It looks as though the 2 female drill from the USA are mixing well with the existing group at Edinburgh.
RZSS Zoo Blog
RZSS Zoo Blog
Edinburgh Zoo New Arrivals in 2009
- Thread starter glasgowanimal
- Start date
This may be the easier part. Its when they have young there could be problems as the females are not all from one related 'family.' The Drill studbook actually recommends groups are not setup like this....
If they want to establish a geneticallly diverse group I suppose they don't really have much choice given the short supply of drills.
The RZSS blog is really interesting although the random bold typeface is really doing my head in, it's like it's written by Robert Peston!
Agreed on both points.
As it stands with drill in Europe at the moment, with only a few bloodlines currently breeding, this seems to be the only choice, by getting unrelated animals from the USA.
Surely there are surplus animals at the drill ranch in Africa, that could be sent to the EEP, perhaps even a family unit?
The blog is excellent, yes the random use of bold typeface is annoying, but very informative, enjoyed this weeks article about the release of water voles, i never realised RZSS, was involved in such a project.
Where do you get your hands on a couple of hundred water voles anyway?
I think you just need to start with a couple and let them get on with it.
The 'ideal' is often hard to achieve. To get a big naturally harmonious Drill or Mandrill group, the best way to start would be with one or two compatable(preferably related) females and let them breed repeatedly- keeping all their(female) offspring which the original females will always support as their own 'kin' in the group. Then you replace the adult male every so often for another who is not related to all the females. Colchester's large Mandrill group has actually evolved along those lines with an aproximately equal ratio of male/female, nearly all were born there. Edinburgh Drills could breed just as well given time. Its that initial start with these females from different sources that could create early problems for them, as sometimes one will try to kill or harm the babies of other females not related to her.
Last edited:
Hi all
Great to hear things are going ok with the Drills a magnificant species to have here in Edinburgh.
Just wondered does anyone know what is going to replace the Cotton Top Tamarins in the Magic Forest as they have now departed the zoo for good shame as i like them
Great to hear things are going ok with the Drills a magnificant species to have here in Edinburgh.
Just wondered does anyone know what is going to replace the Cotton Top Tamarins in the Magic Forest as they have now departed the zoo for good shame as i like them
I think it`s good that the 2 females who will likely breed, the 2 new females from the US; seem to be dominant over the one from Barcelona. That one hasnt bred yet and is unlikely to do so in the future, and if the 2 from the US stick together, they should be able to defend their babys.
If the US females breed and the other never does, they are likely to form the dominant matrilineal line anyway so there should be no problem about aggression toward unrelated young.
They are the two(sisters) from Colombus, USA.
The addax will be leaving soon for the Yorkshire wildlife park, and their paddock will be used for the successful group of reindeer, currently at the top paddock in the zoo.
In their place, the zoo will be bringing in a group of Heck cattle.
RZSS Zoo Blog
In their place, the zoo will be bringing in a group of Heck cattle.
RZSS Zoo Blog
I am not at all happy with the departure of addax from Edinburgh. It is an endangered species and a target/flagship species for the Saharan wildlife regeneration.
(If we wish to save species we should be in for the long haul. Addax are far from save, nay their last stronghold in Niger is currently being invaded by Chinese oil barons and they have already managed to kill 4/200+ addax in the area ..... )
To replace them with domesticated reindeer and crossed back Heck cattle .... Curious decision???
Will addax come back or have they been struck from the Collection Plan.
zoogiraffe
Well-Known Member
The Addax will be well looked after at Yorkshire Wildlife Park and they will work with the studbook holder with them also the enclosure they will be going in will have no problems housing a herd of 20 or 30 of them!
camel leopard
Well-Known Member
It is a little strange to replace them with two domesticated species, how many addax do edinburgh have ? they must be going in the mixed afr4ican plains exibit at YWP
Edinburgh has 4 Addax don't know how many are males and females ooh great yet again more hoofstock coming to the collection shame thought the old addax place would make a good enclosure area for the Malayan tapirs and in keeping with the Tropical theme having Living Links the Koalas etc near by 
OK, I am sure that without the prior consent of the studbook keeper () the addax would not be moved anywhere.
Still sad that within the collection plan they will no longer feature at Edinburgh (a long tradition with the species).
Any angle on their exhibit at Yorkshire Wildlife Park? Hard standing (better) or grasslands ...?
(Or should I move that over to the YWP thread instead ...)
