So many species disappear from both public and private collections due to interest wearing off. I'm now going to have to google Sanford's Lemur to find out what one looks like....
One of the biggest and most frustrating "species we have lost in captivity" stories in recent decades - and not just because I've seen all the other Eulemur taxa and it would have been nice to complete the "set" I seem to recall you once told me that the implant also caused weight-related health problems for the lemurs, which is another problematic factor that I believe is quite common with the use of such methods.
There was definitely a recent case of orangutans mating through a barrier at Basel Zoo: https://phys.org/news/2019-01-daddy-swiss-orangutan-paternity.html
We could have so easily established it, too! Absolutely, on the second point. I am pretty sure one of our pairs is on the gallery here. It shows an obese female and a male in nice condition, obviously on exactly the same diet and management. The picture I recall was taken many years later, well after any effects of the contraceptive implants should have long worn off.
Does management euthanasia count? I see that that almost every country has this one "overly friendly" male Orangutan. Yeah just look at the gorilla females in Prague...
You'd hope so, but there's bound to be at least one example of a male animal somehow getting the job done post-mortem
Well in that case, you can always do it with the offspring as well, once they grow up...(or you don't even have to wai...)
There was some serious tree felling going on in the maned wolves enclosures today - the adjoining one that was used for the male wolves recently seems to have been opened up. The mandrills, the next enclosure along, had all the large shrubs around it cut down last week. I assumed this was to enable the erection of anti-badger fences but now I'm not so sure.
Yesterday both maned wolf enclosures seemed to be clear-felled. Just a few stumps, the brick shelters and the wired-off strip with the shed were left. The mandrill outdoor area looks awfully exposed now too. I agree that it could just be preliminary work for re-fencing or there could be bigger changes planned. Perhaps when the spider monkeys move to Monkey Heights, their exhibit could be developed for the mandrills. Whatever is due to happen, lets hope it can get sorted in a few months: it would be awful to have that area empty when things get busy in the summer because it's right in the middle of the zoo.
Well, they've got to put the 80 or so Lego animals somewhere! To be less flippant, it did look very bleak this morning with work still going on right up to the mandrill house. They seemed a bit agitated by all the noise although the rhinos didn't seem bothered, which surprised me as all visitors to the rhino house after Zuri's birth were warned to be deathly quiet. The flamingos were moved to the Adjutant stork enclosure this morning to allow tree felling around their island. One flew straight at us and crashed into the fence, but got up and returned to the flock at the back of the enclosure. Some sort of very smelly compost was being spread around the zoo gardens. All in all, probably not a good day for a first time visitor. PS - And where are the maned wolves?
The zoo will be closed on Monday 10 February for tree felling near the Entrance: ZOO CLOSED ON MONDAY 10TH FEBRUARY 2020
The zoo has bred three Chinese crocodile lizards (not on show): Paignton Zoo breeds beautiful endangered lizard
Speaking of that, I've also checked the Paignton Zoo website and noticed that the Maned wolf have been completely removed from the listing, does anyone know if these may have gone to another zoo (Exmoor presumably?)
I doubt Exmoor will have them - they already have a uncle and nephew pair on display. I heard that some maned wolves were in the Cheetahs off show area? Hopefully they are just off show whilst work is done in/around their enclosure. Or they could of left the collection, another species gone to be replaced by lego animals no doubt
Could the Cheetah and Maned Wolves be switching enclosures? After all, there has been no successful breeding from the Cheetah and the wolf area is flat and could be extended? Otherwise, I think the cheetahs will be leaving the collection in the near future.....
Lego animals - make a note in your diaries: 'There will be special safari nights for over 18s, so that grown up fans of Lego bricks can enjoy the amazing models without children running around.'
What a fantastic idea! It's made me think: perhaps one day, there will be special safari nights for over 18s, so that grown up fans of animals can enjoy the amazing creatures without children running around.