Dwarf forest buffalo in the UK

24-07-2008

Just searching for Dwarf forest buffalo in the UK brought Marwells website up!

26-07-2008

Having recently visited Knowsley I can confirm they keep both S. caffer nanus and S. caffer caffer (??) . In their book, it says that the group originated from western Uganda. They are the only black Capes I have seen in the UK, but very different from those I have seen in southern Africa. Knowsley's animals had very fluffy ears, similar to the Congos'. I believe that there is some overlap in features where the ranges meet.

Must say I was very impressed with the overall collection and setup at Knowsley.

27-07-2008

Thanks Tetrapod, What I have read up on them, it appears that the sub-species often interbred, because of overlapping of where they are found.

I gather Knowsley keep the two herds seperate?

Marwell's Congo buffalo
28-07-2008

I am reasonably sure that the original Marwell animals were quarantined for a year on show on the Cotton Terraces at Regent's Park . In those days I believe ungulates had to be quarantined a distance away from any farm stock , only a few collections met this requirement . I think a pair of Marwell addax were quarantined at Edinburgh . The small zoo at Plymouth was used by the Chipperfield organisation to quarantine all the giraffes etc. they caught and imported .

Marwell's Congo buffalo
29-07-2008

Just had a rummage through old Marwell Annual Reports and News .

3.4 Congo buffalo were imported in 2 groups in 1978 , jointly by Marwell and Tim Walker for quarantine at Regent's Park . The following year 2.3 were transferred to Marwell .

Tim Walker , chairman of Marwell Preservation Trust maintained a private collection at his home in I think Wiltshire . I visited it with the Marwell Zoological Society . He had Grevy zebras , Malayan tapirs , roan antelope and others . He died in 1988 and his collection was dispersed .

I do not know if the Whipsnade buffalo came from Tim Walker or from Marwell , somewhere in my old ZSL Annual Reports the arrival date might help . The original Whipsnade roan antelope and Grevy zebras might also have been from the same source .

I do not think many more have been brought into the country since the original importation .

29-07-2008

Where were they imported from?

29-07-2008

Sorry don't know but I think from European collections .

29-07-2008

Thanks for the information Bele,

I wonder if there is anyore in private collections today?

29-07-2008

Yes. Capes are in first exhibit with Pere Davids, while Congos are in large exhibit with eland, white rhinos, Bactrians, ostrich and guanacos. Knowsley do have some odd mixs, but I guess it all works.

29-07-2008

Marwell also used Belle Vue Zoo in Manchester as a quarantine station for some species(e.g. Giraffe, camels, antelope) until it closed in 1977.

29-07-2008

At Belle Vue in 1971 I saw Marwell stock in quarantine. Scimitar-horned Oryx and Common Nyala are all that I remember. I had one exposure left on my film and photographed the oryx, which went on to be far more commonly seen.

29-07-2008

Marwell's Scimitar Horned Oryx were the first ones in the Uk for many a year. They imported a large group(about 16) from another European zoo ( I forget which, but I think it was Aarlborg) I imagine all the other S.h. Oryx now in UK zoos probably originate from this Marwell group.

The original Nyala group didn't prosper- although they bred the males died and the group fizzled out. They must have imported some more recently as they have an enormous number of them now.

The original giraffe group and I think Impala & Waterbuck were at Belle Vue also.

29-07-2008

Wow I didn't realise Marwell had such a colourfully past.

Marwell's stock importations
29-07-2008

Of course - I forgot all about Belle Vue's quarantine station .

Thanks

29-07-2008

Am I right in assuming this? Anyone know if any other Scimitar horned Oryx have been imported since?