Highland Wildlife Park highland wildlife park

[davidevans72@bt]

i have recently visited the park and changes are afoot. new species include yak, bharal, markhor, japanese macaque and my favourite a group of 5 kiang. These beautiful asian wild ass are the only group in britain. these species fall into the masterplan of the rzss to represent tundra and mountain habitats. more species will follow such as goral, red panda , mishmi takin, white lipped deer and funds are being raised for new enclosures for amur tiger and snow leopard. there is also the possibility of britains only polar bear "mercedes" heading north as well

 

[MARK]

Kiang, WOW, love to see those.

 

[^Chris^]

Welcome to the forum, David!

I've heard quite a lot about that Polar Bear. Wasn't it originally the case that Edinburgh were phasing them out then upset alot of anti-zoo campaigners by doing a complete U-turn and putting polar bears on the masterplan for like 2011 or something?I think if the society do choose to keep polar bears in a big way, from what i've heard the highland wildlife park would be much better suited to it. Sounds a great place though and I'd love to visit.

Do you know whether the highland wildlife park plans to get any other rarer tundra species like Musk Ox?

P.S. This is my 100th post- I think that means I'm stuck here now. ;-)

 

[Pertinax]

I think this is the first time that anywhere in Britain has attempted to keep solely species which come from a similar climatic/ geographical zone to where they are being exhibited now.

All this should certainly put the Highland Wildlife Park on the map more too, and many more visitors are more likely to be drawn (at least in the summer, do they get anybody at all in winter or is it closed?) by this potentially large and interesting display.

 

[^Chris^]

I think this is the first time that anywhere in Britain has attempted to keep solely species which come from a similar climatic/ geographical zone to where they are being exhibited now...

There are a couple of other zoos that just specialise in European wildlife like this but none on this scale. I think the original plan was for the Highland Wildlife Park was just to use British and European wildlife but extended it further across Asia to include other mountain and tundra species to generate a greater income/more visitors.

 

[kiang]

there was talk a few years of bringing in musk ox but this has gone quiet for the time being, the goral have arrived from edinburgh

 

[Pertinax]

My guess is that if they build an enclosure there for the Polar Bear 'Mercedes' it will only be if they are planning to keep the species longterm. She is already an old animal and though moving her would be good publicity for RZS it would also be a false economy. However if they are planning to exhibit polar bears longterm, then it isn't.

 

[^Chris^]

... if they are planning to keep the species longterm...

I do think this could be the case as it appears on the Masterplan and I've read about it elsewhere. How accurate this masterplan design is I'm unsure as the article seems quite old and very ambitious including Manatees, Gorillas, Elephants, Giraffes and Cheetah. The zoo has said (I remember them saying it when Bornfree notcied Elephants coming back) that the masterplan is very much 'aspirational' and not fixed. I'm also unsure as to whether the masterplan refers to Edinburgh Zoo specifically or the Zoo and HWP.
Edinburgh Zoo

Perhaps Bongo (Chris) can shed more light on this but I'm sure I have heard something about a big new polar bear exhibit at one of the two sites around 2011- presumably for Mercedes if she's still with us and more Polar Bears.

Kiang, thankyou for the information regarding the Musk Ox.

 

[kiang]

i do hope that musk oxen come up here they would look spectacular in the highland mountains in the wintertime, a true immersion exhibit, i also believe more european elk are on there way from europe from where i'm not sure and the kiang i am guessing would be from either tierpark berlin or riga as they seem to be the main holders in europe.

 

[kiang]

never assume too much jst got an e-mail from the park the kiang came from helsinki zoo, and along with the above mentioned animals other species to be brought include bactrian camel pallas cats and amur leopard. i know i am going on a bit here but if you get the chance go up and see them they are beautiful animals with there cream and almost terracotta pelt, the trip up is worth it although i would like to see a few more birds in the collection.

 

[^Chris^]

never assume too much jst got an e-mail from the park the kiang came from helsinki zoo, and along with the above mentioned animals other species to be brought include bactrian camel pallas cats and amur leopard. i know i am going on a bit here but if you get the chance go up and see them they are beautiful animals with there cream and almost terracotta pelt, the trip up is worth it although i would like to see a few more birds in the collection.

What birds are currently on display?
Capercaillie, grouse and things like chough and raven?
There's plenty of scope for bird species to take on; maybe vultures (like lammergeir or European Black) or some of the more northerly crane species or Auks and sea ducks. Do you know if they have any plans for them?

 

[Pertinax]

I know i am going on a bit here but if you get the chance go up and see them they are beautiful animals with there cream and almost terracotta pel /QUOTE]

I don't think I've ever been there(been nearby once or twice and I always visit Edinburgh Zoo if I'm in Scotland) I woul certainly visit to see Kiangs- I don't think I have seen these though I have postcards from European zoos. I do like Wild Asses- particularly the Somalis which are quite stunning....

It sounds from changes at both Edinburgh Zoo and the HWP that the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland has had a monumental shift in policy and direction in the last year or two....

 

[kiang]

i have some photos of the kiang. i will try download them tonight on the gallery, this is all new to me as my pc at home is only a week old and i am learning slowly

 

[Kifaru Bwana]

Timescale Highland Wildlife Park

Kiang,

I guess some of the animals for the Highland Wildlife Park are already at Edinburgh Zoo. I know of a pair of White-Lipped Deer, the goral (recently moved to HWP), Mishmi takin (2.2 pairs at Edinburgh) and Pallas' cat (2.4 at Edinburgh).

Chris mentioned more birds and he is right. Perhaps the European vultures, black stork, Siberian, white-naped and red-crowned cranes are a good possibility for an Eurasian themed HWP.

The kiang are very nice indeed. I have spotted them while at Berlin Tierpark, one of the most sizeable breeding groups and they looked absolutely fabulous in their darkish redbrown coats. Also, they were exhibited for a short while at Rhenen Zoo (the current Aywaille, Belgium group).

Keep us posted, will you?

 

[kiang]

i agree that the park does need some more birds, white naped or red crowned cranes next to the macaques and maybe an a walk through aviary smoething like europe on the edge at chester. edinburgh had brought in a group of ruff destined for the hwp but they have disappeard from edinburgh

 

[Kifaru Bwana]

kiang,

European marshlands why did I not think of that. Rotterdam Zoo has just opened an European aviary cut halfway through with redshank, ruff, lapwing and the like and on the other side of the fence a southern European themed exhibit with white headed duck, bee-eaters, spoonbills and sorts. It would be very nice to have a walk-through European wader bird exhibit at HWP too!

 

[^Chris^]

kiang,

European marshlands why did I not think of that. Rotterdam Zoo has just opened an European aviary cut halfway through with redshank, ruff, lapwing and the like and on the other side of the fence a southern European themed exhibit with white headed duck, bee-eaters, spoonbills and sorts. It would be very nice to have a walk-through European wader bird exhibit at HWP too!

I think that'd be a good idea. It'd be in-keeping with the mountain theme as many wading birds breed on moorlands. I think they seem to have lots of other plans though and birds seem pretty low on the list of priorities.

 

[kiang]

a lot of wild wading birds actually breed in the main reserve such as lapwing and oystercatcher so i don't think a wading bird exhibit would be high on their priorities, although i did see on isis that they have a pair of satyr tragopan not on exhibit though and i think they will go in an aviary next to the new red panda enclosure.

 

[Writhedhornbill]

They should get lot's of monals and bar headed geese and make a himalayan Aviary.

 

[kiang]

thats a good idea as they have also brought in the kiang and yak, with white lipped deer, snow leopard and pallas cat coming. a good mix of himalayan species, but the remit for the park is mountain and tundra so we need a mix of species anyone got any ideas?