Chester Zoo Review » Chester Zoo

23-07-2008

bongorob,

Can you check out how this Przewalski's move is shaping up to be? I am a little perturbed if they were to simply slot them onto the Asian steppes exhibit. Horses and wild ass together at close quarters ... hardly ideal (as is the combination with Bactrians).

It is fair to say though that Chester will never ever go out of the onager. At 350-500 in the wild + another 100 or so in zoos, they have more than an obligation. The Przewalski's horses however are slowly moving into the safe and vulnerable stakes. Mongolia and China have both big reintroduction schemes and Kazakhstan is now trying something too with horses ex Tierpark Hellabrunn in Muenchen!!!

23-07-2008

I don't think any deer are leaving. Apart from the Pere David's.

23-07-2008

The Pere David's paddock looked very empty today - I don't just mean that I didn't see the deer, it didn't look as if it had been grazed recently. I didn't see any brow-antlered deer or blackbuck with the Indian rhinos either, but they aren't always on show.
I can't understand why they would want to mix the Przewalski's horses with anything: the stallions are so aggressive. I can't think of any zoo displays that I have seen where they were mixed with other species - but that may be my memory playing tricks. Can anyone suggest examples?

Alan

__________________
When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.

23-07-2008

The Przewalski's wild horse are mixed with red deer, mouflon and European bison in the main reserve at the Hwp, but are split up into their own paddock from time to time.

23-07-2008

Jelle I'l try to find out, but it may be a while before I go to Chester again.

23-07-2008

I also think that they're mixed at Whipsnade (with Bactrian Camels as well) on the asian drive-through. However there is more space there than there is at Chester.

23-07-2008

I never got why they didnt mix them with the Pere David Deer themselves.

23-07-2008

Przewalski's wild horse

These are mixed with Camels at Marwell (although there is only 1 camel left now). This group includes a stallion

23-07-2008

Onagers and Horses would never work together. Stallions of both are very aggressive (particularly the wild Asses) and would almost certainly fight dreadfully.

Prez Horses wouldn't do well with the rhino- they need hard dry ground for their feet, not a bog- they would develop terrible foot problems or break their legs in the mudholes. The best they can do is keep the horses adjacent to the onager/camels in the appropriate 'steppe' area, perhaps with another steppe species(Yak or some steppe antelope perhaps?)

24-07-2008

It would be possible to have them side-by-side. Asian Steppes has a sandy paddock adjacent to the grassed one. The Onagers could be kept in the sand and the horses and camels could share the larger grass paddock.

24-07-2008

I haven't visited Whipsnade for a couple of years, but the horses were on their own then. I don't mind mixing them with camels, as I can't imagine a camel getting intimidated. But I don't like the idea of putting them next door to the onagers. There isn't enough room (particularly if they breed both species) and the stallions would get very worked up. The zoo would need to build a wall between them.

Alan

__________________
When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.

24-07-2008

I think you could mix the horses with another(non-equine) species such as some form of small antelope which they would probably ignore or which could run fast.

If the two paddocks were side by side, the dividing fences would need to be double or screened off as the horse and ass males would fight through a netted fence. I've seen Marwell's Somali Ass stallion biting and chewing his hardstand fencing trying to get in with the mares- he has buckled the mesh considerably.

24-07-2008

I went a few weeks ago, I counted 17 Camels in that Feild, with the horses.
I am going on Saturday, ill tell you then/

24-07-2008

They still are.

24-07-2008

Ah right, it looked like they were part of the mixed asian reserve. My mistake!