Agreed; I received the same e-mail. However only twenty-six species of fish in the new Whipsnade aquarium is very disappointing given that Fellows were originally informed that three-quarters of all the freshwater species at London Zoo would be rehoused at Whipsnade.
That's it!? How insanely disappointing, especially if this is supposed to replace London's aquarium. I do have to wonder if it's another case of ZSL decided to not fund a Whipsnade project as they promised to... ~Thylo
Please elaborate or is this vaguerism the new normal (for certainly 26 species of freshwater fish threatened with extinction is bordering on the ridiculous given the current status of freshwater system globally and what the RP ZSL Aquarium previously stood for and by)?!
And "that the vast majority of fish would be retained at London/Whipsnade". To me it looks like someone's either deliberately misled (unforgiveable) or didn't understand the reality of the situation (not much better but entirely consistent with how ZSL seems to be run nowadays).
Completely agree. ZSL has an opportunity here to really hammer home the status of these ecosystems and the threats they face. If a measly 26 (!!!) species is true, it’ll just be a bunch of fish crammed into a disused function suite dressed up with lots of frilly nonsense and non-descript gubbins that no one will read. But maybe that’s the standard now with ZSL exhibits. The proof will be in the pudding I suppose. However, I fear said pudding will be rather undercooked!
I would far rather that the unit at Whipsnade concentrated on displaying 26 species well-chosen species properly, provided that they also have at least 100 tanks off-show for quarantine, breeding, rearing and holding extra breeding adults.
The Cloisters building certainly couldn’t hold that, maybe the old Discovery Centre perhaps. Just so I’m clear-is the Aquarium at RP being closed merely to the public and retained for off-show breeding, or closed full-stop?
Well that depends: a space 3 m x 1 m can hold 60 tanks, if they are all 50 cm x 30 cm x 30 cm and on a stand with 3 tiers. That's a handy unit for breeding and rearing smaller fishes, like ZSL's goodeids and Mediterranean killifishes (Aphanius species etc). Larger species need more space of course and the display tanks will mostly be bigger too, but they will be able to mix many of the species in the display tanks, as the Aquarium at Regent's Park does now.
The aquarium at RP is to be entirely closed as it is not capable of meeting safe working requirements without spending around ten million pounds
The evidence is round the back at car park. There’s been builders vans there for 2 or 3 months and general building noise going on. The area is quite large, being both the large wedding function rooms, which were most recently a function room and a picnic room.
Does anyone know whats in the new lockup shed near the River Cottage deli? Facing the pond where the whooper swans were last year. The doors were open the other day and I saw the rear end of something goat like.
Oh yes super exciting new exhibit which will bring the crowds flocking in ...... would you believe goats. not even pure breeds. unbeleivable.
m8ght be. in which case why not have some signage? and why not have some rare breeds? or why not some other species of Capra?
Hi, may I know if the Titicaca water frogs in Whipsnade are on display or only kept offshow ? Thanks, Jakub
I do find Face book pages and photographic sites now have more up to date info than Zoo Chat when it comes to births.
I think I asked before about a facebook page that was very up to date with info before I discovered zoochat - UKZoos or something. Was that someone on here?