The timor sarrows are a different species all together from th Java sparrows. They have different Latin names. The exhibit is very unusual. No other exhibit at Chester has so many animals from one area under 1 roof. A must see attraction. The Phillipine spotted deer on the photo were 2 males. They are in a small paddock near the Gemsbok, Ostrich,Waterfowl hide etc. Quick news: There was a mandrill baby at the zoo yesterday. A bit hard to photograph so I don't have a good picture.
But do you know how many they have in total? Those two males are probably 'spares' Brow-antlered deer- how many at Chester? Do you know if the ones at Knowlsey Safari Park and those at Chester are related to each other, e.g from the same source or one of them got them from the other etc. Any idea how many they have at Knowsley S.P at present? C'mon Hornbill- give me some info....
Chester currently has 6.5 Philippine Spotted Deer and 3.11 Burmese Brow-antlered Deer, Knowsley has 4.0 which originate from Chester. Most of Chester's surplus ungluate stock ends up at Knowsley. The two male deer writhedhornbill mentioned are spares. West Midland Safari Park has 2.2 Philippine Spotted Deer, though I expect the came from the same collection as those at Chester.
Thanks for clearing that up I didn't know what the numbers were. Mulhouse seems to be a very good zoo for keeping Spotted deer. Back to the topic, I remember seeing a board with a picture of A fairy blue bird on it. I think that Chester zoo may be getting them.
Thankyou for that info Bongorob. The Burmese Brow Antlered deer at Chester have increased a lot since I last saw them, now a proper herd. I couldn't figure why Knowsley Safari Park should have an unusual species like this but you've cleared that up. Interesting that West Midlands also have Phillipine Deer, again not a typical 'Safari Park' species.
writhedhornbill mentions Mulhouse have Philippine Spotted Deer. He has jogged my memory and I think that is where the ones in the UK originate from. They all remain the property of the Philippines government. Nick Ellerton who runs Knowsley used to be the Curator of Mammals at Chester, hence the close co-operation between the two. He likes Cervidae and was instrumental in bringing the Philippine Spotted Deer to Chester. He also wanted Manipur Brow-antlered Deer, but found the Burmese subspecies easier to obtain. He also unsucessfully tried for White-lipped Deer from China in exchange for some of Chester's Pere David's returning to the wild.
Yes, I love Deer too- especially some of the more unusual species. To my mind, the biggest wildlife spectacle you can see in the UK is the 500 or so Pere Davids' deer roaming the deer park at Woburn- especially if they are all crossing the main road which runs through the park in front of your car... My personal favourite is the Swamp Deer though- beautiful creatures. I believe the Manipur Brow Antlered Deer is very low numerically in the wild(one small marshland location only?) but I may have seen this species some years ago in the Delhi Zoo, India. The problem for zoos with deer is they don't have a very wide appeal for the public, so few collections keep them. Two or three species such as Chester have now is fairly unusual for a mainstream zoo nowadays and probably the limit for them. And its good that Edinburgh have aquired the Thorold's/White-lipped deer too, I hope they can build up their numbers.
By looking at the photo's posted 'Realm of the Red Ape' looks great. Can't wait to see it for myself.
About the Deer ( which we really shouldn't be taking about on this thread!!) I found this site World Deer Lots of Info but not as much as Brent Huffman's ultimate Ungulate page. It's brill!!!
Jonathan, I found some pics of the new orang utan enclosure in the picture gallery, but do you also have pics which show the enclosures? Indoor/ outdoors? I found only some from the visitor areas that give no impression how the enclosure is designed. Thank you very much!!
I'm sorry but that's all I've got. I'll take some more next time. I'm going about 7 times during august!!!! Can Anyone else who goes to the exhibit please post their pictures, as I'd like to see more. Yassa, I'll put up one of my Exhibit films on the gallery.
I doubt the zoo will get anymore giibons in the near future. They are planning to get some for the biodome in the masterplan. Absolutely no idea what species, I just hope that they are in more need of conservation than the Lars. Maybe Moloch(Javan) Gibbons. Th dwarf Siamang would be nice, but as there are none in Europe( the last one lived at Twycross and died at some point over the past 18 months) and I don't think that there are actually any outside of Indonesia. Regarding a gibbon mixed exhibit, I doubt that they would mix Lar gibbons with anything other than orangs. All gibbons are in the Same genus so it would be very likely that the species would Hybridise. I can only think of Maybe putting siamangs with them, as they are bigger than lars. But I know Fodders that you hate Siamangs!!!
Tuan, a male Bornean Orang Utan is due to arrive at Chester Zoo on 22nd June. He was born at Cologne Zoo, but has transferred from Antwerp.
Sibu has been about a bit since leaving Chester. He went first to Barcelona, then later, I believe, to Apenhuel (Holland) ?
Now that Chester are getting a new male, I doubt that Sibu will ever return. He did have very distinctive forward facing cheek flanges, like blinkers. If you see a picture of a zoo male orang with such 'blinkers' its likely to be Sibu. He was also missing part of a delicate part of his anatomy but I think he can still breed.... Do you know how many Bornean orangs there are at Chester now- I think they have reduced the number over the last few years.
