Hey there, Just was wondering has anyone seen/have news on how wild wild whipsnade is getting on? Driving past the zoo the other day and it didnt seem alot had been done. Also what is this i keep reading on here about whipsnade and tapirs? Sounds cool lol!
I would expect that after Colchester s import of a reticulated giraffe male that Whipsnade will follow suit soonish. Any indication when this new giraffe male is due in?
I can't answer that, but I have heard both Indian rhino females are pregnant (by Hugo). I did wonder if they are planning to keep the young female as a future breeder, but as both she and the bull 'Hugo' do share a large component of the Basel genes, possibly not? Or would they be sufficiently distant from each other in the Studbook Co-ordinator's opinion?
Does anyone want to know specific news from Whipsnade? I am attending Friday 25th and taking advantage of the Whipsnade Zoo night with the zoo open until 10pm rather looking forward to it
How about: What is the status with A) pregnant rhino (Indian + white), B new male reticulated giraffe, C) Persian onager and D) the northern cheetahs ....? After the European region refurb (with elk, wolverine, lynx et al), what is the next big project?
I will see what I can do. Though ZSL like to keep there new projects pretty close to there chest until they are ready to start building.
News from Whipsnade. Azizah the Asian Elephant is pregnant. Onager foal born 24th June the night before we visited sex unknown. Przewalski's foal. Red Crowned Crane Chick. Wild boar have piglets I counted 9. Wolverines are now both together in the same enclosure. Only 2 Giraffe left. Also I have some photo's that will make you all jealous that I am putting up later.
Thats easy to fix we could take her down under another female for Dora would be a great idea as we only have the one pair in oz
I would love to see Whipsnade once again keep Black rhinos in a breeding setup with the same amount of focus on them as they put into their Indian and White rhino herds
I wonder if that means the other younger male has gone elsewhere, leaving just the two adult females at present? (or has one died.. )
well they did try for many years as you know, but the housing and results weren't good. I think if they ever brought them back it should be to new or improved housing as with the Indian rhinos- but I just don't think they will have them again.
They did, there were two, both offspring of the one female 'Savannah' who was herself born at Whipsnade (one of the few female births they've ever had in this Reticulated group). A very big (tall) female (Ina or Nia?) was added quite recently from I think, Dvur Kralov which brought the group up to 2.2. but without a breeding male. ISIS still list them as having 1.2. but they are often out of date.
I went up for the "zoo night" on friday and a volunteer said that Mtoto (born in 2008) was moved to germany a week or so ago which leaves just Savannah (Mtoto's Mum) and Ina the really tall female......although the volunteer did seem to think that a bull giraffe was being brought in from europe soon.
This is extremely welcome news - onagers have not done well in Europe in recent years so all births are very valuable. The two females were hoped to be pregnant when they arrived so looks as if that tactic has paid off.
Good to have confirmation this was a move rather than a death. That now leaves only the female 'Savanah' as the sole descendant of the group of Reticulated Giraffe they imported some years back. A new bull is obviously still awaited.
