Zoo-Lover-1-2-3
Well-Known Member
I don’t know what exactly would happen but I really hope that any future calf’s born at the zoo will survive.
Dublin Zoo Dublin Zoo news 2024
- Thread starter BC43
- Start date
Visited today for the first time, really enjoyed the collection! Such beautiful grounds and overall good standard enclosures. The African Plains and ape enclosures were the highlight for me.
Saw Aung Bo (male elephant) enjoying his breakfast, he seems to have settled in well. Didn't see any of the rest of the herd, the house was closed. I presume this is related to the sad news covered earlier in the thread.
Saw most species. The Red Panda pair were very active. Got a good glimpse of the recently arrived Cheetah. The Aye Ayes were also incredibly active and very playful. The youngest of the rhino herd was also very playful and intent on annoying the adults!
Orangutans were a no show, again with the house closed. I presume this is due to the new baby? The overhead wires that connect the enclosure have also been taken down, so they cannot access the island enclosure at present. Seems the Siamangs have this enclosure to themselves for now.
Can someone update zootierliste: Blackbucks and African Wild Dogs are no longer at the zoo
Saw Aung Bo (male elephant) enjoying his breakfast, he seems to have settled in well. Didn't see any of the rest of the herd, the house was closed. I presume this is related to the sad news covered earlier in the thread.
Saw most species. The Red Panda pair were very active. Got a good glimpse of the recently arrived Cheetah. The Aye Ayes were also incredibly active and very playful. The youngest of the rhino herd was also very playful and intent on annoying the adults!
Orangutans were a no show, again with the house closed. I presume this is due to the new baby? The overhead wires that connect the enclosure have also been taken down, so they cannot access the island enclosure at present. Seems the Siamangs have this enclosure to themselves for now.
Can someone update zootierliste: Blackbucks and African Wild Dogs are no longer at the zoo
Last edited:
cornu aspersum
Well-Known Member
Good to see you enjoyed your visit. Did you see any work going on in the tapir enclosure near the South America House for the native species section?
Not that I noticed, no. The tapirs were out and about in their enclosure.
cornu aspersum
Well-Known Member
Annual report for 2023 has been released: Dublin Zoo Reports & Publications - Dublin Zoo
On page 10, it mentions that "planning commenced for capital works to be delivered in 2024-25, including the new park restaurant and African aviary, new habitats for Irish native species (phase 1), as well as resurfacing and a new shelter for the African Savanna". This is the first time I've heard plans for an aviary in the African Plains, and its really exciting as this means the zoo's number of bird species will be boosted. Wonder where they'll put it though. Also, I'm surprised that the Irish species exhibit is being split into phases, but I guess it makes sense to use that approach.
Other points from the report:
- Page 12 incorrectly claims that former elephant bull Upali sired Budi (born in 2008 and now in Denver as Billy). Budi was conceived before the elephants came from Rotterdam in 2007, and his father is Alexander, who is currently at Lodz Zoo. Information from Absolut Elephant database, facts and encyclopedia () - Elephant Encyclopedia and Database.
- Don't think this was mentioned upthread, but male Asian lion Kuno moved to Zoo Santo Inácio (Portugal) in December.
- Perhaps most exciting of all, it mentions that a male aye-aye was born in April (while they were off-show). I had suggested before that they might have had a baby, so it turns out I was right!
cornu aspersum
Well-Known Member
I actually interpreted this as the Irish species complex as a whole will be the first phase of a larger plan, but you may well be right.
Since there isn't any more references about it in the report, I assume the lion/tiger enclosure swap has finally happened.
You're right about that, as when they announced Kushanu's arrival from Edinburgh, it was clear from the writing and photos that the lions are now where the tigers used to be.
Not sure if this helps but when I visited in summer there were two lionesses in the first enclosure on from the entrance building next to the Sulawesi macaques, then the tiger/s were in the second enclosure after this. A male and female Asiatic lion pair were also down in the enclosure by the snow leopards.
cornu aspersum
Well-Known Member
The male you saw must be the one (Kushanu?) that arrived relatively recently from Edinburgh. The enclosure swap I believe is supposed to send all the lions to the enclosure next to the snow leopards where the male and female are. I assume that the other two lionesses may be sent off somewhere else or are geriatric and kept in the entrance enclosure until they die.
Olek
Well-Known Member
how good is tHe hippo enclosure? Ive never been so i dunno
cornu aspersum
Well-Known Member
It's not too good. The house is decent but the pool is quite small and the land area is also not big. I'd say they would expand the enclosure before adding or breeding hippos.
Olek
Well-Known Member
could the girls be better of transfering to somewhere like whipsnade or flamingo land?
cornu aspersum
Well-Known Member
If Dublin keeps their current enclosure for hippos, I would prefer that, but it is possible that they might create a new enclosure.
Olek
Well-Known Member
if they wanted to breed them they might have to do that
Olek
Well-Known Member
could it be better for pygmys?
According to this article, the zoo has estimated that the cost of managing the outbreak of elephant herpes virus will be between €100,000 and €150,000.
Virus outbreak to cost Dublin Zoo as much as €150,000
Virus outbreak to cost Dublin Zoo as much as €150,000
Mmmm, I have some reservations as to this statement. I wonder what it would have cost to vaccinate and blood hormone and viral screening at been in place prior to any elephants falling ill.