Any ideas where the specialist vulture facility in Wales actually is? And is it open to the public. They did still have the king vulture last summer when we visited. Also had a lappet faced and 3 Cape vultures that I'm glad we saw before it's closed. Many of the enclosures looked like they needed updating or replacing though sadly. Not sure if that played any part in their decision.
International Centre for Birds of Prey - Newent ICBP, International centre for birds of prey
- Thread starter kiang
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It is a private facility, and not open to the public whatsoever.
These being the two species I had particularly hoped to see there someday
According to ZTL, there seems to still be Cape Vulture/s kicking around at "Welsh Hawking", though I guess that this is perhaps not too convenient for those closer to Newent.. Though these appear to be the last one/s in Europe[!].These being the two species I had particularly hoped to see there someday
The Lappet-faced apparently remains on the continent..
EDIT: Apparenly "Welsh Hawking" isn't of too much help either, it seems that in 2020 they reported they were "closed until further notice", which is quite ominous in the case of the last Cape Vulture/s in Europe..
Nightmare I believe the 3 Cape at newent where smuggled into the country as eggs and confiscated at Heathrow. Hopefully you get the chance to see some at some point. I think the lappet is the only in the UK from what I could find out. I believe newent used to have a bearded vulture but wasn't there when we visited which was annoying, not sure what happend to that? I believe bearded and Himalayan are the only vultures currently in the UK we haven't seen.
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If you want to see bearded vulture you would have to go to Warwick castle as that's the only other place that has one and as for Himalayan griffon vulture you would have to go to baytree owl and wildlife centre as that's the only one in UK hagley falconry centre use to have one but she either died or was sent to another collection
The Himalayan from Hagley was sent to Baytree Owl I think
Correct, the Cape vultures were egg rescuees. Did Newent participate in any EAZA breeding programs for vultures either Africans or European spp.?
Would be best to have the Himalayan griffon move to a collection with conspecifics.
Yep the only problem is baytree is a long way from us and I think it is meant to be a pretty small place? Also we contacted Warwick last year and they said the bearded isn't part of the shows at the moment and they are not in viewable enclosures so sadly would be unable to see them.
That's daft all that way and you can't get a decent look at it on its perch
Ben Kniveton
Member
There are King Vultures in lots of other zoos. Including the National Centre for birds of prey, Hawk Conservancy Trust and South Lakes Safari Zoo
Ben Kniveton
Member
It should be in the Warwick Castle show by the summer
Ben Kniveton
Member
It’s not daft at all, it’s done for the welfare of the birds as they prefer not to be bothered by strangers all day.
Ben Kniveton
Member
The centre in Helmsley isn’t closing because it isn’t the same charity/business. It’s a complete separate stand alone business.
They announced that we’re closing on that day as they weren’t yet open to the public after their winter break so closed to stop themselves having to prepare for the open season knowing they were going to close permanently. Nothing fishy about it at all.
The king vulture isn't at the hawk conservancy anymore hasn't been for a while. It's not on the list of birds in their off show aviaries either.
Ben Kniveton
Member
oh, I didn’t realise they’d moved that on. There are definitely a pair at NCBP though! I can promise you that!
Mm..
Even with this assurance, I wouldn't exactly say there are "lots" of them in the UK, as there are only four collection with them. [The aforementioned South Lakes, NCBP, and Colchester Zoo, as well as Curraghs Wildlife Park on the Isle of Man]
Though that said, London, Chessington, and Cotswolds [the latter obtained from the former] have all held the species in fairly recent times. [Up until c.2016.] Assuming Zootierliste is still accurate here, there are even more American Black Vulture in the UK, with about 12 holdings in all. [Of course the vast majority being falconries etc, the only zoo in the list is South Lakes again]. Both of the ZSL zoos, as well as Chester have also held the species fairly recently, and I also remember them being in Beale Park for some time, though I do not know when they left the collection. I would think around 2015-ish, as at that time apparently there was only one in the park.
Ben Kniveton
Member
I didn’t say there were lots of UK zoos with them, I just said lots of zoos, naming a few in the UK
A collaborative project between the International Centre for Birds of Prey and Natural England will be breeding hen harriers in captivity for reintroduction to Salisbury Plain.
Twelve birds - six males and six females - have been brought in from France and Spain to establish breeding pairs. The birds are sourced from nests in crop fields that were due to be harvested.
The aim is for birds to start breeding next year, although the new pairs may not produce enough chicks for release until 2024. The intention is for at least 100 birds to be released over the next five years.
While hen harriers haven't bred in lowland Britain for decades, they nest on lowland grassland and arable fields on the continent and it is thought by conservationists that the birds could thrive in southern England again, if they are returned there.
The University of Exeter researched suitable sites for reintroduction and found it made more sense for birds to be released on lowland grassland and farmland than isolated moorland areas like Dartmoor and Exmoor. Salisbury Plain is an area where the birds should be free from persecution, as it is Ministry of Defence land, but talks between Natural England and farmers and game shoots in surrounding Wiltshire have found that there is strong local support for the project.
More information can be found in the link below:
Hen Harriers to be bred in captivity and released in Wiltshire - BirdGuides
Twelve birds - six males and six females - have been brought in from France and Spain to establish breeding pairs. The birds are sourced from nests in crop fields that were due to be harvested.
The aim is for birds to start breeding next year, although the new pairs may not produce enough chicks for release until 2024. The intention is for at least 100 birds to be released over the next five years.
While hen harriers haven't bred in lowland Britain for decades, they nest on lowland grassland and arable fields on the continent and it is thought by conservationists that the birds could thrive in southern England again, if they are returned there.
The University of Exeter researched suitable sites for reintroduction and found it made more sense for birds to be released on lowland grassland and farmland than isolated moorland areas like Dartmoor and Exmoor. Salisbury Plain is an area where the birds should be free from persecution, as it is Ministry of Defence land, but talks between Natural England and farmers and game shoots in surrounding Wiltshire have found that there is strong local support for the project.
More information can be found in the link below:
Hen Harriers to be bred in captivity and released in Wiltshire - BirdGuides