South Lakes Wild Animal Park Kadi, Sumatran tiger cub

[Mr T]

I honestly think people need to put more information on the site's Facebook page so that the general public are enlightened to what is going on at this establishment. I have posted on there asking where Kadi was and asking if reports that she had in fact died at the park rather being transferred were true. My comment was removed from the site but it was seem by folloowers if they are bombarded with comments plenty of 'fans' will see the 'rumours' and start asking their own questions.

 

[zoogiraffe]

I honestly think people need to put more information on the site's Facebook page so that the general public are enlightened to what is going on at this establishment. I have posted on there asking where Kadi was and asking if reports that she had in fact died at the park rather being transferred were true. My comment was removed from the site but it was seem by folloowers if they are bombarded with comments plenty of 'fans' will see the 'rumours' and start asking their own questions.

The problem is once you have had a post removed,everything you post on their facebook page gets removed pretty much straight away,hence why I never bother as I corrected them over there Giraffes,they didn't like that one bit!

 

[Yassa]

The one point where I don`t agree is that introducing handraised big cats to adults is always irresponsible. That is jst not not true. One example where it worked perfectly is Heidelberg Zoo in Germany - for years, they had a sumatran tiger female whose maternal instincts were not good, and as a result, 2 or 3 litters were handraised. The cubs were never put back together with their mother, but with their FATHER. The male was very friendly and "took over" parenting duties from the keepers once the cubs were a few months old. They learned all the important social behavoir from him. That may have been an extraordinary situation with an extraordinary friendly male, but it shows that it`s not impossible and can have great benefits if it works.
What is totally inexcusable is that they lied about her death, though.

 

[Bushy]

What else could we do? To the general public it's just an animal really, it's only people like us who really seem to care now... I know it's terrible how they've covered it up but theres not a lot we can do, everything we post will just get blocked or removed

 

[Gary]

Very sad story. Sounds like a series of bad judgements leading to utter tragedy, and not the first one.

 

[TARZAN]

Late last night I politely enquired on the South Lakes Wild Animal Park facebook page concerning the whereabouts of Kadi. This enquiry has very quickly been removed and I am now unable to make any further comments, this is the first and only time I have posted anything on their facebook page, all I did was ask about one of their animals and that is how I was answered.

 

[Pertinax]

The cubs were never put back together with their mother, but with their FATHER. The male was very friendly and "took over" parenting duties from the keepers once the cubs were a few months old.

The difference being that in the wild an adult male Tiger ranges over a very large territory which(if they aren't all poached out) contains one or more females (and their cubs) so he is more likely to be tolerant when meeting cubs and their mothers, even strange females too(?) whereas a female Tiger holds her own smaller territory more precisely and would actively repel other females other than her own cubs until they reach maturity and before they disperse into neighbouring territories, where they may still continue to be on good terms with her. But in the South Lakes case of course, the female Tiger presumably reacted to her (unfamiliar) part grown offspring as if repelling a strange female Tiger.

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Late last night I politely enquired on the South Lakes Wild Animal Park facebook page concerning the whereabouts of Kadi. This enquiry has very quickly been removed and I am now unable to make any further comments, this is the first and only time I have posted anything on their facebook page, all I did was ask about one of their animals and that is how I was answered.

Don't feel too picked on, they give the same treatment for any correction or negative enquiry; no matter how small - I was banned from commenting after they claimed to have the only tayra in the UK. After I said Hamerton and Exmoor also had them, the whole post was removed and replaced with a slightly edited one removing the error, and I was banned from commenting!

 

[TARZAN]

Don't feel too picked on, they give the same treatment for any correction or negative enquiry; no matter how small - I was banned from commenting after they claimed to have the only tayra in the UK. After I said Hamerton and Exmoor also had them, the whole post was removed and replaced with a slightly edited one removing the error, and I was banned from commenting!

I have visited this zoo annually since it opened Dave, and that is how I have been dealt with,other zoos get queries about animals that have died and I am pleased to say most are answered honestly,probably because they have nothing to hide!, thanks for advising me not to feel picked on, I'm sure I will get over it

 

[Pertinax]

,other zoos get queries about animals that have died and I am pleased to say most are answered honestly,probably because they have nothing to hide!,

It would have been far, far, better if he had just admitted the truth about what happened to the Tiger. Whether or not such a reintroduction may have been ill-advised, most people would have been quite unaware of that and so would simply have accepted what happened as an unfortunate accident. By lying about it, and then getting caught out, it does really make it look like they had 'something to hide.'

They must be very busy there obliterating all those embarassing posts on their Facebook....

 

[karoocheetah]

They must be very busy there obliterating all those embarassing posts on their Facebook....

Oh he is - there is now a growing distinguished band of zoo chat members who are blocked from posting on 'South Lakes Wild Animal Park' South Lakes Safari Zoo' 'South Lakes Wild Safari Animal Zoo Park' or whatever iteration of those he is using at the moment!

 

[TARZAN]

It would have been far, far, better if he had just admitted the truth about what happened to the Tiger. Whether or not such a reintroduction may have been ill-advised, most people would have been quite unaware of that and so would simply have accepted what happened as an unfortunate accident. By lying about it, and then getting caught out, it does really make it look like they had 'something to hide.'

They must be very busy there obliterating all those embarassing posts on their Facebook....

Exactly, a good example of this would be at Colchester when Sasha the white tiger killed his mate, the Tropiana family openly stated what happened, they did not try to attempt to suggest that the tigress had been sent to another zoo, they were respected for telling the truth.

 

[karoocheetah]

Exactly, a good example of this would be at Colchester when Sasha the white tiger killed his mate, the Tropiana family openly stated what happened, they did not try to attempt to suggest that the tigress had been sent to another zoo, they were respected for telling the truth.

It can backfire too - look at how open and Honest Knowsley have just been over the whole Baboon incident this weekend - and look at the level of crap and blinkered uneducated criticism they are now getting from the chattering masses on Facebook - it's shocking, they did everything right and were transparent about it - they have offered to answer any questions they get until they are repeating themselves and blue in the face but they are still getting a frightening level of abuse! I'm not advocating hiding anything - I'm with the honest brigade but you can maybe see why some decide against it!

 

[TeaLovingDave]

I'm not advocating hiding anything - I'm with the honest brigade but you can maybe see why some decide against it!

Indeed; however there is still a difference between not commenting at all on where a deceased animal is, and actively spreading misinformation before anyone has noticed the animal is gone!

 

[Pertinax]

My sympathies are all with the Park here. Animals are animals and such unfortunate events do occur, it is a problem when people are reluctant, for whatever reason, to accept that.

 

[pipaluk]

Exactly, a good example of this would be at Colchester when Sasha the white tiger killed his mate, the Tropiana family openly stated what happened, they did not try to attempt to suggest that the tigress had been sent to another zoo, they were respected for telling the truth.

Credit to them and as i've stated elsewhere, the memorial plaque to the female recording the sad incident remained until Sasha died well over a decade later!

 

[zoogiraffe]

Oh he is - there is now a growing distinguished band of zoo chat members who are blocked from posting on 'South Lakes Wild Animal Park' South Lakes Safari Zoo' 'South Lakes Wild Safari Animal Zoo Park' or whatever iteration of those he is using at the moment!

Yes and I'm pretty sure it will grow,in numbers given that many of those that thought the place could do NO WRONG have had there eyes opened over,what happened with Kadi.If you worship the owner you will get on fine,but if you ask questions or show them up,because you know more about something than they do,you get to join a very nice big zoochat club,so to anyone that has joined the club welcome!

 

[pipaluk]

Yes and I'm pretty sure it will grow,in numbers given that many of those that thought the place could do NO WRONG have had there eyes opened over,what happened with Kadi.If you worship the owner you will get on fine,but if you ask questions or show them up,because you know more about something than they do,you get to join a very nice big zoochat club,so to anyone that has joined the club welcome!

If i was on facebook i'd quite happily join that club, but to be honest i don't feel the zoo or its owner are worth my time (or anyone elses) bothering to join!

 

[Pertinax]

that many of those that thought the place could do NO WRONG have had there eyes opened over,what happened with Kadi.

Is this news about Kadi still only on social networking like this, or has it been publicised to a wider audience at all, e.g. by the Press?

 

[ThylacineAlive]

Is this news about Kadi still only on social networking like this, or has it been publicised to a wider audience at all, e.g. by the Press?

I believe many of the original members who posted on this thread had heard about it on a news report but it was a small news report and I think that's the only other coverage the story has gotten.

~Thylo