Another interesting piece of animal news I have not seen mentioned elsewhere - there is a species of palm civet (exact species is not mentioned, but I image the Asian palm civet is most likely) that is a participant in the animal displays. It is specifically mentioned as one of the animals looked after by the displays team on page 11 of the Spring 2017 issue of the Colchester Zoo magazine, included below. Colchester Zoo Spring Magazine 2017
I noticed that there has been signage put up in the "Lost Madagascar" part near the Lemur Bridge about "Fossa" which I hadn't seen before. So was wondering if anyone knows if there are plans for Fossa to be brought into the collection and housed near the Lemurs such as the enclosure that house the Asian Short Clawed Otters and Binturong? (I haven't actually seen the Binturong on at least my past 8 visits to the zoo, so not actually entirely sure they are still there)
I saw them out today it was great to see. I also spoke to a worker who told me that he thinks the next project was going to be the redevelopment of lions. In my opinion I would rather them leave the lion enclosure alone for a few years and focus of bringing a new major species to the zoo.
Great and overdue news about the chimps! Really look forward to seeing them outside on my next visit! Now with the expanded exhibit space will the zoo look to breed from the group again?
Was the birth of Talia in 2009 an accident (?birth control failure). Colchester's group of chimps are very settled and I very rarely see any squabbles. So I doubt they would look to bring in any other pure Western Chimps?
I don't think Talia was an accident. I don't think it likely they will bring in anymore chimps just because only Pippin being pure.Pippin is 31 now, so he's getting on. Billy-Joe is thought to be 42 and Tara is 30. Apart from them 3, they have a young group, so waiting for them all to die off wouldn't be sensible. I would wait until the older ones die off, nuet the hybrids and bring in some pure individuals. I don't think anymore off-spring will be wanted off Pippin. Apart from at Twycross, he has never been in a breeding situation with other pure individuals
Even then Pippin is related to Coco from Twycross who, as can be seen from her coat colour (chocolate just like Tumba here and Genet in Twycross), is clearly not great gene-wise!! So I doubt any breeding will happen with their current stock or with any new western females that could come in. They'd need a new male/males!
So as Chimps can comfortably live into their 50's Colchester's group will remain static for a few more years to come then. Colchester seems to have a number of hybrid animals (Anoushka- Hybrid Tiger, Rajang- Hybrid Orangutan for example) Is this a problem UK/Europe wide due to the breeding of animals not being managed well in the past before studbooks etc were set up?
In Rajang's case, Chester were keeping 2 Sumatran males in with some Bornean females and Rajang was the outcome. This was in 1968 and I don't think much was known about the 2 different sub-species at the time. Anoushka was born to 2 hybrid parents at Linton both from historic hybrids when tigers would be mixed together creating animals many zoos call 'Bengal Tigers'. In those days things like studbooks were of non-existent and zoos would mange there own stock by buying from other collections or pet shops.
With respect, I don't think the comments regarding Linton tigers are quite correct. The breeding female was pure Amur via St Petersburg ( I think), but the. Male came from Germany ( Munich?) & one of his siblings was found to be impure due to Sumatran genes . Meaning any offspring, including Anoushka at Colchester were not pure Amur. It is all recorded somewhere else on here I believe and was on the Colchester Zoo Days programme on Channel 5
Hybrids do stem from past management mistakes, but I suspect the two examples you mention may be at Colchester for different reasons. The tiger, from the history of its source above, may have been received as a bonafide purebred animal. Whereas Rajang the orangutan was a known hybrid before going to Colchester, who took him from Chester knowing he would be as an exhibit only.
The conversation I had with a keeper a few years ago when doing a 'meet the tigers' experience would back this up.
I apologise, Linton's Male tiger came from Hamburg ( though I did say Munich?) . I think the sibling found to be impure may have been moved to Munich or another German zoo when they were found to not be pure Amur .
6 ring tailed Lemurs have been born within a week of each other. "Once again we are pleased to announce that our ring-tailed lemur group have welcomed a number of tiny new arrivals almost exactly 1 year after our 2016 babies were born! On the 2nd April mum Ando gave birth to the first of our new arrivals with a single offspring, followed by Lexi who gave birth to twins on 3rd April. A few days later Alina gave birth to a single offspring on 8thApril, with experienced mum and Grandmother Madison completing the baby boom with the birth twins on 10th April 2017."
It appears this hasn't been posted on this thread but Kito the young bull elephant, who was born 6th December 2002 at Colchester Zoo, has sadly passed away 12th March 2017 at Dvur Kralove Zoo due to heart failure: Kito, an African Bush elephant at Dvur Kralove Zoo
The 2016 annual report is now available, with the fantastic news that the zoo has joined that elite group of British collections that can boast an annual attendance of over 1 million, well done Colchester. Colchester Zoo Annual Report 2016
On the 20th April new male aardvark Afer arrived at the zoo from Belgium to become the new breeding male in the aardvark group. The last baby, AJ, had left the day previously to hopefully breed with the two females at Africa Alive. Afer the aardvark comes to Colchester Zoo - ZOO NEWS - Colchester Zoo
