West Midland Safari and Leisure Park West Midland Safari Park 2020

A female white tiger called Tubs has passed away after a short illness. She was 16 and was born at the park.

White tiger Tubs dies at safari park

 

How many white tigers does this leave WMSP now?

 

3.1.

 

I was just wondering if anyone can give me an update on the new African Elephant enclosure? Have any Elephants been identified to move to West Midlands for the opening of this new and improved Elephant paradise? I heard the plan was for the Elephants new home to be completed in time for next year,can someone please enlighten me to if this is still the aim.

Kind regards The Hedgehog

 

A male Indian Rhino calf was been born to female, Seto on 8th September. This is the first successful birth of an Indian Rhino at West Midlands (they first received them in 2010)

 

I must admit I had already given up on West Midlands ever achieving a breeding success with their GOH rhinos. I am so glad to be proven wrong!

Some sources on the birth:
1) Baby Indian rhino born at West Midland Safari Park
2) West Midland Safari Park announces historic birth of baby Indian rhino

On their own website:
3) West Midland Safari Park

 

Only the third place in the UK to breed them.

Btw I thought they already had three(1.2?) Their own press release says they have 3, shouldn't it actually be 4 with the birth of the new calf?

 

I know Chester is one but unsure on the other. Is it Whipsnade?

 

Yes, Whipsnade, which was the first place in the UK to breed an Indian rhino back in 1957.

 

And only the second in captivity in the world, the year(?) after Basel.

 

Yes, and the father of the new WMSP calf was born there.

 

Are there any updates with regards to the new African Elephant enclosure or even bringing in additional breeding Bulls and Cows?

 

Yes, the year after Basle.

The Basle calf was born on14th September 1956; the Whipsnade calf on 29th October 1957.

Both Whipsnade and Basle animals were sent to Milwaukee Zoo in 1959.

 

Where they were never to breed for some reason.

I heard a story that when subsequent calves of opposite sexes were again born at Whipsnade and Basel- but the female calf at Basel this second time around, that ZSL suggested repeating the pairing of the two calves, but Basel said no, as they wanted to keep the calf (Moola) for future breeding, which is what they in fact, did.

 

Indeed. Glad to see Rap’s finally fulfilled his potential much like his half-sister has been doing at Chester for a few years now. Also important considering his mother, Beluki, is wild-caught.

 

I believe the reason they may not have bred was because the enclosure/exhibit area was to small which turned out to be the reason San Deigo zoo were having no luck with their pair until they sent them out to the wild animal park!

 

I do seem to remember that they did in fact get another female it maybe back on their FB page or website!

 

Correct, I would think 4 indeed. I am unaware at this moment that they would have shuttered off second cow Sunanda (but given her non-breeding till date, perhaps not entirely in doubt).

 

Very possibly. A smaller traditional zoo enclosure of the past wouldn't give enough space for mating chases etc and so you get aggression and injury instead. That or it induces lack of sexual interest at all. I think Milwaukee's pair had to be kept seperately after they matured.

 

Nearly all the Indian rhino in captivity originate from stock from Kaziranga in Assam. Behan and Beluki came direct from Nepal( Chitwan NP probably) as they were a gift from the King, so they do represent a totally different line.