Zoo announced more historic buildings to be renovated Grant funds Tecton revamp – Dudley Zoo and Castle
The zoo has been given a grant of £120,000 from the Getty Foundation to begin the process of developing plans to eventually renovate 4 of the zoo's Tecton buildings. "The grant will fund initial site investigations, structural reports and concrete testing on the four buildings, while further funding is sourced for the renovations." The four Tectons involved are: Discovery Centre (the former Moat Café) Queen Mary Restaurant Tropical Birdhouse (i.e. the one above the lion enclosure) Elephant House (currently used as off-show aviaries) A quote from the director of the Getty Foundation, Joan Weinstein; “Modern architecture, with its experimental materials and structural innovations, is a powerful cultural expression that took many forms worldwide. These buildings embody human ingenuity, but many are showing their age and face irreversible damage or even demolition if we fail to act. Our Keeping It Modern grantees across the globe are working to safeguard this modern heritage for future generations, and to produce models of best practice that other stewards of modern architecture can learn from.”
There's currently quite a lot of tree maintenance work going on in the tiger enclosure; Webcams – Dudley Zoo and Castle
It is a sorry loss, but given his health issues probably not unexpected. Which reminds me: What is the current status of the orang and tiger renovations / expansions?
Tiger project: As far as we know they are still awaiting planning permission. Orang project: Work originally intended to start at the end of this year. However, what we don't know yet is if the pandemic may have resulted in a delay to that start date.
While I appreciate that these renovations will be possible through specific grants, I always feel Dudley is rather hamstrung by its continual connections to the past, through the presence of these Tecton buildings.
A sad loss. They refer to Jorong as a 'breeding male', true- though he has only a single offspring. I think he was underused as far as breeding is concerned, perhaps the loan of a female(s) from e.g. Blackpool, or (less easily) a temporary transfer elsewhere might have allowed a few more offspring from him over the years. Presumably in advance of the new enclosure they will now keep both Jaz & her daughter Sprout (by Jorong) and at some stage bring in a fresh male- the other male there, 'Benjamin' afaik is a non-breeder, though of course they may try him first before investing in a new one..
That's true, but it became inevitable as soon as those buildings were listed. If these renovations can continue to attract extra funds, a win-win solution might be possible, provided that the zoo can find appropriate uses for the buildings which do not compromise modern zoo standards or the architectural value of the structures. But of course that is easier said than done, although the Discovery Centre and the Restaurant may pose fewer problems than the Elephant House or the Bird House. At least Dudley is trying to find a solution. What is ZSL doing about the old Elephant House at Whipsnade?
Jorong actually sired 3 female offspring in his life time, 1 at Dublin named Mujur in 2005 with a female named Maggie and a further 2 at Dudley, being Jaya in 2009 and Sprout in 2011, both with Jaz.
Three questions about the White Lipped Peccary Are they a single sexed group or mixed? If mixed have they ever bred at the zoo? If single sexed group will/would they ever bring in others so as to breed?
I can't answer your questions about the current stock of white-lipped peccary but, yes, the species has bred at Dudley Zoo. In fact, back in 1964, Dudley Zoo was the first zoo in the UK to breed white-lipped peccary.
With regard to the current group they originally had 9 (five males and four females) Southern white-lipped peccaries from Cotswold Wildlife Park. It is a non-breeding group as apparently all the males have been neutered. They are the only ones in the UK. In the early 1970s the zoo also used to have and successfully breed collared peccary.
Excellent news - Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council as the local planning authority have granted planning permission for the tiger project to go ahead! It is important to keep in mind that current affairs will mean work starting on the project will be delayed, however the permission is subject to the development being started before the expiration of three years from the date of the permission.
Three years is standard for UK planning permission. The 'development being started' is usually very modest, effectively 'turning-a-sod' unless specified differently - and there is normally no completion date.
The zoo have announced the first Colombian black spider monkey birth at the zoo in four decades. News from Facebook.
