UK Safari parks » Longleat Safari Park

28-08-2008

Is it enrichment or mental torture(well frustration)? I wondered the same thing with the new Cheetah exhibit at Whipsnade where there is a large herd of Nile Lechwe for them to look at in the adjacent paddock.

Does the interest/stimulation of nearby 'prey' species add to the predators' captive life, or does the frustration of not being able to hunt the permanently visible 'prey' outweigh the enrichment value?

28-08-2008

the Cheetahs at Marwell have the same thing they look out onto the Giraffe/Gazelle field does not seem to bother them have never seen any strange behaviour i think it happens in a lot of zoos

28-08-2008

I think that for the majority of the time the cats just quietly watch the hoofed animals, which they are totally used to seeing through the fence. However there must be times occassionally when more unusual activity e.g antelopes fighting closeby, or a birth, might excite them enough to have them rushing up and down the fenceline trying to 'catch' the prey. This is when frustration would be high. Of course its not something one would be around to see very often.

30-08-2008

Generally both get on with their own business when they realise one is not a threat, and the other is just a distraction. There is often more of a problem placing carnivores side-by-side. Cheetahs and lions come to mind.

30-08-2008

Yes, I've heard many times how lions make cheetahs nervous. What do you think of Whipsnade's new layout- are the Cheetahs far enough away from the lions do you think?.

01-09-2008

[quote=Bwassa;68552]
(does any body know if they are still getting Spotted Hyenas?).

Yes does anybody now if knowsley are getting spotted hyenas, and does anyone have a map of Knowsley

01-09-2008

Can't answer the hyena question, but here's a map of the safari park:

http://www.themeparkjunkies.co.uk/cp...ith-info~0.jpg

01-09-2008

I think hyena's coming to knowsley is just a rumour. It would be nice to see another carnivore species at the park, but at the moment i don't see as to where they could go to, since they developed all around the hunting dog area. Personally i would like to see another cat species, possibly a leopard, the hybrid leopard from wmsp could go to knowsley, and wmsp could focus more on the amur leopards that they have (i'm sure they alternate days out in the enclosure with the hybrid?)

01-09-2008

The Hyena story is not a rumour it was told to the Bartlett Society Northern Groups members by one of the senior members of staff when we visited the collection earlier in the year.As for the Hybrid Peopard it has been moved back out to tha enclosure in the middle of the Arrica reserve and is not down with the Amurs.

01-09-2008

Wmsp has Amur leopards, since wen. last 2007 i went, the waz the african leopard, but no amur, pleze tell mee more info

02-09-2008

I'm not sure, how long they've had the Amurs. They're two brothers though.
And yes, the hybrid Leopard alternates with 3 hand reared hunting dogs in the netted enclosure in the main African reserve.

02-09-2008

I'm not sure, how long they've had the Amurs. They're two brothers though.
And yes, the hybrid Leopard alternates with 3 hand reared hunting dogs in the netted enclosure in the main African reserve.

02-09-2008

My last visit to Whipsnade predates the lions, let alone the cheetahs. So I don't know. If they are next to each other than I would say they are too close. Then I would take into account exhibit topography and whether there is direct view. Far better to have them well away.

02-09-2008

If this rumour of hyaenas going to Knowsley, then I would be a little surprised (didn't hear of anything when I was there in June). There isn't anywhere logical that they would go without eating into another exhibit in a large way. Mind you the hunting dogs and tigers don't have particularly large exhibits for a drive-through safari.

02-09-2008

Well their was at least 12 other people hear it as we were getting a talk on Knowsleys history and its future plans and the Hyenas were mentioned then.