ZSL Whipsnade Zoo ZSL Whipsnade Zoo 2019

You say that like there aren't other conservation organizations running more zoos than ZSL does that are of much higher quality.

~Thylo

 

That ZSL 200 statement is incredibly vague, more “blue sky thinking” than anything else, and gives no clear, defined strategy as what direction the Living Collections will take.

I really don’t want to be negative, and the work done by ZSL in the field is second-to-none (raising awareness of pangolins for example). But the fact remains that in the time I’ve been a Fellow, both sites have either been prone to developments that are either short-term ‘sticking plasters’ or heinously expensive projects borne out of necessity through long term neglect.

Over the space of 10 years, I’ve witnessed collections like Chester (which Whipsnade really could/should be on par with) and Hamerton grow and diversify into examples of excellent species diversity that also balance out the needs of the casual visitor.

London’s very good at the small things-inverts, reptiles etc. However, I find it insulting that a site that sits on only a quarter of the land that ZSL owns atop the Dunstable Downs now appears to be going backwards rather than forwards-and it’ll only get worse. Whipsnade really should be THE go-to destination for big fauna in particular, and (to loosely paraphrase an old ZSL mission statement) every living thing really should be it’s concern.

I’ve said to ZSL before, don’t fob me off with nonsense. The average person won’t take action through pictures or words. They’ll fall in love and want to take action for something through physical interaction, whether it be an ant or an elephant.

 

I definitely aggre with you about how it should be better than Chester but I honestly believe they just need a bit of time

 

With the greatest of respect, ZSL have already had 88 years in which to significantly improve Whipsnade-how much more time do they want? Half the site still operates off of its original 1930s plumbing for heavens sake!

 

But painting enclosures bears no relationship to fundamental shortcomings in the management/presentation of animal groups- Whipsnade currently has many examples of single sex/declining groups in tiny numbers, with no sign this pattern is changing.

 

I don't understand why London are concentrating the redevelopment of the Snowdon, at great cost whatever the exact amount is, on a non-endangered(?) species of primate. They could develop a whole area for several endangered primate species for similar cost.

 

I'm not sure when Whipsnade started to go seriously downhill- I started to notice significant changes around the 1990's I think when the collection suddenly seemed diminished.

 

I don't see why Whipsnade shouldn't have an Aquarium, but I think Regent's Park should have one too - and I admit I'm biased
Indeed I think the Aquarium at Whipsnade ought to be under construction now, if it is to be a partial replacement for the old one at London. So I am worried that I cannot find any plans. Perhaps the Central Bedfordshire Planning webpages may have defeated me or are ZSL still thinking things over?

 

It smacks of a dogmatic commitment to the masterplan that can be found still floating around from 10 years ago which has the Snowdon down as becoming a colobus enclosure. Big plans divorced from the changing practical needs of the zoos.

I’m sure both Whipsnade’s aquarium and the colobus walkthrough are going to be fine exhibits when taken on their own merits and I’m looking forward to returning to them but you can’t escape from the reality that they’ve come at the expense of many far more pressing developments at both sites.

 

I wonder if they've taken in to account that Colobus sleep a great deal of the time and don't like wind. If you watch the large Howletts group, (in their good but relatively cheap enclosure) you will notice how much time they spend all resting and doing nothing. I wonder how this behaviour will transfer to the Snowden exhibit when its done.

 

Guar have had another calf

Seems like the giraffe haven’t had any baby’s in a while??

 

Unsure who is left in the giraffe herd of reproductive age?. Similar issue to the elephant group. As a while back they lost the male long term health issue fo a illness and then Willow a young female died last year,

 

They have bashu the breeding male Ijuma who is at breeding age and 2 younger females one of which is bashus daughter so could be 2 breeding females

 

Does anyone know the history of the prairie dogs in the old bison paddock on the hill?

 

I believe they were one of the original “free-roaming” species. Now, they’ve been left to their own devices and are gradually inbreeding themselves to extinction!

 

I expect it would be hard to remove them

 

There have been prairie dogs on the downs since Whipsnade opened in 1931.

However, checking the old maps shows they were originally in a separate enclosure of their own not free ranging. I'm not sure when they moved into the bison enclosure but it was many decades ago.

 

Id like to know when Whipsnade stopped having free range Red Junglefowl?

 

The last I saw was roughly 10 years ago - a free roaming male that lived around the hippo house.

 

The ZSL Animal Inventory for 2011 lists eleven red jungle fowl in Whipsnade's collection as at 1st January 2011; none are listed in the 2012 or subsequent animal inventories.