Dudley Zoological Gardens Dudley's new tiger question.

C

chizlit

Well-Known Member
15+ year member
Like the good folk in Wuppertal before, Dudley has fallen in love already with Tschuna the new Siberian tiger.
I know the plan is to move her onto another collection (Whipsnade) when the other tiger that came over with her finds a mate.

Question is why does she have to leave Dudley? Is it not possible to find a mate for her and house her in the bear ravine?
Or is the face Dudley doesn't hold studbook rights for Siberians mean she has to go elsewhere, I dont understand the rules and need some one to explain them to me, but basically I dont want her to leave.
 
I agree Chizlit, surely they could find a home elsewhere in the zoo? If the studbook holder has decided she has to go then I suppose its a moot subject, regardless of what us Brummies think! :(
 
Why don't Dudley get in touch with the studbook holder and ask for a transfer of the male that will be with Tschuna at Whipsnade to come to Dudley who have agood record of breeding tigers.
Then again if the studbook holder as agreed to send Tschuna to Whipsnade then why can't Dudley arrange to have another pair brought in.
 
I think that the cost of building the enclosure may also be a bit off putting for the zoo as well, even converting the bear ravine wouldn't be cheap, especially given it's listed status.
 
Brum said:
I think that the cost of building the enclosure may also be a bit off putting for the zoo as well, even converting the bear ravine wouldn't be cheap, especially given it's listed status.
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Isn't part of the grant meant to be going into repairing the bear ravine?

I'm pretty sure she wont be allowed to stay, but it wont stop me asking as she's a real beauty.
 
chizlit said:
Isn't part of the grant meant to be going into repairing the bear ravine?

I'm pretty sure she wont be allowed to stay, but it wont stop me asking as she's a real beauty.
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I thought the majority of the money was for the chairlift?
Looking at the bear ravine last week I was thinking that it would cost a small fortune to repair, making it tiger proof would cost a lot more. I do agree that she is a stunner though and it is great having 2 tiger subspecies so close to home!
 
Heritage funding is for the Tecton Buildings, Lottery funding is for the general use around the zoo which includes the Chairlift if the media are right then the chairlift is only a very small part of the Lottery funding I did hear The boss say that the Bear Ravine was there number one project for this year as far as refurbishment goes with the Orangutans the second due to Sprout being born.
Again though this is down to English Heritage if the Bear Ravine goes ahaed and not the zoo as English Heritage have the final say but it would look great as a Tiger enclosure.
 
adrian1963 said:
Heritage funding is for the Tecton Buildings, Lottery funding is for the general use around the zoo which includes the Chairlift if the media are right then the chairlift is only a very small part of the Lottery funding I did hear The boss say that the Bear Ravine was there number one project for this year as far as refurbishment goes with the Orangutans the second due to Sprout being born.
Again though this is down to English Heritage if the Bear Ravine goes ahaed and not the zoo as English Heritage have the final say but it would look great as a Tiger enclosure.
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Well here's hoping that Dudley get the green light to revamp the bear ravine because as it is now it's hardly attractive! On a related note, what's going on with the chairlift? Doesn't look anywhere near done to me.
 
Brum said:
I thought the majority of the money was for the chairlift?
Looking at the bear ravine last week I was thinking that it would cost a small fortune to repair, making it tiger proof would cost a lot more. I do agree that she is a stunner though and it is great having 2 tiger subspecies so close to home!
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She could also go into where the baboons are or the wild dog enclosure!
I'm not short of ideas for something that has no chance of happening sadly:(
 
chizlit said:
She could also go into where the baboons are or the wild dog enclosure!
I'm not short of ideas for something that has no chance of happening sadly:(
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I thought about the gelada enclosure as well but then what would happen to the middle pit after Inca passes away? And we can keep on dreaming, no-one can deny us that... :)
 
When Inca goes away why not have Bengal Tigers now that WOULD be very interesting.

EDIT - Mind you they would have to rotate the tigers as the middle enclosure is a little small
 
The middle pit could become home to sun bears or maybe a langur/macaque troop, keep the Asian theme going! I'm a genius! :p
Going slightly OT again, does anyone remember a white tiger at dudley around 1980, I found some old photo's at the father in-laws showing 1 in the Tectons?
 
adrian1963 said:
When Inca goes away why not have Bengal Tigers now that WOULD be very interesting.

EDIT - Mind you they would have to rotate the tigers as the middle enclosure is a little small
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Just to clarify there are no pure bred Bengal Tigers in Europe, I don't think there's none in America but can't be sure. If Dudley acquired a pure bred pair well that's another matter.
 
Brum said:
Going slightly OT again, does anyone remember a white tiger at dudley around 1980, I found some old photo's at the father in-laws showing 1 in the Tectons?
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This would have been one from Bristol Zoo, who 'bought in' to Dudley for a while around that time to help support it financially.
 
Pertinax said:
This would have been one from Bristol Zoo, who 'bought in' to Dudley for a while around that time to help support it financially.
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So Dudley had a pure white Bengal? I'm impressed! :D
When did Bristol step in to help? It's the first I've heard of this!
Thanks for the info Pertinax, it's been puzzling me for a while!
 
Brum said:
So Dudley had a pure white Bengal? I'm impressed! :D
When did Bristol step in to help? It's the first I've heard of this!
Thanks for the info Pertinax, it's been puzzling me for a while!
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Not sure of exact time but it was around the early 1980's. I am not sure if they sent any other animals there or only Tiger(s). I think they dropped their involvement again later on.

It would be interesting if you could upload any photos of this Dudley White Tiger. It may well have been 'Akbar 2' who is generally thought was the last pure Indian White Tiger (and last pure Indian tiger) to be seen in the UK - if this is the one that was later returned to Bristol.
 
Pertinax said:
Not sure of exact time but it was around the early 1980's. I am not sure if they sent any other animals there or only Tiger(s). I think they dropped their involvement again later on.

It would be interesting if you could upload any photos of this Dudley White Tiger. It may well have been 'Akbar 2' who is generally thought was the last pure Indian White Tiger (and last pure Indian tiger) to be seen in the UK - if this is the one that was later returned to Bristol.
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I'm trying to persuade him to lend me the photo's, it's not just Dudley either. He has the 2 gorilla species, polar & brown bears from Chester, Bristols cat terraces, assorted Twycross & Blackpool shots & hundreds more! :D
 
Pertinax said:
Not sure of exact time but it was around the early 1980's. I am not sure if they sent any other animals there or only Tiger(s). I think they dropped their involvement again later on.

It would be interesting if you could upload any photos of this Dudley White Tiger. It may well have been 'Akbar 2' who is generally thought was the last pure Indian White Tiger (and last pure Indian tiger) to be seen in the UK - if this is the one that was later returned to Bristol.
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Bristol saved Dudley from closure in 1977 I think, not long after Belle Vue had closed down. I remember a tv news item at that time focussing mainly on the hippo who was about to become homeless for a second time, having been moved from Manchester only a few months earlier.
 
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