Edinburgh Zoo Edinburgh Zoo News 2019

[Dylan]

Do you know how many Drills they currently have, the sexes and their relationship? By my reckoning it is one female plus either her one or two offspring (sexes unknown) fathered by previous male that died, plus newer unrelated male. Do you( or anyone) know if that is correct?

I believe they have 1.2 drill. However their relationships to each other and which zoos they came from I couldn't tell you.

With drills perhaps moving out of the monkey house, perhaps this is now the opportunity to re-theme the monkey house with its proximity to a new sun bear exhibit.

I would like to see the house removed and the site used for something else, like a new small cat or small birds.

 

[Quincey]

The Panda's have now moved into the new enclosure and are off show until they settle in, expected to be back on show some time next week:

Edinburgh Zoo

 

[VikkiEdinburghZoo]

After visiting the zoo yesterday,
Gonaroo, the more elderly of the two male koalas and father to new(ish) baby has been given an off show area if he chooses to use it due to stress, pandas now moved into their new enclosure and apparently it will open this week some time depending on how they settle, Dharma now settled in the main tiger tracks enclosure, she was super alert and active, pawing and licking the windows whilst eyeing up and pouncing at my daughter. Also noticed a sign up beside the Sun bears stating that Babu's pacing is totally normal as it's almost the breeding season... now I understand they must get so many people moaning and complaining about pacing and yes it's really sad to see but unfortunately semi expected in captivity.. I just wish they wouldn't make something up like the it's the breeding season to please people,seems unnecessary.
Does anyone know why some of the gibbons and also a couple of the red belly lemurs have been seperated and put in to monkey house enclosures?
Overall quite a good day, was suprised to see so much animal activity due to the weather and I think we were one of the only ones there which was a bonus

 

[Dylan]

I believe all those animals (RB lemurs, YB capuchin, BC gibbon) are surplus.

 

[taun]

I believe all those animals (RB lemurs, YB capuchin, BC gibbon) are surplus.

Assume the buff cheeked gibbons are offsrping from the pair?

Does the breeding pair have any young with them atm?

 

[Dylan]

Couldn't tell you

I don't think so

 

[Quincey]

Male giant panda, Yang Guang, took his first steps outside in his new home on Wednesday after moving in last week:

First pictures of giant panda Yang Guang in new home | Edinburgh Zoo

 

[Quincey]

New zoo map has been released showing the Panda's new enclosure and also the new Animal Antics area, map also shows possible pathway closures due to the Giraffe enclosure being built:

https://www.edinburghzoo.org.uk/media/7373/ez-map_summer-2019.pdf

 

[Shorts]

Anyone know the situation re the "road train" nowadays (given the Pandas are now a long way up the hill)?

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Anyone know the situation re the "road train" nowadays (given the Pandas are now a long way up the hill)?

Axed years ago now, sadly - around 2014/15 I think - due to financial cuts.

 

[Dylan]

They were thinking of bringing it back - they even had a train and stop signs but I don't know if they'll bring it back. I know they have a fleet of minivans to transport people around if they are disabled or have young children.

 

[Quincey]

Male Giant Panda, Yang Guang, got a shock from the electric fence in his new enclosure, as usual the media have blown it into a horror story:

Horrified families watch as Edinburgh Zoo panda gets electrocuted in new enclosure

 

[taun]

Male Giant Panda, Yang Guang, got a shock from the electric fence in his new enclosure, as usual the media have blown it into a horror story:

Horrified families watch as Edinburgh Zoo panda gets electrocuted in new enclosure

How many of those horrified families would be crying with laughter if their own pet dog or cat did something similar?

 

[lowland anoa]

The media needs to calm down a bit, they’re literally making me suspect that they must be PETA-affiliated

 

[Goura]

How many of those horrified families would be crying with laughter if their own pet dog or cat did something similar?

Precisely...

 

[Andrew Swales]

Male Giant Panda, Yang Guang, got a shock from the electric fence in his new enclosure, as usual the media have blown it into a horror story:

Horrified families watch as Edinburgh Zoo panda gets electrocuted in new enclosure

All modern bear enclosures rely on electric fencing as their primary barrier(s). Without it bears would be back in pits. The exception is the curved, spiked iron railings at Whipsnade a relict (but highly effective) and desperately expensive design from yesteryear, which is not being copied today.

 

[Pertinax]

All modern bear enclosures rely on electric fencing as their primary barrier(s). Without it bears would be back in pits. The exception is the curved, spiked iron railings at Whipsnade a relict (but highly effective) and desperately expensive design from yesteryear, which is not being copied today.

Elecric fencing is also used to keep wild bears away from certain areas- e.g. you can sleep easier if you are camping in a bear area, if you have an electric fence around your tents.

 

[Andrew Swales]

Elecric fencing is also used to keep wild bears away from certain areas- e.g. you can sleep easier if you are camping in a bear area, if you have an electric fence around your tents.

Indeed. Its use is very widespread - across the Zoo world, where it is highly effective for some spp, and less so for others. Widely across Equestrian and Agricultural sectors for animals from poultry and rabbits, sheep, pigs, cattle, equids and 'exotics' - and for preventing ingress by 'unwanted' wild animals, such as foxes, cats, raccoons, martens and badgers - and indeed bears.

In this regard there is nothing special about a panda, save the medias only real interest in flagship species - especially if they can introduce a bit of zoo-bashing for good measure.

Quite inconsistent as always, as presumably the much mentioned new Bear-Wood in the west country, (plus those exhibits in Yorkshire and Scotland) which have received media commendation and support, use exactly the same system.

 

[Quincey]

New blog:

In the paw prints of leopards | Edinburgh Zoo

 

[sooty mangabey]

I wouldn't normally pay any heed to The Sun, and this is a classic example of current 'journalism' (a rehashing of online content available elsewhere), but Edinburgh Zoo getting a right kicking here, as a consequence of a string of very low Trip Advisor reviews:

Edinburgh Zoo branded 'national disgrace' with dozens of one-star reviews

...apparently, during the Festival period, 40% of reviews for the zoo were at one star.

I was in Edinburgh last week, for the festival, and paid a very quick visit to the zoo. The negative reviews do not surprise me. The Pandas are invisible. The Lions are indeed blocked off (how on Earth did they ever breed in traditional Lion Houses, I wonder, when in 2019 they require a 100 metre exclusion zone when cubs may be imminent?). Lots of older areas are no longer in use. And there are huge lengths of (steep) pathway that do not lead to any great reward. Entry is pretty expensive as well (£22 for an adult). But there are a lot of Meerkats. And those lego sculptures too. Hurrah!

Some positives, of course: the Chimpanzee thing is great (even if it doesn't give the killer view of the animals); Penguin area is very good. Ermmmm. South American primates are done well. Macropod walkthrough is good. Tiger exhibit looks excellent - but you need to be lucky to see a tiger. Apart from that....

I studied in Edinburgh for four years, 1989-1993, and visited the zoo pretty much once a week. I chose to go to Edinburgh in large part because it was a city that offered both a great university and a great zoo. Now - it just all looks very dull.

To redeem myself for posting link to the Sun 'newspaper', here is Billy Bragg: