , with further eggs incubating .
 
DesertRhino150 said:
Went to the zoo again for a full afternoon today. This is what I noticed:

- Both Geoffroy's cats were up and active
- The tamandua has now moved into the all-indoor enclosure housing the red titi monkeys and a lone golden lion tamarin; the sloth that originally lived there has now moved into the tamandua enclosure
- There is a very young and new-looking baby silvery marmoset in the Worlds Apart walkthrough
- No sign of the second Victoria crowned pigeon fledgling
- All ten of the smooth-coated otters including the three new pups were out and in their main pool
- There is a new black-spotted pufferfish in the aquarium at Orangutan Forest
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Went Yesterday and the tamandua is back in its normal enclosure with door open to outside and the red titi monkeys were outside jumping about.

The Victoria crowned pigeon fledgling in the enclosure opposite the pygmy marmosets.
 
Went Yesterday and noticed a few things:-

1. There a sign up on the enclosure behind the southern fried chicken restaurant saying it due to be developed which is housing the young Victoria Crowned Pigeon atm.

2. Two Red-bellied Lemur are in the Lost Madagascar with the Ring Tailed lemurs and the 3rd is in a enclosure opposite the Black and white Columbus Monkeys

3.Koi Niwa was shut most of the day while divers were in the tank putting plants in, the water has gone very green and when it did open there seems to be a lot of koi missing out the big tank and one were laying on the bottom not moving much looking very unhealthy.

4. The Kunekune pigs where split up 2 had bottom section and the other two had the indoor part.

5.The Baby Gibbon was taken off show about 5pm and hadn't come back my 8pm



 
DesertRhino150 said:
- Several of the Chilean flamingos appeared to be sitting on 'mud-pie' nests- didn't see any eggs however
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I sent a message to Colchester regarding the flamingos; apparently several eggs were laid that were then taken by predators. Luckily more eggs were laid but to ensure their safety they have been removed and are being artificially incubated. Fake eggs have been placed in the nests to keep the parents content.

Hopefully something comes of these eggs, as they would be the first Chilean flamingos ever born at the zoo.
 
DesertRhino150 said:
I sent a message to Colchester regarding the flamingos; apparently several eggs were laid that were then taken by predators. Luckily more eggs were laid but to ensure their safety they have been removed and are being artificially incubated. Fake eggs have been placed in the nests to keep the parents content.

Hopefully something comes of these eggs, as they would be the first Chilean flamingos ever born at the zoo.
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Perhaps a fox / rat proof free flight aviary would better suit the flamingos in real time?
 
Spent a completely full day at the zoo today- rather a rare thing for me. Here is what I noticed:

- The South American walkthrough today had the golden-headed lion tamarins, Chaco chachalacas and both the green iguanas and yellow-footed tortoises (neither of the latter I have ever seen outside before)
- The tamandua was indeed back in its regular enclosure at Worlds Apart although apparently it has free access to the titi monkey enclosure and has also escaped into the sloth side of the enclosure as well
- Spent several very enjoyable minutes watching one of the warthogs being groomed by a visiting magpie
- Rock hyraxes and L'Hoest's monkeys were both utilising the outdoor climbing frame; the young monkeys have grown significantly since I last saw them
- The fennec fox briefly poked its head out of its indoor area; the first time I have ever seen it outdoors
- Only Visayan warty pigs were outdoors today; it seems as if they and the Philippine spotted deer are having to rotate through the main enclosure
- More building work is continuing on the sun bears; the mock-rock has been painted black in the area where a waterfall appears to be going and several tree trunks were being moved around
- Both Geoffroy's cats were visible today
- Went on the road train and got a rare view of the black-backed jackals as well as seeing the pair of male red-bellied lemurs in the walkthrough
- Managed to see the Fregate Island giant beetles- not easy in their large enclosure
- The African aquarium is Kingdom of the Wild has all its species now with signage- they were the African moony (already on-exhibit), clown triggerfish, snowflake moray eel, lionfish, spotted porcupinefish and a species of squirrelfish
- I has never previously noticed the display of old guide books and zoo maps in the Discovery Centre; some of it was very nostalgic for me
 
DesertRhino150 said:
- Only Visayan warty pigs were outdoors today; it seems as if they and the Philippine spotted deer are having to rotate through the main enclosure
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Perhaps this mixture isn't working. IMO they should rehouse the Warty Hogs elsewhere in the Zoo(or make a seperate paddock for them where they are).
 
Pertinax said:
Perhaps this mixture isn't working. IMO they should rehouse the Warty Hogs elsewhere in the Zoo(or make a seperate paddock for them where they are).
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I visited yesterday too - although I didn't manage to meet DR150 - and from what I was told regarding the black-backed jackals the former option you suggest for the pigs is unviable.

To be precise, when I asked why nothing could be done to get some pedestrian viewing potential for the jackals, I was told they were kept in that enclosure because there was literally no space anywhere else in the zoo for rehousing them. A claim I was somewhat dubious about, but there you are.
 
TeaLovingDave said:
A claim I was somewhat dubious about, but there you are.
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I can sort of understand that, given that Colchester always seems brimming over with animals. But it does seem silly to keep an unusual species like the Jackals permanently where they can't be accessed or seen properly.

Maybe the Warty pigs and Deer need separate paddocks then, which means the Deer would get a reduced area.:(
 
went I visited on the 27th of july the deer and pigs were mixed together so they may be getting on deer may have been off show for plenty of other reasons
 
anidude said:
went I visited on the 27th of july the deer and pigs were mixed together so they may be getting on deer may have been off show for plenty of other reasons
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Absolutely true of course.;) My concern is more a case of the damage the Warty pigs may be doing to the (shared) paddock than the species not actually getting along perhaps.
 
DesertRhino150 said:
- Only Visayan warty pigs were outdoors today; it seems as if they and the Philippine spotted deer are having to rotate through the main enclosure
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Pertinax said:
Perhaps this mixture isn't working. IMO they should rehouse the Warty Hogs elsewhere in the Zoo(or make a seperate paddock for them where they are).
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I’ve only visited Colchester Zoo a couple of times since the two species were mixed and I certainly got the impression that this combination was not working well.

On the two occasions that I saw both species sharing the same enclosure, the deer appeared to be extremely nervous of the pigs; the deer spent nearly all the time in a very small corner of the exhibit and, whenever a deer ventured away from this corner, one of the pigs promptly chased it back.

I’d hoped that the situation had improved as the two species got used to each other but maybe not........

The Prince Alfred’s deer (as I prefer to call Philippine spotted deer) always used to be my favourite exhibit at Colchester Zoo although, much as like the warty pigs,I think that introducing them to the deer enclosure spoiled this exhibit.
 
Tim May said:
the deer appeared to be extremely nervous of the pigs; the deer spent nearly all the time in a very small corner of the exhibit and, whenever a deer ventured away from this corner, one of the pigs promptly chased it back.

I’d hoped that the situation had improved as the two species got used to each other but maybe not........

much as like the warty pigs,I think that introducing them to the deer enclosure spoiled this exhibit.
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That is the sort of direct observation I don't like to hear. The deer, being more timid, have evidently become subordinate to the Warty Pigs which are bullying them. A situation like that only gets worse. I suspect that is why they are split- at least some of the time. I think this was a bad mixture.
 
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Visited today.

New baby Hyena born last week.

One of the Koi fish tanks is now empty. Not a great fan of this enclosure seems a lot of money to spend on two big tanks. Not that many large koi in the other tank either.

The baby rhino today was indoors, with the giraffes and and the male Rhino Outside.

I asked one of the elephant keepers at the feed about would they like to breed them again and they said they would. Which surprised me a little , would be great to see.
One annoying thing though why cant visitors walk right around the elephant paddock like used to be able to do as now you can hardly see Tembo.

Saw a few talks today, very interesting indeed. The baby Komadgo dragon will go on show in a few weeks too.

Another great day, will be interesting to see what the next project will be once the bears new enclosure is finished. Any one have any ideas?
 
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