It’s has been announced that white rhino Keyah has given birth to a baby boy, joining baby Jambo born to Ailsa earlier this year! 
West Midland Safari and Leisure Park West Midland Safari Park 2021
- Thread starter The Hedgehog
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Oh yes West Midlands Safari Park has got to have a breeding herd of African Elephants if they are going to have babies in the future
The Hedgehog
Well-Known Member
@bintarong which Elephant Bull is moving back to WMSP Jack or Tooth? Regarding the Cowes could some of the herd from Beauval more to WMSP. Alternatively could some of the Female's from Bioparc Valencia more in. If the latter happened Jambo could move to Noah's Ark Zoo Farm,to be replaced by Coco from Howletts. Coco could then breed with the remaining Cowes at Bioparc Valencia.[/QUOTE]
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Unsure at this point. Of course, the females can come from any site worldwide, latabe was from a south African Elephant orphanage. Some major moves will begin to happen to adjust to the howletts release.
The Hedgehog
Well-Known Member
Unsure at this point. Of course, the females can come from any site worldwide, latabe was from a south African Elephant orphanage. Some major moves will begin to happen to adjust to the howletts release.[/QUOTE]
@bintarong I have just sent you a PM. So please check your inbox.
At this moment in time, I am damned to know to even begin to suggest any replacements from within the EEP/EAZA. I really do believe there are too few and far between young cows available right now. Honestly, I would now not recommend transferring the out-placed African elephants from Beauval back to West Midlands (not to mention the stress and consequent delay in having the cows restart cycling). A major misjudgement - in my perception - has been to not rebreed the African elephants cows after their initial births at WSMP-Bewdley and then let slip the years. If anything, WSMP management bear some responsibility for failing to ensure a successful established reproductive group from being created. They had their chances and - along with Noah's Ark Farm - disqualified themselves in the major league for African elephants going forward. I do think the best they can now hope for is holding a non-breeding group of cow elephants.
The Hedgehog
Well-Known Member
@Kifaru Bwana I Think you are muddling up West Midlands Safari Park with Knowsley Safari Park. Knowsley sent their African Elephant herd to Beaveal. West Midlands Safari Park has only ever held 4 African Elephants these being Cowes Latebe and Five and Bulls Jack,Tooth and Sutton Five's son.
The Hedgehog
Well-Known Member
@Kifaru Bwana what have Noah's Ark Zoo Farm done in your opinion too disqualify them from breeding Elephants?
I mixed up Knowsley and WSMP. Either way, I cannot see it happen that WSMP acquire a breeding group of Africans given the lack of available young elephants, esp. cows of breeding age.
I don't think Noah's Ark have ever been offered any more than the four elephants (3.1) that they have held in their enormous and underused modern complex (?). I don't see anything they've done to disqualify them, its more a case of very few elephants ever arriving there.
It is not the facilities ... these are among some of the best within the UK. My reservations with NAF lie with premature accidental elephants deaths. Bull M'Changa was not the first elephant to pass away at their facility. They have earlier lost cow Buta in 2015 (only a year upon her arrival at NAF) purportedly from heart disease.
The Hedgehog
Well-Known Member
@Pertinax,I was on the same wave length as you. I was thinking it is not Noah's Ark Zoo Farm's fault that the EEP has suggested that Elephant Eden should be the residence of a bachelor herd.
There does seem to be a shift in favour of Asian elephants in UK zoos in recent years - pretty much all breeding herds in the UK are Asian and the big thing that's been hampering Asian breeding in the UK is the damn EEHV,, which we're starting to get a handle on now. Breeding African elephants, conversely, seems to be much less successful for whatever reason
Are there any zoos that have had a bit more success with African elephants in Europe? If not, the best source for African elephants, IMO, is the USA - the Americans do seem to have breeding Africans much better than zoos in Britain.
There are about 15 viable matrilines in Europe, with a few more potential cows who have yet to produce a female calf but who may still. Wuppertal, Cabarceno and Boras have been the most consistently successful, as has Howletts.
Depending on what happens with the Valencia cows, Europe will have approx 20-25 breeding herds of African elephants over the coming years, with other facilities becoming bachelor holdings as older, non-breeding groups of females die out.
At the moment, WMSP is probably the best hope for African elephants in the UK, if Howletts rewilds theirs and Colchester's herd continue their long dry spell. Has anyone ever said what's going to happen to Knowlsley's old elephant exhibit - seems like a bit of a waste to just let it stand empty.
I do wonder what's changed here in the past decade that's led to a gradual shift in favour of Asian elephants - is it just a coincidental thing?
I do wonder what's changed here in the past decade that's led to a gradual shift in favour of Asian elephants - is it just a coincidental thing?
Which its highly likely she had had for a long time previous to moving to Noah's Ark. So I don't think they could be held responsible for her death. Noah's Ark built that facility with view to various Elephant endeavours- breeding group, rescue centre or whatever. But very few(4) elephants have gone there since it was opened.
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Perhaps so, but there is no evidence as yet to suggest she had pre existing conditions.
There were not many Africans available within the U.K. To begin with.
That would be really good if West Midlands Safari Park has a breeding herd of elephants so that in the future they might have some elephant calves
Yeah - it does seem weird that there's been a gradual shift in favour of Asian elephants. Most (or all) of the UK's breeding (or potentially breeding) herds of elephants are Asian - Howletts aside, most African herds in the UK are non-breeding (or have had only sporadic successes).
Is this just a coincidental thing?
I'd say Buta was probably ailing well before her arrival at Noah's Ark.... Anyway, the main thing is the whole enclosure is vastly underused for whatever reason- initially their publicity about 'Elephant Eden' altered several times as to what type of grouping they were going to have. In reality just a very few places have offered them any elephants at all it seems, and two out of the four came from abroad.