ZSL London Zoo ZSL London Zoo News 2013

[gentle lemur]

Though of course it becomes a problem when wild numbers of clownfish and regal tangs begin to decrease in the wild, all because of wild-catching them for the pet trade to supply demand produced by so many children wanting them as pets because of the movie.

The vast majority of the clowns in the pet trade are tank bred. They are among the very small number of marine fishes which have fry that are large enough to take easily obtainable foods (others include many seahorses and Banggai cardinals). The situation with regal tangs, powder blue surgeonfish etc is as you describe.
I have seen meerkats in petshops too, but I'm sure these were also captive bred.

Alan

 

[Javan Rhino]

The vast majority of the clowns in the pet trade are tank bred. They are among the very small number of marine fishes which have fry that are large enough to take easily obtainable foods (others include many seahorses and Banggai cardinals). The situation with regal tangs, powder blue surgeonfish etc is as you describe.
I have seen meerkats in petshops too, but I'm sure these were also captive bred.

Alan

While they are one of the simpler marine species to keep and breed, I do wonder how many have been sold as captive bred - wild caught is usually cheaper so if it is the case in clownfish then the general public won't see captive bred/wild caught labels, they will just see a cheap price and a high price, obviously they're likely to go for the low price if they're unaware of why it's cheaper.

This info could be wrong or exaggerated to fit an agenda, but here are a few articles about the issue:

Will 'Finding Nemo 3D' Kill More Clownfish? - Blog

How Finding Nemo has lead to the Devastation of the Clownfish ? Green Renaissance

http://morekeynote.com/how-finding-nemo-destroyed-the-clownfish/

 

[gentle lemur]

I do wonder how many have been sold as captive bred - wild caught is usually cheaper so if it is the case in clownfish then the general public won't see captive bred/wild caught labels

Maybe I overstated my case, I withdraw the word 'vast': but I think I'm basically correct. In many freshwater fishes, wild-caught specimens command premium prices, because captive-bred ones are so easily available. Raising clownfish fry is more difficult and expensive than raising most freshwater fish fry, but clowns are very prolific and the young fish are usually sold at a smaller size than wild-caught ones, which eases their price. They are attractive to retailers because there are unlikely to be many losses, which I am afraid cannot always be said of wild-caught fish.
I don't deny there is a problem, particularly if there is a sudden increase in demand, which breeders cannot easily meet and there are also numerous welfare issues involved: but I don't think it's as big a problem as the scare stories you refer to relate - I note that they don't offer any figures at all.

Alan

 

[Javan Rhino]

Maybe I overstated my case, I withdraw the word 'vast': but I think I'm basically correct. In many freshwater fishes, wild-caught specimens command premium prices, because captive-bred ones are so easily available. Raising clownfish fry is more difficult and expensive than raising most freshwater fish fry, but clowns are very prolific and the young fish are usually sold at a smaller size than wild-caught ones, which eases their price. They are attractive to retailers because there are unlikely to be many losses, which I am afraid cannot always be said of wild-caught fish.
I don't deny there is a problem, particularly if there is a sudden increase in demand, which breeders cannot easily meet and there are also numerous welfare issues involved: but I don't think it's as big a problem as the scare stories you refer to relate - I note that they don't offer any figures at all.

Alan

I see your point - as you can work out marine/fish in general isn't an area I'm familiar with, and I'm working by carrying over general rules from reptile/amphibian sales where WC tends to be much cheaper due to all the costs involved in rearing young.

It could be a case that the issue isn't as bad as is made out in some articles - to be honest when I first mentioned it then I was referring to what I'd heard in general conversation, so I quickly looked up the articles to back up what I was trying to get across .

 

[stulch]

Visit Sunday 29th January

There is now a sign up on the temporary hoarding where the main entrance to tiger territory will be “Opening March 22nd” and behind it looks like they are starting to construct the main entrance.

It looks like they still have to do (and I mean this in a good way not a bad way) the fitting out of the interpretation areas (all these that are going to have a roof now have one) the enclosure planting, the sloping timber walkway taking visitors to the higher level of the old sea lion viewing stand, a few glass panels and the off show area.

In addition to what’s in the plans there is also a small set of stairs behind the Galapagos tortoise house leading to another potential good high viewing point or maybe a potential keeper feeding point during talks? (there’s not a great deal of room at the top of these stairs).

All coming along very nicely, there will be lots and lots of very good viewing points when it opens.

P.S. I mean Visit Sunday 27th January.

 

[stulch]

Visit Sunday 29th January

Reptile House – Amphibian Wing

The large tank at the end is now in place and they’ve started to fill up with water the smaller tank next to it.

P.S. I mean Visit Sunday 27th January.

 

[stulch]

Visit Sunday 27th January

Anoa Watch

I saw an Anoa.

There may have been more out of view.

 

[Arizona Docent]

There is now a sign up on the temporary hoarding where the main entrance to tiger territory will be “Opening March 22nd”...

Well this makes my upcoming April trip more complicated. Was going to skip London Zoo this time due to time constraints, but if the tiger exhibit will have just opened, I need to figure out how to squeeze it in.

 

[stulch]

Visit Sunday 27th January

Extension to the front of the restaurant has gone ready for the new one.

 

[stulch]

Visit Sunday 27th January

There's a sign outside the current tapir enclosure saying "Baby on the way! Our female tapir is pregnant. Because of this, our tapirs may not always be on display."

I hadn't noticed this before.

 

[stulch]

Visit Sunday 27th January

It looked like they'd done a little bit of tree planting and clearing on the north bank of the canal if this wasn’t just me imagining it I’d love it if this was more than just routine.

 

[Pertinax]

There's a sign outside the current tapir enclosure saying "Baby on the way! Our female tapir is pregnant. Because of this, our tapirs may not always be on display."

That is good news. Mind you, the Tapirs being invisible isn't particularly unusual, the Malayans always seem to be very enigmatic, both at London, previously at Twycross and even to an extent at Port Lympne, though the number there usually means you can see at least one or more of them.

 

[volvox]

My goodness, that's unusual! Can't remember London Zoo announcing any sort of pregnancy before, they usually wait till the baby is safely born (or even longer) before making it public knowledge.

 

[pipaluk]

There's a sign outside the current tapir enclosure saying "Baby on the way! Our female tapir is pregnant. Because of this, our tapirs may not always be on display."

I hadn't noticed this before.

This will be great news, hope all goes well. After years of being an after thought stuck on the end of the african exhibit( & not even on the map), another successful breeding and the impending move to the Casson will help raise the profile of the species at London. With Twycross no longer holding them, i'm glad ZSL now seem committed to malayan tapir, given Port Lympne is now the only other holder in England( i think).

 

[pipaluk]

It looked like they'd done a little bit of tree planting and clearing on the north bank of the canal if this wasn’t just me imagining it I’d love it if this was more than just routine.

If they did actually put some animals there it would give me one less thing to criticise the zoo about at least! But i would guess that tree planting probably makes that even less likely!

 

[pipaluk]

Anoa Watch

I saw an Anoa.

There may have been more out of view.

Are they still at the end of the giraffe house? Sorry to ask, but this doesn't look familiar to me.

 

[stulch]

If they did actually put some animals there it would give me one less thing to criticise the zoo about at least! But i would guess that tree planting probably makes that even less likely!

Not a very good series of photos as I don't have a closer one further east and the tree or two they looked to have planted where there.

These photos go east to west.

I'm probably imagining it though as I wish they would develop this area next. It's a bit of a forgotten part of the zoo, it would encourage visitors to the north bank and I'm not sure how much it would take if they implemented the 2007 draft masterplan there (Northern Forest with Hawk, Snowy Owls, Arctic Fox and Raven).

 

[stulch]

Anoa Watch

Are they still at the end of the giraffe house? Sorry to ask, but this doesn't look familiar to me.

Yes, the giraffe's indoor area is to the right of the photo.

 

[pipaluk]

Not a very good series of photos as I don't have a closer one further east and the tree or two they looked to have planted where there.

These photos go east to west.

I'm probably imagining it though as I wish they would develop this area next. It's a bit of a forgotten part of the zoo, it would encourage visitors to the north bank and I'm not sure how much it would take if they implemented the 2007 draft masterplan there (Northern Forest with Hawk, Snowy Owls, Arctic Fox and Raven).

Obviously from my previous comments, i have to agree with you, i wouldn't mind betting a third to half the visitors don't even bother crossing the canal after looking at the map! Whenever i visit it's near deserted even on busy days, though i did enjoy spending half an hour there after the zoo had 'shut' on my last visit in August and noone appeared in a hurry to throw me out!

 

[Shirokuma]

I agree, this whole area - along with the woodlands next to the Clore and roundhouse is much under-used. I don't want things crammed in everywhere but in a small zoo there shouldn't be so much empty space.

I also noted that they have tidied up the planting around the 'black beaver' enclosure which has been empty for some time.