ZSL London Zoo ZSL London Zoo News 2012

Thanks volvox. I caught a glimpse of one of them in the shows; a welcome addition to another part of the zoo which the meerkats have managed to take over :rolleyes: (though they are now out of Animal Adventure).
 
I cancelled my visit last week due to the bad weather, but should be visiting tomorrow, will look out for the various things mentioned already.
 
Okay, so here are the pointers that people have asked/pointed out.

- The north bank aviaries were all still there.

- No sign of any camels.

- Work on Tiger Territory looks good, whole of the Camel side of the Casson is blocked off now and so is the entrance to the Komodos (you can now access it through the Reptile House instead) The camel enclosure is still as it was, I wonder how much it will be changed.

- No humming birds on display still, bit dissapointed about that as it was my first visit since the bird house was completed.

- Both Okapis were together, one was rubbing its teeth against the tree for ages!

- Water rats still very active, great display. The two exhibits next to it are odd though, they both say water rats but feature no water and I didn't say any rats?

- Didn't see the armadillos or tamandua in the Clore today. The lady said the tamandua likes to hide in the off show part.

- Saw the two tapirs have a swim, was great to watch as never have seen them active at London! Was a very happy man.

- Saw the three hunting dogs being fed, seems their posistions in the pack have been established, how recently did two of them arrive? The signs claim they are new.
 
London Zoo had five camels till recently: the youngest female has now gone to Whipsnade for breeding; the oldest has succumbed to old age; and the three remaining are apparently off-show till they can go back to the Casson (in the new year?).

The tamandua has suddenly changed her habits and was running around the rainforest floor most of the afternoon I was there, occasionally being chased by the armadillos which made for a pretty bizarre sight... where else would you see that?!!
 
Oh, and I did check the Blackburn – no, I couldn't see any hummingbirds either, though there are plenty of sunbirds. I couldn't find a keeper to ask, but I will try and find time to look again. And JamesB you are SO lucky to see the tapirs having a swim, I haven't seen that for, oooooh, five or six years!!! I'm so jealous!
 
Do you know where the camels have gone off show to? I can't imagine London having a huge off show area, I'm surprised they still aren't in the paddock as the building work isn't actually inside the paddock (so far).

Yes, I was so happy to see them swimming, took me by surprise at first as one of them was hiding in the corner eating the plants on the otherside of the river and suddenly it moved and made me jump. They are such beautiful yet strange creatures. Its great they have a good amount of water to swim in.
 
No, I don't know where exactly the camels are. We were told they are in the giraffe area, and might be seen occasionally, that's all, so I guess they're inside somewhere temporarily.
 
Reptile House

From the members and supporters magazine Wildabout:-

With a raft of new species arriving in the coming weeks and months, ZSL London Zoo's venomous snake collection is set to become the biggest in Europe.

In a section at the end under Six of the best: The new arrivals - and why they're important to the collection it lists:-

Inland taipan, Bushmaster, Mang Shan pitviper, McGregor's viper, European adder and Rhinoceros viper.

When I was there briefly yesterday they had just about finished a couple of new enclosures, whether they were for these or others to move into to make way for them I don't know but they looked good.

I've quoted this comment from the 2011 thread. I think the magazine mentioned that you could see these in the reptile house, but on my visit this afternoon only the rhinoceros viper was on display. Does anyone know if/when the others will be put on show?

I've quoted this comment from the 2011 thread. I think the magazine mentioned that you could see these in the reptile house, but on my visit this afternoon only the rhinoceros viper was on display. Does anyone know if/when the others will be put on show?

Each time I've been to the reptile house since reading in the magazine I've been looking out for them but like you I've only seen the Rhinoceros viper (which appeared towards the end of November).

any news about those new venomous snakes publicised in October 2011? Every time I visit I'm hopeful to see some new ones but so far I've only come across the rhinoceros viper.

I'm still looking too.

From the AGM:-

Zoological Society of London (ZSL) – Animal Inventory

Status at 01.01.2012

ZSL LONDON ZOO

Reptilia


Fly River Turtle
Alligator Snapping Turtle
Giant Asian Pond Turtle
Spiny Hill Turtle
Annam Leaf Turtle
Radiated Tortoise
Galapagos Tortoise
African Pancake Tortoise
Spur-thighed Tortoise
Middle East Spur-thighed Tortoise
Egyptian Tortoise
Mccord’s Snake-necked Turtle
Arrau Turtle
Inland Bearded Dragon
Sudan Mastigure
Parson’s Chameleon
Veiled Chameleon
Trinidad Anole
Green Crested Basilisk
Fiji Banded Iguana
Baker’s Spiny-tailed Iguana
Rhinoceros Iguana
Green Iguana
Blue Spiny Lizard
Tokay Gecko
Wall Gecko
Caiman Gecko
Ocellated Lacerta
Gidgee Skink
Scheltopusik/Glass Lizard
Rio Fuerte Beaded Lizard
Gila Monster
Mindanao Water Monitor
Komodo Dragon/Ora
Blue Tree Monitor
Emerald Monitor
Dumeril’s Ground Boa
Emerald Tree Boa
Jamaican Boa
Green Anaconda
Reticulated Python
Boelen’s Python
Diamond Python
Blood Python
Burmese Rock Python
Royal/Ball Python
Mangrove Snake (Boiga dendrophila)
Mangrove Snake (Boiga dendrophila melanota)
Assam Trinket Snake
Cornsnake/Red Ratsnake (Elaphe guttata)
Cornsnake/Red Ratsnake (Elaphe guttata guttata)
Cave Ratsnake
Red-tailed Ratsnake
False Water Cobra
California Kingsnake
Pueblan Milksnake
Rhinoceros Snake
San Francisco Gartersnake
East African Green Mamba
Black Mamba
Snouted Cobra
King Cobra
Inland Taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus) 1.1.0
Yellow-blotched Palm Pitviper
Side-striped Viper
Eyelash Palm Viper
Malayan Pitviper
Western Diamondback Rattlesnake
Sidewinder
Central American Bushmaster (Lachesis stenophryd) 1.0.0
Philippine Pitviper (Parias flavomaculatus mcgregori) 0.1.0
Chinese Mountain Pitviper (Zhaoermia mangshanensis) 4.4.0
Puff Adder
Rhinoceros Viper (Bitis nasicornis) 2.0.0
Viper (Macrovipera lebetina obtusa)
European Long-nosed Viper
Common Adder (Vipera berus) 1.0.0
Armenian Viper
Philippine Crocodile
 
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Kesho moved last Friday (13th July) morning to Longleat. It happened when the zoo was open in the morning, Gorilla Kingdom was simply closed for a few hours. At Zoo Lates that night all the girls were out and together in the gym and outdoor area. No news on when the new male will arrive.
 
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Kesho moved last Friday (13th July) morning to Longleat. It happened when the zoo was open in the morning, Gorilla Kingdom was simply closed for a few hours. At Zoo Lates that night all the girls were out and together in the gym and outdoor area. No news on when the new male will arrive.

I thought 'Alf' and his brother would arrive at Longleat first. However I was wrong, the new male at ZSL should be 'Kumbuka' from Paignton.
 
Kesho moved last Friday (13th July) morning to Longleat. It happened when the zoo was open in the morning, Gorilla Kingdom was simply closed for a few hours.
Have the Zoo announced the changeover of males to visitors at all e.g. with signs at the exhibit or info on the website? I get the feeling due to his infertility that Kesho probably left quietly 'by the back door' whereas the incoming Kumbuka when he arrives will make a more public entry.
 
Kesho moved last Friday (13th July) morning to Longleat. It happened when the zoo was open in the morning, Gorilla Kingdom was simply closed for a few hours.
Have the Zoo announced the changeover of males to visitors at all e.g. with signs at the exhibit or info on the website? I get the feeling due to his infertility that Kesho probably left quietly 'by the back door' whereas the incoming Kumbuka when he arrives will make a more public entry.

I have seen nothing on their Social networking sites or their website. I get the same feeling as you, as he wasn't a success I think he left without notice . I believe and I have also heard that 'Alf' and 'Evindi' from Dublin have moved to Longleat, can anybody confirm this?
 
Kesho moved last Friday (13th July) morning to Longleat. It happened when the zoo was open in the morning, Gorilla Kingdom was simply closed for a few hours.

I have seen nothing on their Social networking sites or their website. I get the same feeling as you, as he wasn't a success I think he left without notice . I believe and I have also heard that 'Alf' and 'Evindi' from Dublin have moved to Longleat, can anybody confirm this?

Confirmation: Alf, Evindi, Kesho and Boulas are all now at Longleat.
 
And probably never see a lady gorilla again in his life:(

Yes indeed, in both Kesho's and Boulas' cases I think that's the outcome. The:( sign is rather appropriate for them but it is a problem with Gorillas what to do with males like that. I think the Longleat set-up will give them as good living conditions as anywhere though I do always feel rather uncomfortable about male 'groups' though there really seems no alternative for individuals like them.
 
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Yes indeed, in both Kesho's and Boulas' cases I think that's the outcome. The:( sign is rather appropriate for them but it is a problem with Gorillas what to do with males like that. I think the Longleat set-up will give them a good life though I do always feel rather uncomfortable about male 'groups' though there really seems no alternative for individuals like them.

You're right, not ideal but what's the alternative for surplus male gorillas,apart from the unmentionable?, I am also thinking about the keepers, four adult male gorillas living together, they will have their work cut out.
 
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