West Midland Safari and Leisure Park West Midland Safari Park 2023
- Thread starter Jedd Cullinan
- Start date
My personal preference would have been that they get a group of female elephants to join Five before doing anything involving a bull - like Blackpool did. Set up a proper herd and then get to the breeding programme.
But, of course, that may also be on the cards (I seem to remember them talking about it).
I think the logistics mean that Coco the bull will arrive at WMSP first as he'll have to leave Howletts before/ the same time as the rest of their herd are repatriated to Africa. So there may be no choice as to the order of things.
This is an aside here... but I just remembered something when there was that hubbub about the elephant breeding ban: one of the big things anti-zoo people like to claim about elephant in particular is that claims that captive-bred elephants act as a reservoir for eventual reintroduction into the wild are misleading, since that hasn't happened.
Unfortunately if the Howletts' elephant release is a success, it's proof that it is possible and, therefore, validates elephant captive breeding programmes, leaving the argument that breeding elephants in captivity does not aid their conservation incorrect.
Having said that, if this does start becoming more prevalent, I'd imagine young males'd be the main age group rewilded.
Rajang-GOAT
Well-Known Member
That is obviously the best case scenario for WMSP ( and probably their preference)to have at least 2-4 cows of breeding age before a new breeding bull is introduced, but if you know anything about the current state of African Elephants in Europe, you would know this would be very difficult to achieve at the moment (I am far from an expert, but am aware of this), and you could argue they are lucky to have Five in the first place. The realistic option a few years back would have been for them to keep Five and Latabe alongside each other, trying to build a matriline from Five while having Latabe as a companion and aunt to any calves born, but obviously that is no longer possible although bringing in a lone female or two not particularly bonded to the groups they are already in could be on the cards. This does leave them in a difficult situation with the arrival of Coco imminent yet only having Five by herself, but it is not easy to just "set up a proper herd" and obtain "a group of female elephants" in the current climate (although I wish it was), in fact almost impossible from what I understand. Ideally they would probably hope to go by your plan with building their herd, but they will have to take what they can and make use of what they already have at the moment. For the future I guess we can hope that either Five gets on ok by herself, or they manage to get some other breeding age females not cemented into a family group (Valencia springs to mind once again) late this year or at sometime next year. Worst comes to worst they might have to find an older non breeding cow to live with Five if she is really struggling with Coco by herself. As I said the situation you mentioned would have been a shared preference by many but WMSP just do not have the same opportunities as Blackpool did especially comparing the contrast between the successes of the two elephant populations in Europe, not to mention the problems Brexit would cause nowadays (their best chance for more unrelated breeding age females is from mainland Europe), and I do share your hope that one of the scenarios of obtaining more individuals is still on the cards.
"Setting up a proper female herd" around Five before getting a bull is not an option for 2 reasons:
1. Five has no time if you want another calf from her. Sutton is already 9 and she didn`t have another calf since him. That may already be too long of a break and may have cost her the ability to get pregnant again. Bringing in other females, introducing them and delaying the arrival of a bull until the females are integrated would simply take too much time. West Midlands apparently have the possibility to get Coco now and they would be really stupid not to take him!
2. Unrelated adult female elephants are notoriously difficult to integrate. Female elephants in breeding age are simply not availible (that may change at any time if Valencia or Cabarceno might decide to send away one or more of their many females, but that may also not happen in the foreseeable future). Older, non-breeding females are availible more easily, but no one knows if a female transferred to West Midlands would bond with Five or not.
Keeping just a pair of a male and a female elephants with their offspring is obviously not ideal socially, and West Midlands should absolutely bring in one or two more female elephants in the future, but that is not a priority now; giving Five the opportunity to breed ASAP is much more important.
1. Five has no time if you want another calf from her. Sutton is already 9 and she didn`t have another calf since him. That may already be too long of a break and may have cost her the ability to get pregnant again. Bringing in other females, introducing them and delaying the arrival of a bull until the females are integrated would simply take too much time. West Midlands apparently have the possibility to get Coco now and they would be really stupid not to take him!
2. Unrelated adult female elephants are notoriously difficult to integrate. Female elephants in breeding age are simply not availible (that may change at any time if Valencia or Cabarceno might decide to send away one or more of their many females, but that may also not happen in the foreseeable future). Older, non-breeding females are availible more easily, but no one knows if a female transferred to West Midlands would bond with Five or not.
Keeping just a pair of a male and a female elephants with their offspring is obviously not ideal socially, and West Midlands should absolutely bring in one or two more female elephants in the future, but that is not a priority now; giving Five the opportunity to breed ASAP is much more important.
Apologies, @Yassa, if what I said was ambiguously worded, but I was not criticising WMSP for what they chose to do - what I was saying was that my preferred course of action would have been the other way round, but I understand, for the reasons you and @Rajang-GOAT have stated, why this is not a possible course of action.
However, I do think - and hope - that once ol' Coco has arrived (and has - ahem - gotten to work), the next priority should be getting Five some female elephant company - probably some older (non-breeding) females.
However, I do think - and hope - that once ol' Coco has arrived (and has - ahem - gotten to work), the next priority should be getting Five some female elephant company - probably some older (non-breeding) females.
Manatee_Sloth
Member
People might have already known about this, but according to their social media they’ve recently added three blesbok to the safari
“We have recently introduced a new antelope species on our safari drive through - the blesbok!
Bilbo, Pearl and Pebbles are settling into their new home in the Grasslands are of the Safari and have been enjoying the recent sunshine.”
“We have recently introduced a new antelope species on our safari drive through - the blesbok!
Bilbo, Pearl and Pebbles are settling into their new home in the Grasslands are of the Safari and have been enjoying the recent sunshine.”
Mac
Active Member
Hello everyone! Just checking in with my first post on this forum, and would like to say how much I adore WMSP. I have grown up visiting WMSP multiple times a year, and it has been an indescribably huge factor in my love and passion for conservation.
I don't know about you, but I'm liking the recent additions. The introduction of the new species (blesbok), the news of a new bull elephant, and the other additions since the looping group took over really has me hopeful for the future of the park. Admittedly, as a photographer, the new Tiger Tropics exhibit isn't the best in terms of actually seeing the Tigers, but I can see where the park is going with its plans. Hopefully, the new Lion enclosure will feature better viewing areas for guests not staying at the lodge..
Now, I have a couple of questions. Firstly, does anybody know if the lion pride is being moved to the new enclosure together, or if they're going to be split, or maybe even the park are expecting some new feline arrivals? I'm certainly not encouraging the sharing of private information, so if this is information that they don't want the gp to know, obviously don't leak information. Also, if you were able to make one change to the park, what would you try to do? I look forward to hopefully reading your responses and hope I can meet some people who love WMSP as much as I do.. Looking forward to kickstarting my studies for a career in the industry soon. WMSP is certainly one of my top ambitions in terms of future employers.
I don't know about you, but I'm liking the recent additions. The introduction of the new species (blesbok), the news of a new bull elephant, and the other additions since the looping group took over really has me hopeful for the future of the park. Admittedly, as a photographer, the new Tiger Tropics exhibit isn't the best in terms of actually seeing the Tigers, but I can see where the park is going with its plans. Hopefully, the new Lion enclosure will feature better viewing areas for guests not staying at the lodge..
Now, I have a couple of questions. Firstly, does anybody know if the lion pride is being moved to the new enclosure together, or if they're going to be split, or maybe even the park are expecting some new feline arrivals? I'm certainly not encouraging the sharing of private information, so if this is information that they don't want the gp to know, obviously don't leak information. Also, if you were able to make one change to the park, what would you try to do? I look forward to hopefully reading your responses and hope I can meet some people who love WMSP as much as I do.. Looking forward to kickstarting my studies for a career in the industry soon. WMSP is certainly one of my top ambitions in terms of future employers.
Yes I saw the news yesterday and where did the blesbok arrived from ?
george.h.martin
Active Member
How many hippos are at West Midlands ?
This may have been answered a few pages back on this thread. We believe 1:6 although we are under the impression one of the females may have died this year
Nile Hippo Expert
Well-Known Member
Barbel passed away sometime in the past two years, so they only have 1:5 Nile Hippos.
Just checked on a booking I have for the weekend for WMSP and didn’t realise you only get one go on the safari drive through ! When I booked the booking service asked for a time slot, I assumed this was for arrival to the park as has been the normal since pre booking and it didn’t say safari drive time slot. I feel a bit cheated by this as I’m sure others will whom didn’t realise this as we generally get at least two trips around, on arrival and later in the day. Important Information | West Midland Safari Park
Moorhunhe
Well-Known Member
The new time slot for the safari has been announced on their fb a few weeks ago.
Something like 'we listened to you about the length of the drive...'
And then I've also already seen loads complaining on many of their fb posts about going round only once, so who knows how long this change will last.
Something like 'we listened to you about the length of the drive...'
And then I've also already seen loads complaining on many of their fb posts about going round only once, so who knows how long this change will last.
Just check there page for what’s included in admission and it just says safari drive through, with no mention of single admission to it, can understand why people are unhappy with this just looking now to book the bus to get another lap in it’s going to be cheaper than traveling back for another visit on the free return visit ticket as it suggest for another lap, can’t help others will do this also taking places away on the buses for fokes whom don’t have a car. Either that or take an extra long trip around on the first lap plenty of stops etc