TB restrictions could be lifted in June, following the deaths of the lechwe herd, 2 Asiatic lions, 5 West Caucasian turs and a Barbary sheep: Zoo's TB nightmare could be nearing end
I've just updated my Mammal List on another thread and have been reminded that the zoo held 2.5 tur. As far as I know, the whole herd was put down so their figure of 5 in the news release must be a typo.
When I visited last week the barbary/tur section was blocked off with a van from a perimeter fence company. I presumed to fix the fence that the sheep got out of twice, no idea they were also TB victims. I wonder if they will get another herd in when they can? I do hope they get the situation under full control, before they lose more animals. And I guess they need to move them as well. They still have the 3 maned Wolves born a few years ago and I guess the Lions will need to move on soon and/or have new ones come in for the breeding programme?
A quick visit today: • the nets have been removed from the 2 main aviaries opposite the Avian Breeding building and the last Abyissinian G Hornbill has left the collection - sad! There are pinioned Magpie Geese and White Stork residing there now. • the reptiles now have the same signage design of the birds. • there are piles of sand in the old Bison/Anoa house - ready for.....? • the crocs & snapping turtles have all moved around again? • the Greater Roadrunners now have outside access. • no mandrills in sight and the keeper was testing the electric fences - routine probably but looked concerning!
That is sad about the hornbills. I always thought they were part of the fixtures and fittings of the zoo The Magpie geese get very excited when anyone stops near them! Did you happen to count the bongos while you were in that area? The sand in Duchess's house was removed a couple of weeks ago (and has since been replaced) and some turned up in the zebra paddocks. Interesting about the anoa house - I thought at one time that the takin would move in but presumably they could go to the former tur enclosure now. Maybe the camels? Let's hope the mandrills were safely under lock and key and it was just routine!
Ok. Just to be sure; largest of Gharial in 1st pool on left, two smaller Gharials in 1st pool on right, followed by Khaleesi (K Dragon), two Snappers in Giant Lily pond, then one Salty Croc in penultimate pool and one Cuban in final exhibit. Anyone know the rationale - is it enrichment, trying different breeding sites and do they still have more Cubans and Dwarf Crocs off show?
According to keepers, the large female Tomistoma is aggressive to the two smaller males. They needed to be housed in the first two pools in case they needed to be separated, which is now the case. Dwarf crocs left last year; the Cuban crocs on site are the adult in Swamp and the juvenile in Tropics.
1.1 Azara's agouti have arrived from Newquay. They are in the former meerkat enclosure next to the Nocturnal House, an enclosure which used to hold agouti before the meerkats moved in.
The zoo is excited about its rebranding as the Wild Planet Trust and has revamped part of its website: Wild, wild website
Bornean orangutan, Gambira, was very ill with air saculitis: Zoo staff save sick orang utan This happened in mid-April. She's looking a lot perkier now but is still separated from the Wousan/Chinta/Natalia grouping that she was mixed with before she became ill.
I don't think that the zoo would have made this announcement unless they are reasonably sure that she has made a good recovery. I hope that she can be mixed with the others again soon.
I had a good day at Paignton today, which was greatly helped by some proper summer weather. There seems to be quite a lot of sprucing up going on, to prepare for the holidaymakers who will arrive in increasing numbers next month. The outside of the insect house was being painted (although it seems that work inside is not yet finished); the first room in the Amphibian Ark is being reorganised (again); one staff member was driving posts around the only unprotected shrub in the old anoa paddock, next to the Nocturnal House, so something may be going to happen there, and the colobus monkeys were off-show and signs said that their indoor quarters are being refurbished (although the work didn't seem to have started). I didn't get a proper view of the newly arrived agoutis, but I could hear them as they were gnawing something very noisily. I joined some of the other camera-toting Paignton regulars next to the red ruffed lemur's enclosure inside the lemur walk-through. The young twins have started to venture outside at quiet times, but they are not good at posing for photographers, it took me quite a while to got a couple of decent images. Juvenile red ruffed lemur by gentle lemur posted 21 Jun 2019 at 11:07 PM Juvenile red ruffed lemur by gentle lemur posted 21 Jun 2019 at 11:07 PM
TB restrictions have been lifted. Among the animal moves hoped for soon are golden lion tamarin, zebra, bongo, Asiatic lions, orangutans and maned wolves: Zoo's TB restrictions lifted
