Oh awesome! Is it another female?
ZSL Whipsnade Zoo ZSL Whipsnade Zoo News 2023
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Oh awesome! Is it another female?
Baringogiraffe12
Well-Known Member
1.0 from the previous post would mean the new arrival to be a male
1.0 from the previous post would mean the new arrival to be a male
Oh yes of course my bad!
While having only female ellipsen waterbuck according to their stocklist, one would assume they are changing subspecies then?
But Whipsnade's all female herd of waterbuck are common (ellipsen) waterbuck not Defassa waterbuck.
Yeah I had a brain fart and missed that as well. That’s cool to have a different subspecies!
Or establishing a new group in a different paddock?
Sorry I wasn't criticising you. I was merely expressing surprise that, after several years without a male waterbuck, one of a different subspecies has been acquired.
No I didn’t take it as criticism at all, no worries! Just I missed the fact it was a different species which the zoo nerd in me was annoyed about haha!
The plan is for the defassa to become the sub-species of waterbuck at whipsnade as the current group are old. So they will just eventually transition to defassa once the common waterbuck are no longer around. So won’t be for a while yet.
The new arrival is actually a female as well.
The new arrival is actually a female as well.
Lafone
Well-Known Member
That’s good. I’m sure lots of people wander straight past them but the waterbuck (and zebra) paddock with its lovely benches are such a nice place to spend time and it’s good to know the current herd will carry on with a new one to follow. I really enjoy waterbuck and the grass and plants change in the seasons offering some great backgrounds to see them in.
Yeah definitely, especially in spring with you have the contrast of the yellow/green and two species!
Lafone
Well-Known Member
Definitely enjoy them in the flowers! And hanging around together.
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I recall Marwell used to have a strong herd of waterbuck for many years; but unfortunately the Africa Valley seemed to do no favours for them... and a decade after that development they were gone. Though if I recall correctly I only ever saw them there once at most...
I recall when I went this year it was very nice to see them all at very close range... and I think the first time I saw them since my previous visit to Whipsnade in '21.
I recall when I went this year it was very nice to see them all at very close range... and I think the first time I saw them since my previous visit to Whipsnade in '21.
Whipsnade’s Common waterbuck herd were previously mixed with the White rhino and a small group of Roan. However, the group were moved into the Grevy’s zebra paddock as the Roan had a tendency to bully the waterbuck. Another reason was to make the paddocks look more “full,” due to visitor complaints of apparent empty exhibits.
If/when a new male is sourced, let’s hope he’s of better temperament. The previous male waterbuck had a habit of picking fights with the zebra, and was often off show on the hard standing!
If/when a new male is sourced, let’s hope he’s of better temperament. The previous male waterbuck had a habit of picking fights with the zebra, and was often off show on the hard standing!
Lafone
Well-Known Member
Yes you get much better views now they aren’t huddled up in a corner! I think they look much nicer in the newer location.
Enjoyed a beautiful birthday afternoon up at the Zoo. Definitely nicer weather than yesterday!
I’ll post a couple of photos later but work continues really impressively on monkey forest, and the glass windows for the langur/babirusa enclosure are now in place.
Saw the meerkats in the aardvark enclosure for the first time, good to see they can access both areas.
Baby Langur is pretty much black now, with just little hints of orange left.
Was weird seeing the Sea Lion area completely flattened now, the area doesn’t actually look that big funnily enough!
I’ll post a couple of photos later but work continues really impressively on monkey forest, and the glass windows for the langur/babirusa enclosure are now in place.
Saw the meerkats in the aardvark enclosure for the first time, good to see they can access both areas.
Baby Langur is pretty much black now, with just little hints of orange left.
Was weird seeing the Sea Lion area completely flattened now, the area doesn’t actually look that big funnily enough!
Lafone
Well-Known Member
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