Yorkshire Wildlife Park Yorkshire Wildlife Park News 2020

I noticed Zootierliste has YWP as a holder for spotted hyena. Is this a new arrival?

 

Fantastic news if correct, very exciting

 

I believe the arrival of a single female spotted hyaena was mentioned on ZooChat around September time in the 2019 YWP thread. I think it is living in one of the new, still-inaccessible enclosures that are part of the expansion.

 

Photos of two (distant) hyaenas have been on the YWP fan groups on Facebook this week, as well as similar photos of a group of Geladas. Presumably both species will be fully on show once the extension area opens.

 

Is there any indication of when the extension will open?

 

Last I heard it was meant to be some time in 2020, but that was a while back.

 

Announced in the last hour that lioness Allis, who was the oldest there, has been put to sleep on "welfare grounds". They have all done so well since their arrival 10 years ago

 

Yes, it's been amazing to watch them for the past ten years, especially having seen their previous environment. This leaves six lions at YWP:
Maria (F)
Simba (M)
Ares (M)
Crystal (F)
Carla (F)
Julie (F)

Maria and Simba are mother and son, Julie, Carla and Crystal are a pride of three sisters and Ares is now on his own. I wonder if they will try and introduce Julie to Ares, I know they had attempted to mix her with Simba and Maria a few months ago but it was unsuccessful and I don't believe they have repeated the attempt. It would be nice if they were able to do this as then Ares would not be on his own and the three girls could all have access to an outdoor enclosure since all three cannot be outside at the same time.

 

From a photo on a facebook page, YWP appear to have acquired Roloway monkeys (Cercopithecus roloway), they look very similar to Diana monkeys, which is unsurprising, given that they were originally classified as a subspiecies of Diana monkey, they are being held in the former Okapi house. There has also been sightings of another primate species in the current anteater house, however indoor viewing has been removed, likely to allow the animals to acclimatise, it is likely these will be inhabiting the former coati (which i believe have left the collection) enclosure when they go on show.

 

At the park now and have managed to spot a distant hyaena and a Roloway, also a single (very nice) red howler monkey in the back of the anteater house. Got to try again later for a gelada!

 

Does anyone know what the status is on the 'new' area - was there some kind of objection from residents nearby regarding the bridge or have I made that up?

 

The bridge looks structurally complete now, but it's not clear how much work is needed over the other side to make it all 'visitor ready'.

 

I can't claim to know which lion is which but I can confirm that today the six lions were out in three pairs (1.1, 1.1, 0.2) so it does appear one of the trio has been moved to be with Ares.

 

Thanks - tbh the bridge looked pretty 'done' when we visited in October.

 

Any ideas how many Roloways and/or Geladas- or sources?

 

Two Roloways - Geladas seem quite a big group (certainly at least half a dozen, but the viewing is distant and limited!). Don't think any info has been released publically on where they're from.

 

That means Belfast is no longer the only zoo in the UK keeping this charismatic species!

Likewise, YWP is now the only UK zoo to keep roloways (Fota wildlife park, which acquired roloways in 2018, is in the Republic of Ireland).

 

Great news, I was aware they had begun introductions through a fence i.e. giving them visual access to one another when one was outside and one in the run from indoors but to know they have actually been let out together is nice, my next visit probably won't be before the end of February so i will have to keep an eye out for updates. Did they seem to be tolerating one another?

 

You've got me doubting myself a bit now but I'm sure they were out together - was a quick switch if not! Didn't see anything to raise any concerns - all peaceful.

 

Visited yesterday and Ares was on his own but only 2 of the girls were out together and I think the other girl was in the indoor run whilst he was sitting at the gate watching.