ZSL Whipsnade Zoo Whipsnade zoo 2017

I doubt the figures for the free-ranging animals are accurate anyway; presumably they are estimates only.

I assume that the two muntjac at London Zoo are ex-Whipsnade which would contribute to the decline in numbers although, checking the previous inventories, the Whipsnade’s population of muntjac has been steadily decreasing in recent years as shown below. (The figure for 2012 seems to be an anomaly as there was a huge increase the following year.)

2011 (26)
2012 (4)
2013 ( 21)
2014 (14)
2015 ( 7)
2016 (6)
2017 (2)​

Yes, see the figure for 2012 above!

 

Dear Tim, I take the figures with a coupla pinches of salt methinks.
I just wonder how they have arrived at their estimates. It will certainly not have been quantifiable and random square grid sampling. I would hence thus treat the current figures as somewhat an underestimate of the true wild population on the South Downs at Whipsnade.

It would seem fair to believe that around the South Downs and beyond a resident population of Chinese muntjac is still flourishing with their numbers unknown. I assume that till date no extermination or wild-to-captive capture program will have taken place in order to rid the countryside of an invasive deer taxon.

Where the figures pertain to the Chinese water deer I guess that might be another underestimate. Allthough, I do know some years ago Berlin Zoo received these deer ex Whipsnade. But surely, the population is still around the Downs and probably higher than the Zoo Inventory would have us believe. Perhaps you can clarify the latter situation too!???

 

Whatever the true count of Muntjac remaining, with such a tiny number left their days at Whipsnade are probably numbered now.

 

There are certainly some Chinese Water Deer around in the wild in Bedfordshire, though their preferred habitat is the flatter wetlands as in Cambridgeshire and Norfolk. But I don't think they can enter or leave Whipsnade Park, at least not on a regular basis being as its an enclosed area. You might get a few escapes but more unlikely that they come the other way....

 

I haven't checked earlier than 2005 but the prairie dogs have been listed in the last thirteen animal inventories; for the last six years they have been consistently reported as numbering twenty individuals!

 

Fair enough - sure I remember a discussion on here about them not being listed, though thinking about it that may have been referring to ISIS.

 

Here's an article on the 'Centre of Elephant Care':
Asian elephants to move in to new £2m home

 

Last October I failed to see any Muntjac, except for one possible sighting in Owl Wood, although due to the huge nature of Whipsnade they would have plenty of space to hide!

Worth noting that again the only suid mentioned is Red River Hog, no Wild Boar or Gloucester Old Spots.

 

The Wild boar are usually sent away to breed in winter, so aren't there in January.

I suspect the totals for Mara, Chinese Water Deer and Prairie Dog are all under estimated! I've seen 30 deer in the rhino paddock alone in the last year on more than one occasion. Given the count is done in January, maybe many of the free roaming animals are hidden away sheltering from the elements?! Unless they spray each animal as it's counted, there's no chance of obtaining an exact figure anyway.

 

Unless they bring in some more to save them being culled in the wild (as they may have to be under the invasive species legislation).

 

Agreed. This is a problem with the current style of Animal Inventory that only lists the animals in the collection as at 1st January.

I wish the ZSL Animal Inventory would revert to the old format, which was much more informative, giving the number in the collection on 1st January, number of births, number of arrivals, number of deaths, number of departures and number in the collection on 31st December.

 

Does anyone know why many of the species aren't mentioned on the map or the zoo website, because there are alot of animals on zotierliste like gemsbok and someone mentioned a single american bison which appear nowhere and I fear that when I visit for the first time in a few weeks that i'll miss a lot. If anyone has any info i'd be grateful.

 

No-one will know why the species aren't on the map I'm afraid! The map is fairly hopeless!!

The American Bison is behind the penguins on the Downs, along with the Prairie Dog.

Gemsbok are in the paddock between the giraffe & the otter/red panda

Anything else just ask

 

Do you know where the impala and kudu enclosures are?

 

The impala and kudu are in the large paddock opposite the hippos.

 

Glad to see that the Magpie Goose group is now 3:3 from the 1:1 listed in last years. Where are the Magpie Geese in the zoo as I missed them last time I visited?

 

Last time I saw them they were off-show in the bird garden last year!

 

A brief visit yesterday and, after passing inspection, it looks like the partition fencing within the old the wolf enclosure (giraffe side) has now been removed to create some kind of "super-paddock" for the hunting dogs. The old dens have also been filled in and replaced with a shelter/kopje.

Regarding the inventory, what does it say about peafowl? I've only seen 2 in the last year and no peahen for 5+ years!