Dudley Zoological Gardens Dudley Zoological Gardens in 2019

I have just seen a photo on social media of a sign on the ex-polar bear Tecton (Inca's former enclosure) saying it will soon be home to Arctic foxes.

 

What a great addition to the collection, and a good use of the exhibit too!

 

I agree it's a great addition, but, if I'm being picky, I think the enclosure would have better suited something a little more arboreal.

 

The Foxes are rather nimble, so I'm sure they'll make good use of the platforms

 

Judging by the climbing frames and bushes in Inca's former enclosure, I thought the exact same thing.

Would've even worked for a species like White-nosed coatis or Tree-kangaroos, but I suppose Arctic foxes are better than nothing. (We really could do with more of these in other UK zoos anyway!)

 

Building work has started to convert the old tortoise house (between the Barbary sheep and short-clawed otter exhibits) into a purpose-built mixed exhibit for the sloth, coppery titi and Goeldi monkeys. "The new enclosure will include indoor and off-show areas, as well as a large open mesh topped outdoor area. There’ll be lots of glass viewing areas around the sides and UV lighting inside to provide lots of light, plus there’ll be plenty of ropes and platforms for the new occupants.”

If work stays on schedule, the exhibit should be ready for October half-term (which is a bit irritating as I had planned to visit earlier in the month!)

Reggie's new home - Dudley Zoological Gardens

 

This, presumably, is the building that has recently held porcupine?

 

I'm not sure. The porcupines left in February 2018. I remember them being in Lorikeet Lookout (when it was Monkey Tails) and also sharing with the Yellow Mongoose opposite the tapirs (where the binturongs are now). I don't remember them sharing with the tortoises. The tortoise house was the enclosure on your right if you stood facing the short-clawed otters.

 

Any idea when the foxes will arrive?

 

What will become of the old tortoises? Phase out, off-exhibitionisme or other plans?

 

I'll take it that the zoo has decided to either throw the tortoises into another exhibit (say the Bear ravine since its a mixed enclosure of sorts?), or they've probably sent them off to another collection (e.g. BNC, Twycross, somewhere that probably hasn't kept them before).

TBH, as much as I liked those tortoises I always preferred seeing Porcupines in that enclosure (even though they were often asleep in their house whenever I saw them, which was typical). It's a shame Dudley just couldn't have provided an even better enclosure for these massive rodents, or even yet have them moved into a larger enclosure to share with the Meerkats.

 

Just been told don't expect the foxes to soon

 

A few individuals have been transferred to other collections...

A two year old female black lemur, called Kimmy, who was born at DZG has transferred to Plankandael Zoo, Belgium, to join a male.

A female pygmy marmoset moved to a collection in Northumberland.

A male pygmy marmoset has been sent to Chester Zoo.

A male otter has gone to a collection in Somerset.

A collared lemur has relocated to West Sussex (presumably leaving DZG with 2.0).

Six harvest mice have transferred to Cumbria.

Kimmy moves on - Dudley Zoological Gardens

 

A yellow breasted capuchin was born on September 10th - parents Willow & Dinya Another rare birth - Dudley Zoological Gardens

A survey of the bats in the off-show Big Ben cavern has discovered a rare lesser horseshoe bat, which has never been recorded this far north before.
A rare discovery! - Dudley Zoological Gardens

 

Progress has been made on plans to bring brown bears back to DZG. It is hoped that a group of orphaned brown bears will arrive from Bojnice Zoo in Slovakia next spring.
Bear plans put in place! - Dudley Zoological Gardens

 

This is great news, anyone have an idea how many 'orphaned' bears this might be? A group suggests 4plus to me?

 

Article from the Express & Star in January this year mentions 'a breeding group of three or four'.
Brown bears to return to Dudley Zoo after 40 years

 

I don't quite understand this article, since Lesser Horseshoe Bat has been recorded in Cheshire (which is further north than Dudley).

 

How long ago were they recorded in Cheshire though? Was it a sustainable in situ population or just a random sighting? In the early 1900s they were found as far North as Yorkshire. Their UK distribution has declined significantly since then to Wales, South-Western England, and Western Ireland.

Maybe the findings by the Birmingham and Black Country Bat Group (aka BrumBats) were actually more specific, e.g. 'the most Northerly recording in England in modern times' or 'the most Northerly sustainable population in England'? (obviously they are found much further North in Wales).

The survey's findings do need clarification.

 

I think the last Cheshire record was a hibernation roost in (possibly) 2016/17.