Yorkshire Wildlife Park Yorkshire Wildlife Park News 2012

I've not seen it but I'm pretty sure Humbug's (mother) tail is short due to injury, not anything genetic.

 

The baby's tail was amputated: Statement on the park's fb

"We are very pleased to say that Humbug's infant is doing very well. After an unfortunate fall from the top of the lemur house she sustained a permanent injury to her tail. Under anaesthetic, 3/4 of her tail was removed on May 11th and she is now back with mum. All of us have been very worried about her and we are incredibly relieved that she appears to be recovering and on the mend. Lemurs use their tails for balance and for communication. As she is so young, it is our hope that she will adapt to life in Lemur Woods without a tail. We believe she is a 'she', but we will keep you updated. Humbug continues to be an excellent mum."

 

Been today myself. Just to add, the baby camel's called Elizabeth and the baby lemur is also going to be called a name beginning with "E", one of the options being considered is Endrina, which is Malagasy for lemur. Caramba ( as opposed to i Caramba ,as suggested by max, the "i" is in fact an inverted exclamation mark used in Hispanic languages. I will try to load the photo ) looks very good and the area directly behind it and adjacent to the S American Viva is indeed where the giant anteaters will go.

The wetland finally looks like a wetland after all the recent rain.

Although there were only around 50 cars there, there were 7 busloads of small children!
Luckily I had my annual pass.


Was very lucky to find that Denzil had not been fed and so, got a few close-ups of him. He was playing the old soldier because he has a cut on his paw. The limp was pretty pronounced until he was leaping up the platforms for the meat ;-)

Don't know if Sayan and Vlad are together permanently but they were today.

Weather was pretty abysmal. Heavy showers and a biting wind, whipping dust up at intervals.

 

Dramatic times for Sayan the Tiger...
Think you've had a bad day at the dentist? Meet the tiger whose heart STOPPED while having a filling | Mail Online

 

wow - so glad she is okay - how devestating that would have been. Thanksfor sharing as had not seen that

 

Only just noticed yesterday that there is a third tiger enclosure, well at
least a third, smaller, enclosure behind the tigers, it would allow them to separate animals if / when they get more
Took us quite a while & binoculars to discover the 'bag of camel fur toy' in the grass near a sleeping tiger was actually another sleeping tiger.

 

Went yesterday - so hot! Animals had the right idea - sleep thru it! Giraffe house looks huge! And now has a shape. I am guessint that is the ant eate enclosur bein done next to aye caramba. Anyone know what the path thru the woods at the back of lemur enclosure is going to lead to? Am lovng all the progress

 

The baby lemur (they said she was called Echo, but I saw someone had put a very strangely spelled name somewhere) seems fine with her very short tail, more of a stump really, she was leaping around & climbing fearlessly. The browns are being kept separate at the moment.

One of the mara has had 3 young. There are loads of young lechwe, not sure how many they want!

I was thinking the addax look great, it's time they maybe got some breeders.

 

Didn't notice it, which direction does it go? There's nothing that obvious on the plans for that area.

 

It is beyond the back of the lemur enclosure where the big silver gate is - the path is going from direction of black kites. I had seen the diggers there a couple of weeks ago and thought when i went back there might be an encosure but instead a pathway made through, Maybe its just another walkway. Was just curious as to where it will lead to eventually!! Would love it if the park website keep us informed of what is evolving as its so interesting watching a new park build.

 

Going tomorrow so will report any developments I see.

 

Visited this morning. Busy but not as busy as I would expect for a half term - maybe the changable weather this week has put people off.

The new Caramba Village area is very impressive. This area has a number of covered large picnic tables with lights in the beams above (very fancy I thought and complete waste of money). Around them the area has been heavily planted. Each table is down it's own little path so when the plants grow in a few years you will feel lik you are eating in your own private area.

They seem to have a large group of Mara now. Didn't realise there were quite so may agouti, Think I saw 5 or 6 agouti. The Keepers were being kept busy in South American Viva with people touching and encouraging the Squirrel Monkeys over. Saw a keeper having to chase one of the Capybara into the pond as it was getting too close to a group of visitors.

Saw 2 leopards. One in main enclosure and one in the smaller enclosure behind. The exhibit is starting to green up.

Vlad and Sayan were both in the enclosure nearest to the new giraffe area.

It was the first time I have seen the YWP lions doing things other than sleep today. Several cats in the first enclosure were stalking and pouncing on each other which was fun to watch.

The eland are a nice addition to the African Plains. Think there were about 10 lechwe on the wetlands. The main herd seems to have made up for these animals being removed and looks larger than ever. Couldn't count all the Lechwe in the main herd on the African Plains as they were as far away as they could get and all laying down together.

I think quite a few people seemed disapointed with lemur wood. All the ring-tailed lemurs were huddled in a ball by the entrance to the exhibit with the 2 Black and white ruffed lemurs close by. No sign of the Brown lemurs.

The animal encounter seems to have combined with the Birds of prey demo area by the South American Viva and now Skunks, Coatis and Macaws are being displayed along with the Owls, Harris Hawks and Kites


The reptile/ education room reminds me of my bedroom with all the vivariums. Think this room is open from 13:00 til 15:00 daily with a keeper letting people touch the reptiles. Theres 2 Bearded Dragons, 2 Corn Snakes, 1 Blue-tounged Skink, 1 Leopard Gecko, 1 Milk Snake and what looked like 2 other vivs housing larger reptiles (poss Bosc monitor and Royal Python). Theres also a large aquarium in the room holding Red-bellied Pirhana and a crayfish.

 

Re: Caramba Village

It is due to open very soon, may even be open now from what I've heard. Is there work still going on next to it? It should be a Giant Anteater exhibit, I admire YWP for it's ambition. I've not seen a Zoo have so much ambition and they've only been open three years. I also like the idea of a South American Village next to a South American animal.

 

The Caramba Village is open, we ate in it!

I think I remember seeing some construction next to Caramba but I think it was only in it's very early stages.

 

African Lion, Johnny Senior has died. He was thought to be around 30 years old....

 

Sad but not surprising, he's done well to last so long. It was lovely to see him with Dani & Simba.

 

Is he the first Lion of their group(s) from Romania(?) to have died?

 

Yes, Cezar has been not so well also but Johnny is the first to have died.

 

I suppose as the older ones in the separate groups die off, then at some time in the future they might be able to amalgamate the rest into a single pride.

 

I wouldn't like to be the person amalgamating anyone with Ares & Adel, maybe they could share Johnny Junior's females out amongst 2 groups but I would have thought Adel/Ares and Dani/Simba will not mix (but I don't know lion behaviour that well!)