Join our zoo community

Yorkshire Wildlife Park YWP Project Polar

Discussion in 'United Kingdom' started by Nisha, 27 Oct 2013.

  1. Nisha

    Nisha Well-Known Member 10+ year member

    Joined:
    24 Jun 2009
    Posts:
    6,298
    Location:
    UK
  2. Mr.Weasel

    Mr.Weasel Well-Known Member 10+ year member

    Joined:
    23 Jul 2010
    Posts:
    92
    Location:
    West Yorkshire
    Thanks for the thread, Nisha. I'd say this project definitely deserves its own thread.

    YWP made this announcement on their Facebook page:

     
    Last edited: 27 Oct 2013
  3. Nanook

    Nanook Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    8 Nov 2008
    Posts:
    939
    Location:
    U.K.
    Excellent news, it is about time more Polar Bears were brought back into UK zoos - BUT they need to provide much better, more naturalistic habitats if possible, and it can be done, it just needs a good deal of money and a good enclosure design. Highland Wildlife Park have achieved it with a very simple design foot-print, admittedly their natural landscape and climate is very helpful of course. (Incidentally Heythrops enclosure is pretty good, it was designed by Jim Clubb himself, and considering its limitations of space, it is not too bad at all.)
    But UK zoos need to move forward with their designs for Polar Bear exhibits rather than shy away from the challenge (the anti-zoo brigade would love that!!). The time has come, especially now more so than ever since the crisis the species is going face in the near future in the wild. If the Germans and Americans can provide better Polar Bear exhibits - than so can we, surely?
     
  4. Parrotsandrew

    Parrotsandrew Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    25 Feb 2011
    Posts:
    942
    Location:
    Bridlington, UK
    The "over 20 years" statement is of course nonsense. Even if the Heythrop animal is discounted as being only occasionally on view to the public, Flamingo Land's "Mandy" did not die until March 2004, with "Marcus" having died in November 1998.
     
  5. Shirokuma

    Shirokuma Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    1 Sep 2009
    Posts:
    2,079
    Location:
    .
    I don't think a huge amount of money is needed to house polar bears - quite the opposite in fact. I'd much prefer a couple of Highland Wildlife Park inspired paddocks than expensive complex enclosures. And realistically, which collections would have the space and capacity? Whipsnade, as many have said, could have something amazing without too much complexity.

    I wish Yorkshire Wildlife Park well with this. Along with the publicity surrounding Mercedes' retirement to Kingussie, this could result in an enormous change in perceptions of captive conditions for polar bears in the UK.
     
  6. Nanook

    Nanook Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    8 Nov 2008
    Posts:
    939
    Location:
    U.K.
    Yes I agree about the Kingussie enclosure, but as I said, the existing, more natural terrain, has made it a great deal easier and, as you say, less costly. Whipsnade would probably be the next most ideal collection in terms of location, space etc.. , and I still think their very old Brown Bear enclosure is one of the best for the species in the UK. This kind of enclosure is the way forward for Polar Bear keeping in the UK. Those more "urban zoos" can no longer realistically provide the standard of enclosure required these days.
     
  7. Bwassa

    Bwassa Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    30 May 2008
    Posts:
    373
    Location:
    Littleborough, Lancs
    This is fantastic news!
    But.....
    What happens if the zoo in Mexico doesn't want to move the bear to the UK?
    The impression I got from reading the articles is that YWP are looking at rescuing more than one bear?
    I'm so glad another UK collection are actively looking to keep Polar Bears again (besides HWP).
    It's been too long.......:D
     
  8. zooboy28

    zooboy28 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    1 Aug 2010
    Posts:
    4,439
    Location:
    Christchurch, New Zealand
    In regards to the exhibit design and cost, the UKZooGuide posted about the story on facebook, and included this snippet:

    Which doesn't sound like too much money, especially if they do rescue more than one bear. And the exhibit design (and size) sounds great.
     
  9. Brum

    Brum Well-Known Member 10+ year member

    Joined:
    27 May 2011
    Posts:
    3,704
    Location:
    Birmingham, UK
    15 acres is quite a respectable size, even for multiple enclosures. I wish YWP all the best with this venture and imagine the publicity generated by this new rescue will significantly boost attendance at the zoo.
     
  10. Mr.Weasel

    Mr.Weasel Well-Known Member 10+ year member

    Joined:
    23 Jul 2010
    Posts:
    92
    Location:
    West Yorkshire
    How many acres is the polar bear enclosure at HWP? I read 4 acres on Google, but it can't be that small in comparison to YWP's 15 acres, surely? Especially considering it's meant to be the largest polar bear enclosure in Europe?
     
  11. Davef68

    Davef68 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    31 May 2011
    Posts:
    388
    Location:
    Dunfermline
    According to the planning application, YWP are aiming for 4 enclosures, so that equates to 4 HWP sized enclosures.
     
  12. Duerener1

    Duerener1 Well-Known Member 10+ year member

    Joined:
    5 Dec 2010
    Posts:
    67
    Location:
    Germany
    It would be the largest polar bear enclosures in the world. Now is the largest in Orsa, Sweden, with 30,000 sqm. Kolind, Denmark, with 27,000 sqm.

    Much too large for a single bear. I think it anticipates several bears. In Europe there are enough bears for YWP. In attitudes that are worse than Morelia.
     
  13. Nanook

    Nanook Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    8 Nov 2008
    Posts:
    939
    Location:
    U.K.
    15 acres is certainly a very good size, even if that is divided into four enclosures, rescuing more than one bear seems more likely if they can, they certainly did that with the lions where several were re-homed of course. It would be more preferable in the long run for establishing Polar Bears at YWP properly, since "Yupi" will probably be beyond breeding capability at 22 years old now, she could at least live out her retirement.

    Morelia Zoo`s former director, who was set against "Yupi" going anywhere else, died in 2012, now the assistant director now running the place is a little more open to discussion on the subject, but there has still been no final decision. Zoo Check Canada/UK and CATCA have been campaigning for a long time for her removal from Morelia Zoo with no luck so far.
     
  14. sooty mangabey

    sooty mangabey Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    29 Apr 2008
    Posts:
    1,939
    Location:
    Sussex by the Sea
    While I am obviously delighted that polar bears will be returning to public view in England, there is something about this story that troubles me. The language deployed in relation to the zoo in Mexico, the apparent alliance with the likes of Zoo Check, and the proclaimed desire to "rescue" (some might describe this as "steal") these from another zoo leave a slightly queasy taste. If you sup with the devil, use a long spoon – I hope the YWP isn't eating with a devil in this case. How would we feel if the zoo of Mexico City launched a campaign to "rescue" the spectacled bears from the South Lakes Wildlife Park?
     
  15. Parrotsandrew

    Parrotsandrew Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    25 Feb 2011
    Posts:
    942
    Location:
    Bridlington, UK
    I'm pleased I am not the only person who is not keen on the use of the word "rescue". It does seem to be a favourite of the powers-that-be at the YWP though.
     
  16. Maguari

    Maguari Never could get the hang of Thursdays. 15+ year member Premium Member

    Joined:
    12 Oct 2007
    Posts:
    5,387
    Location:
    Chesterfield, Derbyshire
    Yes, it's my only slight point of discomfort with YWP as well. A wild animal found injured or distressed is a 'rescue', or a captive animal that would otherwise be euthanised unnecessarily. This is not what I'd call a rescue.

    YWP have shown they can make a lot of money and publicity out of these things, though, so it's easy to see why another would be appealing (and it would result in better welfare from the animal in question).

    I suspect the 'rescue' angle is partly to deflect criticism from bodies like ZooCheck who worked so hard to all but rid British zoos of Polar Bears in the 1990s. And I suspect at least some of the bears at YWP will just be placed from the studbook in the normal way.
     
  17. IanRRobinson

    IanRRobinson Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    2 Dec 2010
    Posts:
    1,314
    Location:
    Northamptonshire
    I have to say that Morelia certainly doesn't look like a slum zoo, although the Polar Bear facility seems pretty awful. The comments of somebody who's actually been there would be helpful in this regard. I also echo the comments made above on the return of Polar Bears to Whipsnade; I wish ZSL would make this a priority.
     
  18. Pertinax

    Pertinax Well-Known Member 15+ year member

    Joined:
    5 Dec 2006
    Posts:
    20,707
    Location:
    england
    That was my supposition too. If they have a number of Bears, some would just be surplus from other Zoos and acquired in the normal way, rather than 'rescued'- which as you said, is often a misnomer anyway- with all the attendant publicity, though they might also be coming from poorer to far superior accomodation at the same time..
     
  19. Pertinax

    Pertinax Well-Known Member 15+ year member

    Joined:
    5 Dec 2006
    Posts:
    20,707
    Location:
    england
    If they could show they were going to provide a more suitable environment, I'd probably support it....
     
  20. Mr.Weasel

    Mr.Weasel Well-Known Member 10+ year member

    Joined:
    23 Jul 2010
    Posts:
    92
    Location:
    West Yorkshire
    Some artists impressions of the reserve are available on the Polar Project website:

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Read More:

    Yorkshire Wildlife Park Foundation

    Looks and sounds very impressive!