Marwell Wildlife Marwell Zoo News 2015

A new male Somalia Wild Ass has come from Africa Alive,on the bird front a turaco and weaver bird chicks have been born in the walk through aviary also Sun Conure and Hornbill chicks have been fledged.

 

I haven't visited for over a year but I wonder how much damage the African Valley has done. It sounded like a good idea but clearly it wasn't. Marwell was great before the valley existed, so, if we pretend for a moment that it isn't there, is the visitor experience still one of empty enclosures, or does the valley just emphasise this? Also, whilst I get the point about play areas, surely if you tire out the less interested children there, there don't run about shouting everywhere else. My children are now 15 and 12 and have always commented on other children being noisy and badly behaved around the animals but even they appreciated somewhere to run around without being a nuiscience.

 

I am off to Marwell tomorrow (It's my local). I know it is by no means the best and there are lots that can be improved, but I still enjoy a visit.

Out of interest, if the African Valley was removed, what would all of you do with the space?

 

African lions should have been included from the start!

 

I wonder for a the average zoo visitor if the empty enclosures are that noticeable as they are mostly covered over or filled with random objects as noted previously.

I think for the most part the valley enclosure is ignored by the general public unless they are visiting the cafe. One of the main problems with the enclosure is the lack of viewing areas, from the cafe everything is very far off.

For a zoo enthusiast like myself, it is very noticeable all of the empty enclosures. I found it quite sad on my last visit to note how many covered up glass windows there were around the place and of course a number of larger enclosures gone. As for the general public as long as there are meerkats and play grounds they are bound to be relatively happy.

 

I suppose it all depends what people expect to see. I have relatives that visited London Zoo for the first time in thirty years and were telling people not bother going because 'there's not much there anymore' and a friend with young children who visited Marwell last summer and said there were 'hardly any animals' but also claimed the okapi had gone, didn't see any monkeys and didn't go 'in the plant bit' (tropical Greenhouse, I assume). I think the number of 'no shows' might be the issue for general visitors; I was a Whipsnade earlier this week and apart from having to go back to see the brown bears because there was a keeper in the enclosure moving things around when we arrived, the animals were visible in all the enclosures we looked in. Last time I was there Many of the animals were either far away or difficult to see. Needless to say, I enjoyed it much more this week. Maybe a well hidden Marwell cheetah equates to an empty enclosure? I do think they need to acknowledge that the valley doesn't work, though.

 

Interesting to see comments from Pacu concerning London Zoo. Relatives visit London Zoo for the first time in 30 years and are advising people not to go because there is nothing much there. You have got gorillas, tigers, hunting dogs, Pygmy hippos, okapi, etc, etc. Of course, no elephants, rhinos, hippos, they are at Whipsnade, where they are well looked after. I'm sorry but a sweeping statement saying don't bother going is not helpful but everyone is entitled to their opinion

 

Exactly. Okay, I think the absence of lions might have affected this a bit but when I asked what was missing apart from elephants and rhinos, the response was predictable, big cats , bears and ostriches. To be fair, this was from someone who lived very close by and visited regularly during the 1960 s and 1970s and hasn't been to any other zoo but that's why I say it is all relative to expectation.

 

Why not?

Enclosure too big, total number of animals too small, not enough species, inadequate viewing opportunities?

Surely no one is complaining that the animals have too large an enclosure and that makes them difficult to see.

And why Lions at every zoo?

 

Sorry, it may be a sweeping statement, but there IS hardly anything to see at London compared to 30 years ago - FACT! Apart from the losses you mention, there are half a dozen plus cat species, 5 or 6 bear species, probably 50 plus species of small mammals gone from the Clore, 15 plus deer/antelope/cattle on the Cottons, the stork & ostrich house, sealions etc! London was the best collection in the UK 30 Years ago, not even close now!

 

An enclosure certainly can be too big, just as it can be too small.
The valley field exhibit is too large for what it contains and the viewing facilities do not help the situation.
Many years ago John Knowles came up with the idea initially - it was going to be called "the African Bowl" enclosure originally, but this never actually materialised at the time. Now a few years down the line the idea has been recreated but not to the same plan as JK`s original vision.
Lions were to be included but it never happened, jeeps for the public were also to be included but that didn`t happen, as were other viewing platform/walkways but again this did not happen, due to cost. So we are left with what there is now.
The main issue is the area is so vast and it would take a huge amount of animals - large animals to fill it properly.

 

Or maybe an RSCCfull

 

r

I agree, Kiang.

I visited RSCC on Saturday. I much prefer the concept of using a few acres to house several species of small and medium-sized, endangered mammals than a few species of large mammals, especially when the latter are kept in many zoos.

 

A new male Rhino has arrived.

Statement from the zoo:

Our new white rhino is two and a half years old and has come to us from Dublin Zoo as part of the European Endangered Species Breeding Programme (EEP). He is settling into his new home at Wild Explorers with resident rhinos Kiri and Sula. For the time being, you can see him inside the rhino house whilst he adjusts and gets comfortable, but soon he will be outside enjoying Wild Explorers.
Marwell contributes to the conservation of both white rhino and black rhino in protected areas in Zimbabwe and Kenya. This includes rhino management operations, training of rhino monitoring personnel, provision of monitoring equipment, and technical support for data management.

 

Brilliant! Thats good news for a change. Surley marwell could bring in more and have 5-6 rhinos in wild explores as the new house is so large. Really hope Marwell can bread rhinos once again.. Would be awesome if there was baby rhinos running around chasing zebra!

 

I may be wrong however I think a new tiger enclosure is on its way!

 

I hope you ARE wrong!!

 

Why would that be??

 

Because I think a new tiger enclosure is one of the last things Marwell needs to waste their money on! There is nothing particularly wrong with the current one! How about some new mammal species for a change?!

 

Banham.tiger what made you think that? Have you seen or heard something??