Highland Wildlife Park Hwp 2010

I don't think the issue is with the climate so much as last year there was a ragwort infestation in the drive through area, and this was around the same time as the park lost a few members of the deer herd, although i cannot confirm this.

 

That seems like a fair assessment. Glad it may not have been climatic in origin!

Even happier still that SDC does have Bukharans. This EEP is in dire need of new holders to quickly expand the ESB/EEP programme in order to have it make a meaningful contribution to ex situ as well as in situ conservation.

 

How about Marwell? It would be a good addition to an ungulate-focussed collection and would be better than having a couple of ankole cattle and emus taking up half the zoo!

 

I would have thought Woburn would be a good shout too, would add to one of Europe's finest deer collections.

 

All collections mentioned: Marwell, Port Lympne and Woburn (I believe they did have the ssp. in the very distant past too) seem good candidates. I would like to add Whipsnade to ... to that effect.

 

Who would take Bukharan Deer and/or Kiangs in the UK?

I can't see Marwell adding deer (or Kiang for that matter) somehow, it just doesn't seem their style anymore. They seem to mainly add 'crowd-pleasers' nowadays.

Port Lympne yes, they are still very conservation-orientated.

Woburn(the Safari Park) are becoming more conservation focused in their choice of animals too so this could suit their range of species. The main Deer Park- for the deer, is also an option though valuable animals can be exposed in it to accidents(cars, injuries, diseases and parasitic infections etc) unless housed seperately in their own paddock.

Whipsnade- rather like Marwell, perhaps less likely I think, given their existing range of species I can't see them wanting to take on on yet another Deer (or Wild Ass) species.

 

According to Edinburgh zoos facebook page the Pallas cats from Edinburgh were moved upto the HWP at the end of August

 

Highland Wildlife Park has just opened its new 'Wolf Wood' enclosure.

Royal Opening for Highland Wolf Wood

 

Does their new area contain any Pine and/or Birch woodland and if so what proportion approximately of the enclosure is wooded?

 

Sadly, Yuri, tiger has passed away.

BBC News - Highland Wildlife Park's ageing tiger Yuri put to sleep

 

Thats such a shame, he was a lovely tiger, and great with the cubs. Wonder what the plan is now?

 

Sad, but by any cat standards he was pretty old! Apparently he had been suffereing for some time with kidney failure and other age related problems.

I would imaging the plan would be to keep the female cub and get a new male but it will all depend on the decision of the stud book keeper.

 

That is sad news. I last saw Yuri on my visit to HWP shortly after he arrived there. They both seemed so happy in their new enclosure.

 

Such sad news about Yuri. I seen him when the pair first arrived at the HWP and then a few times after the cubs were born and he was brilliant with them.

My last visit was the day after he was pts and the keepers were very clearly gutted, it was so sad. One of the female keepers was telling us that the male cub (Vladimir I believe?) is going to Knowsley Safari Park where he'll have 2 females all to himself. They are planning to keep the 2 females at the park alongside Mum as they'll all live happily together until they decide what to do about breeding situations for them. She said they wouldn't breed from Sasha again due to her age.

Would they be perhaps thinking about keeping one or both of the cubs to breed from them at HWP?

 

Good to hear. Visited Knowsley this year and think it's one of the better safari parks in the UK. I'd like to see HWP keep one of the young females long tem, one move to another collection and a new male come in.

Even those who worked closely with Yuri when he was at Edinburgh were gutted as well, however as everyone said for a cat generally he was very old! Personally I think everyone involved were putting off the decision as long as possible!

 

That does seem the obvious solution- so they have a potential breeding pair plus (for now) the old female.

 

Just saw on the facebook page that there is an exciting new arrival on its way! anybody know what it is?

 

Guessing Snow leopards perhaps? I dont know just think it would fit in with the collection plan!?

 

I doubt it will be snow leopards because the Amur leopards at EZ are meant to be going up to HWP but apparently the move has been delayed due to lack of money - thats what staff told me at EZ.

 

The new arrival is a 23 month male polar bear from a zoo in Holland: BBC News - 'Cheeky' polar bear coming to Highland Wildlife Park