Thanks Cerperal, that does sound promising.
Thanks for this useful information, Tim.
ZSL Whipsnade Zoo ZSL Whipsnade Zoo News 2025
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Thanks Cerperal, that does sound promising.
Thanks for this useful information, Tim.
What does it embrace- all even toed-ungulates- antelope, deer, cattle, sheep ,goats etc.? Or only certain groups?
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If its a correct listing , and they cannot currently be imported, then presumably they must be from HWP, especially if they are a potential breeding group- a trio perhaps? But not sure where they could 'hide' them if not yet on show. The only other alternative is the Scottish Deer Centre but (afaik) they only have spare males from HWP.
It was me that posted it, I heard some keepers talking about it, not eavesdropping they were stood right next to me and several others at the last hippo experience openly discussing it, was also mentioned that one of the rhino was leaving as well.
The zoo have received an 18 month old bull European bison, which arrived on Thursday
ZooNews2024
Well-Known Member
All - regardless of origin, species, destination or use.
This is fantastic news!, do you know where he came from? I'm sure this make the herd 2.3 now?
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Baringogiraffe12
Well-Known Member
Would be interesting to hear where they’ve sourced this bull from - I suspect he’s UK born?
Dr. Loxodonta
Well-Known Member
Could this be one of the bulls from Wildwood Kent? They certainly had two male bison, Fury and Haze, from the Highland Wildlife Park.
Afraid not, the information I’ve provided was on a sandwich board outside the paddock when I visited today.
On a separate note, I have never seen the old Squirrel monkey/current Red panda exhibit in such a sorry state as it currently does. The drained moat makes it look like even more of a derelict building site than it used to. I’ve never fathomed why the pandas were transferred from their neighbouring enclosure in the first place!
Because they have more space with which I’ve regularly seen them running about, plus the ability to have fully indoor housing. It’s just a better enclosure for them imo
Lafone
Well-Known Member
No explanation was given but I expect it was space, the bonus of being able to separate them and a larger house. Worth remembering too that they have had cubs sucessfully again since the move. The moat looks a bit odd but in general it seems a good exhibit for them now. I expect they will do something about the house over time as they have with the otters. In general observation they seem more active than lots of others, including running around the moat. When it was done in 2022 it appeared to be a move both for the pandas in terms of providing a larger area and also to make use of the space and it seems to have turned out ok in the end. The collection wasn't as actively changing at the time as it has been over the last few years either, but it would be a little odd to move them 'back' permanently. Given Nilo moved to Bristol and then returned it doesn't seem they want to breed him and Ruby again, but that could change over time breeding prorgamme wise I suppose.
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Was just looking through the link here, and noticed that Indochinese (also called Vietnamese) sika deer are also mentioned as being kept at Whipsnade - are they new as well?
Zootierliste records there being Japanese sika, but not Indochinese (the 2024 inventory does not record them to subspecies level). Considering they are Extinct in the Wild, they would be another very nice addition to the deer collection.
Lafone
Well-Known Member
Someone like @Tim May will know better than me, but Sika been at the zoo for many years, can be seen in A Passage through Asia. I can't say I have seen them mentioned subspecies wise very often but I didn't think they were the Japanese sub species.
@Pertinax may also have some information on it as he penned a comment about their origins on this image though that was in 2014
Barasingha or Japanese sika? - ZooChat
Interesting - does this mean that the Bluetongue guidance on the UK Government website is out-of-date and incorrect?
Interestingly, it appears from the Bluetongue disease status map on the European Commision website that Finland, the three Baltic States and the Republic of Ireland are all currently classified as entirely Bluetongue-free, so I wonder whether these *could* be future sources for hoofstock if the guidance on the UK Government website is no longer correct and all hoofstock imports from susceptible areas are now banned.
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No further news I'm afraid but would be surprised if they have acquired an additional Sika subspecies, they couldn't go in PTA due to hybridisation with existing ones, so would have to be kept seperately.
ZooNews2024
Well-Known Member
Yes - at least following a personal written request (and answer), last week.
edit - movements from Germany and a number of other countries are also banned because of Foot+Mouth Disease.
The last such Uk restrictions (internally for bird-flu) took over a year to be lifted.
Does it also include species like Okapi and Giraffe?
ZooNews2024
Well-Known Member
I didnt ask, but as all cloven-hoofed animals including giraffes, camels and hippos are susceptible, then I assume so.
Elephants are susceptible too, but again sorry, I personally dont know.
Dr. Loxodonta
Well-Known Member
BTV affects all ruminants, so giraffes and okapi would be included. Other species such as elephants may be affected occasionally, but obviously it’s mainly farm stock like sheep, goats, cattle etc.