ZSL Whipsnade Zoo whipsnade 2013

[TeaLovingDave]

But Russia and the UAE are completely different, Russia is a lot more "European" in culture, climate and just in general terms. At least the part that's this side of Siberia is!

You say that, but there are collections on ZTL which are on the border of North Korea! When casting a net out that widely the site may as well expand to include Asia

 

[Brum]

You say that, but there are collections on ZTL which are on the border of North Korea! When casting a net out that widely the site may as well expand to include Asia

Really? What collections are those?
I have noticed the inclusion of San Diego and African Lion Safari, both have no species listed but both are on there. Global ZTL is coming...

 

[IanRRobinson]

I hope you're wrong, above probably any other zoo in the UK, Whipsnade has the potential (dictated by modern standards) to hold 3 or 4 bear species, like the good old days. The sloth bear enclosure should remain for bears (whatever the species) and as well documented, the return of polar bear would be my prority for the next newbuild.

I totally agree. Personally I would question whether Sloth Bears and Hanuman Langurs made for a less interesting exhibit than Bennett's Wallabies and Emus, but let that pass.

The timidity displayed by ZSL with regard to bears is frankly deplorable. There is space at London to keep Sun Bears at the very least, and to keep Brown, Sloth and Polar Bears at Whipsnade. Spectacled Bears could be kept on either site.

An urban myth of nightmarish proportions has developed about the unsuitability of bears as zoo animals. ZSL really ought to have the confidence to take it on, and aim to provide high quality bear exhibits on both sites.

And quite why the male Sloth Bear was sterilised rather than exchanged with another collection - if there's any logical explanation I would like to know.

 

[Shirokuma]

But Russia and the UAE are completely different, Russia is a lot more "European" in culture, climate and just in general terms. At least the part that's this side of Siberia is! The UAE is a different kettle of fish altogether though. (I'll be honest, I don't understand why it's included in ZTL either!)

I imagine it is based on EAZA membership which includes collections in the Middle East.

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Really? What collections are those?
I have noticed the inclusion of San Diego and African Lion Safari, both have no species listed but both are on there. Global ZTL is coming...

Vladivostok Primorsky Aquarium and Vladivostok Oceanarium are the two most egregious examples, although Yuzhno-Sahalinsk Zoo (sited on Sahalanik Island just north of Japan) and Komsomolsk-on-Amur Zoo (not much further away from Japan and Mongolia!) are pretty far away too.

 

[Pertinax]

The timidity displayed by ZSL with regard to bears is frankly deplorable. There is space at London to keep Sun Bears at the very least, and to keep Brown, Sloth and Polar Bears at Whipsnade. Spectacled Bears could be kept on either site.

I agree that there is scope on both sites for additional Bear species. At London I think Spectacled Bears would fit the bill ideally- not too large or overly destructive and a nicely vegetated enclosure like Jersey's or Chester's would fit in with the general feel of London nowadays. Sun Bears similarly though being smaller they aren't quite as eye-catching and I think they are perhaps more destructive than Spectacled (?), I know that they are great diggers.

Polars are an obvious choice for Whipsnade, sited somewhere on that cold escarpment. Now Highland have led the way with a way of exhibiting Polar Bears in spacious enclosures, Whipsnade could follow as they too, have the room to do it.

As I've said before, I do think the Sloth Bears were the worst choice of Bear species for London to take on when they did- and then they were further hampered with stereotyped individuals and a difficult enclosure makeover. I still cannot see them doing anything else with this species except just keeping the ones they have.

 

[vogelcommando]

Triplet of Lynx-babies :
Lynx Kitten Triplets Make Their Public Debut at Whipsnade Zoo - ZooBorns

 

[johnstoni2]

And quite why the male Sloth Bear was sterilised rather than exchanged with another collection - if there's any logical explanation I would like to know.

I've heard this a few times on here, I believe its very plausible given that he is housed with his sister, but does anyone know the source document for this information? I can only assume that they are not pure Sri Lankan or there was no other collection that wanted them when London decided to stop keeping them. It seemed like a relatively big investment for Whipsnade to create an enclosure for a ( partially incompatible) group of sloth bears given that they already had a bear species.

With hindsight, it wasn't acceptable for all three bears to remain on the terraces any longer than they did given that Lanka had to be separated; it would have meant either her or the adult siblings would on some days be restricted to the top left holding enclosure, which essentially was just one of the original bear pens with some substrate in it. For all three to have remained in that setup at London for a while, followed by the expenditure of a new (though partly adapted) enclosure at Whipsnade makes me think they may have tried to relocate either the cubs or Lanka without success.

 

[johnstoni2]

Dont remember reading this, but the penguin area is being surrounded by a 6 foot hotwired fence with gated access, presumably fox-proof. oo is closed.

Someone mentioned that the rockhopper signage was removed from the enclosure earlier this year. Has anyone seen the rockhoppers recently? Initially I had wondered if they'd been moved to Regent's park given the decision to rehome the macaroni penguins at Living Coasts. Hopefully the breeding pair at Whipsnade and their chicks from previous years are alive and well.

 

[Pertinax]

For all three to have remained in that setup at London for a while, followed by the expenditure of a new (though partly adapted) enclosure at Whipsnade makes me think they may have tried to relocate either the cubs or Lanka without success.

That would not surprise me. This is not a very popular species in Zoos- they are the least typical of the Bears- in some respects they are more like Anteaters! Coupled with that they are of a different subspecies to most of those in Europe. So finding them a new home could have been problematic and converting an old antelope stable and paddock at Whipsnade was perhaps the easiest option. When I saw them at Whipsnade I was struck at how visible and active they were (the two on show that is), a distinct contrast to London.

 

[IanRRobinson]

Sloth Bears are a classic example of an animal that makes me wonder about the psychology of some zoo professionals in the modern world. We do not seem to have space for the retiring and the inconspicuous.

It does seem almost that if an animal can't attract the attention of a marketing professional within five minutes it is in severe danger of being phased out,no matter how rare or unusual it might be.

 

[Pertinax]

It does seem almost that if an animal can't attract the attention of a marketing professional within five minutes it is in severe danger of being phased out,no matter how rare or unusual it might be.

My point is there are 'horses for courses' and I don't think Sloth Bears were the sensible choice for that particular exhibit at ZSL- virtually any of the other more typical Bear species (apart from possibly Sun Bear) might have done better IMO. I agree that sensitively exhibited they are an interesting animal in their own right, as they seem to have proved at Whipsnade.

 

[Kifaru Bwana]

It would have been relatively easy to transfer the Sri Lanka sloth bears to SSP/US and exchange for unrelated Indian sloth bears and bring in new blood into the European population.

It is not too late however ... to do the right thing.

It would also completely be in sync with the Indian theme at Whipsnade (elephant, gaur, rhino, bharasingha) to acquire Indian sloth bears.

 

[Pertinax]

It would also completely be in sync with the Indian theme at Whipsnade (elephant, gaur, rhino, bharasingha) to acquire Indian sloth bears.

I doubt ZSL are that bothered about them to be honest- though if a positive offer from somewhere else was made to do such an exchange, they might be prepared to go along with it.

 

[IanRRobinson]

I doubt ZSL are that bothered about them to be honest-..

Which is the point I was making. Sad.

 

[pipaluk]

Which is the point I was making. Sad.

Agreed, i would like to think that having developed the enclosure for the sloth bears, ZSL will continue with them for many years to come, though as i said before i would expect the current ones to be around another 10-15 + years anyway if no exchanges take place.

 

[Pertinax]

Pertinax does Whipsnade.

I had a brief visit to Whipsnade yesterday, just a couple of hours but at the speed I go round places these days it was enough to see pretty much everything I wanted to see. Here's a few comments and a check-list of animals seen (and some not seen too =0). It was my first visit for a few years, and also the first since the European fauna area was developed.

Lynx. 0. But the enclosure is nice.
Wild Boar. 7/8. Looked good and a nice setting. They could extend the enclosure backwards into more woodland but that would no doubt make them less visible to the public.
Wolverine. 0. Nice big enclosure though.
Brown Bear. 3.
Penguins .x number. (Didn't go in). Now surrounded by an electrified fox-proof compound.
American Bison. 2 (1.1)
Chimpanzee 6.
European Bison. 2(1.1) - no others evident.
Wolves.
Moose. 3.(cow and the twin calves) Father is labelled in the old Musk Ox paddock but must have been inside the house.

Reticulated Giraffe. 5. One of the things I wanted to see. For the first time in many years I saw them out on the grass paddock. They were no doubt shut out because of the busy construction work going on with the House and yard areas. The House has been almost doubled in size/width at the front, the yards redesigned and a new high level walkway is being built, hopefully to open at Halfterm. There is a big outdoor shelter, necessary for while they are being shut outside in the daytime but hopefully a permanency too.
The 'new' bull (Bruno) is smaller than the three females, one of which(Ina) is by far the biggest animal in the group. There is one male calf. The homebred female 'Savanah' looks to be very pregnant.

Red River Hog. 0. notice says three piglets were born recently so there must be 5 currently (sleeping?).
Roan 4. Waterbuck. several. Bongo(in distance) 2.(probably more indoors).
Lions. 7. male, three female, three castrated males?
Grevy Zebra 6/7
S.H. Oryx. 8. Greater Kudu. 2. Emus.
Common Hippo 3. all in the outdoor pools.
Pygmy Hippo. 0. (but presumably there somewhere)
Cheetah. 6.
Nile Lechwe. some.

Asian Plains- I did not have car so unable to go in. However my field glasses revealed just 2 Blackbuck. Nilgai are no longer present or labelled. Barasingha- herd increase- now up to about 50 animals(from previously around 30). From the raised bank after the Sloth bears, which overlooks the Prezwalski/Pere David's field, I could clearly see most of the other Deer species in the Asian area too, apart from the Chital herd which were not seen, they do sometimes hide in one corner behind a bank.

Siberian Tigers. 2.

The Waterfowl Lake by the Cafe seemed devoid of any ducks or geese, apart from Mallards, together with moorhens and a lot of Gulls.

Manchurian Crane. 4. Pair plus two grown young. Always one of my favourite Whipsnade exhibits.
Sloth Bear. 2. The younger pair inside, no sign of the old female but still labelled so must be there.
Prezwalski Horses /Pere David Deer/Yak- as usual numbers- no counts made
Onager. 2. Where were the rest? Didn't they add some more females? There was no sign of any in the yards or elsewhere either.

Asian Rhino. 5. Bull lying in sand yard behind 'new' House. One female(?) each in both large paddocks. Female and smallest calf in old enclosure/paddock. No sign of the long-horned female (I forget which it is, Behan or Beluki), or rather, none of the five had a long horn- I suspect she may have lost it or had it removed? I looked in the newer house, empty as usual but the bull is obviously living in there. The moats were empty and being refilled, I noticed the slope down into them is a single sloping ramp rather than steps. It does seem strange how they still house these Rhinos in this rather higgledy-piggledy arrangement of enclosures but it obviously works for them.

Gaur. 3. Pair and calf.
Elephants 6. Bull seperate (have never seen him with the cows). 3 cows, 2 calves together.
White-faced Saki. 0.
Exit.1

Exhibits I didn't see or deliberately left out for time's sake; Lemurs/White Rhinos/Reindeer/central area/sealions/farm.

No big changes since my last visit apart from the European Fauna exhibits and they aren't new anymore now. The revamped Giraffe area and walkway will no doubt be the next new attraction.

 

[pipaluk]

I visited on Saturday for the first time in 2 months and only saw 1.2 European Bison, 2 females less than usual, though half the shed was closed. I cannot recall ever seeing a calf in the 7 years that i have been a regular visitor again.
Lanka , the older sloth bear was out alone in the main enclosure late on with the others shut in the house.
Saw 2 pygmy hippos, both female i think, one in first outdoor paddock(youngster?) other indoors. Paddock labelled for male appeared empty.
Saw all 5 red river hogs together in their newer (previously sitatunga) paddock.

 

[Pertinax]

I visited on Saturday for the first time in 2 months and only saw 1.2 European Bison, 2 females less than usual, though half the shed was closed.
Saw 2 pygmy hippos, both female i think, one in first outdoor paddock(youngster?) other indoors. Paddock labelled for male appeared empty.
Saw all 5 red river hogs together in their newer (previously sitatunga) paddock.

I couldn't see any sign of more than two Wisent, and no shed doors seemed to be closed.

I saw no Pygmy hippos, either in the outdoor paddocks and definately not in the house- the pool in there had clean water but was empty.

I noticed the RR Hogs had a bigger enclosure now- it looked like they had access to the original one as well?

 

[pipaluk]

I couldn't see any sign of more than two Wisent, and no shed doors seemed to be closed.

I saw no Pygmy hippos, either in the outdoor paddocks and definately not in the house- the pool in there had clean water but was empty.

I noticed the RR Hogs had a bigger enclosure now- it looked like they had access to the original one as well?

There were 2 Wisent in the paddock & a third on the yard with the open shelter, which i assumed to be the male. He seemed quite irritated by something, so i wondered if something is happening at the moment re: moves.