Zoo News Archive

Winter 2011

Birth: ZSL Whipsnade Zoo

March
2011

A litter of tiny Egyptian Tortoises has been born, to a group that were seized by Customs on their way to the illegal pet trade.

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Birth: Longleat Safari Park

March
2011

Four Lion cubs, 3 females and a male, have been born to experienced mum Yendi and dad Nibalo. They are Nibalo's first cubs since he arrived from Germany in October of last year.

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Birth: Longleat Safari Park

March
2011

A baby male Bactrian Camel called Lemmy has been born, to parents Bahli and Khan.

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Death: Belfast Zoo

25
February
2011

Kukuma, the male Western Lowland Gorilla, has sadly died. He was showing signs of ill health for several weeks, and was found to be anaemic. Further problems developed, however, and the results of an autopsy are awaited to confirm the cause of his death. He was born in 1989 in Apenheul Pimate Park in The Netherlands, and arrived in Belfast in 1993 as part of the global breeding programme.

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Death: Chester Zoo

9
February
2011

Sheba the Asian Elephant and matriarch of the Chester herd has sadly died following a short illness. She had a long and happy life; at 56 she was the oldest Elephant at the Zoo, and after 46 years she had also been at the Zoo longer than any other Elephant.

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Birth: Colchester Zoo

7
February
2011

A baby Aardvark has been born to mum Oq and dad Adela. This is their fifth offspring, and the sixth for the group overall, making Colchester's one of the most successful groups in Europe. Mum and baby have been separated from the rest of the group, to prevent accidental injury and to allow them to be monitored closely. They will return to the main group after about a month.

Update, 17 May: the baby is now known to be male, and has been named Scorch.

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Arrival: Isle of Wight Zoo

February
2011

A male Giant Jumping Rat has arrived, to join resident female Kirindy, in the hope that they will form a successful new breeding pair.

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Depart: Howletts: The Aspinall Wild Animal Experience

February
2011

Altay, the Siberian Tiger, who was born at the park in 2008, has moved to another zoo as part of the breeding programme for this critically endangered species..

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Birth: Paradise Park

February
2011

A Great Blue Touraco chick has hatched, and is being hand-reared by keepers, the first for the park.

Update (July): the chick is now known to be female, and has been named Barbie.

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Birth: ZSL Whipsnade Zoo

February
2011

A Red Panda cub has been born, to parents Geri and Peter. The cub was actually born last June, but is only now venturing from the nesting box and thus visible to visitors.

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Birth: Edinburgh Zoo

February
2011

Two baby male Nyala Antelope have been born.

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Arrival: Edinburgh Zoo

February
2011

A young male Black Stork has arrived. He was rescued in Jersey last August, having broken a wing, probably in a storm that also blew him off-course during his migration to Africa. He was treated and then housed temporarily at Durrell Wildlife Park with the intention that he would be released back into the wild when he was fit enough. However, it is now clear that the severity of his injury was too great; although he can glide, he is unable to fly at any great height and is probably not strong enough to survive the rigours of migration. He has therefore been given a permanent home at Edinburgh.

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Birth: Dudley Zoological Gardens

February
2011

A female baby Brazilian Tapir called Tallulah has been born to parents Chico and Meena.

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Arrival: Drusillas Park

February
2011

Four Black and White Colobus monkeys have arrived from Port Lympne Wild Animal Park. Elgan, the male, is accompanied by females Opet, Isis and Hathar.

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Arrival: Cotswold Wildlife Park

February
2011

A new colony of Leafcutter Ants has arrived.

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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.