Edinburgh Zoo Edinburgh Zoo News 2013

The future will mean fewer animals but an overhaul of many exhibits. Here is an update on this 100 year-old establishment.

Edinburgh Zoo plans to cut the number of animals - News - Scotsman.com

Allen Nyhuis, co-author of America's Best Zoos, recently spent time in Europe visting a lot of zoos, and in his review of Edinburgh that he sent me he said that he really enjoyed his visit and yet the enjoyable zoo has a number of hit-and-miss exhibits of varying quality.

 

I would agree there are some exhibits that I wouldn't say are bad, but they aren't suitable for what they hold. For example, I think the carnivore row enclosures would be better for small cats than jaguars and leopards.

I like the species lineup at Edinburgh, but it does seem that it's losing its uniqueness [in the UK, the mammal collection of the RZSS is very unique]. Do they still have any souslik, or have they been replaced by the meerkats?

 

I agree. The carnivore row enclosures only suit certain species (Golden Cat and maybe Wolverine) but certainly not Amur Leopards, Jaguars and (once held) Sumatran Tigers. It would be a shame if some species left (If it was something unusual!) - I think that Edinburgh have both Souslik and Meerkats but I'm not 100% sure.

RZSS collection is great, between the two parks. HWP hold Musk Oxen, Eastern Kiang, Artic Fox as well as much more. Over the last few years Edinburgh have sent some of their collection over to HWP and two more departures (Amur Leopard and Wolverines) from the carnivore row are due to follow. However the carnivore row now houses Clouded Leopard too.

 

Sousliks left not long after meerkats moved into that enclosure. Strangely enough I don't think they got along. I was pretty disappointed about that one. To be honest I'm not too sure about this cutting back on animals-i mean there are already a fair few empty enclosures + lots of interesting stuff has left just in the year + a bit I've been a member. Guess it will depend on just how impressive these enclosure overhauls are (i certainly wouldn't deny that's needed).

 

I guess the 'triage' effect of reducing the number of species held will be motivated by;

1. Animals least popular with visitors.
2. Animals for whom existing accomodation isn't very suitable.
3. Animals in the least endangered categories or duplicated by similar species there.

It will evidently be done gradually over time so that it is not immediately noticeable. I am sure very few, if any, of the unusual species they are known for keeping, will disappear.

 

Just read it again and only just noticed the bit about bringing in a female rhino-first I've heard about that one. Has it always been on the cards?

 

I believe so.

 

And I believe a new rhino enclosure towards the top of the zoo might be the next major project - at least that was the rumour last year.

 

That would make a lot of sense. There are paddocks at the top of the zoo, that with good management and sensible substrate use would give those amazing animals the space they so deserve. The current enclosure works but is very unattractive on the eye and does not 'fit' well with the penguin enclosure and overall view. Building a new indoor area with a heated pool will be expensive but maybe they could use a dry moat system instead of fencing barriers?

I agree with all the previous comments about carnivore row.

 

A breeding pair could certainly do with more room(for mating chases etc) than they appear to have where they are now. The only downside is that hilly paddocks don't really suit a bulky spcies like Asian Rhino which is restricted to flat riverine floodplains in the wild. But all of Edinburgh's space is at the top of the Zoo.

 

I agree but the enclosure where the Heck cattle are at the moment is actually pretty flat. The grass wouldn't last long but they'd love the mud and the view! With intelligent planting to create browse and shelter from the wind up there, the correct substrate and hardstanding, the rhinos could be viewed from platforms. *Assam Pigs would be a nice little addition to this enclosure we are so quick to plan!

 

A female Koala at last! "Alinga" will arrive from Duisburg on Valentines day Special Valentine for Edinburgh Zoo’s Two Bachelor Koala Boys a planned overhaul of the exhibit is also announced in the same article

 

The Heck cattle are gone already (and that move was planned for a while) so the paddocks up the top are empty and waiting. Guess there would be a fair cost to it though-the fences weren't really strong enough for the heck cattle so they would need to be redone/strengthened? And I guess they'd need new houses and a new hot tub and the plumbing etc that goes with! It would definitely be lovely to see the rhinos with more room.

The koala exhibit overhaul includes a walkthrough exhibit at the entrance-guess that's the end of the free flying bird section there then... Or could koalas co-exist with the birds, especially if its a manned exhibit?

"Planned for the early summer months, the entrance to the koala enclosure will be redesigned to bring the koala experience much closer to visitors – with an open plan walk through koala enclosure manned by a dedicated member of staff who will be on hand to answer any koala related questions."

 

Sounds like the aviary part of that area will be turned into a walk through Koala exhibit... sounds really interesting.

Just to quote the article...

"Planned for the early summer months, the entrance to the koala enclosure will be redesigned to bring the koala experience much closer to visitors – with an open plan walk through koala enclosure manned by a dedicated member of staff who will be on hand to answer any koala related questions."

The current aviary space would be perfect for that, so I imagine that's where it will be.

 

Oh and she's coming on Valentine's day, not tomorrow-think they've just mentioned tomorrow cos its Australia Day so an angle for a news story in tomorrow's papers maybe?

 

That certainly was the old plan, with the top and eastern areas of the zoo designated the Grasslands Biome but I've no idea where things stand with that masterplan since the land swap deal fell through. Here's one of the early concepts, though later designs were produced the basic layout remained pretty close to this:



Sadly, I don't think we'll see as signficant an redevelopment of the whole site as was originally planned.

 

Edinburgh Zoo

Not impressed that a bird exhibit is being absorbed into a mammal one.

 

Looking at their Animal List, nothing obvious stands out and its hard to see what species they may decide to lose in the future.

 

I've also had a look, I agree it's hard to see what species they may loose. Some of the species e.g. White-Faced Saki, Meerkat, Squirrel Monkey and North American Porcupine are some I could see having to leave. The rarer species (Aardwolf, Sun Bear, Golden Cat etc) I couldn't see leaving.

 

The squirrel monkeys are unlikely to leave as they are part of the research carried out within Living Links.