ZSL Whipsnade Zoo ZSL Whipsnade Zoo 2021

pipaluk said:
At one point London and Marwell have had 4 plus Meerkat enclosures and Paradise WP had 3 last time I was there a year or so ago, I'm sure even those who love meerkats would see that as overkill.
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I definitely agree better one vast meerkat enclosure than multiple smaller ones everywhere you turn..!
 
pipaluk said:
I've seen them at Combe Martin and Cologne, pointless from both visitor and animal Point of view, what a waste of space!!
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Bit late to the party here... But come on, the CM meerkat/bat-eared fox exhibit is fantastic :D One of the highlights of the zoo imo!
 
ThomasNotTom said:
Bit late to the party here... But come on, the CM meerkat/bat-eared fox exhibit is fantastic :D One of the highlights of the zoo imo!
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I agree it is good but that space could really hold something other than meerkats, which is why I really don't want the enclosure at Whipsnade to be used for them but it will be probably! Maybe if something else were mixed with them it wouldn't be so bad....
 
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Couldn't there be a mixed exhibit with porcupines and aardvark, plus bat eared fox, in three consecutive yards, with meerkat having access via pipes to all 3? You could have a much larger colony or even 2 seperate ones, plus mixed with animals that my learned zoofriends would be more interested in? Could even have some other mongoose species too?
 
Notes from my visit on Thursday:
- Cinderella (the brown bear) has gone into hibernation and there was tree maintenance being carried out in the enclosure
- the lemur walkthrough was open 2:00 - 2:30 with a talk at 2:15. But i suspect this may only be during weekdays to avoid high traffic posing a greater covid risk
- Baer's pochards are now signed as to being in the rockhopper penguin enclosure. Didn't spot any, but that may just be my poor bird identification skills
- the meerkat enclosure has been knocked through into the new area, so the meerkat are now off-show. Metal fences have also been put up where the concrete had been laid.
- christmas decorations have started to go up in and around the lookout lodges
- marabou and african sacred ibis have moved back into the restaurant aviary
 
I agree. I don't think a larger meerkat enclosure is the best use of the space, but we best not get into that argument again. I believe there are still some prairie dogs on the escarpent (the Jan 2021 inventory lists 19) however, i have yet to see one on any of my five visits this year.
 
They also lost their female red panda Tashi a couple of weeks ago so just her son Nilo in the enclosure now.
 
Just back from a couple of hours at Whipsnade, love a winter walk up there and the animals are just an added bonus.
Fews bits of note
Wild boar have been moved to the other side of the brown bear for winter.
Tizzer the donkey isn't there and signage removed
New meerkat area looks awful yes I know its work in progress but no work being carried and looks a mess.
And interestingly all signage for the "baby" hippo has been taken down, could be nothing but could only see hoover the adult male.
 
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