Walrus in UK collections

P

Panthera1981

Well-Known Member
10+ year member
The ongoing presence of a walrus off the coast of Pembrokeshire has had me thinking of potential outcomes.

The animal appears to be in relative good health, bar the odd idiot trying to get too close and causing it unwanted stress.However, if possible capture were an option, is there anywhere in the UK that has the potential facilities or history to house a walrus? YWP or Chester instantly come to mind but I’d imagine the costs of housing such a large animal would be astronomical!
 
Panthera1981 said:
The ongoing presence of a walrus off the coast of Pembrokeshire has had me thinking of potential outcomes.

The animal appears to be in relative good health, bar the odd idiot trying to get too close and causing it unwanted stress.However, if possible capture were an option, is there anywhere in the UK that has the potential facilities or history to house a walrus? YWP or Chester instantly come to mind but I’d imagine the costs of housing such a large animal would be astronomical!
Click to expand...
Where would Chester hold a walrus?
 
Mattaki said:
Where would Chester hold a walrus?
Click to expand...

I was (blue sky) thinking more along the lines of “potential.” The only place I’ve seen walrus in captivity is Sea World (essentially a deep tank) but seem to recall some ZSL archive evidence
 
I don’t think any walrus has ever lasted more than a year or two in a U.K. collection, no individual having really become established. There probably isn’t the will or maybe the finance to try again.
 
Panthera1981 said:
I was (blue sky) thinking more along the lines of “potential.” The only place I’ve seen walrus in captivity is Sea World (essentially a deep tank) but seem to recall some ZSL archive evidence
Click to expand...
London Zoo's first walrus was aquired on 12th October 1853; the second on 1st November 1867. Neither of these early walruses lived long.

A number of other walruses followed these two; the most recent being "Alice" who was kept in the elephants' indoor bathing pool in 1966/1967.
 
If we are blue sky thinking, Longleat lake? If sufficient salt/mineral supplements were provided. Size shouldn't be a problem. I suppose elderly hippos might?
 
GaryA said:
If we are blue sky thinking, Longleat lake? If sufficient salt/mineral supplements were provided. Size shouldn't be a problem. I suppose elderly hippos might?
Click to expand...
Interesting thought. What do others think of the idea?
 
I seem to remember some horror story about walrus sucking the brains out of seal's skulls in the wild?
I'm sure an agile sea lion has speed and teeth on their side!
 
Last edited:
I think habitual seal eating walrus are pretty rare - and if given an easier / more enticing alternative I doubt hunting the sea lions for food would be the issue. Straight up aggression towards the other lake residents and / or boats could be though!!
 
Zia said:
I think habitual seal eating walrus are pretty rare - and if given an easier / more enticing alternative I doubt hunting the sea lions for food would be the issue. Straight up aggression towards the other lake residents and / or boats could be though!!
Click to expand...
The only animals in the lake are two hippos and the sealions. Don’t see many ducks on there, they keep well clear of the sealions
 
FBBird said:
Interesting thought. What do others think of the idea?
Click to expand...

A fully grown bull walrus could probably hold it’s own against a hippo, but redoing Niko’s island into a walrus exhibit would’ve made an interesting alternative to the current Colobus.
 
Panthera1981 said:
The ongoing presence of a walrus off the coast of Pembrokeshire has had me thinking of potential outcomes.

The animal appears to be in relative good health, bar the odd idiot trying to get too close and causing it unwanted stress.However, if possible capture were an option, is there anywhere in the UK that has the potential facilities or history to house a walrus? YWP or Chester instantly come to mind but I’d imagine the costs of housing such a large animal would be astronomical!
Click to expand...

Well assuming the circumstance of the walrus needing to be rescued and temporarily homed, the soon to be empty Whipsnade sea lion tank would probably be a good candidate...
 
Can someone please explain why people seem to think an animal that is thriving in the wild, if in a place not it's normal area, needs to be caught and shut in a zoo ?
 
amaroc said:
Can someone please explain why people seem to think an animal that is thriving in the wild, if in a place not it's normal area, needs to be caught and shut in a zoo ?
Click to expand...

It is only speculation as to what might happen should it begin to fail from finding insufficient food, being far removed from its normal feeding grounds. It is already being watched/monitored by wildlife bodies for that reason.
 
amaroc said:
Can someone please explain why people seem to think an animal that is thriving in the wild, if in a place not it's normal area, needs to be caught and shut in a zoo ?
Click to expand...
*Sounds rather like an anti-zoo sentiment there.....
*Possibility this animal is disoriented or starving, and may perish if left
*What’s wrong with a comfortable life in a zoo?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top