ZSL Whipsnade Zoo Whipsnade Zoo 2014 #1

A note on the impala, they have or will have a seperate, sectioned-off part of the bongo paddock and not the whole paddock to share with the bongo, in case anyone was wondering about that (you can see their sectioned off paddock area).

A few notes:

-The whole zoo seems fresher and more modern with lots of new signage all around the zoo, new bus and new map (in the same style as the new London map and grouped into Europe, Africa, Asia and Base Camp sections)
-Bird arena revamped
-New Hullabazoo Farm open with variety of new species and looking much nicer than before
-Couple of animals moved around - gemsbok moved into the other side of the 'round close' paddock and lechwe taking their place next door with the ostriches
-Whoever hasn't seen in the gallery there's a new gaur calf
 
when you say a seperate, sectioned-off part of the bongo paddock, I assume you can only see them from across the bongo paddock? and with the Gemsbok, do you mean they are now the old black rhino paddock? thought I have seen the in there before, maybe im wrong!
 
ajmcwhipsnade said:
when you say a seperate, sectioned-off part of the bongo paddock, I assume you can only see them from across the bongo paddock? and with the Gemsbok, do you mean they are now the old black rhino paddock? thought I have seen the in there before, maybe im wrong!
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Yes their area isn't next to a public path or anything, you can just see it on the far side through the bongo paddock.

With the gemsbok it is the old black rhino paddock I think (the moose side of that paddock as opposed to the flamingo side...). Think they have previously been in both sides at times (though I can't remember the last time I saw one in that side, recently it's been a male waterbuck on that side and the gemsbok and ostrich in the other) but I think this is a more permanent move to that side.
 
that's interesting that its a fenced off part of the paddock, I thought they may be sharing. still cant wait to see them, always excited to see a new species at my 'home' zoo. with the Nile Lechwe moving, is it possible there old paddock behind the cheetahs could be for one of the rumoured new antelope species? who knows!
 
ajmcwhipsnade said:
with the Nile Lechwe moving, is it possible there old paddock behind the cheetahs could be for one of the rumoured new antelope species?
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I wonder how they would move the Lechwe, given they are going to another paddock so close by? Could they partition the road off and drive them across, or would they have to dart them all ? - which would seem a big operation for such a short distance move.
 
It will be interesting to see how this paddock share works out. Ive never really seen the bongo out in the open- when they do venture off the hardstand they tend to head straight for the wooded side bordering the wolves. Could the paddock be split 50/50? Can you mix bongo with impala? Overall, it seems an odd paddock to put the impala into, but maybe the most private. The lechwe are certainly more visible since their move however!

The revamped farm is an overdue improvement. Bit concerned about the longevity of the poor plastic cow though-children seemed to be doing their best to destroy it. Nice to see pygmy goats and minature donkeys though.

Regarding the gaur, its another boy! However, it would be nice if Whipsnade could expand upon just keeping a pair. Have they only ever kept 1.1?
 
I remember seeing the bongo at the very far end of the paddock on a few occasions, but it is one of the more quieter areas so if impala are nervous, maybe its the best place for them!
 
Panthera1981 said:
Ive never really seen the bongo out in the open- when they do venture off the hardstand they tend to head straight for the wooded side bordering the wolves. Could the paddock be split 50/50? Can you mix bongo with impala?
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I have seen similar, or rather vice versa- the Bongo leaving the wooded area and quickly heading back to their hardstand/indoor area. Bongo are a forest species so perhaps not surprising they like cover- in Zoos they seem very 'private' animals given the chance- at both Howletts and PL they are quite often invisible and must be sitting directly behind the shelter. At Paignton I've similarly seen them all sitting along the hedgeline.

Impala are more an open Savanah species, so, while nervous, won't shun the open like the Bongo. So that paddock might actually suit them better than the Bongo, which might be more suited to a completely wooded paddock. As to mixing them, they wouldn't coexist in the wild but quite possibly would in a zoo situation.

Gaur- I've never known them have more than 1.1 adults.
 
I've had the same experiences with the bongo at whipsnade.

Having said that I think they are the same herd as one which was at London in the current okapi paddock which was quite close to the public and exposed. They seemed relatively calm there but clearly prefer the more secluded enclosures.

Bongo/impala would be an odd mix but may work :)
 
I am 99.9% sure they are the same ones as used to be at London zoo, or at least I always assumed they were!

I do always like spending some time at the bongo paddock or in the house as they are my favourite antelope. I remember when it was the Gemsbok paddock.

May be an odd mix, but the paddock location would suit a nervous species very well.
 
Tomharper95 said:
Having said that I think they are the same herd as one which was at London in the current okapi paddock which was quite close to the public and exposed. They seemed relatively calm there but clearly prefer the more secluded enclosures.
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Like most animals, they behave according to their surroundings. At Whipsnade they've reverted to a slightly more natural existence and even have a little 'forest' of their own. Same principle as if you put some 'tame' foreign finches from a cage into an aviary, they become wilder.
 
I think that the original idea was that the Bongos' sojourn at Whipsnade would only be temporary and that in the long run they would go back to London. I have no idea whether that is still the case, but they don't seem to make good use of that paddock. Certainly not compared to its prior occupants, Gemsbok.
 
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IanRRobinson said:
I think that the original idea was that the Bongos' sojourn at Whipsnade would only be temporary and that in the long run they would go back to London.
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I was under that impression too, but they seem to have become long-stayers. I think they actually made a much better display when they were more confined at London and were 'tamer'. Because of the way they behave at Whipsnade, I doubt whether many people even notice them, whereas they would at ZSL.
 
Prior to the gemsboks occupancy, was the bongo paddock where the Congo buffalo were kept? What happened to them?
 
The present Bongo house was built to hold Grevy's Zebra. These were swapped over with the Gemsbok some twenty years ago, in a move that made them more visible from the road and gave more space.

The Congo Buffalo were kept in the space adjacent to the Giraffe, between the Moose and the ex Black Rhino House. I think you can see the footprint of a paddock, which although ugly, with heavy bars and a shed that had seen better days, both seemed to suit the Buffalo and was of historic inheritance, as it was Whipsnade's original 1930s rhinoceros paddock, where their first Indian Rhino calf was born in 1957.

Did the Congo Buffalo go to Africa Alive? Another ungulate that I'd like back, on either ZSL site.
 
Its also occurred to me that London don't have any(?) Antelope species currently on show. Despite their rather shy nature, Bongo are colourful, large and relatively slow moving, so better suited perhaps to London's smaller paddocks than a more active, flighty species. They made a good display when they were there before. Maybe its time they brought them back again, perhaps to exhibit near the Okapi?
 
the congo buffalo were in a paddock that used to be near the giraffes. the buffalo left and the paddock was grassed over. before congo buffalo it held the Asian rhinos.
 
IanRRobinson said:
The present Bongo house was built to hold Grevy's Zebra. These were swapped over with the Gemsbok some twenty years ago, in a move that made them more visible from the road and gave more space.

The Congo Buffalo were kept in the space adjacent to the Giraffe, between the Moose and the ex Black Rhino House. I think you can see the footprint of a paddock, which although ugly, with heavy bars and a shed that had seen better days, both seemed to suit the Buffalo and was of historic inheritance, as it was Whipsnade's original 1930s rhinoceros paddock, where their first Indian Rhino calf was born in 1957.

Did the Congo Buffalo go to Africa Alive? Another ungulate that I'd like back, on either ZSL site.
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Thankyou Ian, however I can never quite picture this enclosure in my mind whenever I visit!

Am I right in assuming that the current red river hog enclosure once held vultures?
 
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