Fota Wildlife Park Fota Wildlife Park News

Having not seen him on my last visit last week I had been worried and unfortunately my worst fears have come to light. Shanto the male lion has passed away from kidney failure.
 
That's very sad news as he was such a magnificent animal. He will be greatly missed for sure. Though I'm surprised that the announcement came nearly a month after his death.

Shanto appears on the front cover of a brochure for the park's ten-year development plan, which can be seen in photos for the news on that, so I guess that's a nice way to keep his memory alive. I'm planning to visit the park over the summer, so I might see if they have a copy of the brochure at reception, as there doesn't seem to be a pdf of it online.

Fota Wildlife Park are heartbroken to announce the death of Shanto the Asiatic lion. - Fota Wildlife Park
 
That's very sad news as he was such a magnificent animal. He will be greatly missed for sure. Though I'm surprised that the announcement came nearly a month after his death.

Shanto appears on the front cover of a brochure for the park's ten-year development plan, which can be seen in photos for the news on that, so I guess that's a nice way to keep his memory alive. I'm planning to visit the park over the summer, so I might see if they have a copy of the brochure at reception, as there doesn't seem to be a pdf of it online.

Fota Wildlife Park are heartbroken to announce the death of Shanto the Asiatic lion. - Fota Wildlife Park
I can check for you next week if you like?
 
I can check for you next week if you like?
Sure, that would be great. I'm interested to know more about Fota's future plans as they mentioned expanding their number of breeding programmes, which obviously means they'll be getting more species over the coming years. At the moment, the bears, takin and markhor are the only obvious ones from the map, so it will be interesting to see what other species they are planning.
 
Sure, that would be great. I'm interested to know more about Fota's future plans as they mentioned expanding their number of breeding programmes, which obviously means they'll be getting more species over the coming years. At the moment, the bears, takin and markhor are the only obvious ones from the map, so it will be interesting to see what other species they are planning.
I’d imagine more primates. There’s an island with two older lion tailed macaque makes on it so once they’ve moved on it’s free for a new comer. Always felt like the area between the lake and the oryx house/cheetah exhibits could very feasibly have a few exhibits built in it.
 
In a recent interview the director talks about a new education centre to be developed. They are converting and extending an existing building near the main entrance. He also talks about adding Sable or Bongo and Asian bears. New housing is to be built for the Siamang group soon.
 
In a recent interview the director talks about a new education centre to be developed. They are converting and extending an existing building near the main entrance. He also talks about adding Sable or Bongo and Asian bears. New housing is to be built for the Siamang group soon.
You seem knowledgeable of the place, and since I fell in love with this place since I found out about it and would like to know more about it, do you know if they have another masterplan now that the other one has slowed down due to covid and if they plan on adding more microfauna to their establishment?
 
You seem knowledgeable of the place, and since I fell in love with this place since I found out about it and would like to know more about it, do you know if they have another masterplan now that the other one has slowed down due to covid and if they plan on adding more microfauna to their establishment?
It wasn’t necessarily slowed down due to covid solely but priorities changed. Some of the older parts of the park needed work whilst the Asian sanctuary was put on hold.
 
Hi mickey.
The current priority seems to be education centre and restaurant and interpretive centre. The original masterplan is still there with some tweaks, it is just slowed down a bit. In general (like Dublin) they want to make the park more suitable for winter visiting and need to add more indoor and sheltered places, so its likely that smaller species will be displayed.
 
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