Well bintarong said the plans is for WMSP to have the breeding herd of African Elephants so that they can breed and they can do their bit for the European Breeding Programme
West Midland Safari and Leisure Park West Midland Safari Park 2021
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The male Rhino calf has now been named Jumani and here he is
I think this is replicated across captive populations generally. Asian elephants have always been more common, longer-lived and more likely to have been managed by free contact. It may be coincidental but almost all the very successful African groups in Europe were (Howletts, Schonbrunn, Berlin) or still are (Boras, Wuppertal) managed under free contact. I believe WMSP was too and are only transitioning now they have a new facility that allows for protected contact?
Knowsley's elephants overall died prematurely (the record being 37 for one cow who died in 2004), but worth remembering these arrived in the UK as cull orphans on the whole. For a single cow to be moved to Noah's ark, it's likely there were compatibility issues which would have of course increased stress in a non-integrated animal, or limit paddock access if she couldn't be mixed at Knowsley. However, given Latabe died very recently at WMSP at 28, potentially the (acceptable) stress of a move to a new facility (even at the same site) and routine could trigger underlying health problems that may not have surfaced for some time had nothing changed.
I think this is as applicable to WMSP as it is to Noah's Ark, but for holders of African elephants there are virtually no available cows in Europe of breeding age not already either part of a matriarchal group (and so shouldn't be separated) or unlikely to be let go by the institution holding them. The only unbred cows not already part of a matriarchal herd who are still young enough to conceive are the six at Valencia. There's also Sweni at Wuppertal and Numbi at Schonbrunn, both have calves but are living with unrelated matriarchal group, I don't know if there are plans to end these slightly risk setups and even if they were to be moved I'm sure there would be zoos already higher up the queue than WMSP unfortunately, maybe not. But I suspect integrating other breeding-age cows is also more difficult than one or two post-reproductive females. There are a couple of breeding cows at Cabarceno who may also be living separately from the main group.
That being said, if WMSP are able to recall Jack or Tooth, two of the few active breeding bulls in Europe, this may shift whether the EEP are willing to relocate any viable cows to this site should any become available from the very small pool remaining.
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It is wishful thinking given the paucity of available animals that the exhibits at WSMP, Knowsley (if they would go back into elephants) and Noah's will receive viable breeding groups or be filled up to a level this would become likely. They missed the boat completely on fixing old facilities, promoting active captive-breedingand unless the Howletts elephant relocation explodes into JAF's own face will there be any elephants available for other facilities within the UK.
One can emphatically, forget that facilities like Berlin, Wuppertal, Valencia, Boras or Cabarceno would now cede any elephants to the U.K. (something to do with B.xt and the nowt current government's stance on elephants in captivity). It is more likely a re-arrangement within Continental Europe is due before long with a few more cows becoming active and successful breeders.
One can emphatically, forget that facilities like Berlin, Wuppertal, Valencia, Boras or Cabarceno would now cede any elephants to the U.K. (something to do with B.xt and the nowt current government's stance on elephants in captivity). It is more likely a re-arrangement within Continental Europe is due before long with a few more cows becoming active and successful breeders.
@Kifaru Bwana yeah sure, but what would be wonderful is for any of the few remaining viable cows yet to form matrilines to be used to facilitate reunification of several broken matrilines across Europe. I doubt Plaisance-Du-Touch, Sosto or Rhenen would cede their cows to the zoos holding their natal groups without being offered a viable cow in exchange.
I hope you're wrong about the UK, but whatever happens at WMSP it will be interesting to see how they try and move forward with this species.
I hope you're wrong about the UK, but whatever happens at WMSP it will be interesting to see how they try and move forward with this species.
Noah's Ark have never had any old facilities or any opportunity to breed from elephants they have held. They have never got that far with elephant keeping, and now reduced to just two bulls.
However, it seems more... noticeable in Britain. Certainly, in the past ten years, Africans seem to be dwindling (Knowlsley's herd got split between Noah's Ark and France, Colchester's haven't produced a calf in quite some time and we all know what might happen with Howletts), whilst Asians are remaining stable - Whipsnade, Woburn, Chester and Dublin seem to have gotten a handle on the EEHV and, with Blackpool getting the Twycross herd and Emmet, a new breeding programme is on the horizon.
The government have never made their stance on this official - and they debunked any plans on a ban. Certainly, that's not what the EWG report will probably advise - given their conclusions thus far.
I think what Europe needs to do is look at the USA, which (from a cursory glance) seems to be incredibly successful at breeding Africans and ask "What are they doing that we aren't"?
Check this out
Unfortunately, the US is not “incredibly successful at breeding Africans.” Tbh, Europe is probably doing much better at breeding. For example, we only had one calf born last year and we haven’t had a single one born thus far this year and there are no known pregnancies due this year either. This has been seen in previous years as well, with only 1-2 calves born per year. Despite having several breeding aged cows, the US breeding program is just not doing too well.
Ah - I guess I was only looking at some zoos (e.g. Indianapolis, Oakland) and not the American zoo industry as a whole.
Indianapolis had been doing well for a while, but they haven’t had a calf since 2012. And Oakland hasn’t had a single surviving calf, I believe. Some of the best zoos for breeding Africans in the US imo are SDZSP and Reid Park. Sedgwick, Fresno, Omaha, and Dallas haven’t had much success so far but I’m hopeful that they will in the near future, as well.
That's good and I understand the Bactrian camels are staying in the valley. Question is where are they going to put the Bongos, Primates and Congo Buffalo ?
Unfortunately those species aren't arriving anymore. The park is currently focusing on phase 2 and 3 and then 4 will be remastered to fit anything missing. Red pandas are of course only a couple of weeks away from opening!!
That is very strange as I don't understand that but never mind anyway
that's good. It would be really nice for West Midlands to have Bongos and Primates
What exactly is going to happen in each "phase" entail? Or was going to happen, pre-COVID?
So, this whole thing about announcing new exhibits and species is a dead in the water scenario now?
Sorry to repeat this, @bintarong, but what exactly do Phases 3 and 4 entail - or did entail pre-COVID?
Half and half, There will be new exhibits for current species with there own lodges. The planned species like Bongos and barbary apes have been scrapped as they want to focus on maximising welfare for current animals.
Apologies for the late reply. This was the 1st masterplan pre-covid.
Phase 3 was the new Sumatran tiger enclosure and lodges, new mixed hippo enclosure with the lodges.
Phase 4 was turning the barbary sheep enclosure into the dholes enclosure and building lodges, Revamping Elephant Valley into the forest and the new African reserve with house along with Asian forest.
Only 1 week left to go now until Red Panda Retreat opens