ZSL Whipsnade Zoo Whipsnade zoo 2017

Do you know what's happened to the Kulan or where they've gone? The recent inventory shows only 0.1.

 

Kulan, since when?

Do you mean the onager?

 

The most recent Whipsnade inventory only lists two male peafowl.

 

Thought it didn't sound right...yes Onagers, what has happened to the Onagers.

 

anybody heard when the new lions are going to london ?

 

Paid a visit this afternoon (will post photos later) and I had forgotten just how cold it can be up there!

For some reason a pair of Gaur were in what was the old Gaur paddock (usually now Asian Rhino), work on the Hunting Dogs & Elephants looked to be going well and the end of the Discovery Centre with the indoor Saki Monkey enclosure, turtles and Iguana is still open but im not sure for how much longer. Interestingly there was a sign on the Silvery Marmoset house saying it was temporally empty, is that just for the cold winter months?

Also saw a Muntjac which I have not seen for ages!

 

Visited yesterday, the white rhino enclosure was separated by building equipment and the enclosure was being modified.

 

Oh interesting, what modifications could you see?

 

It looked like they were digging a pool in the centre and the ditch on one side of the enclosure next to the fence was being deepened. There was a sign saying what was happening but I can't remember what it said.

 

Oh right ok, maybe splitting the rhinos from the antelope?

 

From what I could see in my visit, there were Japanese sika deer in the section near the hippos, and the rhinos were kept inside - I didn't see any other antelopes on the day sadly.

 

Well will be interesting to see what the outcome is!

 

No surprise there then! How many will that leave at London, and what ratio male/female?

 

Checking the latest ZSL Animal Inventory shows that there were 8.5 hunting dogs at London Zoo on 1st January 2017.

Assuming, therefore, that there have been no other departures this year then sending five females to Whipsnade would leave eight males.

 

Interesting, as I know the mother at the zoo is called Branca that means that she has either passed away or been moved to another zoo without our knowing....since none of the five dogs moving to Whipsnade are called Branca.

EDIT: Either of the above events must have happened as there were six males and five females in the hunting dog litter, who joined two males and a female. Therefore, if the mother was indeed still there, there ought to be 8.6

 

My bad, the section near the hippos contained sitatunga, not Japanese sika deer

 

Not sure if this has been addressed, but Sri Lankan Sloth bear Lanka passed away over the winter. She was 31 years old.

Cloisters Phase 2 has a tentative start date of 2018.

This year will see the start of a long term (4 year) project to redevelop the entire sea lion area. The outer area will be enlarged and expanded, with the pools housing a kelp forest and rocks for beaching. The shows will be gradually phased out and will have a more conservation-oriented theme.

Catering has now been outsourced to Levy's and will also have a complete overhaul. Wild Bite and Africa Outpost will be expanded, whilst River Cottage (yes, the very same!) will operate the Lookout Cafe. Again, this is a long term project.

 

Ah, do you mean the paddock to the left of the Hippo's which you cant really see?

Sad about the Sloth Bear I guess that was the mother who came from London Zoo?

Exciting news about the Sea Lions, will be weird when the shows go, I remember them so well when I was young!

 

No, I mean the second white rhino rhino area.