ZSL Whipsnade Zoo Sloth Bears At Whipsnade

[CZJimmy]

Why does that happen?

They seperated the bears at London, didn't they?

If it's the male bear that is kept seperate, perhaps they are seperating him to prevent him mating his own sister or mother...

 

[James27]

Just seen the Sloth Bears at Whipsnade (well, two of them anyway). What a contrast to life at ZSL, they looked really happy, playing and wrestling together, moving around and even tree climbing for food treats. I visited the exhibit several times during the day and they were active each time... The only downside is the third bear is shut away off exhibit while the two are on show...

The elderly female Lanka is not shut away all the time, she has her own paddock in the wooded area next to the main enclosure.
The two bears in the main exhibit are male (Columbo) and female (Ursula), Lanka's offspring. The male is castrated.

 

[bongorob]

A small space between the lechwe and bears is labelled to be developed for cranes.

At last some of the offshow cranes may be placed on exhibit.

 

[Writhedhornbill]

What species are kept off show?

 

[johnstoni]

That's really what I was hoping to hear about the Whipsnade sloth bears. The fact that there is a second, wooded paddock at the back for Lanka really makes this enclosure what it needs to be....only I wonder why she is often shut in? Does she seek out contact with the other two but cannot be mixed due to aggression I wonder?

I still wish they'd sent columbo to the US rather than castrating him. Maybe the North American Sri Lankan sloth bears are all too old to breed now?

 

[James27]

She would be aggressive towards the other two if kept with them.I don't think she's shut inside a lot though.

 

[Pertinax]

She would be aggressive towards the other two if kept with them.I don't think she's shut inside a lot though.

I'm pretty sure she was shut in when I was there- I couldn't see her in the indoor house but i could hear snuffling and the clicking of claws on concrete in an offshow area. Still, if she has a paddock at least she can go out normally. It rreally is a much improved situation for them- the enclosure is perfectly adequate even if not wildly artistic.

 

[bongorob]

What species are kept off show?

Blue, Wattled, Red-crowned and Brolga (unless they've moved to London)

 

[Pertinax]

Blue, Wattled, Red-crowned and Brolga (unless they've moved to London)

Regarding the cranes. There's not an awful lot of room between the Sloth bear enclosure and the spare male Lechwe paddock now. At least part of the space is occupied by a large Sewage treatment bed.

 

[johnstoni]

What I meant was why would Lanka spend time in the concrete yard when she has her own wooded paddock behind it? I wondered if, while she can't be mixed with her offspring due to aggression, she chooses to be near them rather than venture out into her enclosure, unless she is physically shut in the yard for some reason.

 

[James27]

Yea, she does spend a lot of time in the yard, usually weaving by the doors into the main exhibit.