As there isn´t a general thread for news from the Rotterdam zoo i´ve opened this one. Recently one of the chinese giant salamanders died. It is probably one of the behind the scenes enclosure as there are still 2 animals on display. I´m not sure how many are still alive in the zoo, but al least 2. Once blijdorp had 5 animals. The 2 polarbears Jelle and Ewa are moving back to Dierenrijk Europa, because they can´t get along with female Tania. Ewa has been bitten by Tania. Jelle and Ewa are very nervous, often pacing up and down the same line all the time. Ewa will move from Dierenrijk Europa to Orsa bear park in Sweden somewhere in the near future (together with Knut). And Jelle will probably be moved to a german zoo. At the end of this year blijdorp will receive a Male bear from Vienna; Erik. He is 14 years old and they think he will be albe to stand up to Tania. Soon the small group of cichlids in the croc-pool will be enlarged with some animals from antwerp. (They keep Oreochromis mossambicus)
Which Knut, do you mean the Polar bear Knut from berlin Zoo ? If yes, from where do you have this information ? To which german Zoo will Jelle go, maybe ? Any news about the planned import of klippspringers to rotterdam, and has the klippspringer male from Frankfurt arrived at rotterdam now ?
How many different paddocks are in polar bear exhibit? I thought there are 2 or 3 and bears will be separated most of the time.
Since I live in Sweden, i just wanna know if it's true that Knut will move to Orsa? I know that they will get polar bears, and i'm looking forward to it.
@ Zebraduiker & Swedish zoo fan; Is there more than 1 knut? But yeah, I mean the famous one from berlin. Before ewa moved to blijdorp they already said that was temporarily and that she would move to orsa in sweden to be paired up with the celebrity bear from berlin Apparently Knut + Ewa is a very good match (geneticly speaking). (it's been in the media overhere lots of times, newspapers, tv, etc.) Im not sure which zoo Jelle will go to. I've only heared "Germany". Is there a german zoo in need of a young male??? I haven't heared anything yet about the klipspringer unfortunately. @Jurek; There are 2 polarbear enclosures. Tania in 1 and Jelle+ewa in the other.
Maybe Gelsenkirchen, they want a young male for their young female Lara (born in Vienna). Originally they tried to get Knut and even published a "llover etter written by Lara to Knut" in the media. by the way, the newspapers in Berlin always quote the director of the Berlin Zoos that Knut will for now stay in Berlin and that NO plans for his future have been made yet. I`d really like to know if that is correct or if he is just telling this tto the media to keep the thousands of Knut fans in Berlin quiet.
Here's some fun news, they attempted A.I. with the Sea Otters at the start of Juli. They used sperm from the male Chuluugi (normally in Antwerp) to fertilise one of the two (Lisbon born) females at Blijdorp, Rotterdam and there's a strong suspicion one of the ladies (afaik they only tried on one) is pregnant. Would be cool if it worked
The female that could be pregnant is Micas. The keeper has noticed behavioural changes, but it is still to early to test for a pregnancy. this is probably micas (She has the white head, Maré ha a yellow/brownish head) Today the young male giraffe Tsavo is moving to Ramat Gan in Israel. He is still quite young and small (easier to fit into an airplane). Giraffe Marco (also a young male, but older than Tsavo) will soon move to a zoo in france. (blijdorp keeps reticulated giraffes).
4 hedgehogs (Hemiechinus aethiopicus) moved into the new crochouse. (Lamprotornis/Spreo superbus will be added to their enclosure in the future) The 2 very old Slendersnouted crocs have been moved from the rivierahal to the new crochouse as well. So now it's only waiting for the klipspringers and the free flying birds (bee-eaters, turacos) and the house is "full". A couple of days ago a greater kudu was born (it's been a couple of years since that happend, due to a male-switch. The new male was still very young). A second female is still pregnant.
Which zoo or .. will be the source of the new klipspringers? Any chance this might be the projected import of klipspringers from E.Africa zoos and the TAG within EAZA have been talking about lately to re-invigorate klipspringer coop breeding in Europe?
In this thread; http://www.zoochat.com/9/klipspringers-europe-21632/ Zebraduiker said rotterdam is getting a male from frankfurt to get some experience with the species.
Thats what i had heard will have to get over to Rotterdam and catch up with him when he takes charge.
The city of Rotterdam and the other people that must give their approval has done it also now, so it is Damen for sure...
A special birth in Blijdorp. A american stingray (? is that propper english.), Dasyatis americana, was born in the big sharktank in the oceanium. It was taken out of the tank to protect it from the sharks, baracudas, etc. and it's now off show. The zoo also received it's new male polarbear. It's Eric from Vienna. He is much more impressive than the previous male, so Tania should be blown of her feet by this chap. In the Oceanium you can see 2 new pacific octopusses. The last 2 turned out to be old females. This time it should be a young couple, so the zoo can try and breed them. Blijdorp received a second female banteng. Now they have a 1,2 breeding group and a young male from last season. The last arrivals worth mentioning are 2 southern groundhornbills (Bucorvus leadbeateri). The 2 are visible in the shelter at the gorillaenclosure (previously white nosed meerkats and colobusmomkeys lived there). Ultimately the hornbills will move to the aviary with vultures and marabu storks (still to be build).
