My favorite zoo on the planet keeps getting better and better! (Ironically the clouded leopards are the only species at this park I have never gotten a photo of - they are always hiding).
I was so confused when I went to Tallinn Zoo, and there was a cage that said "Manul", and nothing else (in English) that I could use to figure out what was supposed to be in there! I spent ages looking (it was obviously for a small carnivore type thing), but I never saw anything, and left not knowing if I had missed an amazing species that I would only ever see there! I eventually worked out that they were Pallas' Cats, which I saw at a few other places, so it was OK in the end. I bet the kittens are awesomely fluffy and adorable.
I'm pretty damn fond of Pallas Cat - they more or less look like the offspring of that famous pair, the Owl and the Pussycat. Obviously their marriage bore fruit
gaur are cats now? What's a gaur doing there? EDIT: a little googling shows they have created an exhibit focussing on tiger prey items, including gaur from Berlin and (possibly; I'm not clear) blackbuck and chital?
Well I was there a few days ago and saw nothing like this (gaur or other prey). Then again, I arrived at 2pm and only had until 5pm so I was rushing to get pictures of as much as possible. In fact, I was at the farthest back point of the park (the new white tiger area) exactly at 5pm when I should have been at the exit and had to be given a ride up front by one of the staff. Here is what is new since my last visit two years ago: The tram has been replaced by a train which now goes into the exhibit area in a couple places (instead of sticking to the perimeter like the old tram). The jungle cat exhibit now includes several melanistic individuals (including offspring). YES! The massive new white tiger enclosure now has a ground level glass viewing area to the left of the large raised platform. Visitors can walk up to it but it appears to be largely for the benefit of train passengers. There is a glass-fronted outdoor sand cat exhibit connected to the indoor exhibits.
The park is currently caring for a pair of male African Lion cubs, found abandoned in the zoo carpark this morning - Their origin is unknown but it is believed they may have been kept illegally by a private keeper Deux bébés lions abandonnés devant un parc animalier en Seine-et-Marne / France Bleu
The picture only shows gaur but the release states gaur and blackbuck. Not sure how I feel about this.
Not sure how you feel about the mix or the watering down of the ratio of cats to non-cats at the Park?
About adding non felids. I already do not like the lemur island and in all of my visits I have not once stepped foot on the island. It is called the cat park, it is the world's best collection of cats, no reason to mess with perfection!
I can somewhat follow how you perceive it. It is not all hunky dory sadly. The general public probably DO want to see this happen. Reality hits home. All the same, it is still by far the best continental cats collection pur sang!
I'm notorious for liking small carnivores and felids, but frankly I have no issue with this development - especially as Gaur are not doing terribly well in European collections and need all the help they can get.
Four pallas cats were born. Première naissance 2015 chez les félins : de nouveaux bébés manuls - À la une | Le Parc Des Félins
