Nick's still kicking as far as I know, I didn't see him last time but it was freezing. I'm pretty sure his upper tusk cut though.
I sort of get how Meerkats became popular and they do make intersting exhibits - i just wonder how another species suddenly becomes popular - because ll are not film related if we were to run with the lion king then why not warthogs and mandrills
Seven collections apiece hold mandrill and warthog in the UK, so they are not too uncommon. Two collections - Chester and Colchester - hold both.
I think Warthog disappeared entirely from the UK until Marwell re-imported them in the(circa) 1980's. Since then they've obviously seen a slight upsurge. Mandrills at their lowest ebb around the early 1980's were probably only kept at three collections; London, Southport and Paignton. Dudley and Chester had also had them previously too and other places like Bristol and Jersey in the more distant past. Colchester's large group stems from London and Southport-bred individuals(originally just a trio) and Chester's current group partially from Colchester's. More recent holders are Trotters( from ex Southport) South Lakes(but not any more) Heythrop and now Wingham in Kent. Number seven is presumably the Welsh Monkey Sanctuary?
Sulawesi crested Macaques and Red panda also seem a regular exhibit of late not to mention Squirrel monkeys,ring tailed lemurs & wallabies that i mentioned in a previous post. I just wonder with the sucess of Paddington we are going to see more bears ?
Colchester pretty much have the whole movie! Warthog Meerkats Mandrill African lion Spotted Hyena They just need a red billed hornbill for the full set!
But here is the question, what will be the next "flavour of the month"? I will venture with impala and Thomson's gazelle. I'm sure the polar bears at HWP and YWP, may well get a ball rolling for a few more holders. Alongside more interest in musk ox, along with the rise of caprids in the UK.. Hopefully RSCC imports of tarsiers, cuscus and Malayan tigers will see an upsurge in the holding of these species.
With the mention of Malayan Tigers, I feel these may well be the next tiger subspecies we see in most UK zoos. Looking historically the pattern has been Bengal (or generic hybrids) then amur, then Sumatran. Similar with lions and leopards, most holders have gone towards Asian lions and Amur leopards or so it seems. I can't say I disagree with the moves because of how endangered the subspecies are although it would be nice to have variety.
Most of the species that have become flavours of the month/year/decade are the easiest to get hold of, most colourful, easy to keep species compared to their relatives, charismatic displays: ringtail vs sifaka, sc otter vs sea otter etc. That is understandable. We have seen a current shift with 'rarely seen/hard to keep' species such as Visayan pigs, giant otters and cusimanse, becoming the flavour of the month group. Again this is understandable - zoos like to keep new interesting species. But I do think it is highly unlikely that (while interesting in their own way) impala, tarsier and ground cuscus will ever fall into the same category.
I think one of the reasons that giant otter are becoming popular is because they are a suitable species to be house in sea lion pools (which are now unsuitable for sea lions by modern standards) with little to no modification.
I wonder if it is a lightbulb moment or general co- operation between zoos that all of a sudden a new species comes into flavour. I suppose what really intrigues me is there a co operative breeding plan with the view for reintroduction into the wild or just keep a healthy zoo population. My prediction for the next big thing Bears
