Howletts Wild Animal Park Howletts Wild Animal Park News 2017

I saw them when I visited at the end of March, whilst secluded I didn't realise or wouldn't have considered them offshow (i.e. nothing to stop me wandering to see them or suggest I shouldn't be there).

 

Good point

 

End of an era with the passing of the Sumatran banded / surilis. Personally, a bit under the moon over that …, but they did not seem to have a long term future here sadly.

I do hope they continue to raise their plight at Howletts and set up a Sumatran project in future too along the lines they have done on Java with silvery langur and gibbon.

 

Thanks for the elephant update. Hopefully this will stimulate some breeding. What happened to Manzi? Or had you just missed her off?

 

There's another female Boula(born 2007) in Kouillou's group at PL which I presume will also join this new group in due course. I sometimes wonder if Sammi has been any easier to integrate a new group with, than ill-fated Matadi from Paignton who left so soon- did he really need to go?

 

Manzi is in with Coco's lot

 

I would have said the surilis but they passed away recently

Honey badgers are generally quite showy when they're getting fed. Usually that's in the afternoon. They're right by the Old Gorillas complex and the restaurant so just stick near there then, but you should be able to as that's the other end of the zoo from the entrance!

Species I would recommend are the clouded leopards, Iberian wolves (if they're showy), the gorillas (duh!) and the African elephants (largest herd in the UK).

 

On my last visit, I saw all 3 Ratel around 3pm when they'd just been fed.

African Wildcat ( if still alive?), North Chinese Leopard, both only ones in the UK. Fishing Cat ( not particularly common) and Clouded Leopards ( usually most active late afternoon).

 

Question, where exactly are they and roughly what time have people seen them? I've been offered to see them offshow but if I want it for the challenge then it would be good to know where they are haha. Also generally for future visits!

 

Last time I saw them they were in an enclosure on the drive up to the mansion.
They can be seen from the woodland pathway, if you stand with your back to the old snow Leopard cage.

I did see them onshow at least once, in the last cage as you come out of the woodland path.

 

Thank you!!

 

Why do they keep releasing the Gorrilas back in to the wild?As I believe all the last lot are now dead!

 

Doesn't make much sense, I agree!

 

The four that will be released are Kanghu, Kebu, Kouyou and Fubu, the bachelor group of four at Port Lympne. They are to be put on an island in an Aspinall reserve in Gabon I believe? And tour groups in the reserve will be able to take a boat round the island and try to see them from the boat. So not a full wild release.

I think that the plan is to then use their current enclosure (the Villa and one half of the Gorilla Garden) to house a new bachelor group, which if I'm not mistaken will consist of the five young males from Howletts (Kisane, Joshi, Nkoumou, Kiju and Jouki) and the two young males from Port Lympne (Bou and Kabale).

 

There was me thinking it was because Daiman was anti zoo.