This makes sense and is consistent with the previous information provided by ZSL. I'm sure an official announcement is forthcoming.
ZSL Whipsnade Zoo ZSL Whipsnade Zoo News 2025
- Thread starter Lafone
- Start date
Right to try and lighten the mood a little and to get back on track, spent a lovely few hours at whipsnade today and a few things to report.
The tuffeted deer now has some signage and very cute little thing it is.
In the wooded area the Vietnam Pheasant has I think 3 chicks.
I saw 1 African hunting dog in the smaller of the 2 enclosures, so a new arrival.
A zebra was born this morning and was already out in the field with mum and older brother.
So all good news.....
The tuffeted deer now has some signage and very cute little thing it is.
In the wooded area the Vietnam Pheasant has I think 3 chicks.
I saw 1 African hunting dog in the smaller of the 2 enclosures, so a new arrival.
A zebra was born this morning and was already out in the field with mum and older brother.
So all good news.....
I think some of this debate is being framed as if the zoo phased out hippopotamus for the intended purpose of bringing in capybara... but I highly doubt that as we've established part of the purpose of the move was to populate a new enclosure and centralize the population. I imagine those decisions were made in advance. The decision to introduce capybara may simply be about finding an inexpensive species popular with the public to populate an empty enclosure, as many of you have pointed out guests have complained about empty enclosures.
Also, capybara may not be permanent residents at all. Perhaps if hippopotamus breeding advances, Whipsnade may already have interest/claim on new individuals that may become available.... in which case, capybara are merely filling a gap and will be easier to send out or move elsewhere in the park than many other species.
Why do I suspect this? Brookfield has held capybara in a former tapir enclosure at the Pachyderm House for the last five or do years, but they were a gap fill until the funds were available to renovate the Pachyderm House into.... what we now know will include a new hippopotamus enclosure, bringing back a species quietly phased out several years ago from the adjacent enclosure.
Also, capybara may not be permanent residents at all. Perhaps if hippopotamus breeding advances, Whipsnade may already have interest/claim on new individuals that may become available.... in which case, capybara are merely filling a gap and will be easier to send out or move elsewhere in the park than many other species.
Why do I suspect this? Brookfield has held capybara in a former tapir enclosure at the Pachyderm House for the last five or do years, but they were a gap fill until the funds were available to renovate the Pachyderm House into.... what we now know will include a new hippopotamus enclosure, bringing back a species quietly phased out several years ago from the adjacent enclosure.
Sounds like a great day out! Glad wild dogs sound to be back and excellent breeding news!
Awww so exciting about the zebra - poor mum has been fit to burst for months! I didn't realise how long the gestation period was for a zebra.
Lafone
Well-Known Member
Was also there today and the new zebra is very sweet and was offering great views among the buttercups. Lovely weather too!
There was a CWD fawn perhaps two days old alongside the fence in Passage through Asia just opposite the zebra so nice views of youngsters in a couple of places and also good to see them breeding out in the paddocks, through Passage Through Asia is still closed.
Just to also note for the thread as it’s come up a couple of times that keepers mentioned to a few people that the two Philippine Spotted Deer are males (you can see their antler stubs now they are out and about more too) - they are holding them for now with the hope of swapping a female in from a European collection. They were mixed with the warty pigs today in the main enclosure.
Some new vertical bamboo and rope climbing posts have gone into the red panda enclosure.
Enjoyed the wander through the reopened woodland walk past the aviaries quite nice to be able to walk through there again.
ZooNews2024
Well-Known Member
Really? Buttercups are poisonous to equines. To quote:
'When ingested, the leaves and stems release a toxic oil called protoanemonin, which can cause excessive salivation, mouth blisters, diarrhea and mild colic'
ZooNews2024
Well-Known Member
This is interesting as the species was formally classed a as category 1 dangerous animal, and can be highly dangerous, with huge 3" long incisors. The following is an extract from the American husbandry guidelines and gives an indication of the risks:
"Animal and keeper safety: It has to be remembered these are 100 pound animals with 3 inch long incisors. Although usually docile creatures more interested in breakfast and browse. Capybaras are large and relatively quick, and can seriously injure keeper or veterinary staff. Capybaras can be managed with a light touch and with practice, many learn routine calls and commands. However, extreme caution should always be kept in mind if young are present or a new introduction of animals in taking place. These animals rear on their hind legs attempting to bite at the neck ripping huge avulsions of flesh during fights. Animal keepers must pay close attention to the warning calls given by the animals and be aware of the location of the young in particular. If it is necessary to restrain individuals, it is best to attempt to separate the individuals from the group to prevent counter attacks from group members, particularly if the young are being removed. Individual capybaras have different degrees of safe distance; it is up to the animal keepers to determine what is comfortable for their animals."
They generally don't try to eat them though.
I mean, the pics speak for themselves:
Capybara Feeding Experience UK | Hertfordshire Zoo
https://sheprethwildlifepark.co.uk/product/capybara-experience/
Kalaw
Well-Known Member
Well that is disappointing. Geographical accuracy out of the window, and a really commonplace species as well. Congrats to pipaluk for predicting it correctly, as I really didn’t believe him at the time.
Again, I don’t want to come across as blindly optimistic, but I do think that the internet craze around capybaras (the whole Don Toliver trend for example) and with how notoriously cute they are, the bulk of Whipsnade’s visitors may find a similar level of enjoyment in them as they did in the hippos. The average person doesn’t even know ZTL or similar resource exist and if they do probably won’t bother to check it. Remember all those people who flew to Thailand to see the internet sensation ‘Moo Deng’ despite most of them likely having Pygmy hippos at their local zoos.
But the problem is that most people in this forum aren’t the same as other visitors because we have been to zoos hundreds of times and seen too many capybaras to count. This really, really is a gut-punching disappointment.
Fingers crossed this will either not be a hippo replacement (and we can still get buffalo) or that it will be the start of a South American extension into the fallow deer fields behind.
I don’t see either as very likely though.
cerperal
Well-Known Member
Honestly this has been a surprisingly civil thread considering the hatred of capybaras a lot of people on this site have. Perhaps my initial cynicism was somewhat misplaced
Without wishing to restart an argument since ended by some lovely news of the day...I think capybaras are perfect for London, especially with the larger numbers of tourists there. I suspect they will do fantastically over the summer. I'm also not certain they will be moving to the hippo paddocks. The hippo paddocks at Whipsnade are certainly to me a waste if just spent on this species - for once, they are huge, and the pools are too deep. But if the hippo enclosure is where they are destined, I think that they will almost certainly have tapirs for company. Unfortunately not Malayan in all likelihood but any tapir is better than no tapir for me - and they may not be quite the Sumatran rhinos I tried to manifest earlier in the thread, but maybe they'll magic up some mountain tapirs? After all it's a rather hilly spot isn't it?
I think all things considered, even though it is some disappointment to me they will be potentially the sole short-term replacement for the hippos the way ZSL are doing things by sending them to London first is a very good move. But my first thought when seeing the news was more that they would be better suited to an entirely new exhibit yet to be constructed, or even free-roaming. Is it wishful thinking that they will be housed near the new seating areas? Perfect for a family audience and not otherwise being used. Besides, if they were to move to the hippo paddocks I would have thought ZSL would have explicitly said so in the initial post. I think that may definitely be wishful thinking.
Without wishing to restart an argument since ended by some lovely news of the day...I think capybaras are perfect for London, especially with the larger numbers of tourists there. I suspect they will do fantastically over the summer. I'm also not certain they will be moving to the hippo paddocks. The hippo paddocks at Whipsnade are certainly to me a waste if just spent on this species - for once, they are huge, and the pools are too deep. But if the hippo enclosure is where they are destined, I think that they will almost certainly have tapirs for company. Unfortunately not Malayan in all likelihood but any tapir is better than no tapir for me - and they may not be quite the Sumatran rhinos I tried to manifest earlier in the thread, but maybe they'll magic up some mountain tapirs? After all it's a rather hilly spot isn't it?
I think all things considered, even though it is some disappointment to me they will be potentially the sole short-term replacement for the hippos the way ZSL are doing things by sending them to London first is a very good move. But my first thought when seeing the news was more that they would be better suited to an entirely new exhibit yet to be constructed, or even free-roaming. Is it wishful thinking that they will be housed near the new seating areas? Perfect for a family audience and not otherwise being used. Besides, if they were to move to the hippo paddocks I would have thought ZSL would have explicitly said so in the initial post. I think that may definitely be wishful thinking.
Fantastic news! Almost better than the zebra foal for me. I hope the dogs work out this time for Whipsnade, they suit the exhibit perfectly and (controversially, I know) I prefer seeing them there to the former wolf inhabitants.
I love this time of year at Whipsnade if just for that entire area, especially with the newborns. Is PTA being closed related to the banteng or am I just drawing a random conclusion?
Lafone
Well-Known Member
Indeed they have established grass in the paddock and a supplementary feed regime, so their food is not sparse enough for them to want to eat a few nasty tasting buttercups. The zoo normally knock the weeds back out of the paddocks anyway just to be on the safe side, there’s just been a bit of growth due to the unusual weather as in most fields around the place.
Lafone
Well-Known Member
Honestly this has been a surprisingly civil thread considering the hatred of capybaras a lot of people on this site have. Perhaps my initial cynicism was somewhat misplaced
Without wishing to restart an argument since ended by some lovely news of the day...I think capybaras are perfect for London, especially with the larger numbers of tourists there. I suspect they will do fantastically over the summer. I'm also not certain they will be moving to the hippo paddocks. The hippo paddocks at Whipsnade are certainly to me a waste if just spent on this species - for once, they are huge, and the pools are too deep. But if the hippo enclosure is where they are destined, I think that they will almost certainly have tapirs for company. Unfortunately not Malayan in all likelihood but any tapir is better than no tapir for me - and they may not be quite the Sumatran rhinos I tried to manifest earlier in the thread, but maybe they'll magic up some mountain tapirs? After all it's a rather hilly spot isn't it?
I think all things considered, even though it is some disappointment to me they will be potentially the sole short-term replacement for the hippos the way ZSL are doing things by sending them to London first is a very good move. But my first thought when seeing the news was more that they would be better suited to an entirely new exhibit yet to be constructed, or even free-roaming. Is it wishful thinking that they will be housed near the new seating areas? Perfect for a family audience and not otherwise being used. Besides, if they were to move to the hippo paddocks I would have thought ZSL would have explicitly said so in the initial post. I think that may definitely be wishful thinking.
Fantastic news! Almost better than the zebra foal for me. I hope the dogs work out this time for Whipsnade, they suit the exhibit perfectly and (controversially, I know) I prefer seeing them there to the former wolf inhabitants.
I love this time of year at Whipsnade if just for that entire area, especially with the newborns. Is PTA being closed related to the banteng or am I just drawing a random conclusion?
I think most people on the thread and me certainly included thought Passage was closed due to the Banteng but the signage says deer under vet care. So it’s an ongoing question. The deer are still in full view (the whole herd of fallow were right near the entrance about 20 mins before closing today) and the Banteng are wandering around offering nice views.
Hopefully it reopens soon!
On the Capys no one’s said they are going into the hippos yet zoo wise. So maybe on a real bright side we’d get two new things!
In a nutshell we on here the zoo/animal enthusiasts make up a tiny proportion of any zoos visitors,ask your general public what they would rather see say between congo buffalo or capybaras I think we all know what they would say, ask on here and it would be a different response.
We went on the bank holiday Monday, and then the following Saturday (so last weekend) and the buttercup situation had exploded.
Hippos are probably one of the few animals that would appeal to both zoo enthusiasts (due to their rarity in zoos) and the general public (due to being a large charismatic species that is instantly relatable).
Capybaras do sound an underwhelming replacement. They could just be an easily attainable placeholder instead of leaving the enclosure empty.
I am not sure capybara would be that much of a crowd-pleaser at Whipsnade. They can be popular at smaller zoos that lack major ABC species.
Capybaras do sound an underwhelming replacement. They could just be an easily attainable placeholder instead of leaving the enclosure empty.
I am not sure capybara would be that much of a crowd-pleaser at Whipsnade. They can be popular at smaller zoos that lack major ABC species.
ZooNews2024
Well-Known Member
The ones they published at least...
Perhaps these were the zoos which lobbied for the legislation change?
Surely, the species cant suddenly have become domesticated and changed from 'dangerous' to 'pet' in just a couple of generations.
Or - maybe those zoos which do this have just been lucky, so far?
I think the general vibe from what I can is that they aren't dangerous. Or no more so than a dog or pig, anyway, in that they can bite if threatened.