Colchester Zoo Spotted Hyenas to arrive at Colchester!

Roz

Roz

Well-Known Member
15+ year member
This has already been mentioned in the spring thread, but as it is fairly major news it deserves it's own thread.
It has today been announced that 1.1 Spotted Hyena will shortly be moving to Colchester Zoo. They will recieve female Kalabi from Berlin and male Abo from Amersfoort.
The plan for the introduction was reccomended by the studbook keeper in the hope that the pair will breed in the future.
Their arrival will mean that all Hyaenidae species will once again be represented in the UK :D

P.S could a mod please move this to the colchester section? Thanks
 
Great news, thanks Roz, hopefully now they can get a foothold here in the UK.
I seem to remember a few rumours of one or more UK safari parks getting them, they seem to be breeding well in a few European collections.
 
Nice to see the hyena diversity of the UK restored to glory. However I think its a bit of a shame to only hosue the pair when these could truly make a dramatic display as part of a larger group.
 
It would be good if they were kept in the old white tiger enclosure, even if its just temporary. Its a shame such a large space will be empty during the busiest time of the year and better than the alternating system they previously had.
 
bugs said:
It would be good if they were kept in the old white tiger enclosure, even if its just temporary. Its a shame such a large space will be empty during the busiest time of the year and better than the alternating system they previously had.
Click to expand...

Is it still empty? I'm surprised they haven't managed to fill it with something even temporarily, as its large and in a focal/central part of the Zoo.

I don't think the new Hyaenas are necessarily the best solution though like you I also hope they don't rotate them with the Striped ones, that wasn't ideal.
 
foz said:
Nice to see the hyena diversity of the UK restored to glory. However I think its a bit of a shame to only hosue the pair when these could truly make a dramatic display as part of a larger group.
Click to expand...

Firstly, fantastic news indeed, good to see that Colchester are committed to continue with this species in the future. Secondly, I agree with Foz, if the species has any chance of being fully established once more in the UK numbers are needed , preferrably several females! Still its a great start !
 
It's good to know that Spotted Hyenas will once again be represented on the British zoo scene. What I am at a loss to understand, though, is why hyenas (of any kind) are not seen in safari parks. Gradually (much too gradually for my liking) the few British safari parks are getting a little more diverse in the variety of animals they show, with, perhaps, West Midland Safari Park leading the way. And yet nobody seems to consider hyenas as a possibility for a drive-through reserve. I would've thought they would be OK in this situation.
 
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