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News Archive
Below are the news reports for Marwell Wildlife (Marwell Zoological Park), covering significant events concerning the animal collection, such as births, arrivals, departures, and deaths.
Marwell Wildlife (Marwell Zoological Park) Details
Birth: July 2012
Four Scimitar-horned Oryx calves have been born. Great news for this species, which is extinct in the wild but is the subject of a so-far successful reintroduction programme to fenced protected areas in Tunisia.
Birth: June 2012
A baby White-faced Saki Monkey has been born, to mum Manja. Its sex is still to be determined, but it has already been named Bex.
Arrival: June 2012
A female Amur Tiger called Bela has arrived from Lisbon as part of the European breeding programme for this endangered species. She will only stay for the summer, before moving on to Blair Drummond Safari Park.
Birth: May 2012
Four baby Egyptian Tortoises have hatched. The eggs were moved to an incubator after being laid by two of the adult females, so that they could be incubated in controlled conditions. The babies will be kept separate from the adults for a few years, until old enough to join the main enclosure; visitors can see them in Encounter Village.
Birth: April 2012
A pair of baby Alaotran Gentle Lemur twins have been born, to parents Lelafo (mum) and Lova (dad). The babues are as yet too young to be separated from their mum, so have not yet been sexed.
Birth: March 2012
Two baby male Dorcas Gazelles have been born.
Birth: January 2012
A baby Rothschild's Giraffe called Ruby has been born to first-time mum Irsula, who arrived last summer from Woburn Safari Park, where the calf's dad remains.
Birth: October 2011
Recent births include, Meerkat pups, a Capybara and Cotton-top Tamarin twins.
Birth: October 2011
A baby male Brazilian Tapir has been born, to mum Summer. He has been named Lil Ron after his dad Ronaldo, who sadly died last month from an acute illness.
Birth: September 2011
A Greater Flamingo chick has hatched, the first at the zoo.
Arrival: August 2011
A 2-year-old female Giant Anteater called Inti has arrived from Aalborg Zoo, Denmark, to join resident male Ernesto in the hope they will form a successful new breeding pair.
Birth: June 2011
Three Snow Leopard cubs have been born, to parents Irina and Indeever, who arrived in January 2010. The females have been names Kamala and Kitana and the male has been named Kadhir.
Birth: June 2011
Other births so far this year include four Kangaroo joeys, Cotton-top Tamarins, Ring-tailed Coatis and a female Arabian Oryx called Akilah.
Birth: May 2011
A baby Alaotran Gentle Lemur has been born, to mum Lelafo. Great news for this species, which is one of the most endangered of Lemur species.
Birth: May 2011
A female baby Przewalski's Horse called Charlotte has been born. She will be an important addition to the breeding herd, which is now 13 strong, as a lot of the females are now elderly.
Arrival: 8 March 2011
A female Rothschild Giraffe called Jade has arrived from Burger's Zoo, the Netherlands, where she was born in April 2009, to join resident breeding male Kismet and the other females.
Birth: 2 September 2010
A female baby Brazilian Tapir called Quito has been born, to parents Summer and Ronny.
Birth: September 2010
Four Greater Kudu calves have been born
Birth: 12 August 2010
A total of 3 Grevy's Zebras have been born this year: a female on 17 June, and 2 males on 10 and 12 August.
Birth: 30 July 2010
Eight Ostrich chicks have hatched, for two separate mothers and a common father, Boomer.
Birth: 14 June 2010
A total of three Przewalski's Horse foals have been born: Doloo, a male, on April 19; Naim, a female, on May 27; and Es, a male, on June 14. This brings the Marwell herd to a total of 14.
Arrival: 2 June 2010
Six Black-headed Weaver Birds have arrived, and are settling into their new home next to the Giraffes.
Birth: 19 April 2010
A baby female Rothschild Giraffe called Nsia has been born, the sixth for mum Matilda and the first pure-bred birth at the zoo since 1997.
Birth: 1 February 2010
A baby Douroucouli has been born. Also known as Owl Monkeys, Douroucoulis are the only nocturnal species of monkey.
Arrival: 19 January 2010
A pair of Snow Leopards, called Indeever and Irina, have arrived as part of the European breeding programme for this endangered species. Indeever has come from Zurich Zoo, Switzerland, and Irina has come from Nordens Ark, Sweden. They are both just under 2 years old.
Depart: January 2010
Zambar, the male Amur Tiger born at Marwell in 2004, has moved to Blackpool Zoo, where he will be joined by a female from Whipsnade Zoo.
Arrival: December 2009
A female Amur Leopard called Kaia has arrived from Tallinn Zoo, Estonia, to join Akin, the resident male., as part of the European breeding programme for this critically endangered species - there are less than 35 left in the wild.
Birth: August 2009
Four baby Przewalski's Horses, 2 males and 2 females have been born over the last few months, bringing the herd size up to 12.
The captive breeding and reintroduction programme for this species has been so successful that the IUCN classification has now been downgraded for 'Extinct in the Wild' to 'Critically Endangered'. The reintroduced animals are breeding successfully, the first generation of wild-born foals have now bred themselves.
Birth: 21 July 2009
A baby female Brazilian Tapir has been born, to parents Summer and Ronny, who only arrived at Marwell three months ago
Arrival: Summer 2009
A pair of Black Wildebeest called Orana (female) and Roony (male) have arrived from Newquay Zoo. The species is also known as the White-Tailed Gnu, and is smaller than the more familiar Blue Wildebeest which is famed for its mass migration across the Serengeti.
Birth: 6 June 2009
A baby male Giraffe has been born to parents Isabella and Kismet. He has been named Kwame (pronounced 'kwa-me').
Birth: 17 May 2009
A baby male Chapman's Zebra called Zeus has been born to parents Josef and Phoebe. Despite being born several weeks early, he is doing v ery well.
Birth: April 2009
Four baby Capybaras have been born, to parents Hayley and Bugsy.
Arrival: April 2009
A pair of Brazilian Tapirs called Summer and Ronaldo have arrived, as part of the European Breeding Programme for this Vulnerable species. This makes a return to the zoo for the species after an absence of 10 years.
Arrival: March 2009
Four young (about 6 months) Frilled Lizards have arrived.
Birth: March 2009
Four Bennett's Wallaby joeys have been born, and are now big enough to be peeking out of their mum's pouches.
Arrival: February 2009
A group of 12 Greater Flamingos have arrived, to join the existing group in the hope that the increased group size will encourage breeding.
Arrival: January 2009
A female Black Widow Spider has arrived, after being discovered by a member of the public in a car part imported from America. She promptly laid an egg sac with over 100 eggs, and these have now hatched into spiderlings.
Arrival: December 2008
A young (9 months) male Bactrian Camel called Marmaduke has arrived from the Welsh Mountain Zoo.
Birth: 13 November 2008
A female baby Pygmy Hippopotamus has been born, to parents Wendy and Antone. Good news for this Endangered species, which is threatened by habitat loss and civil unrest in its native West Africa. There are less than 3000 left in the wild.
Update: the baby has now been named Lola.
Birth: November 2008
Three Dorcas Gazelles have been born, in the space of just of few days (8, 13, and 16 November). They have been named Piper, Rocket and Rooster after varieties of potato - their father is called Spud. This is the smallest species of Gazelle and is classed as Vulnerable, being threatened by illegal hunting and habitat loss.
Birth: September 2008
Four Waldrapp Ibis chicks have hatched, good news for this highly endangered species - the most threatened animal species of the Middle East with less than 300 pairs left in the wild, in just four colonies. Once widespread across the Middle East and North Africs, the species has suffered badly from pesticide-induced poisoning and habitat loss.
Birth: 6 June 2008
A second baby Giraffe has been born. This one's female too and has been named Tiye. Her mum is Mary.
Birth: 2 June 2008
A rare baby Okapi has been born. The calf is female and has been named Hazina. Her mum Zukisa has previously successfully raised two male calves.
Arrival: June 2008
A pair of Marabou Storks have arrived on breeding loan from Edinburgh Zoo.
Birth: 23 May 2008
A baby Pygmy Marmoset has been born.
Birth: 14 May 2008
A baby female Giraffe called Christa has been born, the fifth for mum Matilda. Christopher, the father, sadly died last year. A new male, Kismet, a pure-bred Rothschild Giraffe like Matilda, recently arrived to replace him.
Birth: May 2008
An albino baby Bennett's Wallaby has been born.
Birth: 15 April 2008
Two Dwarf Forest Buffalo calves have been born. A female called Ellen was born on the 15th, a male called Lewis on the 19th.
Birth: 24 March 2008
Two baby Meerkats have been born, to parents Sharon and Chico.
Birth: 9 February 2008
A baby Douroucouli (Owl Monkey) called Curraray has been born, to experienced parents Xingu and Tigre.
Birth: 18 November 2007
A female Amur Leopard cub called Kiska has been born, to parents Ascha and Akin. This species is one of the rarest big cats in the world, with less than 35 remaining in the wild, so the birth is very good news for the European breeding programme.
Birth: 30 September 2007
A female baby Mishmi Takin called Mei-ling has been born to parents Mulan and Mooshu. This is the first time a baby of this seriously endangered species has been born in the UK. It is unknown how many are left in the wild, but their numbers are in decline due to habitat loss from farming, mining and logging operations.
Birth: September 2007
Two female Somali Wild Ass foals, called Nadifa and Jahzara, have been born to mums Possa and Tikva. This species is critically endangered with only a few hundred left in the wild, so these new births are good news for the breeding programme.
Birth: Summer 2007
Babies born so far this year include:
13 Ring-Tailed Coatis, to dad Ringo and mums Lilly, Poppy, Honey and Treacle
Several Grevy's Zebra foals
Meerkats
Ocelots
Scimitar-Horned Oryx
Sable Antelope
Nyala
Warthog
Birth: April 2007
Twin Golden Lion Tamarins have been born, an important addition to the world population of this highly endangered species. They bring Marwell's group to a total of 9.
Birth: 8 March 2007
Baby male Giraffe has been born, the second at the zoo this year, to mother Biffa and father Christopher. This brings Marwell's herd to 14, making it the largest in the UK. He has now been named Mutota.
Birth: 27 February 2007
Cotton-top Tamarin twins born and doing well. Named Zambrono and Tolu, the twins are the fourth for parents Magdalena and Cauca. Marwell has been particularly successful breeding these little monkeys, one of the most endangered monkey species in the world, having now produced over 50.
Birth: 22 February 2007
Baby male Giraffe has been born, to mother Grace, and father Christopher. The baby has now been named Khama.
Depart: 8 February 2007
Nika the young female Amur Tiger, born at Marwell on October 2004, has moved to Howletts Zoo to join the European Breeding Programme for this critically endangered species.
Birth: 25 December 2006
A male Nyala calf called Brian has been born, the third for mum Ann. He will stay at Marwell for a year or so.
Birth: 4 November 2006
Male Giraffe calf has been born. The baby is mother Matilda's fourth.
Birth: October 2006
Sooty the Goeldi's Monkey has given birth to a baby. She has had 5 babies, but the previous ones failed to survive. All is going well with this one, however.
Arrival: October 2006
A colony of 154 Partula Snails has arrived, to go on show in 2007. There are (or were) nearly 100 different species of Partula Snail, but 60 have become extinct in the wild in the last 10 years. Marwell's colony is of one of the extinct species and represents half the world population - the other half is at Whipsnade.
Birth: September 2006
Two Nyala have been born, a male and a female, to different mothers.
Arrival: September 2006
Four young Kleinmann's Tortoises have arrived from Chester Zoo, and a further four are due from Bristol., all as part of a European Breeding programme. Marwell will ultimately retain a breeding pair, and the rest will be passed on to oher zoos.
Birth: September 2006
Five baby Mara, an large deer-like rodent from South America, have been born, bringing Marwell's group up to 25.
Birth: August 2006
Two Ocelot kittens, Carlos and Cafu, have now been allowed out into their enclosure, following completion of their vaccinations. The kittens were born 23 April to parents Libby and Manduri.
Arrival: July 2006
A pair of Asian Short-clawed Otters has arrived, marking the return of the species to Marwell Zoo after a long absence.
Birth: 21 June 2006
A male baby Takin has been born, the first in the UK of this endangered species, an unusual type of goat-antelope. He has been named Chien Po and can be seen with parents Mulan and Mooshu in the Roof of the World exhibit; the species come from the eastern Himalyan forests.
Birth: June 2006
Two Somali Wild Ass foals have been born. The female, Jamila, was born on 5 June, and the male, Malik, was born on 15 June. Marwell Zoo has now bred 10 of these critically endangered animals - possibly the rarest species at the zoo.
Birth: 11 May 2006
Baby Pygmy Hippo has been born. The baby is called Sirana, and can been seen along with her parents, Wendy and Antone in the Semi-Aquatic Mammal House.
Arrival: May 2006
Three young Emus have arrived from Cricket St. Thomas, along with an egg that has now hatched (on 6 May). The baby has been named Humbug.
Birth: April 2006
Two baby Crested Porcupine born in the Into Africa house.
Open: 29 March 2006
The new Heart of Africa exhibit is now open, along with a new raised walkway and viewing platform into the Giraffe enclosure. The new animal house features Bongo, Congo Buffalo, Nile Monitor Lizards. Potto (a type of Primate), and an aquarium with fish from Lake Malawi.
Birth: 26 January 2006
Male Okapi calf, called Shomari, born, the second for mother Zukisa.
Arrival: January 2006
A Giant Anteater called Ernesto has arrived from Vienna Zoo
Notes:
Where possible, the dates given are for the event itself, but some zoos do not make this information available, when the date of announcement is used instead.
Seasons: Winter = Jan - Mar, Spring = Apr - Jun, Summer = Jul - Sept, Autumn = Oct - Dec.
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