Chester Zoo Review » Chester Zoo

24-07-2008

I'm really not keen on the idea of Przewalski's on the Asian plains with Asian Rhino, blackbucks etc. It's just not geograhpically correct for starters. I think one of the best solutions, and maybe most likely, is as jimmy suggests- using that sandy bit near the cheetahs and camels for the onager, and then mix the przewlaski's with camels. Maybe the grass paddock could be rotated between the two equine species. I can see Alan's and pertinax's points regarding horses and asses side-by-side though- not ideal.

I never knew the zoo were moving out of Pere David's deer. If the lechwe are moving into there exhibit, what will move into the Prezwalski's old one? Theres also the current lechwe paddock to think about, but I guess that could go back to black rhino. Hopefully we'll be seeing at least one, new ungulate species in the zoo.

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Chris

24-07-2008

It might be one of the planned/talked about species Zoogiraffe said that would be a Europen first??

24-07-2008

From a distance they do as their paddock extends into the Asian area. I don't think I've ever seen them mixed with anything at Whipsnade- however I'm sure they'd be fine with other non-equid species, as at the HWP.

24-07-2008

Ooh, I hope so, what guesses do we have?

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Chris

24-07-2008

I have completely forgetten, but now there is room becoming availble its one possibility it will be something completely new to europe!

24-07-2008

I had a thought last night. The Asian Plains area has a small paddock containing 1.1 Philippine Spotted Deer and their youngster. Now that the pathway to this enclosure is closed there is room for an extension towards the Twilight Zone. Perhaps the horses could be housed here. They would not have to go in with the rhinos then.

It is not geographically correct to keep onager with Bactrian Camels, but it seems to be popular.

24-07-2008

Hmmm....Quite possible considering they seemed to have not yet finished building in that area.

Thought it was a little strange the bridge was diverted alot, Ok some of it was because of the height need to cross the footpath.

24-07-2008

No, its actually more correct to have the Camels with Prezwalski horses.

I can't seriously imagine they are thinking of putting horses and rhinos together- geographically they exist thousands of miles apart in totally different habitats- the only thing they have in common is being 'from Asia' (and a fairly close relationship) Do Chester need the Prezwalski's anyway?- they have zebras and asses.

Personally I think the Asian rhinos would do better moved to a much larger paddock elsewhere, or the deer and antelope. I think longterm its too small for all three to coexist there and will be ruined.

24-07-2008

I'd say that it is just about geographically correct, or near enough. whilst wild bactrian camels have more in common with the Przewalski horses, I think domestic bactrians (and maybe feral ones?) live within the range of onagers (as a species certainly- Persian Onagers as a subspecies I'm little less certain).

Aren't all captive bactrians from domestic stock?

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Chris

25-07-2008

I believe so- certainly in Uk & Europe. I think Peking/Beijing Zoo had 'wild' Bactrian camels at one stage, or maybe still do.

25-07-2008

All captive Bactrians outside China are domesticated. Beijing Zoo does yet keep wild Bactrians and the Mongolia/China Gobi project maintains a small semi captive herd in the Lop Nur reserve.

Iran is in a different zoogeographical zone to China/Mongolia. No Bactrian camels ever ranged inside Iran, but the Elbruz and Himalayas put paid to that movement due south. In their Central Asian heartland they range in the territory of both kiangs and Mongolian wild ass (note the difference to Mongolian wild horse ...).

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29-08-2008

i love the review, i went to chester for the first time not long ago and planned my route according to the review, i really enjoyed spirit of the jaguar.

30-08-2008

Bactrian camels - it annoys me when zoos announces a birth of one , claiming this is an endangered species . In reality it is no different to the birth of a domestic sheep , goat , pig , cow or horse .