Marwell Wildlife Marwell 2022 News

Sad to see them go. They are an interesting and unusual bird.

However, on current form Marwell no longer seem to allow newly emptied enclosures to remain empty for long so I am optimistic there will be some new residents soon (assuming the move isn't because of plans to redevelop the area).

Dillotest makes a very good point about the enclosure being very general purpose. There are a wide variety of species it could hold.
 
Indeed - I look forward to seeing what news Marwell will bring about its site and collection in 2023 - but first, a barrage of Glow Marwell updates await our attention !
 
okapis said:
Yes only three female Arabian Oryx, no male.
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For what it's worth, an interesting observation can be made here -
The 2007 census for Marwell lists the exact same number of Arabian Oryx - i.e. 3 female animals.
One can make the point, thus, that Arabian Oryx have never been a strong suit for Marwell - even as the only ones in the UK.
 
It amazes me that when a collection has the only holding of a species, that they don't promote that, as I'm sure it would attract general interest, not just from zoo nerds.

If the female Arabians are still capable of breeding, they need a male toute suite, as well as the females for the Besia.
 
GaryA said:
It amazes me that when a collection has the only holding of a species, that they don't promote that, as I'm sure it would attract general interest, not just from zoo nerds.

If the female Arabians are still capable of breeding, they need a male toute suite, as well as the females for the Besia.
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The first Arabian Oryx arrived in 1983 and the species has been there ever since, the most animals they have had was in 2014 when they had seven, I know in the past Marwell has tried to get another UK Zoo to keep them but none seem keen. A few years ago there was a small group in private hands in the south of England I do not know if any are still around.
 
okapis said:
The first Arabian Oryx arrived in 1983 and the species has been there ever since, the most animals they have had was in 2014 when they had seven, .
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I presume Marwell got theirs initially from the breeding group at London. Prior to London starting a group there had been none in the UK for many years since ZSL donated their last single female 'Caroline' to the then (early 1960's) newly founded World Herd in Phoenix, Arizona, which, using a mere handful of animals, was a last ditch, and ultimately successful, attempt to help to bring the species back from the brink of extinction. London's later return to keeping them was accompanied by some fanfare as they had themselves donated a founder to the World herd, but they later quietly disappeared again from the collection. Blackpool also had some at one stage, presumably from the same ZSL source. Perhaps London's last stock went to one or other of these two holders?
 
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Pertinax said:
I presume Marwell got theirs initially from the breeding group at London. Prior to London starting a group there had been none in the UK for many years since ZSL donated their last single female 'Caroline' to the then (early 1960's) newly founded World Herd in Phoenix, Arizona, which, using a mere handful of animals, was a last ditch, and ultimately successful, attempt to help to bring the species back from the brink of extinction. London's later return to keeping them was accompanied by some fanfare as they had themselves donated a founder to the World herd, but they later quietly disappeared again from the collection. Blackpool also had some at one stage, presumably from the same ZSL source. Perhaps London's last stock went to one or other of these two holders?
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I can never remember seeing Arabian Oryx at Blackpool only Arabian Gazelle, I seem to remember seeing Arabian Oryx at Dudley and Paignton but only a couple, I think some of Londons Oryx went to Whipsnade before coming to Marwell.
 
I visited Marwell a couple of years ago for the first time and the aviaries next to the snow leopards were being demolished and said somethings comming soon. Has there been any updates there and if not, and other updates/new projects elsewhere in the zoo?
 
@Willem123 Not to my knowledge - though in a similar vain, the last Marabou have been relocated to Whipsnade - their enclosure, a rather general aviary, leaving behind quite an amount of potential for future development. Would be interesting to see what is made out of the old owl aviaries - or at least that general area.
Now that the Glow Marwell event has come to a finish, I look forward to seeing what animal-related updates the new year will offer. [It would seem, unfortunately, that on some review websites, that the Glow Marwell event was met with less-than glowing reviews from people who had visited other glow-type events - but I shall digress.]
 
Willem123 said:
I visited Marwell a couple of years ago for the first time and the aviaries next to the snow leopards were being demolished and said somethings comming soon. Has there been any updates there and if not, and other updates/new projects elsewhere in the zoo?
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As I have said before that side of the the zoo where the snow leopards are the plan was to have no animal areas but the snow leopards, as regards what you saw coming soon was to be wetlands which would have been an area from the gift shop to the rhino paddock redeveloped this has not so far happed but maybe at the stage, there are plans for next year which I am sure at some point the zoo will announce.
 
okapis said:
As I have said before that side of the the zoo where the snow leopards are the plan was to have no animal areas but the snow leopards, as regards what you saw coming soon was to be wetlands which would have been an area from the gift shop to the rhino paddock redeveloped this has not so far happed but maybe at the stage, there are plans for next year which I am sure at some point the zoo will announce.
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I don't know whether the wetland development is still in the pipeline - as one of the plans was, from what I see, to have a capybara walkthrough of sorts - the capybaras were moved out in 2021!
Unless they are looking into reclaiming some capybaras, of course ...
 
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