ZTL has grey-bellied squirrel listed as well as Pallas squirrel - does anyone know where the former are kept in the zoo? Are they also in the fruit bat walkthrough?
The first two Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens), Thor (from Hamburg) and Petruska (from Valencia), have moved into "The Land of the Cold" at Pairi Daiza. Two more females will arrive soon. They intend to breed walrus at Pairi Daiza. Source with images: Pairi Daiza NL Facebook Page
Another birth at Pairi Daiza: the birth of a Père David's deer (Elaphurus davidianus) fawn was just announced on Facebook. Source: Pairi Daiza NL Facebook post with pictures
It seemed very strange to see just this one pair of Pere David's Deer on my visit last year, used as I am to seeing them at Woburn(450), Whipsnade(30) and other herds in the UK Safari Parks such as at West Mids and Knowsley. But they are nicely displayed at PD I have to say.
We don't have zoos with herds quite that big here in the low countries, although for example Safaripark Beekse Bergen has a herd of about 8 or so individuals. But Pairi Daiza now has just three. I agree with you that the exhibit they are kept is quite nice, with the islands and the moats.
The one thing that always gets me in that enclosure is their method of feeding the storks and herons - just dumping a massive pile of frozen chicks and letting them pick at their leisure! Surprised they don’t have more scavenging birds (e.g. corvids) coming over to the pile...
Wild white stork helping itself by gentle lemur posted 3 Nov 2019 at 4:57 PM I couldn't fathom that either. I guess it's done to attract the wild herons and storks, but why put them in that paddock with the Pere David's and the pair of red-crowned cranes? Couldn't they put them somewhere beside the lake, or do the cranes discourage crows and magpies? I did see a black-headed gull and a moorhen helping themselves as well as this stork.
Is this part of the reason they have so many (wild) White Storks in the grounds, or is it just incidental I wonder..
I was in Woburn Park just a few days before the UK lockdown started. The whole Pere David herd crossed the road near me and I posted a couple of photos on the Woburn Safaripark media page. (they aren't in the SafariPark of course).
Looking at the PD Facebook page I see that, unlike many UK zoos that are asking for donations to help their survival during the crisis, PD have said they can weather the storm financially and people should give to other, more urgent causes. But after all the new investment over the winter, it must still be a major blow that they couldn't open on April 6th as they hoped, after already moving it back from March 21st.
Given their backing, they're probably the most financially secure zoo in Europe. Fair play to them though - that's an honourable move.
Two golden takin (Budorcas taxicolor bedfordi) calves were born at Pairi Daiza in the second half of March. Their gender is still unknown. Source: Pairi Daiza NL Facebook post with pictures
I wonder how the current situation will affect the planned transport of the other two Walrus females from Hamburg? On hold for now?
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=246346153408152 Elephant cow Soraya is probably pregnant. This is revealed by a video of elephants where Soraya has swollen udders, which means she is pregnant.
A Cape fur seal (Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus) was born at Pairi Daiza on May 6th from mother Spirit and father Numba. The gender is not yet known. Source with pictures: Pairi Daiza NL Facebook page
Ather the Corona-closure Pairi Daiza welcomed members and the general public this week. They also presented Terre du Froid (Land of the Cold) to them. I was also there yesterday, with the appropriate social distancing. The musk ox or pinguins are not visible or present at this moment. Also some signs and education was missing, so the project still needs several updates, a work in progress (as always during the first months in Pairi Daiza). The main attractions are the polar-bears and walruses, and the public loved it... they did't seem to bother to wait up to 30minutes to see them under water from an old mine-shaft themed tunnel. The view outside, across the exibts was impressing. Both walruses and polar-bears in one view. Iloved it. Both under the water, as above! Hereby an impression from the new area:
Do they have a male Polar Bear yet, or still just two females? The two Walruses are together presumably? The new Land of the Cold enclosures look fantastic- classic Paira Daiza! I would not want to queue 30 minutes for the underwater viewing though... I realise this and the wearing of facemasks, the one way system, social distancing etc are all necessary at this time of course. But I don't think I would want to visit here or any other zoo while all this is going on, at least not while it is all so new and strange..
