Keepers said the sea lion birth was Wednesday. They were trying to get close enough to sex it today but mother was very protective. Zebra birth looks like first of several.
I have just noticed that on the 11th of June, the ZSL website announced that the new Aquarium at Whipsnade will open on Friday 26th July.
I noticed today that the current copy of Practical Fishkeeping Magazine has a small note about the opening of Whipsnade's aquarium - the fish species mentioned specifically are the Caribbean mangrove killifish and dusky narrow hatchetfish. It also says that non-fish species that live around water will be kept in the aquarium as well, including Chinese crocodile lizards and tarantulas.
Maybe I’m being over-sentimental but it’s a shame ZSL couldn’t provide a similar Fellows event for London’s Aquarium-give the place a decent send-off before the closure.
Noticed today that there are no otter at the moment and the enclosure is being prepared for new arrivals. Would they likely be more from London Zoo?
Can’t imagine anything else other than otters being housed on that island without significant work done to it. A tamarin/marmoset species perhaps as an alternative? However, based on current ZSL practice, I imagine it’ll be landscaped for Crazy Golf!
Do you know if they (youngish ones) were only put out there during the day, or was there an indoor area on it too originally?
I'm not sure about the chimps' indoor accommodation; it was long before my time. I've seen several photographs of chimpanzees on the island (and have an old postcard depicting a chimp there) but I've never seen a picture of a structure on the island that would serve as indoor / overnight accommodation.
I know the chimp postcard but don't possess a copy(yet). The island does look very small to have ever had any substantial housing on it. I suspect it may have been for 'day use' only with younger amenable chimps that could be transported on to it in good weather perhaps? Were there also Sealions using it at one point?
My mother visited Whipsnade with her family at some time in the 1930s and about 30 years later she found and gave me the rather battered guide book they bought that day. As she had no interest in animals, she did not remember anything about the visit. This was long before I had ever been south of Shrewsbury, so I was very interested and I remember the photo of young chimps on the round island. I suspect that you are right that it was only used in daytime - and in good weather too. I'm afraid the guidebook fell apart quite quickly, as many other items did in a family with three young boys. I remember sealions in the moat in the '70s, my guidebook from that time names Californian sealions, but I have a vague feeling that there may have been young southern sealions at some stage too.
Yes, in those days of 'teaparty' chimps etc it would be very likely they used it as an outdoor exercise area for younger chimps on a daytime only basis. As to the sealions, there's an old colour postcard(again I don't have it as yet) so 50-60's era, showing a sealion in what I think must be that enclosure too.
