Port Lympne Wild Animal Park Port Lympne 2013
- Thread starter Nisha
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IanRRobinson
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the wolf info - this is very helpful. I have been to Port Lympne twice (second time got one shot of wolf sitting along fence line). Never been to Howletts. When I return next month, I only have one day in the area and my plan is to go to Howletts in morning and Port Lympne in afternoon. This update on wolves confirms that is a good plan.
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AD, if you only have one day to spare in Kent, I really wouldn't advise trying to do Howletts and Port Lympne. The former isn't that small - 90 acres. And even if you are a carnivore fanatic, you really ought to give the gorillas some time.
The old hunting dog enclosure by the hill down to the lions now has cheetah. There are 2 hunting dogs in the old lion enclosure at basecamp(where trucks leave from).'Animals can be strange'- can't they just...
There used to be Hunting Dogs at PL in the enclosures at the bottom end near the Lions, as well as the large group on the Safari tour. Not sure what the situation is now as that area is less accessible than previously.
I didnt do the truck ride due to lack of time, but i saw no Iberian Wolves. Just 2 timber wolves at top of park by the amur tiger & lions.
The lion/tiger enclosures at the bottom of the hill, opposite water buffalo are totally inaccessible now, gated off!
Reflections after a visit - after changes
Prior to my visit on 13/4/13 i didnt know how much the park may or may not have been 'ruined' by the recent changes and reduction in pedestrian accessible areas.
If i'm honest, i preferred it before, but it wasn't anywhere near as disappointing as i'd expected.
The loss of the wooded area in the middle where the bongo & tapir are is a shame, though both can still be seen from other points around the'primate trail'. Other lost areas are the lion/tiger enclosures opposite the water buffalo( whole section gated off from top of the hill) and the walk along the top of the park above the rhinos and the whole area around the elephants, only their bottom paddock being viewable on foot along a cul-de-sac from the bush dogs.
The new moated Pallas enclosure is pretty good and the guinea baboon paddock new since i last went 5 years ago, along with the new red panda enclosure(binturong
have the old one).
Overall, though not as good as before, i would say any zoo with a cat collection like that, sifaka, greater bamboo lemur, golden bellied mangaby,fossa,binturong, malayan tapir, black rhino, brown hyaena and a few more relative rarities is still worth a visit.
Prior to my visit on 13/4/13 i didnt know how much the park may or may not have been 'ruined' by the recent changes and reduction in pedestrian accessible areas.
If i'm honest, i preferred it before, but it wasn't anywhere near as disappointing as i'd expected.
The loss of the wooded area in the middle where the bongo & tapir are is a shame, though both can still be seen from other points around the'primate trail'. Other lost areas are the lion/tiger enclosures opposite the water buffalo( whole section gated off from top of the hill) and the walk along the top of the park above the rhinos and the whole area around the elephants, only their bottom paddock being viewable on foot along a cul-de-sac from the bush dogs.
The new moated Pallas enclosure is pretty good and the guinea baboon paddock new since i last went 5 years ago, along with the new red panda enclosure(binturong
have the old one).
Overall, though not as good as before, i would say any zoo with a cat collection like that, sifaka, greater bamboo lemur, golden bellied mangaby,fossa,binturong, malayan tapir, black rhino, brown hyaena and a few more relative rarities is still worth a visit.
Its only a few years since they were advertising 'new viewing facilities' for the Lions- they put in a big viewing window in the fence on the bottom road, but now the whole area is sealed off. I can't quite see the rationale in that.
except I presume they closed off this area during the reorganisation because of the steep hill- if people can't go there, they can't complain about the steepness, can they?Golden Bellied Mangabeys- I have always been disappointed they have just one pair of these,(if the male is still alive that is) with no breeding over the many years they have had them now. I know they aren't common or easy to source additional animals to stimulate breeding but just holding them without breeding seems to go against their principles rather.
I don't understand the premise of Krueger's move from Knowsley if he was going to be wasted as a breeding animal. I know he had two maturing daughters, but he still had breeding opportunities with their mothers. A waste, and horrible coordination with the EEP imo
johnstoni.
Well-Known Member
The net loss of elephants at Port Lympne over the years cannot be ignored.
It is possible to view the problems with the Asian herd as a separate issue; once breeding attempts started, the park experienced an intense version of what has since happened at many other collections. The fact PL was before its time, and because they made so many attempts/brought in so many new adults over the years after thinking the problem was their original cows, makes them appear less successful than other zoos who have struggled since.
However, I'm sure I wasn't the only one expecting the African herd to be hardier, and easier to manage given the prior success at Howletts. Yet, all three cows have died in the six years since their arrival. That warrants a transparent investigation and should not be reported as just a bad coincidence. I still maintain that the facility is a bad location for elephants, with aspect and topography being the only difference between PL and Howletts.
As for the 2 howletts deaths, did Dave Magner ever win his tribunal and if so, was he reinstated? It seems strange that two breeding females with young calves both died (one from an attack) only since the man who built the herd up to what it is today was dismissed.
It is possible to view the problems with the Asian herd as a separate issue; once breeding attempts started, the park experienced an intense version of what has since happened at many other collections. The fact PL was before its time, and because they made so many attempts/brought in so many new adults over the years after thinking the problem was their original cows, makes them appear less successful than other zoos who have struggled since.
However, I'm sure I wasn't the only one expecting the African herd to be hardier, and easier to manage given the prior success at Howletts. Yet, all three cows have died in the six years since their arrival. That warrants a transparent investigation and should not be reported as just a bad coincidence. I still maintain that the facility is a bad location for elephants, with aspect and topography being the only difference between PL and Howletts.
As for the 2 howletts deaths, did Dave Magner ever win his tribunal and if so, was he reinstated? It seems strange that two breeding females with young calves both died (one from an attack) only since the man who built the herd up to what it is today was dismissed.
Surprised it has not been posted yet: Silverback Djala and his family of eight gorillas (4 adult females and 4 infants) will travel tomorrow to the Bateke National Park in their Back to Africa Project.
Source: Hold tight son, we're flying home: The inspiring story of one man's mission to return a gorilla family from an English wildlife park to the jungle | Mail Online
Source: Hold tight son, we're flying home: The inspiring story of one man's mission to return a gorilla family from an English wildlife park to the jungle | Mail Online
IanRRobinson
Well-Known Member
One does wonder. Damian's utterances suggest that he's disenchanted with zoos..
A full review of my visit to Port Lympne today when I feel a little less tired; suffice to say I really enjoyed it. The African safari trail was not my cup of tea - pun intended - but I didn't dislike it by any means. The wide range of unusual primates and carnivores visible - with a little luck and a lot of patience - in the on-foot portion of the collection made it worth the visit alone. If I manage to get back down within the next year to make use of the passport, I'll almost certainly spend the whole day in this section.
Talking of which, I saw the black-footed cats, rusty spotted cats and - with the very kind assistance of the head keeper of carnivores - the brown hyenas
One other thing - in response to a point mentioned a while ago...
Both individuals were present and highly active today
Talking of which, I saw the black-footed cats, rusty spotted cats and - with the very kind assistance of the head keeper of carnivores - the brown hyenas
One other thing - in response to a point mentioned a while ago...
Both individuals were present and highly active today
I have to agree, i enjoyed my recent visit, without even having time to do the safari. It's a shame the walking area has been reduced though and a few species lost from it, particularly the hyena!A full review of my visit to Port Lympne today when I feel a little less tired; suffice to say I really enjoyed it. The African safari trail was not my cup of tea - pun intended - but I didn't dislike it by any means. The wide range of unusual primates and carnivores visible - with a little luck and a lot of patience - in the on-foot portion of the collection made it worth the visit alone. If I manage to get back down within the next year to make use of the passport, I'll almost certainly spend the whole day in this section.
Talking of which, I saw the black-footed cats, rusty spotted cats and - with the very kind assistance of the head keeper of carnivores - the brown hyenas
One other thing - in response to a point mentioned a while ago...
Both individuals were present and highly active today
Both individuals were present and highly active today
GB Mangabeys- Good to hear. I just wish they could add another pair or something to stimulate some breeding-it seems a shame the only ones in the Uk are non-breeders like this and also having them like that longterm (its many years now) seems rather to go against the Parks' principles to me.
Like you, if I went back to PL now I would spend the day in the walking area.
You must have either just seen, or just missed, the Djala Gorilla group in the 'Palace of the Apes' before their relocation to Gabon. Was their enclosure empty?
Well, there doesn't seem much point in their producing loads more Gorillas in the UK if the stated aim is to return them to Africa. Introducing younger animals without proper group infrastructure into strange new surroundings is more time consuming and likely to be less successful longerterm than with established breeding groups. So they might as well relocate more of them and let them carry on breeding, but in in Africa rather than the UK!
We did see them.
It will be good to make on the forehand a definition of "proves successful longterm".
What will be the timescale, the rate of surviving, the surviving members and status, breeding results after release. And possible more factors.
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I guess only they would be able to do that, based on their firsthand observations of how they fare. But IMO if the majority of individuals survive several years and breeding takes place, that would be deemed successful. Of course 'Djala' is not a young male anymore so he could be more subject to the stresses and strains of a wild life than a younger male in the same situation. I also think the chances of success, at least initially, will pivot around his behaviour, unless there are other male Gorillas in the vicinity that could/might take over the group from him. All speculation of course as no-one knows what will happen in such a previously untried situation.
I imagine he/they will remain a cohesive group during the initial phase on the island. What happens after that when they allowed into the main reserve and if they come in contact with other Gorillas is harder to foresee.