Howletts Wild Animal Park Howletts news 2025
- Thread starter Embu
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I would recommend enquiring with each facility directly - via calling/emailing.
Orca obsessed
Well-Known Member
I hate their move, like if they are at capacity, then just move some of the elephants? They have 2 male calves that could be moved to Noah’s ark and 2 more that in a few years could too, but if they still decide to move their elephants I think they’ll probably get alot less visitors and could potentially go out of business…
Just a couple of notes
- I don't know anyone on this site that is happy to see Howletts getting rid of their elephants
- Majority of the elephants are all related, you can't just split the herd up unless there are tensions that are causing issues
- Howletts will still exist even if they do get rid of their elephants
- Last I heard if they do relocate this herd to Africa then they were possibly looking at getting other elephants in, possible rescues
- Currently there doesn't appear to be any issues having the 2:0 14yrs old in there. Maybe they are starting to seperate from the main herd
I don't know the herd at all really. There were 2 sizeable males separated from the rest of the herd in the yard area (near the bandstand?) when I went last week, but I have no idea who they were.
An incredibly impressive herd though, I don't think I've ever seen such a large herd of any type of elephant.
What I will say is that the elephants were clearly the most popular attraction there on the day I went. Not that I wasn't interested in other animals, but then I made a beeline for the red river hogs which I'm sure a lot of people are less than excited about!
An incredibly impressive herd though, I don't think I've ever seen such a large herd of any type of elephant.
What I will say is that the elephants were clearly the most popular attraction there on the day I went. Not that I wasn't interested in other animals, but then I made a beeline for the red river hogs which I'm sure a lot of people are less than excited about!
Possibly in Musth. They are brothers to every female in the herd apart from the matriarch
Howletts and Port Lympne have always specialised in BIG groups of many of the species they keep- as well as the Elephants, think Gorillas and Black Rhino, + some other primate and ungulate groups too. They seem to be able to allow their groups to build to a greater size, largely free of the constraints/recommendations imposed by EEP studbooks in other zoos. Plus the initial groupings, lavish diet and/or additional space afforded to many of their species would encourage more successful breeding, without any other particular effort it seems, too. There used to be even more gorillas than there are nowadays, groups of a dozen or more with multiple babies were present in all 4 enclosures at Howletts- the current groups are tiny by comparison and I think they must have put a curb on breeding them.
They still have large groups of other endangered species of primate like Wanderoo, White-naped Mangabey and Drills(and still De Brazza?) which are bigger and more natural than the much smaller-numbered groups so often seen elsewhere. Though even they have their occassional failure e.g. breeding the Golden-bellied Managabeys never got off the ground and we all know the story of the Sumatran rhinos. But I sometimes think that any species that is failing in their European zoo populations, might do better if taken on Howletts, they (generally speaking) do make it look easy.
This is not a rose-tinted view of Howletts/PL, just a comment on their ability to produce and maintain large groups. One downside is the uncertainty of what will happen next there!- will they suddenly try and repatriate something to the wild for example.
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To be fair they were sent an old pre-injured female Sumatran rhino to start with which was never going to breed!
Oh yes, that certainly wasn't their fault as both females they received were not suitable to breed from. Just pointing out they don't succeed with everything, Asian elephants was another example.
I wasn't a great fan of the enclosures at Howletts for the gorillas. I guess they must do something right if they've bred so easily but they felt very... cage-like.
How many Drills do they have?
Upwards of about a dozen I think. They recently sent two younger females to Edinburgh but must still have one of the biggest groups in Europe. Their founder stock came from Stuttgart zoo so I think EEP may still have some involvment in their management.
….which was their strength. Mesh is great for climbing on, mesh roofs are good for hanging from…… Aspinall was breeding shedloads of gorilllas when most places thought they were doing well to keep the adults alive
The social groupjng/pairing is more important, if that is right they will breed whatever their env ironment. Aspinall Snr focused on the importance of 'upper arm strength' for gorillas and the ability provided for climbing -which is why they designed those gymnasium -style enclosures. They may look cage -like but the gorillas use the whole outdoor space and because it's covered over they feel secure.
As I say, they must be doing something right, but it felt quite old-fashioned in comparison with enclosures in other places (arguably even some of them at Port Lympne). It seems strange to have absolutely no 'outdoor' space.
They have the same cage-style of design at Port Lymne. Folllowing public complaints, they added the large outdoor areas as unlike at Howletts they had the space to do so. But outside of the scatter feeds the gorillas rarely use them, mainly they just stay empty throughout the day. Gorillas like cover over them.
Bristol for example.