Pelican in St James's Park

I noticed today that one of the pelicans is different. At first I thought it was Australian but I checked out their website and it says: There are currently six pelicans in the park: 5 Eastern (or Great) White Pelicans and 1 South American White Pelican which is distinguished by different colouring and a crest on its bill.

Pelicans in St James's Park

That would be North American. And very nice they are too. Having had Pelicans in the park for hundreds of years, isn't it about time one of them laid an egg?

Their presence dates back to 1662, when the Russian Ambassador gave some as a gift to Charles II. The latter would later be given Ostriches by the Sultan of Morocco, and is said to have wondered aloud whether he should give some geese in return....

Those 3 new young pelicans are full siblings. If the park plans any breeding, wouldn´t it be better to make some exchanges with UK zoos first?

'The Onocratylus or Pelican, a melancholy waterfowl from Astrakhan......'

Wen ever I have visited St. James Park, they always seem to be on their rock island and too far away for me to get a close look. I do enjoy the other waterfowl that are kept here though.
There is a sign around the lake mentioning some of the animaspls that were once kept there including and elephant!

This tells you a bit more...James I Royal Park Menagerie

James I's great-grandson, George I, kept a menagerie in Kensington Palace Gardens..http://www.royalparks.org.uk/__documents/the-royal-parks/publications/park_management/kensington-gardens-operations-plan-green-flag-management-plan-2010.pdf

The latter is an intriguing "might-have-been". Kensington Palace Gardens. with its neighbour, Hyde Park, is central and has more space than Regent's Park. Maybe if George II had shared his father's interest in animals a royal menagerie in London might have grown into a zoo to compare with West Berlin's...

I often think that too, or if significantly more space had been given from Regent's Park.

Thanks for the extra info In one of my zoo books it mentions that London zoo tried to build a Whipsnade type park in Richmond park however it didn't come to anything. Have you heard of this before?

I think they considered relocating the zoo entirely at some point. Richmond was considered, also the Wembley area and Hampstead/Highgate. But ultimately the zoo stayed where it is and Whipsnade was established.