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ZSL Whipsnade Zoo Whipsnade Zoo 2018

Discussion in 'United Kingdom' started by Panthera1981, 22 Jan 2018.

  1. Pertinax

    Pertinax Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Was it Azizah that prevented them living as a single group for many years?(I don't know about the recent situation...)
     
  2. Panthera1981

    Panthera1981 Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    No, it’s the dynamic between Mya and Kaylee-both see themselves as matriarch. Azizah mixed freely between both groups.
     
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  3. Tim May

    Tim May Well-Known Member 15+ year member Premium Member

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    I recall when Whipsnade's white rhino herd numbered twenty plus individuals so, with only five animals now, there is certainly scope to increase the number somewhat. It would be nice to augment the group with a few young animals and hopefully start breeding again.
     
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  4. Pertinax

    Pertinax Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    I think the maximum was 22- twenty newly imported plus the two residents they already had.
     
  5. Pertinax

    Pertinax Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Will this mean one of Mya/Kaylee will still have to be seperate, or is that more or less resolved nowadays?
     
  6. Tim May

    Tim May Well-Known Member 15+ year member Premium Member

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    Agreed; twenty white rhinos were imported in 1970 (they arrived on 5th August) and there were already two in the collection. However, I think subsequent births meant that the number rose above twenty-two for a while...
     
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  7. Yassa

    Yassa Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Aziza was already in very poor shape when I last saw her 3 years ago - she had severe arthritis in her front legs and abscesses in the hind feet. Its rather surprising that she made it into 2018. Poor girl, at least she is no longer in pain.

    Regarding Mya and Kaylee: I have no up-to-date Informations about their relationship, but usually issues like these never resolve.
     
  8. agnmeln

    agnmeln Well-Known Member

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    Absolutely, this is by far the most important thing.
     
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  9. Zia

    Zia Well-Known Member

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    The last 3 visits we've made (most recent being today) all the females plus Sam have been in together.
     
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  10. Stuart Sadler

    Stuart Sadler Member

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    Centrebus have a new 200 service starting end of March; Luton station, Tesco Skimpot, Dunstable centre, Whipsnade zoo. 7 days a week.
     
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  11. ShonenJake13

    ShonenJake13 Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Yesterday they were separate: Mya, Karishma, Sam and Elizabeth in one, Lucha, Kaylee and Donna in the other.
     
  12. Tim May

    Tim May Well-Known Member 15+ year member Premium Member

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    Thanks for this; very helpful.

    My preferred way to visit Whipsnade by public transport is to catch bus 35 from outside St. Albans railway station although, frustratingly, this bus service does not operate on Sunday; consequently, details of a bus that runs seven days a week are particularly welcome.

    I have previously posted a link to the Bus 35 Timetable elsewhere on ZooChat but it might be useful to add it to the current Whipsnade thread too, so here it is:-

    Bus 35 Timetable
     
  13. FBBird

    FBBird Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Wasn't ThI at Chester relocated from London?
     
  14. Tim May

    Tim May Well-Known Member 15+ year member Premium Member

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    Yes, "Thi" at Chester was previously at London Zoo so it is not correct to say that "Mya" is the sole remaining elephant from the London group; however, "Thi" left London Zoo years before "Mya" so "Mya" is, indeed, the last London Zoo elephant.
     
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  15. Panthera1981

    Panthera1981 Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Following changes to management and training methods, it has been decided to end the elephants daily walks around the zoo.

    Those who have encountered the group walking around the park will, I'm sure, agree that it was always an unforgettable highlight of their day.
     
  16. Crowthorne

    Crowthorne Moderator Staff Member 10+ year member

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    It'll be a shame not to see them on their walks, but am not surprised they are coming to an end. Open contact just isn't really the way elephants are managed now. The new house must be better set up for protected contact than the old one. I do wonder how or if it will affect the elephants, the walks through the grounds and onto the Downs must have been excellent enrichment for them. Will their paddock receive some more enrichment to compensate?
     
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  17. kiang

    kiang Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    I'm sure a lot of visitors will miss this experience and I always noted the animals either grazing on the slopes or browsing on the trees (this would have save a penny or 2 from the food bill).
     
  18. Yassa

    Yassa Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Is there an offiziell announcement from the zoo regarding the elephant walk?

    I hope this means that they are finally ending the free contact in favor of protected contact. I have whitnessed really ugly, brutal bullhook use in Whipsnade under the free contact regimen. Not mentioning that these walks were dangerous for the staff and the visitors alike. And I guess most visitors had no idea how the calves were trained to keep them "manageable" during the walks...
     
  19. Fallax

    Fallax Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    I've known about the ending of the walks for a while (my cousin is one of the elephant keepers). He is quite sad about it and I do agree it was definitely the highlight of my trip and I am sure of many others.
     
  20. Panthera1981

    Panthera1981 Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Whipsnade’s last two remaining meerkats have been euthanised due to ongoing health issues. A new group will be introduced in the near future.