Knowsley Safari Park Knowsley Safari Park 2023

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Keelan

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Visited today and a few things to note. The whole africa section has new gates and cattle grids and there is also a new large shelter in zone 3 of the drive where there was a bit of hard standing. The map has been changed slightly because the image of the zebra has now moved to where they are on the safari rather in zone 4 so this tells me that they will stay there which is a real shame. The doors to the bongo house were shut so unsure what is happening there. Foot safari is much the same.

I have to say that today the safari felt very empty as in with the amount of species. I think that knowsley really need new species now to fill up the safari again. They have plenty of space for more species.
 
Great review as always @Keelan. Wonder if some of the current African species have tried a great escape :D seriously though i presume the gates and grids just needed replacing.
It would be nice to think new species are in the pipeline but I'll wait for confirmation before I get excited :rolleyes: anyhow hope you enjoyed your day
 
Wouldn't surprise me if they have been escaping. I once saw the buffalo heading into the bongo enclosure. But yes new species would be great but we will have to wait and see
 
Are there still ostrich here or are they off show due to bird flu restrictions?
 
Keelan said:
I have to say that today the safari felt very empty as in with the amount of species. I think that knowsley really need new species now to fill up the safari again. They have plenty of space for more species.
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I've had a season ticket for 17 or 18 years now, get it now only as 2 or 3 visits and its paid off for the year. The safari drive is a shadow of its former self. We used to go at least twice a week as there was nearly always something exciting going to happen. In about 2013/15 time the numbers of the animals on safari dropped and dropped, the diversity of species remained and later slightly increased. However, just off the top of my head, in what I call 'The Rhino section' from approx 2006 to about 2010, the actual volume of animals was well over 3 x the number you see now. There was 40-50 Eland, similar numbers of American Bison, 6 or 7 Ostrich, 6 Guanaco's, Forrest Buffalo similar numbers to now, a few wildebeest, 3 regularly breeding female rhino's (at that time 'Bud' was the bull.
Up until around 2014(ush) there was a breeding pride of lions, as a breeding pride they were more interesting (when not asleep). Pere David's deer numbers where around 4 or 5 times the number they now have, cape buffalos, rhea, emu & ostrich, jungle fowl. Bongo's displayed so you could see them. African wild dogs, African elephants, a collection of male giraffes, I think cross breds, but a good crowd pleaser non the less. There was a gap when they had no giraffe for a couple of years too.
You also used to drive round the opposite way as to which you do these days, so your drive would start by going up the hill towards the now wild ass enclosure and into the lions.
The baboons used to escape to, which was pure entertainment as you can imagine, albeit a pain in the arse for the keepers!
The now bird of prey area which is good used to be a farm/zoo area with breeding pigs, a few goats, llama and highland cattle.

The walk around area (bar no elephants) is better now, but the safari drive is certainly 'meh' these days.
 
Haven't seen ostrich there for years but that could be down to bird flu.
The tiger enclosure is the best thing to have been added for at least 10yrs.
African wild dogs and/or cheetah would be awesome additions as there is plenty of space. Anyhow there is huge potential and hopefully management will listen to visitors concerns
 
If they are achieving financial targets not much will change. There may be conservation opportunities to take up from time to time.

They also used to have a small but tidy display of Herps and Spiders which I miss.

The section which has suffered the most from what it was to current time is where the European Bison live now, zone 9 on the most up to date map. If I am right (this was my last trip) there were 5 or 6 bison and one female European Moose in the whole area? 6 or 7 animals in one who area? - that's a bit rubbish isn't it? Plus the plants are taking over, nettles look ugly and are everywhere.
This same area around 2007-2014 (maybe a bit longer) KSP used to display:
Emu, Wallabies, Nilgai, Axis deer, Black Buck, Jungle Fowl, Bongos, Barasingha and one Wildebeest. I've possibly forgotten one or two species too.

The new tiger display is outstanding, but another big species moved from the safari route.
 
ZSL have announced that Makari, a male Amur tiger born at Whipsnade in June 2018 will shortly move to Knowsley. One of Makari’s brothers, Dmitri transferred to Woburn in June of last year. Czar the other brother will be retained by Whipsnade and will become part of their breeding programme. This is excellent news for Knowsley :)
 
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Embu said:
Are there still ostrich here or are they off show due to bird flu restrictions?
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The two ostrich females recently returned to the Africa section of the drive after avian flu restrictions were relaxed. They had been off show for a number of months.
 
Wonder what will happen with miron now. Will he move to the old tiger enclosure or stay where he is or even move to a new collection
 
BillBoy80 said:
ZSL have announced that Makari, a male Amur tiger born at Whipsnade in June 2018 will shortly move to Knowsley. One of Makari’s brothers, Dmitri transferred to Woburn in June of last year. Czar the other brother will be retained by Whipsnade and will become part of their breeding programme. This is excellent news for Knowsley :)
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I hope that means Whipsnade might get a female tiger to match to Czar as having one tiger there will be a bit of a shame.

Makari should be a good addition he's pretty showy.
 
Lafone said:
I hope that means Whipsnade might get a female tiger to match to Czar as having one tiger there will be a bit of a shame.

Makari should be a good addition he's pretty showy.
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I’m very excited for Makari’s arrival. It seems a certainty that it will result in a female moving to Whipsnade to join Czar. I’m not sure what the plan is with Miron, I will certainly miss him if he does move on in order to facilitate a female moving in. As pointed out in another post there is always the option of moving him to the old Tiger enclosure on the drive. I would think if this was to happen it would likely only be a short to mid term solution with Miron being still a relatively young tiger.
 
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BillBoy80 said:
The two ostrich females recently returned to the Africa section of the drive after avian flu restrictions were relaxed. They had been off show for a number of months.
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There's only 2 ostrich left now? Wasn't that long ago they had 1:4. Glad they've gone back on drive through.

BillBoy80 said:
ZSL have announced that Makari, a male Amur tiger born at Whipsnade in June 2018 will shortly move to Knowsley. One of Makari’s brothers, Dmitri transferred to Woburn in June of last year. Czar the other brother will be retained by Whipsnade and will become part of their breeding programme. This is excellent news for Knowsley :)
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Do these brothers have any other close living relatives in the UK? Just seems strange(maybe it's quite normal) that all 3 brothers(the same age) would be all kept in the UK?
Great news regardless hopefully they have a female lined up. Maybe Longleat's young female Yuki is lined up to be partnered with one? She only has 3 related tigers in UK(both parents and a brother)
 
BillBoy80 said:
ZSL have announced that Makari, a male Amur tiger born at Whipsnade in June 2018 will shortly move to Knowsley. One of Makari’s brothers, Dmitri transferred to Woburn in June of last year. Czar the other brother will be retained by Whipsnade and will become part of their breeding programme. This is excellent news for Knowsley :)
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About time the brothers have been fighting quite a lot recently and that just normal a
Embu said:
There's only 2 ostrich left now? Wasn't that long ago they had 1:4. Glad they've gone back on drive through.



Do these brothers have any other close living relatives in the UK? Just seems strange(maybe it's quite normal) that all 3 brothers(the same age) would be all kept in the UK?
Great news regardless hopefully they have a female lined up. Maybe Longleat's young female Yuki is lined up to be partnered with one? She only has 3 related tigers in UK(both parents and a brother)
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Their mum gone back to France and dad is in highland wildlife park (Botzman) and they are the only three cubs from one litter they were allowed to have… Yes Yuki from Longleat would be ideal for Whipsnade or Knowsley, but it maybe similar to Dmitri who although living at woeburn still hasn’t ventured outside of the gated paddock. As doesn’t seem to like the open space in a safari park, which has been a issue at woeburn so even though it’s been a year next month he hasn’t met their female yet!, could be the same with Maliki :(
 
I don't think knowsley will have that issue because the enclosure isn't a drive through because it is on the foot safari. Isn't there also a young female at Banham that could potentially move to knowsley or whipsnade too.
 
in regards to close relatives the 3 youngsters at highland are half siblings to the whipsnade trio
 
The tigers are now a Knowsley success, it seemed to take ages for the two sisters to get paired with a male from when they first arrived.
KSP used to have tigers on the drive around section, but apparently they attacked/chewed car tyres, so were fenced off. It's 50 years this year since the drive around route was extended to what it is now.
 
When you say the tigers used to be on the drive section where are you referring too. The only area I have ever seen them on the safari drive is on the left hand side after the lion drive through.
 
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