Twycross,Knowsley and Blackpool elephants.

The Hedgehog

Well-Known Member
Does anyone know where the Twycross elephants are going. what is happening with Knowsleys remaining two elephants,or where the Blackpool elephants will be comeing from any information would be much appreciated.

Thanks
The Hedgehog.
 
They are going to build a new facility for a new herd. There current enclosure (both indoors and outdoors) will be changed to house Giraffe.
I guess this means they will eventually hold a giraffe breeding herd and not just the (hybrid) bachelor group like they have now.

Knowsley has acres of space to actually do justice to a better and improved elephant facility and have the expertise to do well in elephant breeding too. I do yet still have a lingering hope that the EAZA / EEP African elephant will eventually go for a new consortium import for conservation breeding purposes from surplussed African range state herds!
 
I guess this means they will eventually hold a giraffe breeding herd and not just the (hybrid) bachelor group like they have now.
Compared to the other UK Safari Parks, Knowsley's giraffe display is very poor- a couple of males(?) in a smallish enclosure, completely seperated from other species and not in the drivethrough areas either. It would be much nicer if they had a group out in one of the mixed species African-style reserves as the other SP's do. Maybe that's what is planned, though I'm not sure the existing Elephant area connects with any of the large reserve areas, but its possible it could be joined up.
 
Was at Blackpool Zoo two weeks ago for a VIP member evening where we got to walk round the new Elephant exhibit and see the new house. It's absolutely huge !!!

The paddock is twice the size of Chester's with water sections, mounds, scratching areas and grazing and the house is huge too.

Kate has been having crate lessons and she is due to move into her new enclosure soon. (May already be in there)

They said, in June/July next year 3 female Asian Elephants will arrive from Twycross Zoo, and these will gradually merge in with Kate.

They won't be adding a Bull Elephant for 2/3 years as Kate is old and they don't want to upset her and want to give the new additions time to settle.

The new house and exhibit will be open to the public in the next two weeks. They had hoped to have Kate moved over for half term but her crate training was taking longer than expected so they were behind schedule.
 
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They said, in June/July next year 3 female Asian Elephants will arrive from Twycross Zoo, and these will gradually merge in with Kate.
Was this a formal statement made publicly on behalf of the Zoo..? also there are four females at Twycross and I presume they will be kept as a unit wherever they end up.
 
Was this a formal statement made publicly on behalf of the Zoo..? also there are four females at Twycross and I presume they will be kept as a unit wherever they end up.

It was what the guide showing us around the new exhibit said. He stated they were having 3 females arrive next June/July. When asked where from, he stated Twycross.
 
Knowsley’s current elephant enclosure will house, A giraffe herd, scimitar horned oryx and blesbok. It is part of there foot safari. They will be building a new state of the art elephant facility in the coming years. Blackpool I believe will be getting a bull towards the back end of next year if what I’ve been told by a keeper there is correct. I was also told there is a possibility that Aung Bo the current Chester male could be moved Blackpool with Chester getting a new male but this is just speculation
 
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