ZSL Whipsnade Zoo ZSL Whipsnade Zoo News 2024

Caught the wolverine talk yesterday and found out that a change has taken place recently with Bodie, the male wolverine, being exchanged for a new male wolverine, 6 year old Nova. Fi and Bodie weren't getting on so Nova has been brought in with the hope they will now have some kits. Early indications are good as Fi and Nova seem to interacting well.
Where is Bodie now?
 
Great piece on the volunteers looking after the White Lion being joined by a new herd of goats

Goats move to White Lion hillside chalk figure at Whipsnade

I'm presuming this is only a splinter group from the herd at the Great Orme in North Wales, and there are plenty left there still. I'm a bit unclear also whether Whipsnade still have their 'Billy' that is mentioned here as being from the same herd, or is he dead now. If still alive is he being run on the White Lion too as it doesn't say?
 
I'm presuming this is only a splinter group from the herd at the Great Orme in North Wales, and there are plenty left there still. I'm a bit unclear also whether Whipsnade still have their 'Billy' that is mentioned here as being from the same herd, or is he dead now. If still alive is he being run on the White Lion too as it doesn't say?
According to Conwy council, Llandudno has 154 goats
 
Fun day out at Whipsnade today, sunny but clearly the start of Autumn between the chill in the air and the start of earlier closing. Pretty busy until early afternoon. I'd planned a longer trip elsewhere but the flooded roads meant a fun more local day was the ticket.

The Kookaburras have moved out of the Aviary near the Tropical House and Red Billed Magpies have moved in. There appeared to be two birds, looked to be juveniles. It was mentioned in the bird show that it took more time to train the Kookaburras not to fly back to that enclosure than it took to train them to do it in the first place and they did make a bit of an attempt to head back across the field at the end of their part of the show!

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Some new fencing barriers have gone in around the temporary enclosure for Muzungu the visiting white rhino, smartening up the fencing there and he has a sign explaining he is a temporary resident.

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Had good views of Nova the new wolverine who was sharing the enclosure with Fi - hopefully the match will go well. The bears were out and appeared to be slowing down a bit as we get towards torpor.

Good views of most of the animals, particularly of Miron the tiger who was active in the afternoon, though this was partly because of some kids throwing stones at the metal plate for the pond pump and then from the bridge into the pool. I wandered off to report what they were doing but they had moved on by the time someone came. I had asked their mother to get them to stop but apparently 'boys will be boys'...In this case I think 'boys will be little gits' but there you go. It's fortunately an exception not a rule to see that sort of thing.

Great views of the Chimps who were having an enrichment session with the Zoo academy team.

The new Shetland cow was out in the paddock with the Zebu in the farm area.

A wattled crane was free roaming down and around the waters edge on the bird lake and it was fun to see all18 Bar Headed geese on the water as they are often just hanging about on the bank.
 

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According to Conwy council, Llandudno has 154 goats

Thanks for the information. I remember when some of them invaded the deserted streets of Llandudno during the Covid lockdowns. Re-reading the Whipsnade information it seems their Kashmir Billy (the ex mascot one) is no more so it will be thefemale group only on the Down/Lion Hill..
 
Forgot to add that Whipsnade have added a couple of Black Lemurs to the Lemur walkthrough area, though the groups of ring tails and the new arrivals are not mixed at the moment. The addition was mentioned in a talk. Can't recall seeing Black Lemurs at Whipsnade, though I recall they had Ruffed lemur in the space for a while.
 
Forgot to add that Whipsnade have added a couple of Black Lemurs to the Lemur walkthrough area, though the groups of ring tails and the new arrivals are not mixed at the moment. The addition was mentioned in a talk. Can't recall seeing Black Lemurs at Whipsnade, though I recall they had Ruffed lemur in the space for a while.

Oh awesome! When the lemur island first opened it had ring tailed and black and white ruffed. Red Ruffed lemurs briefly lived on what is now the red panda island a while back.
 
Good views of most of the animals, particularly of Miron the tiger who was active in the afternoon, though this was partly because of some kids throwing stones at the metal plate for the pond pump and then from the bridge into the pool. I wandered off to report what they were doing but they had moved on by the time someone came. I had asked their mother to get them to stop but apparently 'boys will be boys'...In this case I think 'boys will be little gits' but there you go. It's fortunately an exception not a rule to see that sort of thing.

No doubt glossing over their own parental shortcomings
 
Fantastic news they are bringing in a new female Bongo, one of my favourite species.

If I remember correctly the original Bongo group came from London when the enclosure was turned into the okapi exhibit. So the group was probably getting very old by the time the current male arrived, so hopefully a fresh start with the new female!
 
On our visit today saw another baby porcupette, probably 3-4 weeks old, so now five porcupines in total, 2 adults and 3 youngsters.

Update: Spoke to a keeper today, they do have 5 porcupines now, but it's twins, which is quite rare, born in August plus the two adults and the previous porcupette to be born. The oldest offspring, a male, went to Cotswold Wildlife Park 2-3 weeks ago.
 
Membership email highlighted activities in the zoo over Halloween and also contained some information on Wilfred the giraffe moving to London over the winter.

Wilfred is on the move!

With two new additions to the herd this year, our giraffe house at Whipsnade Zoo will be a little crowded over the winter. So, Wilfred will be joining his half-sister Nuru and long-term resident Molly at London Zoo. Be sure to see him off before he ventures into the city!
 
Membership email highlighted activities in the zoo over Halloween and also contained some information on Wilfred the giraffe moving to London over the winter.

Wilfred is on the move!

With two new additions to the herd this year, our giraffe house at Whipsnade Zoo will be a little crowded over the winter. So, Wilfred will be joining his half-sister Nuru and long-term resident Molly at London Zoo. Be sure to see him off before he ventures into the city!

Interesting. I thought London had decided to no longer house (admittedly adolescent) Bull giraffe.

Also raises the question as to what ZSL decide to do with giraffes at London: have both sites hold Reticulated; house another subspecies or continue with hybrids
 
Membership email highlighted activities in the zoo over Halloween and also contained some information on Wilfred the giraffe moving to London over the winter.

Wilfred is on the move!

With two new additions to the herd this year, our giraffe house at Whipsnade Zoo will be a little crowded over the winter. So, Wilfred will be joining his half-sister Nuru and long-term resident Molly at London Zoo. Be sure to see him off before he ventures into the city!

This is great news for London, nice to see another Giraffe back at the zoo.

I haven't had that email, I am a silver membership owner. I may email ZSL to see why I haven't had any emails since my renewal last month.
 
Some amazing news, another white rhino has been born, think today is the first day it was on show(from a distance), its a male born last Wednesday night, I'm not sure who the mum is but I do know it is a first time mum and doing well.
Such a boost after the recent lose of the Indian rhino as well, and needless to say its adorable.
 
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