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Pinnipeds in the UK

Discussion in 'United Kingdom' started by sealion, 27 Feb 2012.

  1. sealion

    sealion Well-Known Member

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    Hi everyone! :)

    I've been trying to compile a list of pinnipeds in captivity in the UK. I've used ISIS, various aquarium websites and the Zoochat gallery to try create the list but I think that some of ISIS' data is quite out of date with some facilities so I was wondering whether anyone had anything else to add/mention for the list:

    How the list stands at the moment: EDIT: SEE PAGE 2 FOR UPDATED LIST


    Sea lions and Fur Seals:

    South American Fur Seal
    Bristol 4.2
    Living Coasts 0.2

    South African/Cape Fur Seal
    Gweek 2.0
    Banham
    Rhyl Seaquarium

    Patagonian/South American Sea lion
    Colchester 0:5
    Dudley 1.2
    Edinburgh 1.2 (This must be wrong!)
    Twycross 1.1
    Gweek 2.0

    Californian Sea lion
    West Midlands Safari Park 2.0
    Blackpool 1.1 (Hybrid 1.0)
    Blair Drummond 1.4
    Chessington 2.0
    Coombe Martin 2.0
    London Zoo 1.4
    Longleat 2.6
    Flamingoland 5.0
    Welsh Mountain Zoo
    Whipsnade 0.1
    Woburn 0.4
    Gweek 1.0
    Knowsley
    Pleasurewood Hills

    True Seals:

    Harbor Seal
    Welsh Mountain Zoo 1.0
    Gweek 1.2
    Weymouth Sea life 3 (at least 1 male)
    Hunstanton Sea life 0.3
    Scarborough Sea life 2.0
    Oban Sea life Centre 2?
    Blue Reef Tynemouth
    Rhyl Seaquarium 0.3
    Mablethorpe Seal Sanctuary
    Skegness Natureland
    Fife Deep Sea World
    St Andrews Aquarium

    Grey Seal
    Colchester 0.1
    Welsh Mountain Zoo 1.0
    Gweek 5.6
    Mablethorpe Seal Sanctuary
    Skegness Natureland
    Hunstanton Sea life
    Scarborough Sea life

    Obviously the sanctuaries have fluctuating numbers of greys and commons etc, so I'm focusing on the permanent residents at these places. The listing for London must be from the temporary move from Whipsnade (very up to date!), but it appears to show one individual still at Whipsnade. Is this just an error?

    EDIT: I wasn't sure whether this had been covered before (if is has I think it was a considerable time ago so it won't be up to date now- which is when I need the data).
    Thanks :).
     
    Last edited: 27 Feb 2012
  2. Maguari

    Maguari Never could get the hang of Thursdays. 15+ year member Premium Member

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    Have you checked ZootierlisteHomepage ? That should have a complete list of species and the collections that hold them (though in most cases will not have numbers). :)
     
  3. sealion

    sealion Well-Known Member

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    I wasn't sure whether zootierliste was UK or just Germany, or whether it was only the german listings that were up to date. I'll have a look and update anything that's different.

    Edit: Zootierliste is proving to be helpful, although I wanted to double check with zoochatters as sometimes you cannot rely on databases!
     
  4. TeaLovingDave

    TeaLovingDave Moderator Staff Member 10+ year member

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    These are all incorrect.

    Edinburgh still has a single sealion - the male - but this individual will leave in the next fortnight or so.

    Welsh Mountain Zoo has no fixed seal population, as it runs a facility for rescued animals. Currently there are no grey or harbour seals at the zoo.

    As regards the Californian Sealions at WNZ, they currently have 2.1 I believe.
     
  5. Javan Rhino

    Javan Rhino Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    I think Rhyl SeaQuarium has 1.2 Cape fur seals, though not 100% sure on that one, I'm going from memory of what I saw in the show.
     
  6. Al

    Al Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    We have 6.3 Californian sealions at Belfast!
     
  7. BongoHardwood

    BongoHardwood Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Whipsnade definitely has more than one sealion, though I haven't seen them in ages so not sure how many there are exactly. I think London has none from what I've read, so maybe those figures should be in Whipsnade? Not sure why it showed 1 still in Whipsnade if reflecting the temporary move...?
     
  8. Hyak2

    Hyak2 Active Member

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    Californians:
    Knowsley 4.0
    Pleasurewood Hills 3.0
    Cleethorpes 2.1
    Chessington 2.2
    Flamingoland 4.0* (as far as I know*)
     
  9. Hyak2

    Hyak2 Active Member

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    The Blackpool number is also incorrect and I am unaware of a hybrid animal there (though I can give no further info). They have at least 2 females.
     
  10. zoogiraffe

    zoogiraffe Well-Known Member

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    Also note at the moment is that Skegness Marineland,currently has a Hooded Seal (0.1)that they hope to release back into the wild,but I have my doubts seeing as she has now been rescues twice well off course.
     
  11. Shorts

    Shorts Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Colchester haven't had a Grey Seals for quite a while now.

    Also, I'd be surprised if Blair Drummond hold 5 Sea Lions in their fairly modest enclosure.
     
  12. Parrotsandrew

    Parrotsandrew Well-Known Member

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    I can confirm 4.0 is the current holding at Flamingo Land (Clive, Marvin, Merlin and Miguel).

    P.S. Am I the only person who still uses the name "Common Seal" (and the same goes for "Porpoise")? After all I am not American.
     
  13. Jordan-Jaguar97

    Jordan-Jaguar97 Well-Known Member

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    There is 1.0 Patagonian at Edinburgh due to to leave some point in the future.

    Blackpool has at least eight, I saw eight yesterday. Whipsnade have 1.4, the male was born at Whipsnade two females arrived from Chester in 2010. I believe one female originally at Whipsnade was the mother of the male.
     
  14. Maguari

    Maguari Never could get the hang of Thursdays. 15+ year member Premium Member

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    I'm flexible on the porpoise, but never use "Harbour Seal". Common all the way.
     
  15. mazfc

    mazfc Well-Known Member

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    I didn't even know porpoise had another name
     
  16. Parrotsandrew

    Parrotsandrew Well-Known Member

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    Well done Maguari - please work on the Porpoise as well!:D
     
  17. sealion

    sealion Well-Known Member

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    They do, the male is blind and so is kept apart from the females most/all of the time. He has a separate off-show area. (I did some work experience there over the summer.)

    And thanks for all the info guys!! You're awesome! I'll update the list and repost it a bit later.
     
  18. sealion

    sealion Well-Known Member

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    Ah, thanks for clarifying that one. I did think the figures looked strange! Did not know they did rescue stuff!
     
  19. sealion

    sealion Well-Known Member

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    I couldn't decide which to use so I ended up with Harbor. Surely in proper english is should be spelt Harbour anyway? Ashamed that I didn't notice!
     
  20. sealion

    sealion Well-Known Member

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    Would that be Dom? :p