Twycross Zoo elephants » Twycross Zoo

04-09-2007

To celebrate things, I will open a thread on gorillas in Europe. Should be fun reading!!

04-09-2007

That is a really good idea.....

04-09-2007

So are we still taking about elephants on this thread now LOL

05-09-2007

We should keep this for news on the Twycross elephant dilemma. (My fault, I went into the Gorillas again...) Any news on the Gorillas I'll put in e.g. UK gorilla update..

13-09-2007

Ok, back to elephants. Here's more evidence that Twycross have no plans to give up their elephants - a job advert for an elephant keeper from the BIAZA website. Interestingly, it does mention that the elephants are being "trained for AI".

BIAZA Jobs and Careers

I also spotted that Chester are advertising for an elephant keeper.

13-09-2007

We can live in hope since it mentions: "we are part through the improvement of our elephant house and paddocks, with a new all weather sand paddock already completed".

When will they get serious with this AI though cause good conditioning can take ages to accomplish?

13-09-2007

I'm quite sure they have no plans to part with their elephants- the house and paddocks are modern and they only recently enlarged or upgraded the outside area.

I just wish they could be persuaded by EEP or otherwise, to exchange the existing four breeding age females for 'exhibit- only' animals. I don't feel the proposed 'AI attempts (if in fact they happen), are sufficient justification for keeping the present animals.

14-09-2007

I argee Grant, what happened to the Port Lypmnes Asian elephants? did they ship them to other zoos breeding this species

14-09-2007

The(3?) older ones- which were their original females, went to a 'sanctuary' somewhere in Spain or Majorca. I imagine they are in 'retirement' there, though I think 'Luka' the bull went with them.

The two younger females(which they imported more recently from Rotterdam,) plus the female calf born at PL have been sent to Antwerp. Maybe one of our European members can outline the future for them..

15-09-2007

The youngish females Yu Yu Yin and Khaing Phyo Phyo were shipped to Antwerpen in May 2006. Bull Alexander ex Blijdorp Zoo Rotterdam was sent there on short term breeding loan in April 2007. He has been bred to both incoming females and for sure K P P is pregnant and due in April 2009.

The elder females Rani and Buria at Benidorm Terra Natura came in with Luka in July 2006. Actually, they rejoined their erstwhile companions Yasmin, Motki and Tanya. Luka's prime task is to breed with the 3 youngest females at Benidorm, Khaing Soe Soe, La Grande and Momo. I have not had any news on breeding over there.

15-09-2007

That's good news about Luka. He was underused at Port Lympne as so many births didn't survive- in fact only the female calf now at Antwerp. I hope they can handle him okay as he's known to be a dangerouis male (he killed two keepers in Belgrade...)

Regarding the younger females and bull Alex. Does ANtwerp have a good facility for Elephants or are they living in an old style Elephant House there?

15-09-2007

I really think this should go in the European elephants thread. So, I copied this and my answer there.

Karishma at Whipsnade.
21-09-2007

Karishma, the female sent from Twycross to Whipsnade, to elephant 'boot camp' has settled in fine. She lives with two of the other females and the older calf 'Euan'(the four Whipsnade females live mainly as two 'pairs' of friends She is smaller than the two much older females(Azeeza and Mia) but not that much. SHe has been mixed with the bull okay. She does not cycle at present- possibly due to the stress of being moved. Hopefully that will change with time.

02-10-2007

didn't know where else to stick this, twycross have received £3million pounds from a local development agency which puts in place the £11million needed to build their new visitor centre and entrance complex, this area will also include a large aviary and an enclosure for snow leopard, this was on the bbc news website.

02-10-2007

£11 million, blimey, this is going to be some visitor centre! Twycross have the luxury of sitting on some pretty large cash reserves so it's good to hear they will be using them to improve the infrastructure of the zoo. Hopefully they will resist the temptation to throw up another red brick institutional building and employ a decent architect!

Shame they don't put a bit more of their money into primate conservation in the field though.