More new arrivals, from Facebook page. "We have just recieved 8 Meerkats and 4 Spiny Hill Turtles from the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust."
Just googled Spiny Hill Turtles, awesome looking thangs, don't think I've seen them before (though Zootierliste says Chester & London have got them, maybe I've been walking around with my eyes closed?).
Must have been on show at some point - just checked my photo list and I've got shots of the species at Chester and Cotswold.
Wingham now have Tigers. Says on the facebook page they are 2 brothers that are only 4 and a half weeks old from a private zoo in Belgium. Link to fb page Welcome to Facebook - Log In, Sign Up or Learn More
Big cats are one of those groups of animals that indicate a definite shift up in gear in the animal collection. Very odd to bring in two such young animals though.
Apparently they were rejected by the mother and staff in Belgium didn't want the hassle of handrearing them
A Kent wildlife park has welcomed two rare fluffy young residents who arrived in the county by ferry at Dover. BBC News - Two new tiger cubs arrive at Wingham Wildlife Park
They have been named Blade and Troy (not my choice!!) Cute cubs Blade and Troy given a warm welcome at Wingham Wildlife Park
Also new is a young, hand reared Puma. It is not officially on display, as it apparently lives in the keepers house at the moment and was brought out to a random patch of grass about 20m from the kids play area at the park. I wouldn't claim that I knew a lot about handing cats, but it did seem to be out of control for most of the time he was outside. The bloke said it had been rejected by its parents, the same as the tigers were, so presumably they might have originated from the same place?
Update from facebook page Lion Rescue Wingham Wildlife Park will be taking on 2 male Lions which had been rescued from a French Circus by a rescue centre in France called Tonga Terre D'accueil, which is run by L'espace Zoologique de Saint-Martin-la-Plaine. We are very excited about this project and will keep everyone updated on the progress of this project. Please feel free to read our initial press release at: http://www.winghamwildlifepark.co.uk/UploadedFiles/November 2011 Lions.pdf