On the 19th and 20th September Whipsnade will be holding an Elephant Appreciation Weekend and that gives you a chance to get up close to Asian Elephants and I had a fourm from Whipsnade about the events
ZSL Whipsnade Zoo ZSL Whipsnade Zoo 2015
- Thread starter Jedd Cullinan
- Start date
The gemsbok have produced another calf, no news as yet on sex.
The outer "shell" of the new butterfly house is now on. Once up and running, internal temperatures will be maintained at 29C with an 80% humidity!
The outer "shell" of the new butterfly house is now on. Once up and running, internal temperatures will be maintained at 29C with an 80% humidity!
Both the Thomson's gazelle and Blackbuck are now out of quarantine and on show, the latter in the process of being mixed with the Nilgai.
The zoo have received a pair of Omei Shan Iiocichla, going into the Bird Garden.
The zoo have received a pair of Omei Shan Iiocichla, going into the Bird Garden.
oh great cant wait to see the gazelle and blackbuck.
Just a few things I noticed from my 2 days at Whipsnade this week:
On both days I only saw 3 Impala out in the paddock.
Was good to see the Thomsons gazelle for the first time in a while, 1 male 2 females seen.
Blackbuck I think in paddock behind cheetah, adjoining Nilgai. Lone male still in drivethrough
First time I've seen 3 of the Blesbok in with the white rhino.
Stanley Crane enclosure back on show and signed on edge of Bird garden. Screening partly removed along that side of Bird garden for first time in a couple of years or more.
Gemsbok calf out in the paddock.
On both days I only saw 3 Impala out in the paddock.
Was good to see the Thomsons gazelle for the first time in a while, 1 male 2 females seen.
Blackbuck I think in paddock behind cheetah, adjoining Nilgai. Lone male still in drivethrough
First time I've seen 3 of the Blesbok in with the white rhino.
Stanley Crane enclosure back on show and signed on edge of Bird garden. Screening partly removed along that side of Bird garden for first time in a couple of years or more.
Gemsbok calf out in the paddock.
4 more Impala are on the way I believe.
Some of the butterfly species have arrived from London in preparation for the new walkthrough, along with some Atlas moth pupae!
Impala- Does that mean perhaps they have lost two of them in recent months?
Blackbuck- presumably lone male will join the new females soon.
A male yak has been born.
Asian elephant George will soon be moving to another collection.
Asian elephant George will soon be moving to another collection.
Pass, though Whipsnade is probably the only UK zoo that has the potential to develop a bull facility if it chose to.
As I've said before, I'd like to know the future plans for this group. Most of the cows are 30+ now, with 2 (maybe 3) refusing or unable to breed. Remove these from the equation and you've only got Karishma and Donna-who's years away from breeding!
Yes and with Emmett is already a breeding bull in the herd. there will be no place for George. I will feel sorry to see George goes when he is moving to another zoo or safari park. it will be a very long trip for George
The Père David's deer have produced their first calves of the season-2.
I'd be interested to know the genetic makeup of this group, are they inbred like the Fallow deer? They seem to reproduce pretty easily.
I'd be interested to know the genetic makeup of this group, are they inbred like the Fallow deer? They seem to reproduce pretty easily.
ALL Pere David’s deer are very inbred, being derived from the few animals the Duke of Bedford gathered together at Woburn.
Not surprisingly the original Pere David’s deer at Whipsnade came from Woburn, the first arriving in 1944; the first calf to be born at Whipsnade was in 1947.
Possibly the most inbred mammal species still extant in any numbers, in fact.
Just got back from Whipsnade, and came away with a few questions:
When did the white rhinos last breed?
Are the onager a breeding pair?
When did Whipsnade go out of black rhino? Am sure I remember seeing them years ago in the paddock that now holds the gemsbok (the heavy duty gates are a give away!), but when were rhino last held there?
Also went into the new butterfly house, thought it was very good. The signage was very clear too, lots of families checking what they could see against the boards. Got some pictures, can upload them tomorrow if anyone is interested
When did the white rhinos last breed?
Are the onager a breeding pair?
When did Whipsnade go out of black rhino? Am sure I remember seeing them years ago in the paddock that now holds the gemsbok (the heavy duty gates are a give away!), but when were rhino last held there?
Also went into the new butterfly house, thought it was very good. The signage was very clear too, lots of families checking what they could see against the boards. Got some pictures, can upload them tomorrow if anyone is interested
The white rhino last bred 2008 I think, long overdue another calf IMO but I think there's issues with Nsiswa, the breeding male.
Black rhino I think disappeared from the current gemsbok paddock in the early 2000s. I dearly wish they'd return.
A question about the butterfly house-are the dwarf crocs now in there? Looking forward to those pics!
Black Rhino I don't think have been there for a good 5 years? maybe more?
Some pics of the Butterfly house would be great, I went yesterday and only realised it was opening today the day before we arranged to go.
Some pics of the Butterfly house would be great, I went yesterday and only realised it was opening today the day before we arranged to go.
Thanks for the replies everyone 
shame the white rhinos haven't bred in so long 
Panthera, yes the dwarf crocs are in the butterfly house now, they are in an enclosure to one side. Will get the photos uploaded tomorrow
shame the white rhinos haven't bred in so long Panthera, yes the dwarf crocs are in the butterfly house now, they are in an enclosure to one side. Will get the photos uploaded tomorrow