West Midland Safari and Leisure Park West midlands
- Thread starter KJ
- Start date
Nope, just those 4(three really as H & PL. are one organisation)
They only breed well at Port Lympne(Howletts only have a trio) and they use theirs for reintroduction programmes, so I'd be surprised to see any other places in UK aquiring them at present, though its always possible...
They only breed well at Port Lympne(Howletts only have a trio) and they use theirs for reintroduction programmes, so I'd be surprised to see any other places in UK aquiring them at present, though its always possible...
thanks, that's interesting, I know they had to rotate the bulls for some time. Hopefully they will benefit behaviourally from the arrival of calves.
Will they breed though, as they were reared by humans from babies? Won't it be like the Gorilla situation with Bongo and Romina at Bristol zoo, with the bull thinking of the cows like his family?
And I want to know how they've kept that bull in, there's one strand of electric wire on the mesh at the back of the exhibit lol
And I want to know how they've kept that bull in, there's one strand of electric wire on the mesh at the back of the exhibit lol
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West Midlands doesn't have the space to create a large set of primate exhibits and the likelyhood of getting all 4 species of ape is very unlikely.
I would like to see at least one Safari Park have a drive-thru reserve with Mandrills. They are no bigger or more dangerous than the Olive/Yellow baboons which have been in Safari Parks for many years. Chester's Mandrills are going to be surplus when they get Drills, so there's one source... or they could import from Europe.
I don't think a safari park like West Midlands will ever have Apes(apart from perhaps chimpanzees) or less hardy monkeys as there is too much expense and labour-intensivity attatched to keeping them. Safari Parks really want the most Revenue for least Expense, they aren't in the business of exhibiting difficult or less spectacular species.
I don't think a safari park like West Midlands will ever have Apes(apart from perhaps chimpanzees) or less hardy monkeys as there is too much expense and labour-intensivity attatched to keeping them. Safari Parks really want the most Revenue for least Expense, they aren't in the business of exhibiting difficult or less spectacular species.
With the use of AI on Opal at Colchester with the West Mids Bull elephants sperm is there any plans to do that with any of the females at the safari park?
Is it just me or is it slightly worrying that on their website the park claims to have 17 bengal tigers, of which 11 are white. Surely they must accept that these white tigers are of no advantage to the zoological world, most are hybrids and with their colouring there is no chance they could ever be part of any re-introduction project if ever established. In their guide they claim that they have had DNA checks done on the original tigers they got from Sweden which showed them to be pure bengal. As far as i know either 'Mohan', the first and only wild caught white tiger, was bred consecutively with his own sisters; or any white cubs bred from him were bred with brothers/sisters/ half-siblings so as to produce more white tigers. Hybridisation therefore was present from the very start, so its impossible for them to be pure.
Is it just me or is it slightly worrying that on their website the park claims to have 17 bengal tigers, of which 11 are white. Surely they must accept that these white tigers are of no advantage to the zoological world, most are hybrids and with their colouring there is no chance they could ever be part of any re-introduction project if ever established. In their guide they claim that they have had DNA checks done on the original tigers they got from Sweden which showed them to be pure bengal. As far as i know either 'Mohan', the first and only wild caught white tiger, was bred consecutively with his own sisters; or any white cubs bred from him were bred with brothers/sisters/ half-siblings so as to produce more white tigers. Hybridisation therefore was present from the very start, so its impossible for them to be pure.
I don't think they are planning AI with the females as they have mated, the bull is just a bit too short.
And yes, it's a disgrace that a place is still doing this. I'm on an animal management course, and the amount of people who still think that white tigers are a subspecies becuase of places like WMSP is worrying.
And yes, it's a disgrace that a place is still doing this. I'm on an animal management course, and the amount of people who still think that white tigers are a subspecies becuase of places like WMSP is worrying.
I think with the white tigers they are nice animals but after the first 2 cubs were born and there was the whole 'First place to breed white tigers' publicity they maybe should have stopped there and just had a nice exhibit with 3 or 4 white tigers just to show them off as such.
Has the bull not yet reached maturity or is his shortness down to other reasons, e.g. being an orphan due to poaching?
Has the bull not yet reached maturity or is his shortness down to other reasons, e.g. being an orphan due to poaching?
taun
Well-Known Member
Can i point out that they can't be hybridised from inbreeding. "white tigers" were bred with another sub-species (probably Amur) to make them bigger and more impressive.
Paulkarli08
Well-Known Member
My opinion is, having one or two white tigers is fine, as it shows variation, but having 11 and presumably still breeding them, pathetic!! The same goes with the white lions.
I think the fun will start when the white male cubs all start fighting for dominace between themselves and their dad, and no zoo will take them, i think a few of them will 'go missing'
I think the fun will start when the white male cubs all start fighting for dominace between themselves and their dad, and no zoo will take them, i think a few of them will 'go missing'