cerperal
Well-Known Member
Just Johnson's of Old Hurst currently, 2 males last I checked. Hopefully this is a good sign more collections will gain the species, perhaps a return to Whipsnade isn't out of the question. They're such charismatic animals
Woodside Wildlife and Falconry Park Woodside Wildlife Park news
- Thread starter cawtey7
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They've just announced that a Sloth bear will be arriving at the collection on Thursday, April 17th.
Very good news to hear considering Edinburgh are also going into the species.
Oooh thats very exciting news! I'd have never guessed that Woodside would be getting Sloth Bears a week ago, but here we are... I just hope the public aren't too underwhelmed by them, as I seem to remember they weren't often very showy at London when they kept them on the Mappin Terraces? I think its great though!
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The new branding as 'Lincoln Zoo' is officially live - and more importantly, the Sumatran Tiger AND the first Sloth Bear have both arrived! Tiger on show now, Bear should be from tomorrow, but initially indoor viewing only while both animals settle in.
The new branding as 'Lincoln Zoo' is officially live - and more importantly, the Sumatran Tiger AND the first Sloth Bear have both arrived! Tiger on show now, Bear should be from tomorrow, but initially indoor viewing only while both animals settle in.
Lafone
Well-Known Member
Definitely some great new additions. The new name is also a good idea, the old one ranks right next to the similarly names animal farm when you search for it so it was always a bit confusing for the more distant visitor. Will have to go and check it out this summer. A breeding pair of Sloth bears is pretty exciting stuff.
Rajang-GOAT
Well-Known Member
Instagram
Here's the link to the Instagram post for those who don't can't access the Facebook link. The first Indian sloth bear to arrive is the male Randhir from Germany. I don't know which facility he is from as there are four in the country with the species, though I'm sure someone will do.
The female Sumatran tiger (as mentioned in the Sumatran Tigers in Europe #2 thread) is Nila who was born at Chester Zoo in October 2011, and is arriving from Zoo Parc Reynou in France.
Here's the link to the Instagram post for those who don't can't access the Facebook link. The first Indian sloth bear to arrive is the male Randhir from Germany. I don't know which facility he is from as there are four in the country with the species, though I'm sure someone will do.
The female Sumatran tiger (as mentioned in the Sumatran Tigers in Europe #2 thread) is Nila who was born at Chester Zoo in October 2011, and is arriving from Zoo Parc Reynou in France.
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Prochilodus246
Well-Known Member
This is completely speculative but the more official naming, plus the addition of two more large carnivore taxa makes me wonder whether the collection is expanding to more than the small collection it is currently. Though given the location of the site, there isn't the most amount of space around the site given the expansive woodland and roads bordering the site.
Nila arrived from Zoo Parc Reynou. She was at Le Pal between 2012 and 2018
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Rajang-GOAT
Well-Known Member
Oops, I did consider re reading the posts on the topic one last time before I made this post. I have now edited my post to rectify the mistake.
This is a very exciting bounce back for Sloth bears in the UK, with the addition of a breeding pair here and (quite likely?) at Edinburgh later this year on top of the two males living separately at Johnson's of Old Hurst. At this point their situation on the national scale compares quite favourably to that of the other main tropical bear species (Sun and Spectacled).
cerperal
Well-Known Member
It really is, it's a shame the Sri Lankan subspecies has died out in zoos and ZSL no longer holds them but for such a charismatic and relatively unknown (and my favourite, which I suppose is less important) bear species to be bouncing back is fantastic news. The rebranding to a 'proper' zoo will hopefully open the way for more exotic and larger species like the bears
Randhir is from Leipzig Zoo, a post on their website confirming the move: Neue Heimat für Lippenbär - Randhir ist jetzt Engländer | Zoo Leipzig
Purely for my pride, I did predict the move...just to the wrong zoo
Although, people may easily pick the wrong website to visit:
www.lincolnzoo.co.uk
www.lincolnzoo.org
https://www.facebook.com/1000644344...yyPFt1tvtwLFSRmkbqNyCaEL7pAP9K5AAbzl/?app=fbl
Older tiger Julia euthanised on the grounds of declining health in later life.
source cited above; zoos Facebook page.
this leaves the site with just the newly arrived Sumatran.
Older tiger Julia euthanised on the grounds of declining health in later life.
source cited above; zoos Facebook page.
this leaves the site with just the newly arrived Sumatran.
Tujah has come from Heidelberg. Born August 2023
Nila is 13 (and very well represented within the EEP) so unlikely to be bred from again. They are more likely to receive a younger female in the future - but you never know (I've been surprised before)
Alwaysevergreen
Well-Known Member
I made a first visit to Woodside / Lincoln for a couple of years and I enjoyed a couple of hours at the zoo.
The female and male Sloth bear have been introduced to each other through fencing, with them both being able to see each other outside through fencing and then inside. There was only interaction for a short period of time, but the keeper said they were happy with that stage and hopefully they can gradually fully integrate them.
I noticed that despite the zoo being very quite, the male is quite skittish and when he was briefly outside, the minute he heard a human coming he ran inside. He came up to the windows a couple of times in his den, and I was quite surprised at just how big a Sloth Bear is. For some reason, I thought they were relatively small like Sun Bears or Panda's but he is quite imposing.
I did like the mixed Spider Monkey, Tapir and Capybara enclosure, and the pool for the Tapir and Capy's is interesting as you would be able to see them under water, but it does feel like they've lost a bit of space compared to the exhibit for the goats.
Not sure if they still have two Red Panda, but could only see one. No show of the Geoffroy's Cat for me, and noticed they no longer hold raccoons, with two birds of prey in their exhibit.
The remaining White Wolves have now passed away, and been replaced with some Arctic Wolves from Jimmy's Farm, so I assume that means there are no longer any Hudson Bay White Wolves left in the UK?
I did notice that both the Crocodile and Rainforest House's don't feel that warm, but keepers say there is separate heating in the exhibits, which are warmer than the public access parts. Sloths no longer have access to the rainforest hall, just their exhibit. There are also no longer any bats.
Opposite the Sloth Bear, an enclosure is being built to potentially house primates, possibly Gibbons, and there is a island with climbing poles, surrounded by a moat. They want to keep to the Asian theme in that area.
The other land there will be used for amenities like toilets and so on, rather than animal enclosures.
I had a good afternoon and found the Lynx talk really informative. The enclosures are really nicely designed and modern and the Bear enclosure is big, with the females whole exhibit off-show.
The female and male Sloth bear have been introduced to each other through fencing, with them both being able to see each other outside through fencing and then inside. There was only interaction for a short period of time, but the keeper said they were happy with that stage and hopefully they can gradually fully integrate them.
I noticed that despite the zoo being very quite, the male is quite skittish and when he was briefly outside, the minute he heard a human coming he ran inside. He came up to the windows a couple of times in his den, and I was quite surprised at just how big a Sloth Bear is. For some reason, I thought they were relatively small like Sun Bears or Panda's but he is quite imposing.
I did like the mixed Spider Monkey, Tapir and Capybara enclosure, and the pool for the Tapir and Capy's is interesting as you would be able to see them under water, but it does feel like they've lost a bit of space compared to the exhibit for the goats.
Not sure if they still have two Red Panda, but could only see one. No show of the Geoffroy's Cat for me, and noticed they no longer hold raccoons, with two birds of prey in their exhibit.
The remaining White Wolves have now passed away, and been replaced with some Arctic Wolves from Jimmy's Farm, so I assume that means there are no longer any Hudson Bay White Wolves left in the UK?
I did notice that both the Crocodile and Rainforest House's don't feel that warm, but keepers say there is separate heating in the exhibits, which are warmer than the public access parts. Sloths no longer have access to the rainforest hall, just their exhibit. There are also no longer any bats.
Opposite the Sloth Bear, an enclosure is being built to potentially house primates, possibly Gibbons, and there is a island with climbing poles, surrounded by a moat. They want to keep to the Asian theme in that area.
The other land there will be used for amenities like toilets and so on, rather than animal enclosures.
I had a good afternoon and found the Lynx talk really informative. The enclosures are really nicely designed and modern and the Bear enclosure is big, with the females whole exhibit off-show.
Combe Martin had a bunch still when I visited earlier this year. Or at least signed as such
https://cmwdp.co.uk/explore/animals/white-hudson-bay-wolves/
Thanks for the report.
There's a few layers to this one:
1) Woodside never had true hudsonicus.
2) Nowhere in Europe has had true hudsonicus in decades.
3) The subspecies is probably synonymous with arctos in any case.
4) Nowhere in Europe has had true arctos in decades either.
5) All the places in Europe (Woodside and Jimmy's included) currently claiming to have Arctic Wolf have zoo-mix animals with domestic dog ancestry
So in answer to your question, there are indeed no Hudson Bay Wolves in the UK... but there weren't any previously either.
Lafone
Well-Known Member
Sorry to hear about the wolves, enjoyed seeing them.
5) All the places in Europe (Woodside and Jimmy's included) currently claiming to have Arctic Wolf have zoo-mix animals with domestic dog ancestry
I wonder what the ratio of Dog: Wolf ancestry is, and how the white colouration became fixed in the population. Any idea where or how they were 'created'?