I caught a glimpse of one at Leipzig which was happily feeding in front of a window full of people so hopefully it's quite confident.
ZSL London Zoo ZSL London Zoo News 2025
- Thread starter aquilla1
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Kalaw
Well-Known Member
This is amazing news. A very pretty species which I thoroughly enjoyed seeing at Antwerp a few years ago, and would make a fantastic addition to the Clore with the building's history of housing unusual small mammals. It's intriguing to me just how well the species is doing in Europe at the minute. At the start of the 2020s, there were just 5 public European holders (Rotterdam, Liberec, Wrocław, Biotropica and Leipzig). Now there are 28. I was wondering when we would finally get some in the UK, and am pleased to see it has finally happened.
Also excellent to hear that they will be inhabiting the larger enclosure in the wing of the Clore near the fish tank, as it has been vacant for some time now and is appropriately sized for this very big sengi. It will be brilliant when London gets more Round-eareds and we have both essentially side-by-side.
Also excellent to hear that they will be inhabiting the larger enclosure in the wing of the Clore near the fish tank, as it has been vacant for some time now and is appropriately sized for this very big sengi. It will be brilliant when London gets more Round-eareds and we have both essentially side-by-side.
cerperal
Well-Known Member
Hertfordshire Zoo have also received a pair from Leipzig, so hopefully between exports from their very successful breeding program and births here their numbers will continue to rise in the UK
Well, somebody must’ve spilled the beans!
I’m glad that some of my German cousins are settling in nicely in their new London flat, and in prime real-estate at that!
In all seriousness, I’m glad that ZSL is now a holder of the Black-and-Rufous Sengi; it just warms me to hear that this species is still doing well across the UK!
I’m glad that some of my German cousins are settling in nicely in their new London flat, and in prime real-estate at that!
In all seriousness, I’m glad that ZSL is now a holder of the Black-and-Rufous Sengi; it just warms me to hear that this species is still doing well across the UK!
The ones I’ve seen at Leipzig and Basel seemed pretty confident
Jambi
Well-Known Member
That's a lovely looking animal. I've never seen any type of sengi, so I'll have to see if I can get a good look at them when I next visit in June. Rainforest Life (I'm guessing that's where the sengi are based on some of the posts?) is going to be a major priority on my next visit anyway because it was closed during my last visit. Nightlife was still open at the time, but I couldn't stay in there long because of the strong smell, and the naked mole rats were the only species in there I got a decent look at.
cerperal
Well-Known Member
Yeah, they're housed at the very back of the walkthrough by the fish tank in the area where the animals are fed.
I'm really happy to see a new species in the Clore after the loss of the original sengis and the tamandua. With the recent births and generally buzz in there it's still been a lovely spot to be in, but it certainly be far more so now. And I think it's a good job done by London to acquire such an interesting species at such short notice
Addressing some earlier comments about the Cassons. the Halloween event info does include a section on what will be in there.
Discover nocturnal wildlife this Halloween
Step inside The Cassons (close to our camels and farmyard) to uncover the mysterious world of nocturnal wildlife. Learn how animals survive and thrive in the dark through fun, hands-on activities and interactive games:
As for external maintenance mentioned I believe there has been some scaffolding erected on the right hand side of the main entrance for several months.
Discover nocturnal wildlife this Halloween
Step inside The Cassons (close to our camels and farmyard) to uncover the mysterious world of nocturnal wildlife. Learn how animals survive and thrive in the dark through fun, hands-on activities and interactive games:
- Test Your Senses: Try activities inspired by animals’ unique adaptations for sight, sound, touch, and smell, from bushbaby vision to mole-rat tunnels.
- Trick and Treat: Become a myth-buster! Decide which spooky animal facts are trick or true, then claim a sweet treat as your prize.
As for external maintenance mentioned I believe there has been some scaffolding erected on the right hand side of the main entrance for several months.
I hope the Cassons reopens again properly, though I do understand why it's now essentially inside and offshow space for the babirusa and red river hogs. Are there any other species still kept inside? One of the more recent times I visited when it was open they still had some meerkats and armadillos in there.
Will this mean the doors will be open for people to go inside, and you’ll be able to see the RRH and Babirusas in there? Not familiar with these events, so I’m not sure if they’re holding it in the area at the back of the house, or around the centre where the viewing areas are?
I believe they’re gone now, or at least the staff member I spoke to never said they were still present. I imagine there’s little reason for them to do so given the house is closed most of the time
That's a shame, I still miss seeing them in the Clore too.
Certainly 'last time I checked' there were - what? Four or so zoos keeping B&R sengi in Europe and a roughly similar number in the United States?
So the news that they have expanded greatly is very new and surprising to me... but very welcoming and exciting all the same! Should get back to London soon enough to see them
So the news that they have expanded greatly is very new and surprising to me... but very welcoming and exciting all the same! Should get back to London soon enough to see them
The 2 large hairy armadillos are I believe in an off show area in the Cassons .They are viewable only if they participate in the Super Species Live on the display lawn
Large hairy armadillo | London Zoo
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Very effective usage of the acres of space ..., methinks!
I really do wish zoo management get more creative in re-inventing this space. Honestly, I really do think pachyderms like rhinos would be a great fit and creating a miombo woodland savannah inside and out... of the Cassons.
Very effective usage of the acres of space ..., methinks!
I really do wish zoo management get more creative in re-inventing this space. Honestly, I really do think pachyderms like rhinos would be a great fit and creating a miombo woodland savannah inside and out... of the Cassons.
Yeah I said something similar to this in the thread on the Cassons, although my take on it is that it should be Sumatran rhinos at the most, and the whole area would work best as a Sumatran Pavillion:
I absolutely agree with this part in particular. Specifically, I really think that the Cassons would be a decent enclosure for Sumatran Rhinos, and if they replaced the Red River Hogs it could be a great start to the building becoming a Sumatran/Southeast Asian hub
They’re only barely larger than the pigs, and it would probably be two individuals (2.5 with a calf) instead of a small herd. It’s also a good tie into ZSL’s conservation work, and would allow them to advertise the return of rhinos (without having to put the larger unsuitable ones in).
The main thing keeping it from happening is the disastrous record Sumatran rhinos have in captivity. Out of 40 captive individuals (worldwide not just with ZSL) there was only one successful birth, and their captivity is now so heavily regulated/rare that it’s unlikely it could happen for some decades yet.
Still, I really hope it does, because the Cassons are kinda barebones at the minute. Inside access is usually cut off, and ever since they removed the camels and tapirs it’s not really carried any large mammals.
Obviously it was never properly suitable for elephants (at least not in healthy numbers), and hell will freeze over before they ever return there. But I do want to see something done with it again, because it’s really just the pig house now
All the same, I don’t reckon we’ll ever get any African rhinos back there. They’re just far too large for that space (by modern standards at least), and with it being listed expansion is borderline impossible :/
What fantastic news!
I was gutted when Priscilla passed away, so to hear a pair of b&r sengi have arrived is amazing. Let’s hope the return of the round eared sengi isn’t too far off, two species of sengi at London Zoo would be a dream.
I hope the zoo make a big deal about their arrival like they did for the capybara as this species deserves a spotlight.
I was gutted when Priscilla passed away, so to hear a pair of b&r sengi have arrived is amazing. Let’s hope the return of the round eared sengi isn’t too far off, two species of sengi at London Zoo would be a dream.
I hope the zoo make a big deal about their arrival like they did for the capybara as this species deserves a spotlight.
London Zoo has a web page up for the Sengi, including where the enclosure is, but weirdly says they don’t have it at the zoo :T
Sengi | London Zoo
I'm so happy this species is finally in the UK, I missed them on my recent trip to Rotterdam so maybe a London trip needs to happen.
cerperal
Well-Known Member
That's the page for the round-eared sengi which they currently don't hold, I would imagine the black-and-rufous will receive their page once they're settled in