Longleat Safari & Adventure Park Longleat Safari Park News 2013

Longleat Gorillas.

Has anyone seen the Longleat Gorillas this summer? Am I to presume 'Boulas' has still not been mixed successfully with the other three? .. or has he?

 

Does any body know what is happening with the Rhinos at Longleat? What Rhinos are now there, and any news on breeding? They don't seem to be having much luck compared with the recent success of Chester!

 

Yon cannot compare Chesters recent success with Black and Indian Rhino,to what is happening at Longleat with there White Rhino,as they are different species and have to be managed differently to bred the different species!

 

Afaik on the current stock - They should still have the original trio from South Africa and the two extra cows they bought in from Arnhem and Munster during 2010 (so 1.4)

I've said it before and I'll say it again: They need another mature bull and until they get one any breeding is extremely unlikely

In an ideal world they'd now be working with the EEP to transfer both there original South African cows elsewhere and give them a chance of breeding before it becomes too late, and then that would allow them to focus on the younger ones with the current bull... but unfortunatly Rhino breeding seems to have taken something of a back seat since they got the elephant (which still shares the Rhino house afaik)

 

Rhino breeding at Longleat

I completely agree. How do Longleat expect breeding with one mature bull? All I can say is get a new bull ASAP!!!


On a more positive note, I was wondering how the feeding statio for the Rothschild giraffes is going? I used it last Summer(ish) and it was brilliant.

 

Warminster Web reporting the following news for Longleat:

Penguin Island and Stingray Bay both now open

The long awaited Elephant Sanctuary should be ready in 2014

..and the other new species for 2014 will be Sun Bears and Painted Dogs!

What's New - Longleat News, Events, Photos, Penguins, Stingray - Warminster Web

 

What makes the difference between the planned "elephant sanctuary" at Longleat and other british or european elephant zoo enclosures, existing or planned, that they call it a "sanctuary"? Is it just the same euphemism like Americans calling their enclosures "habitats"?

 

Jana,

The original plan was to create a sanctuary for older elephants to live out there latter years.

this may have changes, however I hope not.

As for breeding of the White Rhino's very few people, even fewer on here would have any idea of the situation at Longleat, regarding future and current plans.

 

It just sounds more attractive or marketable perhaps. Same as 'Elephant Eden' at Noah's Ark. Just a marketing ploy really.

 

Real Sanctuary

In fairness to Longleat I contacted CEO David Bradley as soon as the news broke about the plight of elephant Anne to ask if they could intervene and he came straight back to say that they were already onto it, and so it was that they stepped in and saved her. Yes Anne draws in some extra visitors but Jonathan Cracknell, Director of Animal Operations at Longleat took me and a handful of others to see her shortly after she had arrived and she was requiring dedicated carers, lots of pampering, and £400 per month just in food, and so it continues, and she is now looking, for an old lady, great on it. I have photos then and now and there is no comparison with her skin condition and she is walking so much better than she was. For her she already has 'sanctuary' and that, as I understand it, is what other elephants in need will have there.

I attach a photo of Anne taken 4 months ago.

 

I am sure they are doing their best at Longleat, but I am still VERY dissapointed that she went to a place without other elephants. Keeping a circus elephant solitary was enough reason for german authorities to confiscate an elephant a few weeks ago and is considered unacceptable by just anyone in the zoo world - I can`t understand how those involved with Annie could settle for a place where she had to live alone for years. I hope she lives long enough to see other females arrive at the new facility, but at her age, that may or may not happen.

 

Well Longleat are the ones who stepped up and offered her a new home and from day one the elephant sanctuary was planned but it has taken all this time (2 years) to get the approval of English Heritage and others with adjustments to design along the way. Anne may only have to live another year to have chums, and she gives every sign of living way beyond that.

 

Thanks for the reply.

Perhaps you can also enlighten us on the current situation with the white rhinos at Longleat?

 

Rhinos

In what way? I don't know much about them other than that they look happy bunnies (though slightly larger)

 

Any news on Gorilla 'Boulas'? Is he still seperate from the others?

 

WW, since you regularly visit the place one would assume you would have some inside info for us. Sadly, no .... I agree with some of the postings that it has been quite too long for rhino breeding with this bull. I fear that a brother-sister relationship has developed within the original 1.2 individuals.

 

re the hunting dogs and sun bears are they going to expand the area to make way for the 2 reserves or are they perhaps moving some animals out the park to make way for them also im assuming the sun bear enclosure will be drive past not drive through cant imagine sun bears and cars going down well

 

Although it's doubtful i will be rushing back anytime soon(as previously explained), i am not a fan of drive past enclosures, they'd be better off building an enclosure that could be viewed on foot IMO.

 

Just wondering if anyone has been to Longleat recently,and if they have how is Boulas the gorilla doing, is he mixing with the other three yet or is he still being kept on his own?

 

Evidently still alone. Look on European Forums, 'Zooman's European Tour' thread, Posts 103 & 104 for a recent update.