I can imagine Fossa in the under-utilized area behind the manor house that's currently out of bounds to the public. The former Monkey/Young Ape House, presently used just for general storage, on the slope could be converted quite easily into indoor quarters. Then all you would need is an outdoor enclosure.
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I was there last year. The door was open, and it appeared to be just a general storage place. But that was, as I say, nearly a year ago, so it's quite possible it's been cleaned out since then and, as you say, may now be used as overflow accommodation for some of the mammals. Doesn't alter my view, though. It would make a smashing house for a breeding pair of fossa.
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Thanks for such a full explanation and I can see the need for such rationalisation. Its good to know that the Gorillas, Orangutans and Bears will always stay intendifiable with Jersey though.
It's a very exciting step and one that fits Durrell. I do start dreaming about all the species you guys are working with
.I can tell you that under the current management, there will never be big cats held at Durrell Wildlife Park. One of our researchers (an undoubted expert) quietly visited hundreds of collections, and struggled to find any exhibits – comparable to our landscape/ability to create – anywhere, where the cats weren't stereotyping. We just couldn't do it to the welfare standards that we consider acceptable.
Pygmy hogs might happen, but they have to be held in an Indian zoo for a predetermined length of time before they can be imported, for a number of reasons. It has been suggested that ring-tailed lemurs would make way for more endangered species such as blue-eyed lemurs or Sifaka etc, but any more information on any of that has yet to make it my way!
Mike is right about both Malagasy pochards and the 'backs' area btw! The backs are currently off-show tamarin breeding habitats, very nice ones with lots of privacy!
Pygmy hogs might happen, but they have to be held in an Indian zoo for a predetermined length of time before they can be imported, for a number of reasons. It has been suggested that ring-tailed lemurs would make way for more endangered species such as blue-eyed lemurs or Sifaka etc, but any more information on any of that has yet to make it my way!
Mike is right about both Malagasy pochards and the 'backs' area btw! The backs are currently off-show tamarin breeding habitats, very nice ones with lots of privacy!
Blue-eyed Lemur are certainly one of the highest priority lemur taxa which are in European collections at the present time, in terms of how endangered they are in the wild - the only two taxa present in Europe which are in an even more dire position are the Greater Bamboo Lemur and the White-collared Lemur, as far as I know.
Interesting. Do you think Durrell would consider a smaller feline species?
Not under the current management. We'd have to train or employ new keepers, as we no longer have any expertise on staff. Given current financial challenges, we won't be increasing staff head-count any time soon.
Aerial image of Durrell Wildlife Park
Gorillas in bottom left corner, Orangutan Islands in top left with a section of the new off-show areas and organic farm visible in very top left.
White building top centre is Les Noyers Hostel/Durrell Conservation Academy.
Vet Lab half visible in bottom right, the new tortoise paddock forward of it. Then counterclockwise, Gaherty Reptile Breeding Centre, Princess Royal Pavillion, First Impressions (Cloud Forest), Visitor Centre.
Not pictured, Vet Centre, Nubel Bird Propagation Centre.
Aerial image of West quarter Durrell W/Park
Images courtesy of S. Baudains Aerial Photography Services SBAPS
Gorillas in bottom left corner, Orangutan Islands in top left with a section of the new off-show areas and organic farm visible in very top left.
White building top centre is Les Noyers Hostel/Durrell Conservation Academy.
Vet Lab half visible in bottom right, the new tortoise paddock forward of it. Then counterclockwise, Gaherty Reptile Breeding Centre, Princess Royal Pavillion, First Impressions (Cloud Forest), Visitor Centre.
Not pictured, Vet Centre, Nubel Bird Propagation Centre.
Aerial image of West quarter Durrell W/Park
Images courtesy of S. Baudains Aerial Photography Services SBAPS
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A few days ago a Red-billed chough hatched. It's being hand-raised and a young of Tristan and Isolde ( FB ) .
.A few days ago a Red-billed chough hatched. It's being hand-raised and a young of Tristan and Isolde ( FB )
Now being fostered by tame Italian rescue chough, Gianna!
Looked out for you on CountryFile, RickJ, but you were not in evidence....
Is Gianna still rearing her fostered chick okay? Have the other Zoo pairs laid again or is that it for this year?
I did feature for all of two seconds... I was stood outside Gianna's aviary holding a reflector!
It's all very glamorous!Gianna is doing brilliantly with her charge, and Tristan and Isolde have laid again, and seem to be sitting well, last I heard.
There's more news to come from the project, but we aren't counting our choughs... ahem... before they hatch...
There's more news to come from the project, but we aren't counting our choughs... ahem... before they hatch...
Very sensible.
Incidentally I have always found the Birds on the Edge/Choughs updates website very difficult to access properly- it is very slow to put up the information and often 'sticks' to the extent I have to give up with it. I (and some others too) had similar trouble with one thread on here- Spix Macaw- it was put down to the amount of photos/video on it and since they were removed it now functions normally.
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