Exmoor Zoo New to the Zoo for spring and summer 2010 By the Curator The harsh winter slowed down a lot of the building work and planned animal moves that were expected this winter period. All the zoo livestock endured the freezing and bleak conditions extremely well and our thanks go out to everybody who helped us get through nearly a whole month around Xmas when we were forced to close! Chester zoo had for instance promised us two of their male Eastern grey kangaroos from their Mob (small herd). The weather has delayed us finishing their inside living quarters but now snow has thawed we hope what will be the start of our herd should be arriving in mid March? Should you come into the zoo looking for them they will be on exhibit over in the old playground field? In 2008 the zoo designed and built accommodation for an animal called a Binturong! These were due in from a breeding program in Vietnam and would have had to undergone rabies quarantine. In collaboration with “The Rare Species Conservation Centre” in Kent these animals should now be coming to the zoo from quarantine for early March? If you have never seen these before they are weird bear like arboreal civets about the size of a Labrador that smell like pop corn! We were gifted a male Tayra in the autumn- a lovely, young, lively inquisitive bundle of trouble. As this is written his accommodation is being finished and we are trying very hard to find a wife for him! As far as we are aware he is the only individual of this species in the UK so we will have to rabies quarantine a lady from one of the European zoos. The Zoo has finally been able to afford the development of its own small quarantine station. Within a week of getting government approval pair of Fishing cats from France were ensconced and they are doing very well (except they are still separate). The zoo will be building a new enclosure for them incorporating some of the natural stream water flowing through the zoo and if you visit early this summer you should see work beginning in early April near the Gibbons. Not everybody possibly realises but the Wildlife Park at Cricket St.Thomas in Chard, Somerset has closed. We were able to help by accommodating some of their animals which amongst others included their trio of Colombian Spider Monkeys. These are absolutely fascinating as you watch their tail which is a prehensile limb being used to help them climb around! The big male is very vocal and often is one of the first animals you hear on arriving to the zoo. We were contacted by the Zoo Director of Thrigby Wildlife Park and asked if we could house a Puma in September? The sister to one of his Pumas was at Dartmoor WP and needed re-homing. We have quickly converted the old Fox enclosure here and if you visit fresh for 2010 you will see our beautiful girl on display for the first time. Effectively for us, she is the ultimate “Exmoor Beast” as it is this species we nearly ran over in the works van in 1994 outside the zoo main entrance! Isobel a rather spectacular Brazilian Tapir has also taken up residence with us just before Xmas! The enclosure was created for her in 2009 and anybody who visited last year would have seen our new pair of capybara on exhibit therein. She has come down from Dudley zoo as she was just getting to that stage in life where living with mum and dad was going to become a problem! I suspect anybody who does our” animal experiences” (walk on the wild side or keeper for a day) will end up Tapir scratching – she is gorgeous and loves the attention! Probably the most significant event that has happened will be one that nobody will mention or possibly see. After a lot of thought and lots more talk we have managed to get on a permanent loan (finger crossed they like each other) a male Black Leopard!!! Actually the only un-related and viable black male leopard left in the UK. His name is Zoysa and has spent the last 5 years of his life at Linton Zoo in Cambridgeshire. He is nearly twice the size of our little lady leopard” Ebony”, quite an awe inspiring demonic black cat (especially when he roars)! Finally after nearly 10 years of use our old undercover encounter area situated near the leopard and gibbons has become redundant. I suspect it will soon be transformed into a new enclosure but not for 2010. What has happened is that a brand new “all in one” encounter zone is being created (hopefully in time for Easter 2010) in the playground and new paths have been created to serve the area! A large undercover picnic area has sprung up for recreational use and a small snack shack to be opened during the better peak periods of weather is now waiting for your visit!
Fabulous news! Its amazing how much has changed since I finished my work placement. The Binturong enclosure actually began construction whilst I was there. I might be staying in the area in early May and so will make it a top priority to go back and visit.
Going on recollection here and looking at the new map, this is what I can gather has changed since late 2008: The Marmosets have moved from opposite the Lemurs, where Amazon Parrots are now living. The Puma is now living where the Bat Eared Foxes were. The Bat Eared Foxes are now living where what I remember being Yellow Mongoose. The Yellow Mongoose have moved across from their original enclosure. The Coatis are living in what I understood was to be the Binturong enclosure, but the Binturong is not listed on the map yet, so it may still become this, I don't know. Where the Black Buck and Capybara used to live is now home to Mara, which I can't remember being in the park before but I may be wrong. The Black Buck are no longer listed. Where the Alpaca used to live is now home to River Hogs. The Capybara have moved to what I can assume is a new enclosure with the new Tapir. The Kangaroo are living in a new enclosure built on the other side of the playground, where there was nothing before, as are some Reindeer. The Alpacas have moved to a new enclosure in this area as well. There is a new incubation centre. The Howler Monkeys are not listed anymore.
does the term "gifted" mean the tayra was a private pet that was given to the park? Or did it come from another zoo?
Good to see RSCC being used to bring in animals from various Rescue Centres and Range Country breeding projects . This is bringing valuable new blood and species into the UK . The mainstream UK zoos seem generally to be very cautious about using these sources , preferring to only source stock captive bred in other mainstream zoos .
Are the binturong on show at the RSCC actuall Palawan Binturong? It sounds like these animals are still in quarantine there, so I would be surprised if the RSCC recieved some ahead of this. I read elswhere on this forum that RSCC had been quarantining a Tayra for exmoor, so I assumed it just arrived from abroad via the RSCC. In around 1992 Kilverstone closed for a second time (having reopened briefly as a mixed collection but retaining some of the original south american stock not rehomed by Lord and Lady Fisher) and circulated a surplus stock list which included Tayra. I saw Tayra at Southport Zoo around this time, but I don't think this animal was from Kilverstone. So I'm wondering whether one or more Tayra went into private hands following the final closure of the Kilverstone collection. Even if they did, I doubt very much there were sufficient animals even at Kilverstone to form a potential breeding pair, let alone that any breeding took place since the last animals left public display during the early 90s.
