White Oak Conservation Center White Oak Conservation Center

I really havent posted many updates of White Oak.

We've had several births this year including Giant Eland, Bongo, Addra Gazelle, Nile Lechwe, Gerenuk, Lesser Kudu, an Okapi calf, MS Sandhill Crane, 4 cassowary chicks, and a litter of cheetahs. We will also be expecting Giraffe, Roan Antelope, Gerenuk, Addra, Giant Eland, Grevy's Zebra, and another Okapi in the next year.

White Oak suffered some damage from Tropical Storm Fay...we continue to clean up from this storm after loosing dozens of trees and much fenceline. And the flood waters finally receded a few weeks ago. We also continue to watch our Red Bay trees die as the range of the invasive Ambrosia Beetle (who burrow into the trees and allow for fungus to invade the tree's core) spreads south from South Carolina.

A male Somali Wild Ass arrived from Marwell this summer and has been introduced to our herd of 0.4 that we acquired last fall from San Diego Wild Animal Park.

Two juvenile Andean Condors (our newest species) arrived last winter and they will temporarily remain at White Oak until their eventual release into the Andes Mountains.

As for the Okapi, our young calf is doing well and growing quickly. We recently finished moving some animals arround to allow for our next round of breeding. I do have another female pregnant that is due this winter.

Last winter our two elderly tigers passed away. We received two young male tigers from a tiger rescue facility in May.

And finally this summer we indentified a bat colony on our property as a rare population of Rafinesque's Big-eared Bat. We have started observations on these bats to provide important data to bat conservationists.

 

Gilman International Conservation and White Oak Conservation Center has published its first ever annual report and is available on GIC's website.

http://www.giconline.org/docs/White_Oak_AR_Final_Web.pdf

 

okapikpr,

An impressive and informative annual report. An incredible amount of conservation projects being supported in situ that complement the coop breeding programmes at home. That is the way of the future zoo!

Just one criticism - if you pardon me - I wish GIC would include a annual listing of its animal inventory (including births, deaths, arrivals and transfers). Oh well, hopefully for next time when 2008 is under the hammer!

Cheers,

Jelle

 

That's part of White Oak's mystique. Just like the curve ball i'm about to throw at you all. We call it the White Oak Experience!

 

Here is an article from nine years ago about White Oak Conservation Center:

Even those who live by White Oak hardly know about it 05/23/99

 

Well be prepared ... when I get to the States om my regular travels I will surely stop by and take in the magical nature of the place!

Will pm you later ...!

Jelle

 

Some more articles regarding White Oak.

stmarysmagazine.com Blog Blog Archive White Oak Plantation. Where Georgia Meets Florida in Africa.

Amelia Island Living.com Shrouded in Mystique, A Rare Glimpse of White Oak Plantation

Sherman's Fox Squirrel at White Oak Plantation

Jacksonville.com

 

The latest edition of White Oak's newsletter, Karatasi, has been posted.

http://www.giconline.org/docs/KaratasiFallWinter2008.pdf

And a further update on some recent animal activities:

0.0.3 Maned Wolves born
0.1 Bongo born
An Andean Condor arrived from San Diego
1.0 Komodo Dragon soon to be shipped to Jax Zoo

 

White Oak Plantation and the Howard Gilman Foundation have a new website:

WhiteOak Plantation

 

A Southern White Rhinoceros was born at White Oak this morning. This is our fourth 2nd generation captive birth to occur at White Oak - and the first since the mid-1990s.

 

...and a giraffe was born last week, our third since November.

 

TRANSPLANT (from Toronto thread)
QUOTE [okapikpr We currently have 1.13, our breeding herd consist of 1.7, a seperate mare herd contains 0.4, and of course the 0.2 in quarantine. We are expecting 4.0 from St Catherine's Island within the year. ] UNQUOTE

Most zoo based facilities keep: 1.2 or 1.3 Grevy Zebra at best or just in single sex groups.

I notice more and more that the Grevy Zebra are being taken up by facilities with sufficient space, is this a new trend in Grevy Zebra management in the SSP?

Shame about SC going out of Grevy Zebra (is the facility going to be defunct or will NZP continue to operate it)?

 

1. White Oak has maintain Grevy's Zebra since 1977. Our breeding herd is maintain in a 12 acre paddock.

2. There are currently no trends in the NA Grevy's Zebra SSP. Facilities maintain and grow their herds comprable to their holding space.

3. St Catherine's Island Wildlife Survival Center was long maintained by the Bronx Zoo (WCS) and not the National Zoo - they have their own conservation center in Front Royal, VA. After WCS pulled out of St Cat's 5-7 years ago, the owners of the island have minimally maintained the conservation center. St Cat's is closing and will be dispersing all of its animals, except for the lemurs.

4. St Catherine's involvement with the Grevy's Zebra was very minimal - only holding a small surplus of stallions for White Oak. These stallions were transferred there a few years ago to allow White Oak to begin a Somali Wild Ass program and re-start its Grevy's Zebra breeding.

 

Great to hear!

 

Check out this video clip of my new pride and joy...

 

VERY cute, any name at this stage?

 

thanks for the video

 

Okapi Conservation Project Update – October 5, 2012

Okapi Conservation Project Update – October 5, 2012 | Okapi Conservation Project

 

What is happening at White Oaks itself? Is the facility still extant?
What is going on with the animal collection?

 

@okapikpr, is there a way to get in touch with you? Please send me a PM. Thanks