ZSL London Zoo ZSL London Zoo News 2011

on the haulding around the old pool the sign says the new pool will be twice as big and 3 times as deep!
 
"Undercover" was probably a misprint and they meant "underwater viewing" which there will be plenty of. The blackfooted penguins have all gone now, on Tuesday, to Whipsnade. There were a couple of hand-reared youngsters in the Safari aviary but that's still out of action because of the broken roof.

For those who like very small things!!– there's a newish baby slender loris in the Night Zone, so tiny!!! And difficult to see, of course...
 
Interesting! I'm booked for a Slender Loris event there in a couple of weeks. Wonder if we'll get a good look at the baby?
 
I expect so! You'll have to let us know. I never think to go to any of the events/lectures but I expect they're very interesting, so maybe I should.
 
volvox said:
I expect so! You'll have to let us know. I never think to go to any of the events/lectures but I expect they're very interesting, so maybe I should.
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You should, they are, I really enjoy them.

I went the Saturday before last (29th January) and (as I'm sure you know) they had knocked down all parts of the buildings they need to for the penguins just leaving big piles of rubble.

You do get a feeling now how big it will be rather than just looking at the plans / pictures. I'm really looking forward to it opening and will be interested to see where they have got to the next time I visit in a couple of weeks.
 
Well, I'm planning to go (for the first time) to the lecture on Tuesday on co-operative behaviour in animals and humans, "Why be Nice?". I'm sure I'll enjoy it!

Yes, demolition is complete now and there's a huge mound of earth which will be turned into the sloped viewing area. It's all due to open at the end of May. The foundations for the extension to the gift shop are now complete too. There will be a few black-footed penguins in the African aviary as soon as they can mend it – they should be there for Easter as penguins are a "charismatic" animal and people really miss them if they're not there. The pelicans are currently in the Snowdon aviary looking a bit miserable; but they wouldn't like it in three-island pond at the moment, it's deafening with all the building work next door.

By the way, the sole red panda currently in the enclosure at the otter end of the Clore is due to be moved to Whipsnade (if he hasn't already gone). He is showing signs of stereotypical behaviour and is clearly not happy so will be going somewhere more suitable with proper trees.
 
volvox said:
Well, I'm planning to go (for the first time) to the lecture on Tuesday on co-operative behaviour in animals and humans, "Why be Nice?". I'm sure I'll enjoy it!
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The ZSL Scientific Meetings, normally the second Tuesday of the month, are always very interesting and well-worth attending.
 
volvox said:
Yes, demolition is complete now and there's a huge mound of earth which will be turned into the sloped viewing area. It's all due to open at the end of May. The foundations for the extension to the gift shop are now complete too.
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Was at ZSL yesterday (Tuesday) I haven't been for a couple of weeks and the amount of work on the new penguin exhibit is moving at a pace now as reported above.

Current work on the aquarium is noted in another thread HERE
 
Guess it's time I got round to reporting on the Slow Loris event....

I have to say first that I think I've been somewhat spoiled by having experienced a backstage encounter with Beluga at Vancouver Aquarium. For that 3 people got walked through several backstage areas, given some 'lecturing' backstage and in public areas. We were then put in waders, weighed out some fish and headed for the beluga enviroment (running into a sealion and her trainer backstage and getting an impromptu upclose performance) and got to meet several of the whales, rub shedding skin off them and give one commands ourselves. We then had a warm-down question and answer session, and got given an information pack and a CD of photographs taken during our visit as we left. Definitely a hard act to follow! The current price for this is $130, which will be about £60? Similar to the cost of membership plus special event fee at London.... though of course, you get general visits etc included at London.

Well, we didn't get to go backstage at all, or touch any of the Lorises. I had been telling myself not to expect it... but you can't help hoping! It did become very clear though that it would not have been possible. That disapointment aside, it was a very interesting event, and it was clear that the staff had put a lot of effort into it.

Attendees assembled in the Mapin Pavilion. I guess there must have been 50+ of us. We were split into two groups, and my group headed off to see the Lorises first. I've been before and not managed to spot them. This time the keepers put in a stand with locusts to lure them out. On display they have a group of 5. Two adults with a baby (who we didn't see: it was probably parked somewhere at the top) and 2 previous offspring. The display has two areas in public view and an offstage 'play room'. Apparently the juveniles spend most of their time there, but came out for the locusts. The display is designed to replicate the thick vegetation they like to live in, and also has branches in front so that people have to stand back and don't tap the glass etc. Dark as well so they are not easy to spot! Besides the lure of the platform (which is also used to weigh them) the keeper did shine a torch in a couple of times for us. With there being a big crowd of us we did have to swap places, but I think everyone got good views of how they move around by bridging across gaps. They are extremely catious in all their movements. Apparently it takes hours of waiting to get them all on the scales for weighing! Very understandable why we were not allowed backstage etc.

We also learnt they have another pair offshow: their breeding pair's first female offspring and an old male. They think he's probably too old to breed but are hopeful as he's genetically valuable.

Then back to the pavilion for some lectures from folks involved in conservation of the various species, more questions and answers, and then a drink and a muffin. Apparently the youngsters had gone back to the playroom by the time the second group got there, but they did get good views of the adults.

All in all, intersting, and great chance to meet the keepers and ask lots of questions. I learnt lots about Lorises and a little about a zookeeper's work too.

Members 'backstage with the keepers' this week...
 
Indeed. I think more height will be very welcome in the new enclosure. Shame zoos nowadays don't want the sort of high up, eyesore platforms still seen in some of the older Howletts tiger enclosures. The cats make full use of them but I guess they don't show well sleeping high up on a platform on a sunny day. I assume the fact the London plans aren't open-topped is due to licensing obligations and the issues with the perimeter fence.
 
Backstage with the keepers.... briefly as I can, we were split into 5 groups each of which did 3 of a variety of activities, eg cleaning enclosures, making enrichments (eg making a paste of feed pellets and smearing them over logs, putting insects in boxes), making up feeds, and talks with keepers: my group got to see the hippos cleaned and fed and the squirrel monkeys get their breakfast. Again, if anyone was expecting to be stroking and feeding animals they'd be disapointed, but it was a great oportunity to learn a bit more about some of the animals and to meet the keepers. We also had a talk at the start about working as a keeper, and how you can become one. The basic answer at ZSL is that the vast majority have volunteered first before getting a trainee post. Apparently they had a thousand applications last time they advertised a post! We were also told that a keeper's daily schedule is basically cleaning in the morning and maintenance in the afternoon. Though trainees also do talks.

This was the first time they'd run this particular event. If they do it again they'll do it the other side of the road to ensure different activities for returnees... I think I would do it again if I have membership at the time, but I don't know if I'd get membership to be able to. We'll see... I did enjoy it.

News.... little snippets I got are that they are concerned that the hippos have not bred. They are being examined within the next few weeks by an expert to see if they can find any problems. After that there may have to be decisions made, though it seems the keepers are reeeaaallly hoping the male doesn't have to go. Incidently though most folks call him Thug, apparently his official name is Mr Hippo. He also has a squeaky tooth which you can hear when he's eating: they have him trained to open his mouth to have it sanded down a bit every day (we didn't get to see that).

Squirrel monkey offspring will all be leaving when their time comes so they don't breed with dad. Their male is not very macho (to the extent they have to separate him at night) so they don't feel he could be moved to another group. They think 5+ females are pregnant this year, and I think they said babies would start to appear end of March.

The penguin area is still a big pile of mess! LOL
 
RowanGreen. I really enjoyed your accounts of the slender loris and backstage-with-the-keepers events. It's always nice to have lively descriptions of things not everyone can go to. I have seen the slender loris baby but just by chance, as I was passing on a quiet day, so I was more lucky than I realised! They are extremely difficult to see through the leafy screen.

Backstage with the keepers sounds more active than I had thought, almost like Keeper for a Day, but with more information. Yes, and to be a keeper volunteer you mostly also have to have been an ordinary "education" volunteer for a year first. And of course if you're a volunteer you can often go to these events without being a member or a fellow, so perhaps you should apply?

As for touching the animals... most of the animals in the zoo are not tame and you wouldn't want to touch them. Squirrel monkeys for example are not sweet and will bite your finger if you point it at them, which is perfectly reasonable. I think it's a bit rude to Bounty, the male to say he isn't very macho as he's been doing his job very well and it's natural behaviour for the females to eject the males from the group once the breeding season is over and everyone's pregnant. That's what happens in the wild. I was interested to hear that they think he won't be moved; what I'd heard is that the babies would stay and he would be moved, and a new male brought in the keep the gene pool lively. But perhaps they've changed their minds.

I was also very interested to hear about the pygmy hippos. I didn't realise there was any hope of them breeding, I thought they were just a comfy old couple who were past all that. Wouldn't it be lovely to have baby hippos at London zoo.

There are now six young black-footed penguins and one adult rockhopper, Ricky, temporarily in the African aviary. They will all go to Whipsnade when the new penguin enclosure is up and running. You can walk through the aviary again but there is a fence between you and the penguins, because again they are not tame and a penguin bite is not funny. I have seen the scars on the keeper's arm! The beak is razor sharp and makes two parallel cuts like a knife, and then the hooked end rakes through the middle so it can make a nasty wound. So the fence isn't to stop the visitors making off with the penguins, but for the safety of the humans!

The penguin enclosure is still on schedule so we're all looking forward to that opening at the end of May.
 
I too am surprised to hear this about the hippos. Unless there have been any movements I'm not aware of, I thought London have maintained the same pair of pygmy hippopotamus for the last 10-12 years without any breeding success. I'd like to see them start again, holding a breeding female and any recent calves in the current tapir enclosure, where there is sufficient space to accommodate any visiting male. I am pleased the current setup will have to change when the tiger exhibit is built.
 
johnstoni said:
I too am surprised to hear this about the hippos. Unless there have been any movements I'm not aware of, I thought London have maintained the same pair of pygmy hippopotamus for the last 10-12 years without any breeding success.
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According to the studbook (dated 31st December 2008)

male, born Aalborg 1996, arrived London 5th June 1998

female, born Rome 1995, arrived London 19th March 1997.
 
'Thug' and 'Nicola'.......arrived when the sealion pool was combined with the adjacent crane enclosure for a new hippo exhibit sans indoor pool. The old Casson indoor exhibit rapidly came back into use during winter, although no outside area was added while the elephants were still in the Casson.
 
I went to the zoo today for the first time since December and noticed quite a few changes. It was a nice couple of hours in the late winter sunshine.

Things I noticed:

The porcupine enclosure in Gorilla Kingdom now houses birds: red-billed hornbill, congo peafowl, bearded barbet.

I was told that the porcupines had left the collection but later spotted one in an enclosure in the roped-off bay of the Casson Pavillion under a heat lamp.

Effie and Kesho were together with access to the external enclosure and off show areas indoors. I didn't see them.

Visibility at all the Gorilla Kingdom enclosures was very poor as is often the case due to reflections.

Was interesting to see penguins in the undergrowth of the the aviary.

Noted that the Clore was very smelly which I have never noticed before. Agouti appear no longer to be in one of the side enclosures.
Trumpeters were in the main enclosure - I seem to remember someone saying that they had been removed but I may be mistaken.

Was lucky to see two very active slow loris in the right-hand enclosure. They were climbing and swinging all over the place. There wasn't any signage on the enclosure.

The okapi house was closed, not sure why. The female okapi, Elila was outside alone and I noticed much branch sucking.

An interesting development in the giraffe house is the introduction of projections on the wall of the visitor area inside. One at either end. They are in the style of silent film/newsreel captions with text and black and white footage. One focussed on enrichment and the daily husbandry routine, the other on the history of giraffes at Regent's Park. I liked this very much.

Also noticed wooden branches tied to the lower bars of the giraffe barrier inside, maybe this was browse, I'm not sure as they were quite low but there wasn't anyone around to ask.
 
I'm not sure what you mean by the porcupine enclosure in the gorilla kingdom... as far as I know the porcupines have been all over the place since it was built but not actually in gorilla kingdom. At the moment they are in Animal Adventure aka the children's zoo, in the same area as the yellow mongooses. They've been there ever since it was opened. The first enclosure inside the gorilla kingdom has always been an aviary. I don't recall the birds you list being in there but things do change.

Effi and Kesho do get on well – and the good news is that Kesho and Zaire met this week and were fine together. Progress! Didn't you see Mjukuu and the baby?

Yes, the Rainforest is usually very... aromatic. I don't mind it myself but the more sensitive schoolchildren hold their noses all the way around and complain loudly! Good education for them – these are real animals! The agouti went ages ago (they chewed the tree trunks and killed them and I don't think they're on site at all now). There is one trumpeter, Ivana, back in the rainforest; poor Donald her mate succumbed to something and she was pining so has been put back so she has company.

I was interested to hear your opinion about the new video projections in the giraffe house – I haven't had a chance to go and look yet though we have been told about them.
It's very nice to have feedback on these things!
 
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