ZSL Whipsnade Zoo Whipsnade; 2012 and beyond

Kifaru Bwana said:
@JR, I would say that is somewhat debatable. There have been shown to be differences through genetic research. However, I would rest it .. and concur that both now somewhat separated populations in India and Nepal were once part of a single larger population. Call it genetic drift ... if you will.

This notion is also the driving force behind IRV 2020 in India to reconnect populations and promote genetic interchange and at some point reconnect the Assamese ones in Kaziranga, Pobitora, Manas et al with Dudwha, Chitwan and the western Nepali parks.


Back to zoo news: ... (birth)!
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info :) Now as you say, back to zoo news.
 
johnstoni. said:
I was at the park on Saturday and there was a female Indian rhino looking very large in one of the old yards, with access to the smaller new paddock, with one of the calves shut out in the 'hardstanding' by the new house. The other female and calf were in the largest paddock. I think it was the bull who was shut in the new house - he had access to all three stalls and was limping so I assume thats why he was shut in. So I doubt it was an Indian rhino birth on Friday.

I think the female gaur was also separated from the two males, although I don't know the enclosure well enough to be 100% sure. She was inside while they were both out in the yard. Had I checked this site prior to going I would have looked more closely into the stall for signs of a calf.

We saw very few elephants, but there were none visible inside the cow barn, which doesn't mean there hadn't been a birth.
Click to expand...
So it looks like the indian rhino are ruled out, but gaur remains a possibility. I guess if it was wolverine there'd be nothing obvious, but did you observe anything unusual at my next best guesses? Were Nigna & Hoover still together in the hippo paddock or any white rhino missing?
 
Wow you guys have been speculating lots! :P

Well unfortunately I'm not able to reveal the piece of news I wanted to. I always like to imagine a zoo visitor seeing something related to the news, asking a keeper, then them saying it, and none of this is really a public thing yet. What I will say is that my original piece of news was not a birth...

However there is something else which I have only seen today! Some of you'll be very happy - one of the gaur viewing windows is covered and the area cordoned off as Mia has been showing signs of restlessness the past couple of days. Hopefully by the time I am there next Monday there'll be a new gaur calf! Let's not get our hopes up though, you never know what might happen... Still, very exciting! I've been waiting for this for so long! I am presuming all the barriers etc. weren't there on Saturday johnstoni? Must have been put there yesterday.

With regards to elephants, white rhinos and wolverines, I haven't heard anything, though I probably wouldn't know anyway... Not my news/information speciality :P

Indian rhino-wise, as far as I am aware (and I would have thought I would be aware, though it is possible it has slipped my mind), Ajang wasn't moved because Behan is going to give birth now. She may be pregnant, as I think I remember being told she had been mated and could be due around December (?, might be making that up...), but not due imminently. Also as far as I know there are no plans to move Ajang on so far. Karamat though is still due to move very soon (I think within the next couple of weeks).
 
Thanks for putting us out of our misery over the birth at least, so hopefully its an exciting arrival! Maybe it's plans for a Polar Bear enclosure - long overdue! (only dreaming now!) . New tiger more likely.
 
AdamD601 said:
I think it's exciting! :D

Haha, we can all dream, but maybe that's pushing it a bit? :P
Click to expand...

It's pushing it now i know, but i still think if we're ever to see polar bears in England again then Whipsnade is number one candidate.
When you say that you think it's exciting, i really hope your favourite animal isn't a meerkat!!
 
rachie2 said:
A total guess but a male tiger?
Click to expand...

I would be (very) surprised if it is indeed a male Tiger. The current female 'Anastasia' was born to Vanda and Boris the original pair at ZSL Whipsnade. They had two litters, the first litter was two cubs (1.1?), the second litter was 2.1. 'Anastasia' used to live with her brother 'Mickail'. He killed one of his parents I believe his mother and his father died. AFAIK 'Mickail' died last year I think.
 
when i stayed at lookout lodge, the guide said that they had carried out medical tests and there was a 70% chance anastasia could breed. At that point they were waiting to hear if a male was available
 
Hopeful bets on a companion for Anastasia, when I visited a few weeks ago she was a very lonely old girl indeed.

Age makes no difference to setting up new pairs. Just depends on how valuable they are. Look at Kamal the Asiatic lion at Bristol for example.
 
Riziki said:
Hopeful bets on a companion for Anastasia, when I visited a few weeks ago she was a very lonely old girl indeed.

Age makes no difference to setting up new pairs. Just depends on how valuable they are. Look at Kamal the Asiatic lion at Bristol for example.
Click to expand...

The tiger was one of my suggestions, but given the 'exciting' occurance was 2 weeks ago, i doubt the arrival of a new tiger would be such a secret! London announced theirs almost immediately recently. A birth was more likely to be kept quiet for a while, but as it wasn't that, i now suspect it may be building for a new species
 
It is an arrival, not a birth or new species :) I'm going to have to wait until this Monday to see if I can reveal because I don't want to say it unless the animal's been on public view. Hopefully I'll be able to confirm a gaur birth too on Monday... Fingers crossed!
 
AdamD601 said:
It is an arrival, not a birth or new species :) I'm going to have to wait until this Monday to see if I can reveal because I don't want to say it unless the animal's been on public view. Hopefully I'll be able to confirm a gaur birth too on Monday... Fingers crossed!
Click to expand...

Thanks for confirming, my post crossed with yours! I think if it's an arrival that may well end the need for further guessing!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top