Highland Wildlife Park Hwp 2009

Finally made it up to the park after the snowfall and what an improvement since the last time i have been there...

There is now four wolves instead of three, but all males. Unfortunately i didn't have the time to ask if they planned for any females to be coming soon, does anyone know if there is a plan?? I know Edinburgh Zoo is planning having some Wolves but never got the chance to ask if it was the four males, or maybe females to be quarentined?

Looks like Mercedes is definately going there in the summer this year according to the notice board, it also stated new arrives which included new wildcat kitten. I didn't see them out but did get some great pictures of the animals enjoying the snow. The Tigers especially seemed so happy in their bigger place. Was lovely to see them enjoying the cold snow

Here are some pictures of the day, hope you enjoy :)

Flickr: Lesley4444's Photostream
 
So happy about Mercedes:)
Maybe that means that when she dies they will replace her with a breeding pair too?
 
I am hoping to get up to the park at the end of March, and hopefully see the Japanese serow in with the macaques, should make for a great mixed exhibit.
Hopefully work will have started on the polar bear enclosure and the camels should be in the park by then too. (and hopefully the musk oxen too).

Found this picture too of a saiga at the park taken in 1976 at the park.

842-Highland Wildlife Park-1976-Saiga Antelope on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
 
3 male wolves are being moved down to Edinburgh Zoo once the enclosure is re-fenced (where the takin then the serow were) - one male staying at HWP to be joined by a female

not sure where they are going to house them as I thought the current wolves enclosure is being redeveloped for Mercedes the polar bear?

next to move up from the Zoo should be the Camels then within the next year the remaining Chinese Goral and the musk deer

Two Amur Leopards will complete quarantine by June this year however not sure when they will be moved up as enclosure still needs to be built
 
Hmm, I don't see any reason why HWP has to build the polar bear enclosure on the wolf exhibit, plenty of space elsewhere.
 
i think the constraints are timescales and money which is why the wolf exhibit has been chosen

Mercedes' current enclosure will be redeveloped for another animal to allow a few animals to move around the zoo (drills, barbary macaques, european otters) in preperation for a new exhibit being built next year
 
New exhibit? Does that mean Edinburgh still wants to keep polars?
 
glasgowanimal said:
i think the constraints are timescales and money which is why the wolf exhibit has been chosen

Mercedes' current enclosure will be redeveloped for another animal to allow a few animals to move around the zoo (drills, barbary macaques, european otters) in preperation for a new exhibit being built next year
Click to expand...

the zoo's polar bear enclosure used to house brown bears, maby this will happen again?
 
glasgowanimal said:
i think the constraints are timescales and money which is why the wolf exhibit has been chosen

Mercedes' current enclosure will be redeveloped for another animal to allow a few animals to move around the zoo (drills, barbary macaques, european otters) in preperation for a new exhibit being built next year
Click to expand...

I think the plan was to move the drill and the aye aye into the old gorilla house once the Barbary macaques have vacated it, there was talk of a walk through macaque enclosure in the zoo possibly on the site of the current addax paddock, but i think they may go back on to their former home the old baboon rock, where the European otters are currently held, and they may go into what will be the former polar bear exhibit:confused:

Personally speaking when the polar bear vacates its enclosure i would like to see it caged over for the zoos pair of jaguar, it would be a fantastic exhibit and in close proximity to the margay, marmosets and tamarins, red titi, white faced saki, squirrel monkeys and capuchins, then creating a small South American themed area, just a thought.

But i think we should transfer this conversation over to an Edinburgh zoo thread not confuse the HWP thread.;)
 
HWP VISIT 23-03-09
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I visited the park today, my first visit in about a year and apart from the new tiger enclosure there wasn't much in the way of new species or exhibits.

Starting with the tiger exhibit, it is a fantastic enclosure simply a large area of woodland enclosed behind a fence, simple yet brilliant, with a few ponds and a few resting platforms ideal for the pair of Amur tigers, i was really impressed.

The Japanese macaques have been joined by the Japanese serow in their vast enclosure, what a fascinating time i had viewing this exhibit, the serow have only been in for a matter of weeks now. The serow were in one corner of the enclosure and the macaque were staying at the other (the public viewing windows end), but the behaviour of the macaques was amazing to watch sending one or two of the troop towards the serow, before scurrying back, raised up on their hind legs watching the serow across the lochan, and the vocalisation was just constant chattering.

There is a new paddock and hardstand and housing in the drive through reserve, i think this is the new camel house, the paddock is currently being used by the Himalayan tahr, at first i thought this might be a new exhibit for the musk oxen, but the house is connected to the lower paddock used by the kiang and the yak, the camels are due to arrive before the end of the month.

The red panda enclosures both look great, a lot of the fencing i objected to on my previous visit has been replaced with plate glass and looks a lot better.

The European otters are down to one elderly female, and one enclosure!, the original enclosure from the parks opening is still there, but the extension has made way for the tiger enclosure, so is really only acceptable for this one elderly animal.

The Bactrian wapiti have been moved to the former paddock of the elk, and in there enclosure is a single kiang.
The aviary for the chough next to the lynx is now unoccupied as during the snowy weather of a few weeks ago the aviary collapsed.
The large aviary intended for the Himalayan snowcock is still unfinished, this has been going on for about a year and a half (too long for me!).

Mercedes the polar bear will be rehomed in June/July in the current wolf enclosure, there is a second wolf enclosure right next to it, which will house a pair of European wolves, with the spare males going to Edinburgh.

Finally there is a newborn Mishmi takin in the herd.

Now to upload pictures into the gallery.
 
thanks for the update Kiang!

Cant wait to go back up late April/early May, was up there in October and spent about an hour watching the lynx being fed and playing, two beautiful cats!
 
kiang said:
HWP VISIT 23-03-09
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Mercedes the polar bear will be rehomed in June/July in the current wolf enclosure.
Click to expand...

Do you know where the new enclosure is to be built for Mercedes ? Presumably the wolf enclosure is only going to be a temporary home for her? Is that move definate for June/ July ?
 
the date that has been quoted to members is by the end of the year for Mercedes moving up to HWP

the wolf enclosure will be redeveloped for Mercedes as there are good viewing points from the top of the hill
 
I was up at the park yesterday and from their notice board

February - 2 elk left to go to a private collection in Perthshire

February 27th-Tundra reindeer left to go to Edinburgh Zoo

31st March-Mouflon herd transferred to Perthshire

9th April-Afghan urials moved out to main reserve
Bharal moved into paddock next to red pandas

The bactrian camels will be arriving in May and will be going into the entrance reserve alongside the yak and kiang.

Work was well underway on the new wolf enclosure and the polar bear enclosure will be where the wolves are now.Mercedes is expected to be moving up to her new home around July.

The Wild Boar has again been busy having fathered another 2 litters of piglets joining the 2 litters i saw on my last visit in January.I believe there are 21 animals in the enclosure now!
 
Do they still have 1 elk left? Are they stopping keeping them?:( I hope not, as they are very impressive animals, and the only chance to see them in the UK. Where will the new wolf enclosure be?
 
Bwassa said:
Do they still have 1 elk left? Are they stopping keeping them?:( I hope not, as they are very impressive animals, and the only chance to see them in the UK. Where will the new wolf enclosure be?
Click to expand...

I don't know if they have any elk left,i never saw any yesterday but on the map they give you at the gate it still showed elk as being in the main reserve.Like you Bwassa i hope they are not giving up keeping them,the main reserve was a little sparse yesterday without the mouflon and elk.

The new wolf enclosure is right next to the present one on the bottom side of the hill nearest the car park.
 
Hi solari, thanks for the update, were the Himalayan tahr on show?

The only park in Perthshire i can think of would be Auchengarroch, so there might still be a chance of seeing them, when i visited last month there was only a pair on show in their reserve.
 
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