Last spring 12 wisents from Natuurpark Lelystad were send to Spain. Among them was also the breeding-male Bjarnov which had sired more then 70 calfs at Lelystad ! Now a new breeding-male - Durkan - came from Germany.
Soon, 5 Wisents (Bison bonasus bonasus) from Natuurpark Lelystad, together with 3 from the Maashorst nature reserve and 1 from the Veluwe, will move to the Danish nature reserve Lille Vildmose. The animals are now together in a separate meadow in Natuurpark Lelystad to get used to each other. In Denmark they will form a herd together with the wisents already present there. After the departure of these animals, the herd of Wistents in Natuurpark Lelystad consist of about 25 animals: a bull, a basic herd of 10 cows and their offspring from the last two years. Wisents have been living in Natuurpark Lelystad since 1975. Over the years, almost 100 animals from the park have been released into nature reserves in, among others, the Netherlands, Poland, Belarus, Latvia, Croatia, Germany, Scotland, Belgium, Spain and Denmark. Wisenten uit Natuurpark Lelystad naar Denemarken
Recently, a Wisent and an European elk were born in Natuurpark Lelystad. More Wisent calves are expected.
Safe to say they have a few surplus European wisent for rewilding projects in f.i. the Carpathians or Central European reestablishment of the species.
The otter enclosures at Natuurpark Lelystad are currently being rebuilt. At the moment, there are seven otter enclosures, but lately only four of them have been used. That is why only four enclosures remain after the reconstruction. This means that there will be more room for the four Eurasian otters of the park. Much will also change for visitors. Until now, you could only watch the otters from a raised platform. In the new situation, it will be possible for visitors to go below the platform and view the otters from behind a glass wall. Natuurpark verbouwt otterverblijf: meer ruimte voor otters én bezoekers
In May 2021, a European elk was born in Natuurpark Lelystad. This means there are three elk living in Lelystad. Natuurpark Lelystad is the only holder of elks in the Netherlands. Source: Eland geboren in Natuurpark Lelystad On 7 December 2021 the wisent breeding bull Durkan was found dead. An autopsy showed that Durkan had died of posthitis, an infection which occurs more often in wisent bulls and which cannot be treated. In 2015 he came as a four-year-old bull from a German zoo. Durkan had given birth to at least 35 cubs in his six years in Lelystad. In time, a new bull will arrive. The hope is that this will happen in the course of 2022. Source: UPDATE: Wisentstier Durkan onverwacht overleden The construction work on the otter enclosure has been completed. From tomorrow onwards, visitors will be able to watch the otters again. There are now four enclosures instead of seven. Each enclosure houses one European otter. Source: Bezoekers Natuurpark kunnen otters nu in de ogen kijken
This spring, the mouflon herd was expanded with two new males and a new female. With the arrival of the three new animals, there is fresh blood in the herd to prevent inbreeding. In addition, four lambs were born. The herd now consists of three males, ten females and four lambs. Source: Moeflonkudde Natuurpark Lelystad uitgebreid A new European otter arrived this spring. The male comes from Germany. He was found there three years ago as an orphaned otter. An attempt was made to release him back into the wild, but unfortunately he was found again. Now he lives in one of the enclosures in Natuurpark Lelystad. Natuurpark Lelystad houses otters that cannot survive in the wild. Source: Duitse otter opgevangen in vernieuwde otterverblijf Natuurpark In mid-April, two Père David's deer were born in Natuurpark Lelystad. In June, the herd was further expanded with two new males from a zoo in Sweden. They should bring some extra genetic variation to the herd at Natuurpark Lelystad in the years to come. Source: Twee Pater-Davidsherten geboren in Natuurpark Lelystad
On 14 June a new wisent bull arrived at Natuurpark Lelystad. It is the 4-year-old male Dekan from Wisentgehege Springe, Germany. In the near future Dekan will get used to his new habitat and to the other wisents. However, it is expected that he will soon be included in the herd. Source: Dekan nieuwe wisentstier Natuurpark Lelystad
A moose calf was born in June 2022. It is a male. Source: Elandkalf geboren in Natuurpark Lelystad In January, European otter Freekje died. She was 19 years old. She was born at Russia's Novosibirsk Zoological Park in 2004 and came to the Netherlands with her sister to be released in the Netherlands. Freekje's reintroduction did not go well for health reasons, however, and as a result she was taken in by necessity at Natuurpark Lelystad. Source: Otter Freekje overleden in Natuurpark Lelystad A new moose bull arrived in February. He comes from Zoo Praha and is six years old. Meanwhile, he has met the two other moose, an adult cow and the 2022 bull calf. Source: Nieuwe elandstier in Natuurpark Lelystad
Sad news from Natuurpark Lelystad. The herd of moulfon have been struck by a fatal lung disease, called 'zwoegerziekte' (maedi-visna). The park has decided to euthanise all the mouflon in the park, as the disease is chronic and uncurable. The park states letting the mouflon die of this disease will cause too much suffering for the individuals and therefore the desicion has been made to euthanise. No new individuals of this species will be added to the collection. This means no more mouflon will remain in Natuurpark Lelystad. Source: Natuurpark Lelystad website - Natuurpark Lelystad stopt met moeflonkudde - Het Flevo-landschap
A second female European elk cow arrived at Natuurpark Lelystad on 24 November. The 6-year-old animal comes from a French zoo. She has already met the male and they seem to get along well. Source: Facebook Natuurpark Lelystad
It would be cool if Natuurpark Lelystad released few elk and bison in the nearby reserve Ooostvaardersplassen, just few km away. Naturally, this reserve can support only few elk, and they would still be zoo animals. Young would need to be exported, and unrelated bulls would need to be brought in. But seeing their influence on plant communities (something which this reserve is about) would be extremely interesting. And the interest of visitors would be great.
A wildcam has spotted wild otters in Natuurpark Lelystad. You can view the footage on Natuurpark Lelystad's Facebook. Source: https://fb.watch/oX86YmaRKG/
Exmoor ponies have joined the last Prezwalski's horses in Lelystad. The remaining herd of Prezwalski's horses got down to only three individuals: there were too little horses in the group for them to feel really comfortable. Lelystad is no longer breeding Prezwalski's horses as the reïntroduction project into the wild was succesfull, and was stopped. Lelystad decided to let the remaining horses grow old in the park and have a good retirement. The four Exmoor ponies were now added to the heard to increase the welfare of the Prezwalski mares, who all are about 21 years old right now. They can live to be 30 or 40 years old. What will happen with the remaining Exmoors by then is undecided (but there's plenty of time to think about that) Source: Przewalskipaarden krijgen gezelschap van Exmoorpony’s - Het Flevo-landschap
