ZooChat Challenge UK 2013

[Angel]

My total has stuttered up to a paltry 6:

Tiger (Sumatran & Amur) - Dudley 27/02
Asiatic lion - Dudley 27/02
Snow leopard - Dudley 27/02
Lynx (Carpathian and Eurasian) - Dudley 27/02
Cheetah - Chester 15/07
Serval - Chester 15/07

Now up to 7 after seeing the Geoffroy's cat at Dudley today.

Congratulations to Pipaluk on getting the 24 - I will be pleased if I can get into double figures by the end of the year.

 

[Snowy Owl]

I am now on 24 after seeing the golden cat at Thrigby Hall

Clouded Leopard - Cotswolds (4th January)
Asiatic Lion - Cotswolds (4th January)
Pallas Cat - Cotswolds (4th January)
Amur Leopard - Cotswolds (4th January)
Jaguar - Chester (2nd April)
Cheetah - Chester (2nd April)
Surmatran Tiger - Chester (2nd April)
Serval - Chester (2nd April)
Margay - Welsh Mountain Zoo (4th April)
Snow Leopard - Welsh Mountain Zoo (4th April)
Sand Cat - Marwell (11th April)
Ocelot - Marwell (11th April)
Oncilla - Hamerton (12th April)
Jaguarundi - Hamerton (12th April)
Caracal - Exmoor (4th May)
Puma - Exmoor (4th May)
Fishing Cat - Exmoor (4th May)
Indo-Chinese Leopard Cat - Axe Valley (6th May)
Carpathian Lynx - Dudley (25th May)
Geoffroys Cat - Dudley (25th May)
Indian Desert Cat - Port Lympne (1st June)
Rusty Spotted Cat - Port Lympne (1st June)
Black Footed Cat - Port Lympne (1st June)
Golden Cat - Thrigby Hall (26th July)

Glad I went to Axe Valley to see Leopard Cat as they no longer have one at Thrigby! They now have 3 Clouded Leopards on show 2 new ones are cubs from Cotswold Wildlife Park that went on show yesterday.

I know that this doesn't count but I went to WHF for the first time over the weekend and had a really good day. I managed to get to see number 25 Jack the Jungle Cat. I was at a photography workshop (birthday present) and got pretty close to all the cats and even from the other side of the enclosure could still feel how powerful they are. I would love to go again not on an open day if I ever get chance again. The new white lion enclosure looks like it is going to be pretty impressive apart from the dirt track for the safari bus which to me seems a bit pointless.

I will post some of the photos I took later on in the week

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Barring further leopard cat holdings or another species coming onshow before the end of December, my visit yesterday to Colchester has allowed me to hit a peak with my sighting of two very active Geoffroy's Cats. However, as this has come before the first anniversary of my having seen leopard cats at Galloway (on September 8th) I can at least say I did manage to see all 24 species in a 12 month period

Still, who knows what the autumn and winter might bring.

Current running total - 23

Sumatran Tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae) at Paignton - 27/01/2013

Asiatic Lion (Panthera leo persica) at Paignton - 27/01/2013

African Leopard (Panthera pardus pardus) at Exmoor - 28/01/2013

South African Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus jubatus) at Exmoor - 28/01/2013

Caracal (Caracal caracal) at Exmoor - 28/01/2013

Arabian Sand Cat (Felis margarita harrisoni) at Exmoor - 28/01/2013

Puma (Puma concolor) at Exmoor - 28/01/2013

Fishing Cat (Prionailurus viverrinus) at Exmoor - 28/01/2013

Carpathian Lynx (Lynx lynx carpathicus) at Newquay Zoo - 29/01/2013

Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) at Shaldon - 30/01/2013

Jaguar (Panthera onca) at Chester- 25/02/2013

Scottish Wildcat (Felis sylvestris scoticus) at Edinburgh - 09/04/2013

Tibetan Golden Cat (Pardofelis temminickii tristis) at Edinburgh - 09/04/2013

Serval (Leptailurus serval) at Chester - 20/04/2013

Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia) at Marwell - 09/06/2013

Black-Footed Cat (Felis nigripes) at Port Lympne - 22/06/2013

Sri-Lankan Rusty Spotted Cat (Prionailurus rubiginosus phillipsi) at Port Lympne - 22/06/2013

Yucatan Margay (Leopardus wiedii yucatanicus) at Port Lympne - 22/06/2013

Indochinese Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa nebulosa) at Port Lympne - 22/06/2013

Jaguarundi (Puma yagouaroundi) at Hamerton Zoo - 13/07/2013

Oncilla (Leopardus tigrinus) at Hamerton Zoo - 13/07/2013

Pallas Cat (Otocolobus manul) at Cotswold Wildlife Park - 14/07/2013

Geoffroy's Cat (Leopardus geoffroyi) at Colchester Zoo - 19/08/2013

 

[Snowy Owl]

I was at a zoo (that I won't name at the moment) last week and was surprised to spot (and photograph) a Lynx. I asked a member of staff about it and was told it was a young female Canadian Lynx that had recently arrived at the zoo and was in quarantine. I've searched the posts on here and can't see anything about the zoo getting a Canadian Lynx and as I believe this is the only collection in the UK to have the species I don't feel I should name them. I will let the zoo decide for themselves when they want to make the announcement.

I believe that puts me on 25 for the Zoo Chat Challenge and 26 in total for the year (as Jack the Jungle Cat doesn't count) I think I must have just been in the right place at the right time!

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Ah, you got one of the species alluded to in this post then

Just wondering if anybody is going to hit the 24 total before a collection sneaks in a 25th species,or may be even more than that?

Some of us already knew about her, but being as she is unannounced we would have been in the same situation as you had we managed to spot her

I still hope to get back down to that collection to see her before the end of the year, as even if it isn't the original 24, getting 24 species of felid in a year would still be an achievement - especially as she would represent lifetick number 5.

 

[pipaluk]

Congratulations Snowy Owl, you beat me to it. I was on my way to the zoo in question 2 weeks ago, but had to turn off the motorway due to traffic congestion and gave up! I don't think i was ever destined to win, but you've travelled considerably more miles than me so you've earned it.

 

[Shorts]

Congratulations Snowy Owl, you beat me to it. I was on my way to the zoo in question 2 weeks ago, but had to turn off the motorway due to traffic congestion and gave up! I don't think i was ever destined to win, but you've travelled considerably more miles than me so you've earned it.

You might not have won but you've definitely enhanced the challenge with your taking part (and your keen and sporting behaviour).

Who knows the challenge might not be over yet, Todd may open up RSCC for Christmas and reveal he has Marbled Cats, Flat-headed Cats and Pampas Cats crammed in there.

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Who knows the challenge might not be over yet, Todd may open up RSCC for Christmas and reveal he has Marbled Cats, Flat-headed Cats and Pampas Cats crammed in there.

Shame you already ruled that collection out of contention

It's worth keeping the challenge open just in case *somewhere* gets something new, and more places get tricky taxa like leopard cat. But I believe Snowy Owl deserves the prize which is likely going to be his - as the challenge has led me to get 4 lifeticks in just under 5 months (two on 29/01/2013 and two on 21/06/2013) I think this is more than enough compensation for coming third!

 

[Shorts]

Shame you already ruled that collection out of contention

Busted by the ZooChat police! I had a vague flashback/recollection as I typed it (it was over eight months ago when I made the rules).

Technically if RSSC opened permanently in the year it would count (just not one off open days). Then again, a very moot point as:

1. I've not heard of any plans to open this year;

2. I don't think even Todd could source Marbled Cats, Flat-headed Cats and Pampas Cats*

*That's a gauntlet being thrown down if he's reading

 

[pipaluk]

I was at a zoo (that I won't name at the moment) last week and was surprised to spot (and photograph) a Lynx. I asked a member of staff about it and was told it was a young female Canadian Lynx that had recently arrived at the zoo and was in quarantine. I've searched the posts on here and can't see anything about the zoo getting a Canadian Lynx and as I believe this is the only collection in the UK to have the species I don't feel I should name them. I will let the zoo decide for themselves when they want to make the announcement.

I believe that puts me on 25 for the Zoo Chat Challenge and 26 in total for the year (as Jack the Jungle Cat doesn't count) I think I must have just been in the right place at the right time!

I visited the collection in question today and if the canadian lynx are still there, all i can say is that you were extremely lucky to 'spot' one if they were held in the quarantine cage i thought it might be in! Was it indoors or outdoors when you photographed it? Difficult for either as the enclosure is now, but maybe i have the wrong enclosure or zoo, maybe there's more than one holder?

 

[Snowy Owl]

I visited the collection in question today and if the canadian lynx are still there, all i can say is that you were extremely lucky to 'spot' one if they were held in the quarantine cage i thought it might be in! Was it indoors or outdoors when you photographed it? Difficult for either as the enclosure is now, but maybe i have the wrong enclosure or zoo, maybe there's more than one holder?

I've sent you a pm

Thanks

Richard

 

[Shorts]

Assuming no collection is going to put a Marbled Cat on display in the next few hours I think it's safe to say the 2013 challenge is effectively over.

Many thanks for all those who became involved -either taking part, commenting or just viewing the thread.

Congratulations to Snowy Owl on winning the challenge -if you PM your address (or any address you can collect the trophy from (work?) if you're super-security conscious) to me I'll get the trophy engraved and sent to you.

Special mention in dispatches to Pipaluk who came so close and helped add a fair amount of competition and excitement to the challenge in doing so.

Now, onwards to the 2014 challenge....... (if only I learned how to link threads).

 

[TeaLovingDave]

My congratulations both to Snowy Owl for his well-deserved success and to pipaluk for giving me such an enjoyable race to second place! As noted before, I already knew I was unlikely to see leopard cat so set myself two sub-challenges, both of which I fulfilled; to see the four species which represented lifeticks, and to reach 23 minus the leopard cat before the first anniversary of my seeing that species, so that I had at least seen all 24 within 12 months.

It is a shame that I did not manage to see the Canadian Lynx, as that would have been a fifth lifetick, but this is something to look forward to for 2014!

Roll on the 2014 challenge

 

[kiang]

Well done to all involved, here's to the 2014 challenge.

(please, please be wild goat and sheep )

 

[pipaluk]

Many thanks to Shorts for setting the challenge and giving me the push to visit a few places that i might not have this year.
Congratulations to Snowy Owl and thanks also to TLD for making it an interesting contest.

 

[Snowy Owl]

Thoroughly enjoyed this challenge it took me to some new places (Thrigby, Hamerton & Port Lympne) being as I like my cats I loved going to see the collections they have.

Being a keen photographer as well I'm sure I will visit these collections again in the not to decent future.

Highlights of 2013 for me were

My Clouded Leopard photo from Cotswold
Seeing the Oncilla at Hamerton, would be nice to see more in the UK.
Visit to WHF for photography day.
Seeing 10 species for the first time.

Thank you to TLD & Pipaluk for the competition and I must admit I thought Pipaluk had won.

Good luck to everyone in the 2014 challenge.

Thanks

Richard

 

[TeaLovingDave]

I was at a zoo (that I won't name at the moment) last week and was surprised to spot (and photograph) a Lynx. I asked a member of staff about it and was told it was a young female Canadian Lynx that had recently arrived at the zoo and was in quarantine. I've searched the posts on here and can't see anything about the zoo getting a Canadian Lynx and as I believe this is the only collection in the UK to have the species I don't feel I should name them. I will let the zoo decide for themselves when they want to make the announcement.

Just to keep anyone reading this thread in future updated, said announcement has finally come albeit with the arrival onshow of a male - the female still being offshow at the present time.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=617698141632185