Bristol Zoo Project Wild Place News 2021

No, Lodja was the mother of ‘Luani’, ‘K’tusha’ and ‘Kimosi’, all whom Rubani sired

On this (outdated) database website, it says that Rubani died in 2015 http://theokapi.org/Studbook/Detail.aspx?stud_id=441

 

@TigerStripe was Lodja the Mum of M’Buti who was born and sired by N’Dura,at Bristol Zoo in 2005? If your not familiar with M’Buti he is now the breeding male at London Zoo.

 

Is there any news yet on what might be going in the former wolf enclosure?

 

According to the previously linked website, M'buti was born to female Xantia.

 

thanks for the information @Rajang21. Do you know if Xantia or N’Dura are still alive? I think they have probably passed away,but I would like to know.

 

N’Dura passed away in 2005, and Xantia passed away in 2006

 

Oh crickey that’s sad,N’Dura must have passed not long after I saw him featured on The Zoo Series that was filmed at Bristol Zoo for ITV,in 2005. I can watch the series as much as I desire as I have the Series on DVD.

 

In a first for the Wild Place, a Sumatran laughingthrush chick has hatched. The chick is being reared by both of its parents, who were both hand-reared.

The hatching of this chick brings the European zoo population of Sumatran laughingthrushes to 97.

Information about this hatching can be found in the link below:
A species first as endangered chick hatches at Wild Place - Wild Place

 

Female okapi 'Kibibi' will be leaving Wild Place on Thursday 21st October to Marwell Zoo for breeding purposes. She was the first animal to arrive at Wild Place when it first opened in 2013.

More information can be found in the link below:
A special animal at Wild Place Project is moving on - Wild Place

 

So what Okapis does this move leave Wild Place with?

 

Currently none held.

Unsure of future plans; would assume/hope there would be a more significant announcement if it was the end of Bristol Zoological Society’s association with the species.

 

In which case this marks a very historic day. Bristol Zoo (latterly at Wild Place) have held Okapi in an unbroken line since their first one arrived in 1961. This will be the very first time they have had none since then. The information on their FB page about this gives no indication of whether they will be continuing with them in the future or not, only that 'they are proud of their breeding success over the last sixty years'. Sounds a bit final doesn't it, but I sincerely hope that's not what it means.

 

I sincerely hope they get a new younger pair or 3. They have multiple okapi spaces. Nothing to let that go to waste

 

Its an iconic species for the zoo also, and I'm presuming this is just a temporary haitus as animals are moved around.

 

I hope it will be temporary, perhaps to allow some enclosure upgrades (noisy building/maintenance). Okapi are iconic in Bristol and were the main reason why I often travel from S Devon to visit.

 

I can remember when the first one arrived at Bristol Zoo in 1961- female Bakeda. First Okapi I had seen of course. They have held them ever since at one or other site, that's 60 years, with multi-generational breeding.

The good news is a response on their FB page from WildPlace now says 'they hope to have them again in the future after a temporary gap'. As you suggest, maybe taking the opportunity of maintenance/upgrading the enclosures in the meantime?

 

My Family have a home video of Bristol Zoo from 1994. The video includes many of Bristol’s lost species. These including Rothschild Giraffe,Asian Elephant,Perrie Dog,Pgmy Hippo and Okapi. The video shows it’s age as not only is Wendy the Asian Elephant walking around the Zoo with her keepers, but my Parents have not grey hair LOL

 

Why no update the area along with new attractive exhibits for bongo, gorilla, pygmy hippo, RRH and Birds of the Rainforests of Central Africa (bonobo ...).

 

Would be great wouldn't it...

 

Speaking to a keeper there last Friday, it was indeed the noisy building which was causing some stress to the remaining okapi.