ZSL Whipsnade Zoo ZSL Whipsnade Zoo 2021

From an observational pov (obviously lots could have been done with plumbing / filtration etc that would not be 'seen') the refurb seemed to focus more on creating more land space for the animals than anything else.

 

Have to say I liked how they made the land space although never once saw them using it.

 

I think they did a fine job with what was available - but what was available wasn't much to write home about.

 

Spot on.
Still looking forward to what the future holds for the enclosure just hope it doesn't sit there empty for months on end.

 

On a recent live stream they said one of the Wolverine has moved to Germany whilst another is now kept apart awaiting a move. These are the two that were born in 2019.
This would leave the original adult male and female.

 

Posted in the London zoo thread inventory is on the website for 2021.

Surprised there is only 1 meerkat left.

 

There's now two sengis which is a bonus. I hope they can get them on show.

 

I wasn’t aware of the Francois Langurs at Whipsnade, does anyone know where their off show exhibit is?

 

They moved there from London when the new lion exhibit was being built, never to return.
They were held behind the old kudu/ impala paddock at one point, opposite side of road from the bottom hippo pool. Not sure if that's where they are now though

 

I'm sure they will soon be replaced by more

 

And, let’s not forget, they are/were an excellent breeding group!

This really is a sore point for me. London should’ve brought them back instead of the gibbons imho, or made a decent stab of exhibiting them in some form on the Casson rather than the red river hogs. A 50/50 split - one side langurs, the other babirusa. That way you keep the loose Asian theme centred around the tigers.

Failing that, there’s plenty of space for an excellent exhibit at Whipsnade. Hell, why not renovate the old sealion building into a mixed Asian exhibit with the langurs as a focal point?

Or maybe simply the species doesn’t “fit” with ZSL’s current thinking.

 

Aren't the gibbons at London hybrids anyway ?

The theming around the gorilla area doesn't seem to be so biogeographically accurate either as they have Sulawesi crested macaques in one of the enclosures.

 

The younger of the 2 males is yes(father & son)

 

So they are non-breeding males too ?

It seems to me that maintaining the Francois langurs on site would have been a better decision.

 

It seems to me ZSL doesn't know what to do with the Francois Langurs any more. So why not just subsume them into other groups at places that want to actually keep and breed them?

One might say the same about Blackbuck- five females for years now at Whipsnade(imported from abroad) but no effort to add a new male.

 

I agree ( and I would add that it doesn't seem to me that ZSL knows what it wants to do with the zoos or exactly what it is anymore), but I think the Francois langur situation would concern me considerably more than the blackbucks.

 

Well yes, except that Blackbuck are such an attractive zoo animal, and somewhat of an icon of Indian art, it’s rather a shame imho that they’re yet another species ZSL really aren’t bothering with any more.
Totally agree about the langurs.

 

Yes, agree, but in terms of ex-situ conservation the Francois langur could easily be argued to be a far greater priority given its current status.

 

I would certainly agree with that part...

 

Absolutely. The langur is a higher conservation priority.
I just like Blackbuck, which can be used to tell a story about how a once very abundant species is now sadly reduced. And they’re extremely pretty.
Also, I’m sure they could find room for both.