Slimbridge WWT Slimbridge Exhibit & Species lists

Not a complete collection of sheldgeese now either.
On my last visit I think I saw only three or four- I think it was Andean, Upland, Abyssinian Blue Winged + Orinoco- which are in one of the bigger pens. But I believe they still hold some of the others offshow though if that is so I don't understand why when there are empty pens in the Sheldgeese area.
 
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Here follows a list of species and the exhibits they were held in around 1958.

The Pen –

Abyssinian blue winged goose, african black duck, African red billed pintail, Australian grey teal, Australian shelduck, Baer’s pochard, Bahama teal, Bar headed goose, Bewick swan, Black spur winged goose, Blue snow goose, Brazilian teal, Canada goose, Cape shelduck, Cape shoveler, Cape teal, Carolina duck, Cereopsis goose, Chilean pintail, Chilean teal, Chinese spot bill, Common pintail, Eastern Bewick swan, Eastern greylag goose, Emperor goose, European pochard, Falcated teal, Gadwall Greater magellan goose, greater snow goose, Greenland white fronted goose, Greylag goose, Lesser white fronted goose, Mallard, Mandarin duck, Maned goose, New Zealand scaup, Orinoco goose, Perry river white fronted goose, Philippine duck, Pink footed goose, Ruddy shelduck, Southern pochard, Spur winged goose, Sushkin’s goose, Swan goose, Tavarner’s goose, Western canada goose, Whistling swan, White fronted goose & Yellow-billed bean goose

Orchard -

American black duck, Bahama teal, Baikal teal, Chestnut breasted teal, Cinnamon teal, Eyton whistling duck, Falcated teal, Fulvous whistling duck, Hawaiian duck, Mandarin duck, Red backed radjah shelduck, Sharp winged teal, Southern red billed whistling duck & Wandering whistling duck

North American Pen -

American green winged teal, Blue winged teal, Cackling goose, Canada goose, Canvasback, Carolina duck, Common pintail, Dusky canada goose, Lesser scaup, Lesser snow goose (blue phase), Lesser snow goose (white phase), Northern American black duck, Northern American ruddy duck, Redhead, Ring necked duck, Tavarner’s goose & Trumpeter swan,

South American Pen –

American black duck, Andean cinnamon teal, Andean crested duck, Bahama teal, Brazilian teal, Hawaiian goose, Orinoco goose, Rosybill pochard, Southern pochard & Versicolour teal,

The Woods –

American black duck, Black swan, Hartlaud’s duck, Javan whistling duck, Magpie goose, Muscovy duck, Red backed radjah shelduck, Red billed whistling duck, Versicolour teal & Wandering whistling duck

Rushy Pen –

African red billed pintail, African yellow bill duck, American goldeneye, Bahama teal, Bar headed goose, Barnacle goose, Barrow’s goldeneye, Black brant, Canvasback, Cape teal, Carolina duck, Cereopsis goose, Chestnut breasted teal, Chile teal, Chiloe wigeon, Cinnamon teal, Comb duck, Common pintail, Common shelduck, Common shoveler, Common white eyed duck, Coscoroba swan, Dark bellied brent goose, Emperor goose, European eider, European pochard, European wigeon, Falcated duck, Fulvous whistling duck, Gadwall, Garganey, Goosander, Greenland white fronted goose, Greylag goose, Indian spot bill, King eider, Lesser white fronted goose, Light bellied brent goose, Macoa duck, Mallard, Mandarin duck, Marble teal, North American black duck, North American ruddy duck, Orinoco goose, Philippine duck, Puna Teal, Red breasted goose, Red breasted merganser, Red crested pochard, Ringed teal, Ring necked duck, Ross’s goose, Scaup, Smew, Southern pochard, Southern red billed whistling duck, South American comb duck, Tufted duck, Versicolour teal, White faced whistling duck & White winged wood duck.

EXHIBIT NAMES –

Orchard, Wood, Jungle, Decoy pool, Decoy side pens, Big pen, North American pen, South American pen, Mallard pen, Rushy pen, Rearing pen & South pen

Grounds around collection –

Tack piece & Long ground.

Map provided below.

Thanks for sharing @AdrianW1963 !

Seems like there was once an enormous collection of waterfowl at Slimbridge, no doubt due to Peter Scott's efforts.

I am guessing that the collection has shrunk quite a lot in the half century since which I'm sure is disappointing to some.

However, worth mentioning that WWT have done some truly excellent in-situ conservation work around the world in recent years.

The Malagasy pochard comes to mind and also some very good supporting in-situ research work with the Brazilian merganser too.
 
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The real decline has taken place within the last ten years, sadly :( even at the time of my first visit in 2013 they had significantly more species than they do now.....

Its quite sad really as it is a really brilliant idea / concept to showcase the world's waterfowl and highlight different wetland ecosystems from around the world.
 
Its quite sad really as it is a really brilliant idea / concept to showcase the world's waterfowl and highlight different wetland ecosystems from around the world.
Peter Scott's original intention was to showcase a completely comprehensive collection of the World's waterfowl. I believe he was missing only a very few species at its height. But after his death the Trust moved more to the emphasis on more generalised 'Wetlands' conservation and shied away rather from just the 'Waterfowl' title -due both to the pinioning aspect and perhaps aiming to give them wider appeal. But at Slimbridge the presentation of the Waterfowl collection is still the reason most people go there, apart from those who go to see visiting wild duck and white-fronted geese(now much reduced) during the winter. But as I mentioned above, the original appeal and attractiveness of the displays seems largely lost now.
 
Peter Scott's original intention was to showcase a completely comprehensive collection of the World's waterfowl. I believe he was missing only a very few species at its height. But after his death the Trust moved more to the emphasis on generalised 'Wetlands' and shied away rather from just the 'Waterfowl' title due to the pinioning aspect and perhaps aiming to give them wider appeal. But at Slimbridge the presentation of the Waterfowl collection is still the reason most people go there, apart from those wtoho go to see visiting wild duck and white-fronted geese(now much reduced) during the winter. But as I mentioned above, the original appeal and attractiveness of the displays seems largely lost now.

Have never been there myself but next time I'm in the UK I do plan to pay a visit.

I don't think its necessarily a bad thing that they emphasize generalised wetland ecosystems but I think its a bit of a shame that this has come at a cost in terms of a reduction of their waterfowl collection.

I think Scott's original idea sounds amazing and its a shame it has sort of fallen by the wayside.

I know that they are under a lot of financial pressure at the moment due to the fallout of the pandemic but I wonder if in the future there is a possibility that WWT will ever revisit that original vision of Scott's ?
 
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I know that they are under a lot of financial pressure at the moment due to the fallout of the pandemic but I wonder if in the future there is a possibility that WWT will ever revisit that original vision of Scott's ?

I doubt it. Its a different era now. Different priorities, different emphasis etc. Rather similar to how many zoos like London or Whipsnade have undergone retractions in the number of species they keep.
 
I doubt it. Its a different era now. Different priorities, different emphasis etc. Rather similar to how many zoos like London or Whipsnade have undergone retractions in the number of species they keep.

Shame (and I wonder what Scott would think of it ?) but as long as they are doing at least some ex-situ and continue their amazing in-situ work then thats what matters I suppose.
 
Shame (and I wonder what Scott would think of it ?) but as long as they are doing at least some ex-situ and continue their amazing in-situ work then thats what matters I suppose.
I think he would be pretty disappointed, particularly to see the first main areas after you enter- there used to be attractive close cropped lawns with flocks of Hawaian, Red-breasted, Snow geese etc. Now its just bare/overgrazed ground with a melee of free-flying greylags, mallard etc the dominant species. The main waterfowl pens do still house many pinioned exotics but its nothing like as 'precise' as it used to be.
 
I think he would be pretty disappointed, particularly to see the first main areas after you enter- there used to be attractive close cropped lawns with flocks of Hawaian, Red-breasted, Snow geese etc. Now its just bare with a melee of free-flying greylags, mallard etc the dominant species. The main waterfowl pens do still house many pinioned exotics but its nothing like as 'precise' as it used to be.

Thats a shame, I think he would probably be most disappointed by the lack of the nene right ?

I mean, considering that his efforts were so instrumental in bringing this species back from the brink.
 
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