Marwell Wildlife Marwell Zoo News 2018

Wouldn't have been wild caught, but ranched, as the species hasn't existed in a truly wild state for many decades.

 

Two Arabian Oryx have been born the first for 4 or 5 years,another female Blesbok has arrived along with 2 female Lesser Kudu and a male Bongo.

 

This really is some good news from Marwell for once! I thought it must have been posted in the wrong thread at first!

 

Khena, a female Grevy's zebra has arrived from France:

Marwell Wildlife

 

Two-year-old Lungta, a female Przewalski's horse, has joined Marwell from Port Lympne Animal Park in Kent.

Marwell Wildlife

 

Marwell only has female horses now as the male died earlier this year,male congo buffalo has moved to Port Lympne leaving two females at Marwell. The cusimanse have moved to part of the former fossa enclosure.

 

And now a future herd stallion again!?!

 

Marmaduke the Bactrian Camel has passed away:

Marwell Wildlife

 

Visited Marwell today, first time for about 8 years, very different. We liked the wild explorers and tropical house areas, thought they were really well done, although felt the tropical house could do with a few more species but not sure what? Real shame what has happened to the areas that were new when I used to visit regularly, the cafe valley area, heart of Africa and the Australian walkthrough area, all seems a complete misfire as they are relatively unused under 10 years later.
Anyway I noticed the sign for water and wetlands and know it is a redevelopment of the hippo area and exit of the zoo but does anyone know anything more specific about what is being done?

 

The plan is was,for a new flamingo walk through aviary,with new areas housing paddocks for tapir capybara,pygmy hippo,with a walkway from one side of the zoo to the other.

 

So as usual it looks like a lot of money will be spent and no new species added!

 

1.0 Purple Honeycreeper has gone on display in the Tropical House. He arrived from Frankfurt Zoo.

Marwell Wildlife

 

Not always a bad thing. I've never been to Marwell, but surely it's often better to improve facilities for the animals that a zoo has without just piling in new species willy nilly?

 

If you've never been to Marwell, why do you think the facilities need improving?
Most of Marwell 'improvements' seem to be simply to impress visitors!

 

I don't know whether they do or not, but clearly Marwell think they do. I read a lot of trashing of the place on here, and I can only surmise that's the reason why....otherwise why slate it so strongly?

I say good on them for updating the enclosures for their existing animals. Several other zoos I can think of should do the same.

 

In general, your comments make sense, but Marwell is a different case. A zoo that has demolished or left unused several perfectly functional enclosures in recent years. Turning the Takin enclosure into a staff car park was the worst example I can think of.
Too many species have been lost while a fair amount of money has been wasted on cosmetic changes to impress visitors e.g Cheetah enclosure.

 

I had my first visit in 18 months today. I still go occasionally in the hope the corner has been turned. Despite some promising signs again I was disappointed.

A summary of my thoughts.
- Overall I liked the new tropical house but it easily could have been better. Most of the animals are free roaming and are difficult to see.
- Blesboks are a nice addition. I don't think I have seen them before.
- I like it that the freed up enclosures in what used to be World of Lemurs (as a result of the Lemur walkthrough being built) are now used by the monkeys that used to be next to Marwell Hall and that those next to the hall now have birds. An upgrade for the monkeys.
- The display about evolution and lemurs in what used to be Into Africa was a lot better than what Marwell have done recently. I think it is the first time they have put something else in a former animal enclosure without it being obvious that it is a former animal enclosure.

On the downside.
- More new empty enclosures. Servals, ocelots and bat eared foxes have gone since my last visit with no replacements. The old przewalski horse and camel paddock (although I note in the thread that the camel died) is empty. As these are all in the same area it makes this corner of the zoo look deserted.
- They are still doing stupid things with former enclosures. The macaques have gone and their island is now home to a model rhino with a competition to name it.
- Although with Marwell's current form any replacement species should be considered a positive, I was disappointed to see fossas have gone and have been replaced by binturongs and cusimanses. In my opinion Fossas are a more interesting species.

To the person who said they have never been but that you cannot add new species, willy-nilly. I think Marwell actually need to do this. They have a large number of unused/underused enclosures and it is obvious and creates a bad impression. In the most ridiculous example, one such enclosure is a 40 acre paddock.

 

Whilst I agree with this post almost entirely, there is one point I would dispute--for me there is nothing positive about a 'former' animal enclosure! Not until it has more animals in it or a new enclosure built if necessary. As we both agree, there are far too many former animal enclosures at Marwell

 

0.1 Grevy's Zebra was born earlier this week

A female Binturong has also joined the collection. She came over from Fuengirola in Spain