Longleat Safari & Adventure Park Longleat Safari Park 2025
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Announced within the last hour, very sad news copied off Facebook
We are saddened to announce that Lionel, who was a guest favourite here at Longleat, has passed away.
The eight-year-old was one of four red pandas and will be honoured when we mark International Red Panda Day on Saturday.
A key part of the European-wide conservation breeding programme, Lionel fathered four cubs during his time at Longleat.
A spokesman for Longleat said: “We are deeply saddened to announce Lionel’s passing, as well as playing a key part in the breeding programme, he became a popular TV celebrity and helped us to deliver amazing close-up experiences for guests.
“We know he was much-loved by visitors and keepers alike; our keepers were devoted to him and all the red pandas who live with us, and they are committed to providing the best possible care for this endangered species.”
Keepers will be sharing memories of Lionel as well as highlighting the key conservation work taking place to mark International Red Panda Day on Saturday.
We are saddened to announce that Lionel, who was a guest favourite here at Longleat, has passed away.
The eight-year-old was one of four red pandas and will be honoured when we mark International Red Panda Day on Saturday.
A key part of the European-wide conservation breeding programme, Lionel fathered four cubs during his time at Longleat.
A spokesman for Longleat said: “We are deeply saddened to announce Lionel’s passing, as well as playing a key part in the breeding programme, he became a popular TV celebrity and helped us to deliver amazing close-up experiences for guests.
“We know he was much-loved by visitors and keepers alike; our keepers were devoted to him and all the red pandas who live with us, and they are committed to providing the best possible care for this endangered species.”
Keepers will be sharing memories of Lionel as well as highlighting the key conservation work taking place to mark International Red Panda Day on Saturday.
Went Longleat today great day out.. did you know Mango and Fennel baby North American tree porcupine is now at Blackpool zoo having become fully weaned and adult by 6 months. So just the parents remain.
Three fennel foxes born this year march, continue to thrive away from parents but are kept in the koala hospital just before you go inside Koala creek on the left hand side is their enclosure.
Saw three lionesses in klaus and Simba pride but in an adjacent pen to the pride, but did seem rather skinny looking and more frail maybe? Might just be a retirement thing for the girls..
Saw all the koalas but did have a question as to why the koala flooring was covered in urine and the koala walk though it on the ground, why isn’t their a more natural thing that maybe soaks it up and keeps it cleaner for the koalas.
Tigers were out and active in their section, and again cheetah had three boys out in morning and two girls in afternoon… still wondering if any mixing has occurred between them yet?
Finally new fencing all around half mile lake… due to the hippos which still haven’t been released into the lake yet, due to the fear they may destroy a) Bever dams built by the beavers so new fencing protect that.
2) possible escape up the side of the banks so again fencing stops them attempting to climb..
3) mixing hasn’t gone well so far the male hippo Hodar keeps trying to attack the females hippos Manon and Matilda whenever they go near to his mum… so that’s got to be resolved and recall of the hippo established fully before they can go into the lake.
Three fennel foxes born this year march, continue to thrive away from parents but are kept in the koala hospital just before you go inside Koala creek on the left hand side is their enclosure.
Saw three lionesses in klaus and Simba pride but in an adjacent pen to the pride, but did seem rather skinny looking and more frail maybe? Might just be a retirement thing for the girls..
Saw all the koalas but did have a question as to why the koala flooring was covered in urine and the koala walk though it on the ground, why isn’t their a more natural thing that maybe soaks it up and keeps it cleaner for the koalas.
Tigers were out and active in their section, and again cheetah had three boys out in morning and two girls in afternoon… still wondering if any mixing has occurred between them yet?
Finally new fencing all around half mile lake… due to the hippos which still haven’t been released into the lake yet, due to the fear they may destroy a) Bever dams built by the beavers so new fencing protect that.
2) possible escape up the side of the banks so again fencing stops them attempting to climb..
3) mixing hasn’t gone well so far the male hippo Hodar keeps trying to attack the females hippos Manon and Matilda whenever they go near to his mum… so that’s got to be resolved and recall of the hippo established fully before they can go into the lake.
The koalas don’t have substrate as they have to collect, count and test each koalas poo to ensure they are healthy and catch any slight changes in their health early on. (From memory years ago when keeper James did a koala talk)
I knew about the poo that’s fine but the urine was running all over the floor in the enclosure and out of it .. then you see the koala walking on the floor through it continuously and it’s like there must be a better or more natural flooring for the koala to be in.
Charles
Well-Known Member
I had worries about that with the hippo’s I’m still surprised that Lola and Hodor moved together and i hope they can resolve it but I’m not sure how they can
Edinburgh have bark down I think and still collect and count the poo
They laugh and call Hodar a mummy boy , but I remember when speaking to a keeper at whipsnade, they tried to separate Hodar and mum whilst they trained them to go into their travel containers for the move ! It didn’t go well Hodar went crazy and broke through the wooden panels that was keeping him separate from his mum.. He was that distressed so it’s going to be a challenge at least…
Lola’s transfer still puzzles me. Personally, I feel there’s still questions regarding the transfer. Did Brexit/Covid delay an earlier transfer for Hodor prior to the Longleat proposal for example? It did seem to me Whipsnade retained him longer than they should have. Fair enough they didn’t see a long term future for hippopotamus, but they maybe could have retained Lola in the short term at least. The Longleat exhibit looks fantastic, but imagine if Hodor attacked a boat! His future may be offshow.
Charles
Well-Known Member
Only thing with that is hoover need as flamingo land so you would have the difficulty of his daughter and son at the same site and Godzilla (female hippo) was an old first time mother so I don’t know if she’ll breed again
Alternatively send Lola upto Flamingo Land. They have kept 1.2 adults before so presumably have got room
Thank you for a brilliant report on your visit.
I’m really interested to hear about the Hippos.
It’s so sad, but understandable that Hodar is such a mummy’s boy. I really hope that it’s not too late for him to be socialised enough to feel relaxed with the other Hippos interacting with his mum. I’m surprised that he is concerned considering they are females. It would be understandable if they were male. I really don’t know what the answer will be, as it’s not just the Hippos that have to be kept safe, but also the Sealions & the public in the boats. It is an incredible plan & enclosure for the Hippos, although if so many extra poles have to be erected to protect Beaver dams & stop the Hippos getting up banks that they shouldn’t, it shows how well behaved Spot & Sonia were.
I was wondering, how do any of the Hippos in Longleat’s new pod compare in size to the late Spot & Sonia?.
I had trying to persuade my care company to take me to Longleat for a day trip, as I am desperate to see the Hippos, but I’m not sure I’d be able to get on a boat, due to my mobility & disabilities. I’m worried my wheelchair wouldn’t get on a boat, & I’m so conscious that I would need so many people to help, I would make a show up of myself & everyone would be looking at me.
I do have a huge folder here full of
“A Survey of the Hippocampus in Captivity in the British Isles”, which desperately needs updating, so I would love to have a chat with one of the keepers, if Ian Turner wasn’t available, but I honestly don’t think anything will come of my dreams.
Anyway, I really enjoy & appreciate reading everyone’s experiences at Longleat, especially with regards to the Hippos. Your reporting back to me is just like me going, so thank you
Xx
Lafone
Well-Known Member
Thank you for a brilliant report on your visit.
I’m really interested to hear about the Hippos.
It’s so sad, but understandable that Hodar is such a mummy’s boy. I really hope that it’s not too late for him to be socialised enough to feel relaxed with the other Hippos interacting with his mum. I’m surprised that he is concerned considering they are females. It would be understandable if they were male. I really don’t know what the answer will be, as it’s not just the Hippos that have to be kept safe, but also the Sealions & the public in the boats. It is an incredible plan & enclosure for the Hippos, although if so many extra poles have to be erected to protect Beaver dams & stop the Hippos getting up banks that they shouldn’t, it shows how well behaved Spot & Sonia were.
I was wondering, how do any of the Hippos in Longleat’s new pod compare in size to the late Spot & Sonia?.
I had trying to persuade my care company to take me to Longleat for a day trip, as I am desperate to see the Hippos, but I’m not sure I’d be able to get on a boat, due to my mobility & disabilities. I’m worried my wheelchair wouldn’t get on a boat, & I’m so conscious that I would need so many people to help, I would make a show up of myself & everyone would be looking at me.
I do have a huge folder here full of
“A Survey of the Hippocampus in Captivity in the British Isles”, which desperately needs updating, so I would love to have a chat with one of the keepers, if Ian Turner wasn’t available, but I honestly don’t think anything will come of my dreams.
Anyway, I really enjoy & appreciate reading everyone’s experiences at Longleat, especially with regards to the Hippos. Your reporting back to me is just like me going, so thank you
I think Longleat would welcome a visit from anyone as passionate about the park and the animals and they do say the boat is wheelchair accessible with an area at the front.
I think everyone would be fine with anyone getting on and off in a wheelchair and if they aren’t well that honestly reflects badly on them and not on you at all.
Perhaps you and the care company could have a chat with guest services linked here and see what’s possible - you have as much right to a great day out as anyone else and given they say they want to help with accessibility perhaps it’s a good opportunity to test them out!
Accessibility
Thank you Lafone, that is very kind of you to respond like you have. You have made me feel slightly better about myself. I definitely will keep on at my care company, & it would make my year to be able to go back to Longleat.
To be honest, if I ever won the lottery, what I would do is pay to have a private tour of the Hippos at Longleat, & obviously see all the other animals along with everyone else, then apart from that, my other obsessive animals are Polar Bears, Okapis & Tortoises. Evidently one of the best places to see Polar Bears in the UK is in Yorkshire?, so I’d love to go there, & I really don’t know about Okapis, but maybe Marwell?.
I would love to buy my own house with plenty of land. I would have a specialist Okapi barn & vast paddocks with woodland, & a stunning Tortoise enclosure (my Tortoise has been in the family over 130 years), then just pay for vets & keepers to look after them. I would then just spend my life with the Okapis & Tortoises, then go & visit Longleat Hippos & Yorkshire Polar Bears each month.
Right, now I’ve come back down to earth, I’ll just read posts on here, & pray I get to Longleat one day!. Sorry if I sound mad, it’s just I’ve never told anyone my dreams before, & have got a bit carried away. Sorry again, as it isn’t really appropriate on this site.
I hope you all enjoy any upcoming visits to zoos & safari parks, & I look forward to reading all about them!
Don't ever apologise for being passionate about a place or a species on here, that's what we all have in common on here.
I'm just glad that you were made to feel welcome regarding your additional needs.
Does anyone know if Longleats gorilla enclosure was designed with th capabilities to house a breeding group or can it only hold a bachelor group?
It’s got enough space for either (capacity for 6 / 7 gorillas ) but I think they have always said they want to hold a bachelor group so that other zoos can be used as a breeding facility.. like London. It also gives other facilities space to move on their adolescence male gorilla once they leave their families .. without having no where to go x
We visited yesterday and noticed that the koala enclosures inside were the dirtiest that we’ve seen them since the area opened with, as you mentioned, urine puddles all over the floor. It was also the smelliest we’ve ever noticed. Maybe it’s a new way to try to get them to breed?
We finally got to see the hippos - Hodor and Lola within the small area next to the lake, sleeping standing up, and one of the sisters out the back grazing. The boat commentator said that introductions are still happening to try and get them all together and that they don’t really like the lake water at the moment as it’s too cold for them.