HelloCrossy67
Well-Known Member
Oh god, that's terrible. It's been a rough year for Carnivores at Marwell. Thoughts with the keepers as always, she was always a character and a beautiful animal.
Marwell Wildlife Marwell Zoo news 2025
- Thread starter Nisha
- Start date
Awful news
but I’m not surprised given his history at port lympne safari park
He was agressive towards his brother that’s why they ended up split and he was in with both sisters at some point (girls was separated ofc ) and both of them he kept being aggressive towards n caused some minor injuries.
He is a lovely boy but I think a solitary life is what he needs now
but I’m not surprised given his history at port lympne safari park
He was agressive towards his brother that’s why they ended up split and he was in with both sisters at some point (girls was separated ofc ) and both of them he kept being aggressive towards n caused some minor injuries.
He is a lovely boy but I think a solitary life is what he needs now
Lafone
Well-Known Member
A sad incident and it must be hard on the keepers having to see that and deal with the aftermath as well as for the poor tiger suffering a fatal injury. A real challenge to mix these cats and devastating when it goes wrong, but the zoo obviously tried to manage the risk as best they could.
ZooNews2024
Well-Known Member
Seems almost a 50-50 chance with tigers unfortunately - either complete success or perhaps complete failure! The only certainty is that you dont have babies unless you try.
There is not much staff can do to intervene, especially if the introduction is out in the main paddock, which the new law says all big cats must have 24-hour permanent access to.
ZooNews2024
Well-Known Member
ALL of that is perfectly normal tiger behaviour - males would never stay together and minor injuries happen all the time. None of these are reasons for not breeding from him.
These are not domestic animals and dont behave like them.
ZooNews2024
Well-Known Member
Quite.
What is the actual success rate for these introductions? a 50% fatality rate would be extraordinary!
Heartbreaking news , feel for the keepers as must have been awful to witness
I don't know any figures but I know that Marwell is the 3rd UK collection to have lost a female tiger whilst mixing. ZSL London zoo & Knowsley being the others
Agreed. Accredited Australasian zoos have carried out over 50 introductions of Siberian and Sumatran tigers over the past 50 years and reported only one fatality during an introduction (in 1993). Introductions protocol during the early stages in our zoos has been to conduct the introduction in the dens where the keepers can intervene if they detect signs the introduction is getting out of hand. Only once encouraging signs are seen are the tigers allowed outside where the keepers have less control over their interactions.
especially if the introduction is out in the main paddock, which the new law says all big cats must have 24-hour permanent access to. That is not what the new law says. Firstly the law states (my underlining) that permanent access at "all times" is "Where the animal requires access to both indoor and outdoor enclosures to meet the welfare needs..." Secondly there are a number of circumstances when access to (either) indoor or outdoor enclosures can be restricted, these includes during the introduction of new animals, and during breeding.
HelloCrossy67
Well-Known Member
Visited again today, not much to update apart from these:
- The indoor viewing for the Servals has been completed (img. attached) Enclosure side closest to giraffe house is still cutoff with a sign added today (between my first 2 laps of the park saying maintenance is occurring)
- Spoke to a Carnivore keeper today, who informed me that after the unfortunate events last week - Pasha the Tiger was injured as well, has swollen and infected back legs plus a scar on his face. I did not see him to confirm.
- No shows of Beisa Oryx for the first time
- No signs of activity in former Bush Dog or Warty Pig exhibits, and stagnant on new Red Pandas
- Lots of playful behaviour between the Snow Leopards who are very showy
- As noted above, Banteng have access to both paddocks now
- Lot of grass cutting and Bush cutbacks in exhibits (e.g. Okapi and Sitatunga)
- There was a sign up on the old viewing platform at the Snow Leopards, hopefully this means it'll reopen (image attatched)
And a couple of notes:
- Being my 5th visit this year, I find I am noticing more empty exhibits/spaces each time, past even the obvious ones. Old stable areas for Oryx and Stables next to Banteng are both heavily overgrown and rundown, with potential to be developed. Areas such as Cheetah Rock also feel empty as the animals simply don't go there. I count 12 areas that could have species added to them.
- Tropical House has really won me over this time. When the animals are active (which even Sloth was today) it can be a treat.
- I wonder if there's potential to bring a multi-species exhibit for the Binturong in future? Bellatrix and the newbie spend their whole time in their offshow quarters and this leaves a large portion empty. Same for the RR Lemurs.
- Past mammals, I wonder what future of Bird collection is like, with a lot of individual or single sex larger birds (Hammerkop, Ostrich, Monal)
Overall I'm still seeing an increase in my experience, the new Warty Pig Enclosure brings so much activity to that area for example, and hopefully the next year and a half will bring in some development.
- The indoor viewing for the Servals has been completed (img. attached) Enclosure side closest to giraffe house is still cutoff with a sign added today (between my first 2 laps of the park saying maintenance is occurring)
- Spoke to a Carnivore keeper today, who informed me that after the unfortunate events last week - Pasha the Tiger was injured as well, has swollen and infected back legs plus a scar on his face. I did not see him to confirm.
- No shows of Beisa Oryx for the first time
- No signs of activity in former Bush Dog or Warty Pig exhibits, and stagnant on new Red Pandas
- Lots of playful behaviour between the Snow Leopards who are very showy
- As noted above, Banteng have access to both paddocks now
- Lot of grass cutting and Bush cutbacks in exhibits (e.g. Okapi and Sitatunga)
- There was a sign up on the old viewing platform at the Snow Leopards, hopefully this means it'll reopen (image attatched)
And a couple of notes:
- Being my 5th visit this year, I find I am noticing more empty exhibits/spaces each time, past even the obvious ones. Old stable areas for Oryx and Stables next to Banteng are both heavily overgrown and rundown, with potential to be developed. Areas such as Cheetah Rock also feel empty as the animals simply don't go there. I count 12 areas that could have species added to them.
- Tropical House has really won me over this time. When the animals are active (which even Sloth was today) it can be a treat.
- I wonder if there's potential to bring a multi-species exhibit for the Binturong in future? Bellatrix and the newbie spend their whole time in their offshow quarters and this leaves a large portion empty. Same for the RR Lemurs.
- Past mammals, I wonder what future of Bird collection is like, with a lot of individual or single sex larger birds (Hammerkop, Ostrich, Monal)
Overall I'm still seeing an increase in my experience, the new Warty Pig Enclosure brings so much activity to that area for example, and hopefully the next year and a half will bring in some development.
Attachments
'There was a sign up on the old viewing platform at the Snow Leopards, hopefully this means it'll reopen (image attatched)'
They've replaced the sign....but it says the same as the one that was there for a very long time....no 'essential maintenance' was ever undertaken, nor seems very likely.
They've replaced the sign....but it says the same as the one that was there for a very long time....no 'essential maintenance' was ever undertaken, nor seems very likely.
ZooNews2024
Well-Known Member
What you have copied seems so vague and gives so many caveats that it was hardly worth putting into print. Lets hope it is implemented with fairness by every team of inspectors.
ZooNews2024
Well-Known Member
You are quite right and I did not mean a literal percentage split, like a UK general election perhaps. I was emphasising that it is a highly uncertain business and the outcome is pretty much pot-luck. The figures given by Zoofan15 indicate that it can be done with more success and I stand corrected. Perhaps the UK zoos should take a close look at how it is done 'properly'?
Agree. After the London and Knowsley incidents it is the third tiger introduction in six years to have had the worst outcome. Whilst the risk can never be eliminated and it could be just bad luck, there should be some sort of investigation to see if anything can be learned from other countries and improved upon,
Samuel Carter
Active Member
Having worked with big cats for over 30 years ,I think alot of collections rush introductions. Every animal is different and requires different types of introductions wether through fence interactions, or exchanging enclosures to acclimatise to each others presence. Some introductions are exeptions to the rules, , I think alot of collections rush introductions for breeding and publicity of cubs .