Noah's Ark Zoo Farm Noah's Ark News 2018

[Shorts]

If the development of Wild Place continues apace, then I think it really will challenge Noah’s Ark for local hegemony.

I hope so and let's not forget the trump card for Bristol/Wild Place -they're open on a Sunday (Noah's Ark isn't), so if someone wants a zoo near Bristol on probably (?) the second busiest day of the week then Bristol/Wild Place are the only games in town.

No, you are correct. Noah’s Ark doesn’t - yet - match the visitor numbers at Bristol. They, apparently, receive about 200,000 visitors per year (and rising).

So, contrary to what I wrote earlier, the zoo continues to enjoy a Bristolian hegemony- although their position is certainly weakened by the presence of Noah’s Ark - particularly as the latter place makes much of advertising itself as being a zoo at which one can see “big” animals.

I think that's partly down to the "gifting" of Noah's not being open Sunday and Bristol does seem very popular (ideal ?) for families with with very small children. I've never seen a zoo with such a high proportion of young families/toddlers/infants -that said I've never been to Drusillas.

 

[Dassie rat]

The Noah's Ark is one of only 2 ZTL collections with a terciopelo lancehead pit viper, northern grey hornbill, Yorkshire pig and Labrador dog.

 

[tetrapod]

The Noah's Ark is one of only 2 ZTL collections with a terciopelo lancehead pit viper, northern grey hornbill, Yorkshire pig and Labrador dog.

Saw the hornbills. Lovely spp who calling. Didn't see any pit vipers. Only venomous spp we saw were the beaded lizards. Saw some Tamworth pigs, but no Yorkshires. No lab either!

 

[Embu]

I believe (although I could be wrong) that NAZF have 4 giraffe 3:1 the female is a reticulated and the males are her sons all 3 males are hybrid courtesy of their father who has passed away.
George born 2012
Geoffrey born 2014
Gus born 2017
Hope this helps

 

[Pertinax]

[QUOTE="Shorts, post: 1060200, member: 1] I've never seen a zoo with such a high proportion of young families/toddlers/infants -that said I've never been to Drusillas.[/QUOTE]

There's a lot of play paraphernalia at Bristol nowadays plus its easily reachable via public transport etc being within the city, which might explain the marked skew towards the age groups you describe- its been very noticeable at Bristol for many years now I think, since many of the bigger animals left in fact.

 

[Pertinax]

Completely agree about it being a farm with zoo animals. We have seen them up and down the country, usually with some deer, porcupines, meerkats, skunk, wallabies etc. NAZF have just pushed the envelope and added the bigger species. I have never visited it but I'd imagine Folly Farm in Wales would be a similar bet. Certainly the photos make it look similar in regards to the complete lack of landscaping.
Another point in regards to people making comparisons with Bristol and Wild Place (I haven't visited the latter either), is that I'm not sure most people visit NAZF for the animals. It sounds odd that people might go to a 'zoo' and not go specifically to see the main attractions, but given the huge indoor play area, multiple smaller outdoor play equipment (my eyes cannot unsee that elephant slide...) and the 'largest' hedge maze in the UK, I think that most of their clientel (young families) go for the play factor. Yes they also get a chance to fondle rabbits and sheep as a bonus. Chance for the kids to run amuck in a safe environment.

The bear exhibit was a good size with a reasonable amount of enrichment. Mostly lacked vegetation, but given that most exhibits lacked anything other then grass, it would be hard to single out the bears. The elephant barn plus paddocks looked over-designed. I swear you could manage some of the inhabitants of Jurassic Park franchise in that barn. They have certainly spent a huge amount of money, which makes it even more of a shame that the large paddocks are mostly just flat grass. No undulation, a couple of fenced off individual trees. Boring. The bright red posts are a bit in your face too.

Another interesting observation is how many species are housed as pairs ie. two by two. Elephants, giraffe, rhinos, tigers, lions, tapir, iguanas, bears. There were possibly more species like this. For some of these species a better herd structure would be more natural, and I wonder how much incentive the owners have to add more individuals. Or does this upset the narrative?

Yes, irrespective of what one thinks of it as a serious 'zoo', I think Noah's Ark scores on two levels- the 'big' ABC animals and the huge areas of play equipment- maybe both attract the visitors equally and they don't make any concious decision as both are available there.

 

[BeakerUK]

I can't disagree about the clear appeal NAZF has with regards to the ABCs (I struggle sometimes to remember that the average person doesn't have the same interest as me in things like quoll, aye-ayes and numerous different types of primates!) The day I visited NAZF last year was on a gloriously hot, sunny day in the Easter holidays, and the place was awash with families mostly crawling all over the numerous play areas. One of my friends did attempt the maze but was surprised to discover more creationist propaganda dotted around in there. We were wondering if we'd ever see them again given the size of the maze (planted to be the size the ark was supposed to be, apparently). Handy place to lose the kids for a while! There is also an amusing model of the ark in a separate room, with creationist posters all over the walls.

 

[lintworm]

Noah's Ark Zoo has received a new African elephant bull yesterday: "Shaka" from Vienna. He left Vienna because he did not get along well with the Viennese ladies...

Source: FB Tiergarten Schonbrunn

 

[TNT]

Noah's Ark Zoo has received a new African elephant bull yesterday: "Shaka" from Vienna. He left Vienna because he did not get along well with the Viennese ladies...

Source: FB Tiergarten Schonbrunn

Great news! Such a fantastic enclosure, can't wait to see it in a few years when they (hopefully) have a larger herd.

 

[Hyak_II]

Great news! Such a fantastic enclosure, can't wait to see it in a few years when they (hopefully) have a larger herd.

This is quite literally the complete opposite of great news. Shaka is an incredibly genetically valuable animal being a wild caught male with no offspring, and now he is being moved into bachelor holding?!? Ridiculous! Here's hoping at least they'll use him for AI with the other breeding age cows in Great Britain.

 

[Badgerman91]

This is quite literally the complete opposite of great news. Shaka is incredibly genetically valuable animal being a wild caught male with no offspring, and now he is being moved into bachelor holding?!? Ridiculous! Here's hoping at least they'll use him for AI with the other breeding age cows in Great Britain.

Couldn’t they have moved “Shaka” to Colchester to attempt to breed with their 3 cows and move their current bull Tembo to Noah’s Ark Zoo bachelor herd as Tembo has bred before and recent attempts haven’t proved successful...will be a great shame if they don’t allow him to breed!

 

[Embu]

This is quite literally the complete opposite of great news. Shaka is an incredibly genetically valuable animal being a wild caught male with no offspring, and now he is being moved into bachelor holding?!? Ridiculous! Here's hoping at least they'll use him for AI with the other breeding age cows in Great Britain.

Perhaps ThomasNotTom means that it`s nice to have another Elephant added to that collection. As you say Shaka is genetically important and just because he is arriving here now doesn`t mean this will be a permanent arrangement (possibly this may change). He POTENTIALLY (and I say this hypothetically speaking) could be the new breeding bull for another British collection or abroad in a few years so could just be being held here at Noah`s Ark.

 

[BeakerUK]

I was under the impression, though I may be entirely wrong, that Noah's Ark are essentially a holding facility for males until a breeding situation is specified whereupon they will be moved.

 

[FBBird]

I was under the impression, though I may be entirely wrong, that Noah's Ark are essentially a holding facility for males until a breeding situation is specified whereupon they will be moved.

It is likely that the socialisation he gets in a bachelor group, will make Shaka a better potential breeding bull in the future.
As for Tembo, weren't his calves conceived via AI?

 

[Badgerman91]

It is likely that the socialisation he gets in a bachelor group, will make Shaka a better potential breeding bull in the future.
As for Tembo, weren't his calves conceived via AI?

To my knowledge Tembo arrived after being rescued from Mary Chipperfield Circus in 1998 and has sired 8 calves in total;

4 stillborn (2003,2005,2008,2011) & 4 successful births
Abu- born 2001 at Vienna Zoo through AI, now at Halle Zoo
Kito- born 2002 at Colchester through AI, died 2017, Dvur Zoo
Jambo- born 2004 at Colchester through AI, now at Bioparc Valencia
Thebo- born 2006 at Dresden Zoo through AI, now at Pittsburgh Zoo

Not entirely sure if the calves who were stillbirths we’re through AI but I would presume they were.

Is it a problem that they were conceived through AI? And is this a common way of African Elephants breeding in zoos?

 

[Jola]

Noah's Ark Zoo has received a new African elephant bull yesterday: "Shaka" from Vienna. He left Vienna because he did not get along well with the Viennese ladies...

Source: FB Tiergarten Schonbrunn

Shaka left Zoo Vienna two days ago, on Wednesday 11 April 2018 early in the morning. He might arrived at Noah's Ark Zoo yesterday - I hope, he did, still no announcement on his safe arrival yet.

 

[Yassa]

Shala has great genetics, but he is not able to sucessfully mate a female. I guess he is still lacking the social maturity to peacefully dominate females. Therefore the move to the bachelor group is a good thing because he can continue to mature and gain self-confidence there. That will hopefully enable him to become a breeder in a few years.

Regarding the Colchester females, none of them are able to breed anymore. They should move Tembo asap because he did breed naturally with one or two females and adult males are desperately needed within the african elephant breeding program!! The lack of breeding bulls is the biggest problem in the US and Europe alike.

 

[TNT]

Perhaps ThomasNotTom means that it`s nice to have another Elephant added to that collection.

Yes those where my thoughts, thank you! I was not aware of his genetic importance ...

 

[Jola]

Well, I don't think more self-confidence can compensate the lack of good sperm.

 

[Yassa]

Actually, it might - sperm quality often fluctuates and can improve if the animal is less stressed and more self-confident.