I imagine the 'emasculation' of YangYang means that if they do resume breeding attempts, it will only be by AI, or there would need to be a swap of males to allow further attempts at natural mating. My fear would be the female has remained non-pregnant so long now that breeding might be compromised even more, as she isn't a young animal any more. Apparently the same thing happened with the male GaoGao in San Diego though it was only one testicle removed and he had been a successful breeder several times over. He has now been returned to China, leaving the old female and one of their sons(aged 6) but not sure why he has been reclaimed at this stage.
The Living Links to Human Evolution Research Centre, a partnership between the University of St Andrews and the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, celebrates its 10th anniversary this week. Living Links a decade on | Edinburgh Zoo
Qabid, the Indian rhino, managed to get his head and leg trapped in his tyre on Sunday, firefighters were called out to free him. Rhino in tyre rescued by firefighters
New Blog reviewing the last 12 months in the RZSS WildGenes lab: An RZSS WildGenes Christmas | Edinburgh Zoo Conservation experts at RZSS have demonstrated the extent of hybridisation within the wild population of Scottish wildcats in a new scientific study: Hybridisation threat to Scottish Wildcats | Edinburgh Zoo
53 year old female Chimpanzee, Cindy, passed away mid December. Cindy had shown signs of not being well and died peacefully during a veterinary procedure.
Sad not a great year for elderly wildborn apes. Cindy’s death means the group now stands at 3.4 subspecies hybrids and 5.4 western chimpanzees. It also now means Lucy is the oldest female in the group at age 42.
I spent a lovely Christmas eve morning in Edinburgh Zoo today, a few points worth noting: There is at least one of the Tapirs in the former Painted Dog enclosure, I'm assuming this means the last Painted Dog has passed away, as opposed to being moved to a different enclosure/collection. There is at least one of the Tapirs still in the original Tapir enclosure so I'm not sure what the long term plan is, whether there will be 2 Tapir enclosures or if they will all be moved to the former Painted Dog enclosure. There is now at least one Scottish Wildcat in the former Margay enclosure. Both Giant Anteaters were active, this was the first time for several years I've seen them both in the same enclosure, I'm not sure if they normally live separately or if I'm just really unlucky with them. Work is progressing with the new Giant Panda habitat with the foundations of the building in place.
Which Margay enclosure? The one next to the Dwarf Mongoose or the one that has that somewhat-hidden path closer to the sun bears? The SWC is probably one of this year’s excess kittens (Also additionally I feel like the African Plains is a rather baffling place to move the pandas. I spoke to some kids that lived in Edinburgh a few years ago when I did the summer school and they told me you can climb Corphorstine Hill and see right into the wallabies and the zebra paddock without paying the entry fee)
Yes the enclosure next to the Dwarf Mongoose. There is a path that runs up the hill just outside the zoo boundary, you can often see people walking up and down enjoying the view into the paddocks.
Ah shame, that was the only margay that could reliably be seen! Yeah, I walked up it myself once. But if the pandas go to African Plains people could just walk up the hill to see the pandas!