Yes, there are still sitatunga in Whipsnade's collection.
ZSL Whipsnade Zoo Whipsnade Zoo 2014 #1
- Thread starter BongoHardwood
- Start date
Yes, there are still sitatunga in Whipsnade's collection.
The sitatunga are now located in the white rhino paddock, together with the roan. They are certainly more visible than what they were in their previous enclosure!
Can anyone tell me:
1. What happened to the musk ox?
2. What happened to the King penguins?
I remember seeing both as a child and it would be great to have both return.Prior to the African penguins, Whipsnade kept Humboldts (which transferred to London's Penguin Beach I believe) and a small group of Gentoo (which didnt last long after encountering the local fox population!)
1. What happened to the musk ox?
2. What happened to the King penguins?
I remember seeing both as a child and it would be great to have both return.Prior to the African penguins, Whipsnade kept Humboldts (which transferred to London's Penguin Beach I believe) and a small group of Gentoo (which didnt last long after encountering the local fox population!)
I believe the Musk ok just died out. they had one for a couple of years but I assumed it died as I assumed the other one did. also if im right there was something wrong with the King penguins or something about the situation of the pool, maybe im wrong!
and when I said there was something wrong with them, I mean some illness. I may be completely wrong, but I thought I read that on here when they left.
I remember seeing a very young calf in the early 70s: it looked slightly larger than a fox terrier! The bull was very aggressive and he got very agitated when anyone approached the fence.
Alan
IanRRobinson
Well-Known Member
The Musk Oxen were obtained in 1965 and were kept in Warren Paddock, which is the one with the original 1930s iron railings just behind the disused elephant arena. They bred on a good few occasions but rather disappointingly were allowed to die out. The last specimen, a cow was there into the 1990s. If a suitable paddock - they are not animals to accept the type of fencing on the current Moose enclosure! - could be built I think they'd look marvellous on the Downs by the Escarpment Café.
The penguin pool nearer the Reindeer, ie the newer one, was installed in the 1990s with, I think, the hope of giving King Penguins a fresh start. I'm not sure even then that the water was deep enough, and the numbers simply weren't big enough. The species is a deep sea diver in the wild, reaching depths of 100–300 metres. My guess is that maybe the only way of getting them back at Whipsnade would be by keeping them in the Water Mammals Exhibit, having collected eggs from the Falklands or South Georgia. As a flagship exhibit for the wildlife of the UK overseas territories personally I can see the attraction.
The penguin pool nearer the Reindeer, ie the newer one, was installed in the 1990s with, I think, the hope of giving King Penguins a fresh start. I'm not sure even then that the water was deep enough, and the numbers simply weren't big enough. The species is a deep sea diver in the wild, reaching depths of 100–300 metres. My guess is that maybe the only way of getting them back at Whipsnade would be by keeping them in the Water Mammals Exhibit, having collected eggs from the Falklands or South Georgia. As a flagship exhibit for the wildlife of the UK overseas territories personally I can see the attraction.
Also, leading from the penguins moving towards the reindeer, there appears to be various small/ medium sized footprints of previous enclosures (the ground is unusually flattened with vaguely noticeable foundations).
Any ideas?
Any ideas?
IanRRobinson
Well-Known Member
Right again, my feline friend!
I can't remember these except as abandoned concrete walled miniature pits, but into the 1960s they held Hystrix porcupines and Alpine Marmots. In earlier days they had held agoutis, and maybe more happily, Common Wombat. The latter even bred there in 1930, before the Park had opened to the public.For anybody who loves Whipsnade and is curious about its history, Gerald Durrell's account of his time there as a student keeper at the end of World War II, Beasts in My Belfry, is really worth reading. I don't know if Whipsnade's shop stocks it; it certainly should do so.
Right again, my feline friend!
For anybody who loves Whipsnade and is curious about its history, Gerald Durrell's account of his time there as a student keeper at the end of World War II, Beasts in My Belfry, is really worth reading. I don't know if Whipsnade's shop stocks it; it certainly should do so.
The Gerald Durrell book is a really good read. Fully recommend it!
Right again, my feline friend!
Further along there were also pits that housed armadillos and duikers; both bay duiker and crested duiker are listed in the early guides.
Thanks for the info guys, very much appreciated! Would love to see more variety around the zoo, and I know we've all got our wish lists and ideas. Whipsnade just seems very lacking at the moment. Shame.
I have been such a big fan of the zoo since I was taken there as a baby, and will always love the place. Yes perhaps there could be a few more species, and I'm sure the ZSL is working on what is best for London and Whipsnade but it would be a real shame if it lost some of its character and becomes cramped.
I love walking through the open spaces as its not only a zoo and a wonderful centre for conservation, but its also an incredibly pleasant place to spend your time. I think every zoo should have some character, and yes perhaps Whipsnade could do with a bit more in its paddocks, but as someone who has lost count on the amount of times I have visited, I do think its important that the zoo remains a place that features large paddocks and open spaces.
I love walking through the open spaces as its not only a zoo and a wonderful centre for conservation, but its also an incredibly pleasant place to spend your time. I think every zoo should have some character, and yes perhaps Whipsnade could do with a bit more in its paddocks, but as someone who has lost count on the amount of times I have visited, I do think its important that the zoo remains a place that features large paddocks and open spaces.
IanRRobinson
Well-Known Member
Understood, but there is so much more that could be done onsite. Without breaking sweat, I could (and I feel certain that others can!) walk round Whipsnade and identify spaces where Gelada, a gibbon species, at least one more large (and three or four smaller) cat species, Brown or Striped Hyena, African Hunting Dog, Polar and Spectacled Bear, Brazilian Tapir, Black Rhino, and a good half dozen extra herd species (Hartmann's Mountain Zebra, Persian Fallow Deer, Addax, Musk-ox and Mishmi Takin, anybody?
) could be held, without turning the site into a concrete jungle.A good few extra climate tolerant bird species (say Red-breasted Goose, Harlequin, Long-tailed Duck,any number of pheasants, Oriental White Stork, Steller's Sea Eagle and Black-necked Crane) also spring to mind as being animals that any German zoo aficionado would not be unduly surprised to see there.
There is so much space that has never been used or is under utilised, or that has been abandoned. I suspect that a lot of younger posters don't realise how much was abandoned in the tough days of the 1980s. For example, Ouseley Way thirty years ago was home to Serval, Jaguar and Spectacled Bear, as well as Cheetah and Eurasian Lynx. The latter are to be seen at Whipsnade today, but the earlier species have gone. As one who remembers the old accommodation, to say nothing of the old pits that held Kodiak and Polar Bears, I don't mourn the housing but I regret the loss of diversity.
ajmc, your love of Whipsnade is obvious.
I love Whipsnade too, which is why I'd like to see it getting closer to fulfilling its potential.
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My thoughts exactly! Of course I understand and appreciate London needs developing, Penguin Beach and Tiger Territory are fantastic examples of this. But ZSL needs to understand that it is incredibly lucky to have such a site as Whipsnade.
Maybe Whipsnade can acquire London's Serval when the Lion Terraces are redeveloped (they came close a few years ago I think).
An interesting point regarding Polar bear: directors have said,should they ever return, they require the ENTIRE drive-thru Passage Through Asia site (not the railway half) in order to do them justice. "Passage through the Arctic" anyone?
Maybe Whipsnade can acquire London's Serval when the Lion Terraces are redeveloped (they came close a few years ago I think).
An interesting point regarding Polar bear: directors have said,should they ever return, they require the ENTIRE drive-thru Passage Through Asia site (not the railway half) in order to do them justice. "Passage through the Arctic" anyone?