Yorkshire Wildlife Park Yorkshire Wildlife Park News 2012

Visited today - park looking good and pleasingly busy.

Think Gary D's post above covers most of the changes since my last visit. One thing I don't recall being mentioned is that a bull eland has arrived - there are now 1.3 on the Plains.

Also, the two 'original' Raccoon Dogs have moved to yet another new enclosure (back closer to the meerkats) to make way for a new, bigger play barn.

 

I saw the eland last week and wasn't sure whether I was supposed to know he was there, my memory not being what it was!

 

I thought there were 5 young female eland?

 

Are there? Was convinced it was three! I only saw 1.3, but it's quite possible two others were either in the shed or mixed in with the lechwe, most of whom spent the whole visit lying down at the back of the exhibit.

 

I'm also pretty positive they were just the three females who arrived first, then followed by the bull. They're was only three females when I visited in February.

 

Maybe there are just 3 then, don't know why the number 5 was in my head?

 

Been today and made an unfortunate discovery. Echo, the ring-tailed lemur has died. They believe she made a fatal fall from either a tree or the cage. Apparently, she would make improbable leaps between trees; a bit of a daredevil. Perhaps the absence of a tail proved fatal in the end? This happened some time between July 26th and now.

I was told that the ruffed lemurs are trying to assert their supremacy at the moment. I didn't see the white-faced brown but he seems to be integrating more into the group., ( all according to the keeper ).

Monty the Camel has been introduced to the others but he is still on his own in the compound.

I only saw 2 raccoon dog pups in the cage; according to the sign there should be 3.

Squirrel monkeys were having a ball and seemed oblivious to the amount of people watching. Even the lowest ranked in the group was play-fighting with the others. Unfortunately, there was one ignoramus who thought it would be a good idea to stroke one of them, in front of his small children. Fortunately, the squirrel monkey only grabbed his finger; I rather hoped it would sink its teeth in. Perhaps he was dyslexic?Hmm.

The giant anteaters are still scheduled but not until next year. None are available yet. Depends on the donor's breeding programme as to when they will be coming.

Giraffe House is nearing completion. The unfinished building by the wood near to the Giraffe House is in fact a snackbar/confectionery stall.

Elsewhere, the foundations are being laid for the new playbarn. Looks like it's going to be a big building.

The place was absolutely heaving with people, even at 3.30 in the afternoon. It appeared that the overspill car park had been almost full during the day.

The count of marmoset is at 15, according to their keeper, having had five new arrivals during the breeding season.

Incidentally, I caught the last bit of the tiger talk and they are still hoping to introduce 2 more tigers as prospective breeding mates for Vlad and Sayan.

 

So sorry about Echo - what a character - I guess he had to be allowed to live wih the others - I had worried about balance.

Do adore going but I feel there is a need now for mor staff or for volunteers to start manning enclosures - the lemur gates particularly drives me crazy with lazy humans who cannot be bothered to follow the gate rules. Its getting so busy the staff need other eyes! And dont even get me started on the kids LOL!

I saw one woman tryiing to feed a squirrel monkey - her hubby said - its says you cant feed them - oh no what a shame - hmmmmm comon sense might be expected.

I love reading about the progress of the park - its WONDERFUL!! So excited see the furture and proud of what they have done so far, Just would like to see a little control of the human animals not in the cages!!

 

Great shame about Echo particularly as she was the only female baby lemur they've had She certainly was a daredevil.

 

Any idea where the giraffe will be sourced from?
Or will they start with first all male or all female group?

 

Latest update on Giraffes: Expected to be on-show for October half term now. They will be batchelors - two from an un-named UK collection and a third male from a none UK zoo (again un-named)
Tall order for wildlife park to home giraffes - Doncaster news - Doncaster Free Press

 

Seems that you will be able to go in the giraffe house, I didn't think you would, hope it smells like Chester!

 

I do love the smell of Chester's Giraffe House. I remember the Twycross one used to smell like that when I was a kid.

 

If it's 3 adult males it may even be more pungent than Chesters house. I quite like the smell, it's a proper 'zooey' smell to me. It would be good if it is a walk in house, as watching those people who really cannot put up with the smell is entertaining too.

 

This is when I love Zoochat! My friend has a problem with a fungal nail, wonder if giraffe hair socks could help where Boots has failed!

So it wasn't just his height that gave Thorn his pulling power!

 

All Giraffe Houses smell like that although I don't know how quickly a 'new' Giraffe House acquires its smell from the animals. Its obvious, I suppose, but until reading the above article, I had never really equated the smell with the Giraffes themselves, but they obviously carry it and impregnate their surroundings.

It is a most attractive smell, but then I like the smell of Gorillas too, also Maned Wolves.

 

I agree with that a 100%. I really like the smell of a Giraffe house (Anywhere). The first one that really struck me was at Chester, it was really smelly however I liked it.

 

Had a quick visit yesterday afternoon just to see what's happening.
First thing I noticed was Monty the Camel pacing up and down on his own, seeming to still prefer humans to his own kind. Vlad and Sayan look in very good shape.

I mentioned the lechwe in the wetlands previously and it is apparently part of an experiment in vegetation management.

Area 1 is where some Aberdeen Angus cross cattle are grazing, which is standard practise and is to the rear of the South American Viva to encourage diversity of plant life, Area 2, they are using the lechwe for the same purpose, Area 3 is the rest of the wetland, where diversity has reduced over time with the diversion of the River Torne having caused flash flooding in the recent past because of the lack of a flood plain; this is being left ungrazed. The study is in conjunction with the University of Hull.

The marmosets were all at the top of the tree! In the Viva, it's nice to see the rhea having a roving commission. They no longer pace up and down along the fence.

The path through the woodland has been treated to a healthy dose of
sawdust and wood shavings to soak up the damage caused by the awful summer.

The racoon dog pups are all growing well.

The Giraffe House looks almost complete and the new, much larger playbarn is coming on - all the structural steelwork now in place.

Oh and there are pigeons nesting in the upper deck of Leopard Heights

 

Spring 2012 is now at an end, so time for a new thread for YWP...

Can start with the news that YWP has won the award of "Yorkshire’s Most Magnificent Attraction" So well done them!

South Yorkshire attraction is simply grrrrrrrreat! - News - The Star