Marwell Wildlife Marwell 2022 News
- Thread starter GaryA
- Start date
Marwell becomes first in UK to exhibit Beisa oryx:
Marwell Zoo becomes first in UK to welcome rare species
Marwell Zoo has become the first in the UK to welcome the rare Beisa Oryx. The rarely-spotted East African antelope can't be seen at any other zoo in the UK and in time, it's hoped they will become part of a breeding programme.
Marwell Zoo becomes first in UK to welcome rare species
Marwell Zoo has become the first in the UK to welcome the rare Beisa Oryx. The rarely-spotted East African antelope can't be seen at any other zoo in the UK and in time, it's hoped they will become part of a breeding programme.
Given the fact they came *from* a UK collection, that is an incredibly misleading headline 
Where did they come from out of curiosity?Given the fact they came *from* a UK collection, that is an incredibly misleading headline
The two Oryx are father and son and are kept separate as they fight, I understand there are no female available in Europe at the moment so I hope they manage to bring females in,its the other species of antelope at Marwell that want help with only three Lesser Kudu, Roam, Arabian Oryx, Addax and Dorcas Gazelle.Given the fact they came *from* a UK collection, that is an incredibly misleading headline
Yorkshire Wildlife Park
From what I recall at Marwell I saw a pair of Lesser Kudu with a calf - so things seem hopeful in that direction..
but as for the others it'd be good if more animals were introduced.
Also something of an overdue press release if I say so myself - the oryx had arrived at Marwell in October...
but as for the others it'd be good if more animals were introduced.
Also something of an overdue press release if I say so myself - the oryx had arrived at Marwell in October...
September.
They’re a father and son named ‘Shango’ and ‘Nago’.
It is hoped females can be brought in in due time as part of the European ex situ breeding program.
Go back twenty years ago to the glory years Marwell had around two hundred Antelope, now its about forty.
I did notice from looking at the species inventory that the numbers of each species seem massively reduced from former days, no more than groups of 6 or 7 of anything nowadays. For economy reasons? I remember seeing twenty plus Roan antelope some years ago. Going back further in the park's history, when it first opened the initial imported herds of species like the SC Oryx and Waterbuck were 20+ strong in some cases. Big change.
Its cheaper to have less animals, but for some antelope 3 female Arabian Oryx, 1.2 Lesser Kudu, and the 2 Beisa Oryx, animals need to come in from Europe, even 2.1. Addax at Marwell and not a lot in the UK now. There are no plans for any Dorcas Gazelle and they will die out at Marwell and the UK.
I realise it was probably a cost saving decision to have fewer animals of each species, but some of the paddocks are huge. Only having 3 or 4 animals in them just add to the feeling of emptiness, particularly then combined with the number of enclosures that have gone in the last 10-15 years.
Would love to see that reversed, either by building up some larger herds of a single species or more mixed species paddocks.
The large herds of hoofstock used to be Marwell's standout feature. Currently I wouldn't say it has one. In the post John Knowles era where I get the feeling the zoo has become a lot more corporate in how it is run, maybe instead of eliminating them for cost saving, they could have pushed the herds as a marketing opportunity.
Would love to see that reversed, either by building up some larger herds of a single species or more mixed species paddocks.
The large herds of hoofstock used to be Marwell's standout feature. Currently I wouldn't say it has one. In the post John Knowles era where I get the feeling the zoo has become a lot more corporate in how it is run, maybe instead of eliminating them for cost saving, they could have pushed the herds as a marketing opportunity.
Kalaw
Well-Known Member
I think this is very do-able. Funnily enough, people from Marwell's area of the country, upon hearing that I am interested in zoos, often recommend Marwell to me, usually making a comment about their large herds of animals which are never lonely and always lively. Of course, the idea that 'loneliness' in zoos is *always* harmful being so widespread is somewhat problematic, but it did seem to make Marwell's signature herds seem very impressive to the public.
I am not sure when the people who made these comments last visited Marwell, but their praise does seem to be becoming less and less applicable as time goes by...
On the contrary ...
I read one review recently where the reviewer was seemingly complaining about how antelopes constituted a considerable fraction of Marwell's animal collection, asking that the antelopes would deserve their own section whilst the 'more interesting animals' are easier to find !
I read one review recently where the reviewer was seemingly complaining about how antelopes constituted a considerable fraction of Marwell's animal collection, asking that the antelopes would deserve their own section whilst the 'more interesting animals' are easier to find !
So just the 3 female Arabian Oryx at present and no male?
Locals are usually proud of their local zoo, whatever its actually like. In my days of multi-zoo visits, if I stayed in B& B's or wherever and mentioned I was there to visit the zoo, the owners would invariably say, 'oh yes, its one of the best in the country' etc. Didn't matter where I was...
