A new thread for a new year The waterbuck have now been moved from the white rhino paddock to share with the zebra.
Realistically, there isn't the housing available to keep much more than is currently being held. There is an issue at Whipsnade. With its huge acreage, it has the space to be one of Europe's leading ungulate breeding centres, yet its location high on the Dunstable Downs means that buildings with heated dens and access to sizeable yards are essential. I so wish that ZSL would consider that upgrading and enhancing its hoofstock stabling on its country estate was a bigger priority.
Basically, Whipsnade is in the wrong place! I agree about them making more of their Ungulates. Nowadays the ungulate housing seems largely a harkback to Whipsnade's fomer ungulate 'glory days'. I rather doubt we shall see any shift toward changing anything though as Whipsnade nowadays seems to be a more simplified collection.
Personally I have never had much of a problem seeing the waterbuck in the rhino paddock but I don't know about others. I don't think they have been out in the zebra paddock yet (when I visited they were shut in one of the houses/yards) so I'm not sure if they'll be easier to see when they are eventually let out.
Saw waterbuck and zebra mixed in the paddock today. They all seemed to be getting along fine In more exciting news, some new additions to the zoo could be seen out today in the small paddock at the entrance to the drive through (I think where the Arabian oryx used to be) - 0.4 Nilgai
Very good news - nice to see Asian antelope going up in numbers after dwindling to a single (?) Blackbuck last year.
Agreed, this is excellent news, & there certainly weren't many blackbuck last time i went in the drive through.
Correct, 1 male. First time I've seen them out in that paddock. Out of interest can anyone give any details of the last time the species was held at Whipsnade?
Assuming you’re referring to the nilgai then the ZSL Animal Inventory for 2007 shows that Whipsnade still had three females as at 31st December 2007 but the species was not listed in the Animal Inventory for 2008. I’m very pleased to have nilgai back at Whipsnade. (I remember during the 1980s there were twenty-odd nilgai in the collection.)
Exciting to hear that nilgai are back, but one thing is bugging me. I apologise if I sound thick but how can you have 0.4? is there some numbering thing that I have not heard of or understand? interesting to hear the waterbuck are in with the zebra, was up there not that long ago so would have gone and had a look!
0.4 means 4 females. 1.2 would mean one male and two females Haven't seen Nilgai before, hope to get to Whipsnade sometime this year
Hello everyone! Just "signed up," so I thought I'd give you an update: Following on from the nilgai news, Whipsnade will also be aquiring blackbuck, impala, thompson's gazelle and blesbok. These will be added to the collection throughout the year. The revamped children's farm is also set for completion around Easter, being renamed Hullabazoo Farm. Some sad news: Uno, the male Reticulated giraffe was euthanised in February due to ongoing health issues.
What is your source for this? If it is indeed true, it is excellent news - although it seems unlikely that the zoo would go into such a quartet at the moment. I very much hope that I'm wrong....
Another setback for this group. At least he leaves a female offspring, and possibly another one or two calves posthumously to follow soon?
They are very nervous and quite difficult to manage. Marwell's bred freely but as equally frequently killed themselves due to their flight reactions etc.
