ZSL Whipsnade Zoo ZSL Whipsnade Zoo News 2025

JoB198 said:
Delighted my observation wasn't in complete vain.

Also saw the baby macaque the other day and assumed it was new - tbh, there were 2 very little ones racing around who seemed reasonably new as well. They put in a brief appearance outside and vanished indoors again at the weekend.
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It's great news the macaque group are having so much success after having been in Monkey Forest for just over a year. How many youngsters is that now, 4 or 5?
 
Kalaw said:
Excellent to have that confirmed and to know whereabouts they're onshow. Quite a nice chain of Asian hoofstock paddocks we have going now. I wonder what this means for the Emu - it would be a most peculiar mixed species exhibit if they were to remain. Am I wrong in imagining that at one point the emu were kept in a semi-offshow paddock behind the elephants, visible from the Jumbo Express?
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The emu( at one point at least 5 )were moved semi offshow for several years from a paddock at the start of the train ride to one behind the buildings on the opposite side of the hippo drive (currently scimitar horned oryx are in the paddock in front of those buildings, previously impala and greater Kudu before that
 
Oh, one weird little bit we saw at the weekend was a digger/some form of construction immediately outside the lion viewing area - like in the bit between the entrance to that and the meerkats. Looked like some concrete being put down for unknown reasons.
 
JoB198 said:
Oh, one weird little bit we saw at the weekend was a digger/some form of construction immediately outside the lion viewing area - like in the bit between the entrance to that and the meerkats. Looked like some concrete being put down for unknown reasons.
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They might be putting down a new hard surface there for benches - the area gets quite muddy on that path and holds a lot of water so the benches get a bit awkward to sit on. Just a guess though.
 
Lafone said:
They might be putting down a new hard surface there for benches - the area gets quite muddy on that path and holds a lot of water so the benches get a bit awkward to sit on. Just a guess though.
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I agree it gets horrendously muddy - they could do with sorting that out more.
 
JoB198 said:
I agree it gets horrendously muddy - they could do with sorting that out more.
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After they did all the new hard standing for the area that overlooks the Waterbuck, I thought they might run the new path down from the other side of the Meerkats and along the lions to where the old gate used to be, possibly some ground work to do before next Winter!
 
Just got a members email that capybara (1.1?) have moved London for the summer (next to the pygmy hippo) before moving to Whipsnade, presumably into the hippo enclosure?

“A pair of capybaras have moved to London Zoo, just in time for May half term! The adorable duo, named Gizmo and Kiwi, will be enjoying a summer in the city, while a new permanent home is prepared for them at Whipsnade Zoo!”
Conservation zoo becomes home to world’s biggest rodent | London Zoo

Personally, I’m really excited by this as my partner loves them and they are always great to see, plus potential for tapir mixed exhibit?
 
Joker22Hero said:
Just got a members email that capybara (1.1?) have moved London for the summer (next to the pygmy hippo) before moving to Whipsnade, presumably into the hippo enclosure?

“A pair of capybaras have moved to London Zoo, just in time for May half term! The adorable duo, named Gizmo and Kiwi, will be enjoying a summer in the city, while a new permanent home is prepared for them at Whipsnade Zoo!”
Conservation zoo becomes home to world’s biggest rodent | London Zoo

Personally, I’m really excited by this as my partner loves them and they are always great to see, plus potential for tapir mixed exhibit?
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Exactly what I predicted would be going in the hippo area a week or so ago. ZSL stated it would be 'an exciting new species ' - depends what the definition of exciting is I guess.......
Only 53 other holders in the UK!!
 
Cat-Man said:
I will be the first to criticise if it's announced they're going into the Hippo enclosure, but do we have any confirmation yet that this is the case?
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That’s what the mail strongly implies! Seems all rather suspect they’d include talk of Obaysch in a news piece about another type of semi-aquatic mammal.o_O

ZSL really are bigging this up. Doomed…we’re all doooooooooommmed!!!
 
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Panthera1981 said:
That’s what the mail strongly implies! Seems all rather suspect they’d include talk of Obaysch in a news piece about another type of semi-aquatic mammal.o_O

ZSL really are bigging this up. Doomed…we’re all doooooooooommmed!!!
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Well, I'll wait for confirmation before I post my criticism, but it doesn't look promising in which case.
 
pipaluk said:
Exactly what I predicted would be going in the hippo area a week or so ago. ZSL stated it would be 'an exciting new species ' - depends what the definition of exciting is I guess.......
Only 53 other holders in the UK!!
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One of the most widely popular animals that are well known across the population are not “exciting”?
 
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Cat-Man said:
Terrible rage bait.
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This is not meant as rage bait at all, apologies, I just genuinely think ZSL can honestly say a lot of people will be excited to see cute and well loved animals that are fairly active vs hippos that don’t do much. Rarity is not the only factor that determines which animals are “exciting”, even if you disagree. It would be lovely to see a more rare and special species, I agree, but I don’t see a big reason for negativity, especially as tapirs would seem like a no brainer in that enclosure.
 
Joker22Hero said:
This is not meant as rage bait at all, apologies, I just genuinely think ZSL can honestly say a lot of people will be excited to see cute and well loved animals that are fairly active vs hippos that don’t do much. Rarity is not the only factor that determines which animals are “exciting”, even if you disagree. It would be lovely to see a more rare and special species, I agree, but I don’t see a big reason for negativity, especially as tapirs would seem like a no brainer in that enclosure.
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I flat out refuse to be drawn into a debate about this. It is not true that Capybara are more popular than Hippos with the general public.
 
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