ZSL London Zoo ZSL London Zoo News 2012

Jordan-Jaguar97 said:
ZSL have had very little breeding success with their Tigers over the years. The only cub raised was 'Hari' now in Australia (New Zealand?). I think I know who the female is, I would be curious to see who the new male would be. It seem recently a lot of Sumatran Tiger moves have/will happen. I know South Lakes' pair (Alisha and Padang) are due to move off soon I'm unsure where.
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Just bad luck on this paticular pairing as far as Lumpar and Raika go. Sometimes they don't work out and this was just one of those faliures that you'll always get with programs like the EEP

Hari was born to ZSL's previous pair, Mira and Martin who were in residense before Raika came along in 1997. Co-incidently it's his daughter, Melati who is thought to be coming over to become ZSL's new breeding female (she's coming to the UK anyway!)
 
stulch said:
I'm surprised by that as it will mean London won't have any on-show tigers for six months.

Does this mean they've decided what to do with their enclosure, I understand they still weren't sure three or four weeks ago?

I heard quite a while ago (probably before they started to build it) the new enclosure would be ready for Christmas to give the new tigers time to settle in before going on-show at Easter.
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Not the best move for the quieter months of the year, but maybe something exciting is replacing them, i live in hope! Hoping for a smaller carnivore, but fear it maybe another primate takeover or worse still an aviary!
 
pipaluk said:
Not the best move for the quieter months of the year, but maybe something exciting is replacing them, i live in hope! Hoping for a smaller carnivore, but fear it maybe another primate takeover or worse still an aviary!
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*crosses fingers (probably futilely) for a caracal, being as these seem to be on the up down south and I missed the Galloway one when I visited*
 
IMHO, it would be good for the great Indian hornbill to have more room. I wouldn't be unhappy if it was relocated here, although I'm not sure the indoor housing would be that suitable for birds.
 
how old are lumpar and raika? was their lack of breeding investigated further - ie were any problems with fertility identified, or any genetic problems? if paired up differently could one of them potentially still reproduce?
 
stulch said:
I'm surprised by that as it will mean London won't have any on-show tigers for six months.
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One of the 3 new tigers should arrive within the coming days, and will go into the existing enclosure prior to the new one being ready, so there will be no tigers for hopefully just a few days. The other 2 new tigers should arrive shortly.

Quite why they are doing it this way and simply not waiting for the new enclosure to be ready who knows, but maybe they are wanting to integrate the new tigers before the Spring - although depending when the new enclosure is ready for tigers but not open to public they could of had a few month window at that point when they could of brought them, and kept the existing two in the current enclosure. Unless there is going to be no time between building work being finished and it opening.

New male gorilla should be arriving next week, or week after - good luck Kumbuka, your going to need it :)
 
I would think they would want to take advantage of the PR emanating from "new tiger arrived" and to not having to deal with the issues relating to non-breeding of the old odd couple. Seems fair I guess.

For when they move on I DO hope they re-arrange the Pavillion and make it into a mixed primate and bird zone with wildlife from the Asian continent next to the Asiatic lion exhibit. I WOULD enjoy that very much.
 
Good news that the zoo wont be without tigers for too long!
I have to disagree with the idea of using the cat area for aviaries. London has enough of those, but has lost numerous cat/carnivorous species over the last 30 years and has the oppurtunity to bring at least one back!
In an ideal world with no financial constraints much of the area would be redeveloped to hold only 3-4 cat species and the primates moved elsewhere in the zoo(possibly north bank which is unused & missed out by many visitors).
I'm sure a decent cat collection would appeal to the general public far more than more aviaries.
 
pipaluk said:
Good news that the zoo wont be without tigers for too long!
I have to disagree with the idea of using the cat area for aviaries. London has enough of those, but has lost numerous cat/carnivorous species over the last 30 years and has the oppurtunity to bring at least one back!
In an ideal world with no financial constraints much of the area would be redeveloped to hold only 3-4 cat species and the primates moved elsewhere in the zoo(possibly north bank which is unused & missed out by many visitors).
I'm sure a decent cat collection would appeal to the general public far more than more aviaries.
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I agree with all of the above, especially the part I have rendered bold - it is a terrible shame that a major zoo like London currently only holds *two* species of felid, this being lion and serval. Even adding tiger to that total isn't a great improvement.
 
What is the reason of them getting 3 tigers? I thought they were almost always kept in pairs, unless they are 2 sisters they are getting?
 
TeaLovingDave said:
I agree with all of the above, especially the part I have rendered bold - it is a terrible shame that a major zoo like London currently only holds *two* species of felid, this being lion and serval. Even adding tiger to that total isn't a great improvement.
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Thanks Dave , its good to know at least one person agrees with my thoughts! I agree that a zoo of London's standing should have more than 3 cat species, even very small zoos have more e.g Linton or now Wingham. In my youth London must have had about 9 cat species( including the Clore) even after the demolition of the old lion house. I know that sort of number would be unrealistic today, but 5 or 6 across the zoo would be easily possible and make the zoo more appealing to more visitors i'm sure.
 
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pipaluk said:
Thanks Dave , its good to know at least one person agrees with my thoughts! I agree that a zoo of London's standing should have more than 3 cat species, even very small zoos have more e.g Linton or now Wingham. In my youth London must have had about 9 cat species( including the Clore) even after the demolition of the old lion house. I know that sort of number would be unrealistic today, but 5 or 6 across the zoo would be easily possible and make the zoo more appealing to more visitors i'm sure.
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Off the top of my head, there's only 4 zoos in the UK with anything near the range of felid species which was once commonplace:

Edinburgh - 6 species
Hamerton - 6 species
Howlett's - 13 species
Port Lympne - 18 species
 
leiclad20 said:
how old are lumpar and raika? was their lack of breeding investigated further - ie were any problems with fertility identified, or any genetic problems? if paired up differently could one of them potentially still reproduce?
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'Lumpar' is fifteen and 'Raika' is seventeen. 'Raika' is one of the offspring of 'Morris' who has had about 13 cubs altogether, some of these are 'Sarah' (Now deceased, was at Dudley), 'Nias' (Now at WHF) and 'Alisha' (Now at South Lakes).

Do you know which of the Tigers is arriving first and where from? I was under the impression that ZSL were due to hold 1.1 now 1.2?:confused:
 
TeaLovingDave said:
Off the top of my head, there's only 4 zoos in the UK with anything near the range of felid species which was once commonplace:

Edinburgh - 6 species
Hamerton - 6 species
Howlett's - 13 species
Port Lympne - 18 species
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You're right, there aren't many, only other ones i can think of are Marwell (7) , used to be more, and when i went 5 years ago Paradise WP had 8, but the jaguars & maybe more have gone now! I cant remember how many Banham have, but they have at least 6.
 
pipaluk said:
You're right, there aren't many, only other ones i can think of are Marwell (7) , used to be more, and when i went 5 years ago Paradise WP had 8, but the jaguars & maybe more have gone now! I cant remember how many Banham have, but they have at least 6.
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Exmoor's currently got 7 or 8 cat species (I can't remember if they had Jaguarundi, I think they did but possibly offshow). I think Paradise Willdife Park also, currently, has a similar number
 
I went down yesterday. Flamingo chicks are looking pretty big. Pickles the penguin chick was in the big enclosure now (though looking as if he would rather be somewhere else). Tigers Gone :(. Kumbuka not yet there. Zaire up to her old trick of starting to pick her nose whenever children appear. I told one guy off for beating his chest at the gorillas and another for using his flash.

I concentrated on trying to get some photos in the areas that are normally tricky to photograph in because of all the steam (Tropical Bird House and Rainforest Walkthrough). Photos in the usual place. First 36 are from yesterday.

London Zoo - a set on Flickr

There is a gap in the glass at the bottom of the tropical walkthrough and the guy next to me nearly lost his shoelaces to the small curious paws of a tamarin. A little girl dived at the tamarin's tail and I warned her about sharp teeth etc. A little boy behind me informed me (loudly and wrongly) that monkeys NEVER bite unless provoked. I explained the pulling of one's tail might possibly be considered provocation.

They have banned buggies from the squirrel monkey enclosure. Wise move as they were starting to get a bit too fearless that last time I was there. After that the keeper told me they had started raiding the buggies and opening lunchboxes and bags. Their latest thing is small cameras, mobile phones and hair bobbles.
 
wenxue said:
I went down yesterday. Flamingo chicks are looking pretty big. Pickles the penguin chick was in the big enclosure now (though looking as if he would rather be somewhere else). Tigers Gone :(. Kumbuka not yet there. Zaire up to her old trick of starting to pick her nose whenever children appear. I told one guy off for beating his chest at the gorillas and another for using his flash.

I concentrated on trying to get some photos in the areas that are normally tricky to photograph in because of all the steam (Tropical Bird House and Rainforest Walkthrough). Photos in the usual place. First 36 are from yesterday.

London Zoo - a set on Flickr

There is a gap in the glass at the bottom of the tropical walkthrough and the guy next to me nearly lost his shoelaces to the small curious paws of a tamarin. A little girl dived at the tamarin's tail and I warned her about sharp teeth etc. A little boy behind me informed me (loudly and wrongly) that monkeys NEVER bite unless provoked. I explained the pulling of one's tail might possibly be considered provocation.

They have banned buggies from the squirrel monkey enclosure. Wise move as they were starting to get a bit too fearless that last time I was there. After that the keeper told me they had started raiding the buggies and opening lunchboxes and bags. Their latest thing is small cameras, mobile phones and hair bobbles.
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I was at London zoo at Christmas time last year an the squirrel monkeys were doin exactly that. A couple jumped onto a push chair and raided their cool.bag,making off with food. I videoed it, the woman went to scare them off and one got quite aggressive. I'm still.undecided about whether I'm a fan of theses walk thru exhibits.
 
According to Zootierliste the following UK zoos have wild cats:
Ashford: Puma, fishing cat, northern lynx, ocelot, Pallas' cat, serval, rusty-spotted cat, tiger, clouded leopard, jaguar, lion, leopard, snow leopard, cheetah
Ballaugh: Northern lynx
Banham: Geoffroy's cat, ocelot, Pallas' cat, tiger, snow leopard, cheetah, lion
Bassenthwaite: Fishing cat, northern lynx, serval
Begelly: Ocelot
Belfast: Asian golden cat, lion, cheetah, tiger
Birmingham: Northern lynx, ocelot
Blackpool: Lion, tiger
Blair Drummond: Lion, tiger
Borth: Geoffroy's cat, northern lynx, ocelot, leopard
Bristol: Sand cat, lion
Broxbourne: Puma, ocelot, Pallas' cat, northern lynx, leopard, snow leopard, cheetah, lion, tiger
Caldergelen: Wild cat
Camperdown: Wild cat
Canterbury: Northern lynx, wild cat
Chessington: Lion, leopard, tiger
Chester: Serval, lion, jaguar, cheetah, tiger
Chestnut Centre: Wild cat
Colchester: Geoffroy's cat, leopard, lion, tiger, cheetah
Colwyn Bay: Margay, snow leopard, tiger
Combe Martin: Lion, snow leopard
Comrie: Wild cat
Cotswold: Jaguarundi, Pallas' cat, leopard, lion, clouded leopard
Cromer: Puma, margay, ocelot, jaguar
Cupar: Northern lynx, wild cat
Dartmoor: Puma, serval, northern lynx, jaguar, lion, tiger, cheetah
Drayton Manor: Fishing cat, Geoffroy's cat, wild cat, northern lynx, leopard
Drusilla's: Serval
Dudley: Northern lynx, Geoffroy's cat, lion, tiger, snow leopard
Dundee: Northern lynx
Eagle heights: Cheetah
Edinburgh: Margay, serval, Asian golden cat, leopard, lion, jaguar, tiger
Exmoor: Sand cat, caracal, puma, fishing cat, leopard
Fife: Wild cat
Galloway: Leopard cat, northern lynx, wild cat, serval
Gentleshaw: Puma, northern lynx, wild cat
Hamerton: Jaguarundi, little tiger cat, serval, rusty-spotted cat, cheetah, tiger
Heythrop: Leopard, lion, tiger, snow leopard
Highland WP: Northern lynx, Pallas' cat, wild cat, tiger
Howletts: Wild cat, fishing cat, ocelot, Pallas' cat, serval, northern lynx, lion, clouded leopard, leopard, tiger, snow leopard
Kessingland: Serval, lion, cheetah
Knowsley: Lion, tiger
Linton: Leopard, clouded leopard, lion, tiger, snow leopard
London: Serval, lion
Longleat: Lion, tiger, cheetah
Mablethorpe: Northern lynx, wild cat
Malton: Northern lynx, lion, tiger
Marwell: Sand cat, ocelot, serval, leopard, tiger, snow leopard, cheetah
Milnthorpe: Snow leopard
New Forest: Northern lynx, wild cat
Newchapel: Wild cat
Newchurch: Geoffroy's cat, ocelot
Newquay: Northern lynx, fishing cat, lion
Paignton: Lion, cheetah, tiger
Polbeth: Wild cat
Porfell: Caracal
Port Lympne: Black-footed cat, caracal, northern lynx, fishing cat, wild cat, margay, ocelot, Pallas' cat, serval, rusty-spotted cat, lion, clouded leopard, tiger, snow leopard, cheetah
Reaseheath: Serval
Rutland: Puma, leopard
Sandown: Jaguar, lion, tiger
Shaldon: Ocelot
Shepreth: Puma, northern lynx
South Lakes: Lion, jaguar, tiger
Tamar: Wild cat
Thrigby Hall: Leopard cat, Asiatic golden cat, leopard, clouded leopard, snow leopard, tiger
Tropiquaria: Wild cat, serval
Twycross: Wild cat, leopard, snow leopard
West Midland: Lion, tiger
Whipsnade: Northern lynx, tiger, lion, cheetah
Wingham: Caracal, puma, wild cat, jaguar, lion, tiger
Woburn: Northern lynx, lion
Wraxall: Lion, tiger
Yorkshire: Leopard, lion, tiger

The UK zoos with the most cat species are:
Port Lympne: 15
Ashford: 14
Howletts: 11
Broxbourne: 9
Banham, Dartmoor, Edinburgh, Marwell: 7
Hamerton, Thrigby Hall, Wingham: 6
Chester, Colchester, Cotswold, Drayton Manor, Dudley, Exmoor, Linton: 5
 
Thank you wenxue. Your photos are so lovely. The "little bird" in the otter enclosure is a grey wagtail. I've seen them once or twice around the zoo (especially near water) which is great as they're not that common in these parts – I don't think I've seen them elsewhere in London except possibly Hampstead Heath. London Zoo does attract wild birds for some reason – free food? Freedom from traffic?? There's a nice flock of long-tailed tits that often visits (v. noisy).

The buggy ban in squirrel monkeys was inevitable... it has been a mixed success as it now means more "loose" toddlers, harder for their parents to control; and of course it doesn't stop the monkeys being inquisitive, they just look for something else - hair bobbles and bows, as someone said! But it's worth a try.
 
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