WMZ could do with a couple of new additions and certainly have the room but having spoke to keepers who used to work there they don’t have the funds.
With the virus keeping people inside and leaving zoos across the world in uncertainty, I thought I'd throw out a few new ideas I had from my last post some years ago. London Zoo - Giant Otter Whipsnade Zoo - Gelada Chester Zoo - Greater Bird-of-Paradise Edinburgh Zoo - Every animal they've phased out in the last decade-and-a-half: Jaguar, Amur Leopard, Patagonian Sea Lion, African Wild Dog, Barbary Macaque, Steller's Sea Eagle, Bongo, Asian Golden Cat, Ocellated Turkey, Black Howler, Markhor, Wolverine, Bawean Hog Deer, Honey Badger, Pallas's Cat, Aye-aye, White-lipped Deer, Maned Wolf, Aardwolf, Bush Dog, Owl-faced Monkey, Small-clawed Otter, and more. Highland Wildlife Park - Andean Condor Folly Farm - Amur Tiger and Snow Leopard Yorkshire Wildlife Park - Common Hippopotamus, Malayan Tapir, and Northern White-cheeked Gibbon Flamingo Land - Common Chimpanzee Bristol Zoo - Kagu Wild Place - Asiatic Lion (from Bristol) and Sumatran Orangutan Dudley Zoo - Nubian Ibex Marwell - Blue Wildebeest and Slender-snouted Crocodile Cotswold's Wildlife Park - Northern Cassowary Twycross Zoo - Asian Elephant (returning) Welsh Mountain Zoo - Mishmi Takin Paignton Zoo - King Cobra Blackpool Zoo - Indian Rhinoceros and Spotted Hyena Crocodiles of the World - Chinese Giant Salamander, and Tentacled Snake
Folly Farm are unlikely to get Tiger's (at least for now) due to the proximity of Manor House Wildlife Park which already has Sumatran's. They try to differ from each other. So Folly Farm has Lion's instead (which MH don't have) Flamingo Land used to have Chimpanzee but went out of them about 8 or 9 years ago. The house has since been converted for Black Rhino Elephant's won't be returning to Twycross.
That could definitely work - Indian rhino to replace the Camels, with an extension to the exhibit. Get rid of the Kangaroo and wallaby walkthrough, or maybe half of it, and put the Hyena in there. Alternatively, swap out the Tiger for the Hyena.
I was thinking of removing the reindeer enclosure or another paddock to convert it for hyenas; it makes more sense to remove a domesticated species in favor of something more exotic. I would leave the tigers but phase out lions and put Amur leopards in the former lion enclosure with renovations. I remember reading this some time ago, but my choices come after they opened their new far-east Asia area, and tigers were the logical animal to add to that exhibit in my opinion. For Flamingo Land chimps seemed like a good choice for the amusement park setting, and Twycross, well a guy can dream can't he? Also I just found out that Cotswolds already has cassowaries, so I choose the African crowned eagle instead.
I'd have to disagree here - they have an unusually large herd here for a UK zoo, and they're a treat to watch... I definitely wouldn't want to see them go.
The sad fact is that London Zoo were going to get Giant otter before they went to Chester. However financial constraints put paid to that. I believe Gelada may be one of the many long term options to replace the chimps. Personally, I’d prefer to see them in the old American bison paddock!
BNC only small versions of ABC species so Forest Elephants or Sumatran Rhinos or, perhaps more realistically Forest Reindeer.
Interesting. Any idea where they would’ve gone in the zoo? Or any other animals they wanted but couldn’t get due to costs?
The otters were planned to go in the strip of land that once housed the Giant anteater (behind BUGS). This was mooted over 10 years ago now I think. Now it’s some derelict/Crazy Golf abomination. Im no authority, but I’ll guarantee you there’s someone on these forums that has the answer. I’m sure it’s quite a list!
None of Chester Giant Otters were slated to go to London,so don't know where you got that idea from,in fact as far as i know London didn't even approach the studbook to express an interest in taking some!
Do you know when this first two gerenuk died ? And where were these animals housed ? I have a press photo that shows the keeper Bill Cotterell with the buck "Gerry" in the stable. Was there any breeding at London Zoo ?
8 I don't know the exact date of death of the first two ZSL gerenuk. I assume they were kept in the old Antelope House or, possibly, the old Gazelle Sheds (both buildings long since demolished). The gerenuk did not breed at London Zoo. The ZSL Library is currently closed because of the pandemic. When I can use the library again, I'll try to get an exact answer to your questions.
From memory, that area of the zoo was designated as a South American zone on the decades old masterplan (as you indicate) and included giant otters. I think that the masterplan plans weren't anything more than a wishlist/idea.
Further to my earlier post, the book "The Mammals" ( Desmond Morris; 1965) includes a photograph of a gerenuk at London Zoo; this picture doesn't show the building very clearly but appears to be inside the old Antelope House.
Got a few new ideas in my head: Yorkshire Wildlife Park: Jaguar, Sloth, Humboldt Penguins & Chimpanzees (or Orang-Utan) Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park: Small crocodilians (any species) Wingham Wildlife Park: California Sea-Lions and Snow Leopard West Midland Safari Park: Siberian Tiger, Gelada, Spotted Hyena, Eastern Black Rhino or Bush Dog Dartmoor Zoological Park: Giant Anteater or Binturong
Just one? I’ll go A-Team, B-Team, C-Team A: Alaska Zoo: Lion Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center: River Otter Alaska Sea Life Center: Sea Otter (although wild animals can be viewed from the Center’s Deck. B: Alaska Zoo: Wisent (or Amur Leopard). Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center: Cougar Alaska Sea Life Center: Ribbon Seal C: Alaska Zoo: A Ptarmigan or Spruce Grouse Aviary. Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center: Przewalski’s Horse. Alaska Sea Life Center: Pacific Walrus. (Or Polar Bear)
I love mixed enclosures so would love to to see at Whipsnade a Capybara/Tapir enclosure,they certainly have the space for this.