Port Lympne black rhino » Port Lympne Zoo

06-02-2008

In fact she is now the ONLY representative of the London/Whipsnade line within the EEP. So, it is damn important that she breed, either in the natural order (by proven Quinto) of things or by artificial means (AI her using sperm from Quinto).

Port Lympne have loaned out all their original rhino of the London/Whipsnade line. Theirs is a mix of Port Lympne's original trio (1.2 and their offspring) with 0.2 cows from Dvur Kralove and 1.1 from Addo N.P. (bull Gareth Edwards/Addo is no more), South Africa (the out of range herd since transferred out to Thaba to make way for south-western black rhinos ex Namibia). Plus an assorted mix of just the once breeders in bull Jos (ex Dvur) and bull Mwaniki (ex Cincinnati via Sydney).

06-02-2008

1. Yes, I agree its very important they breed from 'Rosie' - I think it would have to be AI now...

2. So Mwakini has one offspring at Port Lympne? sex and mother?

3. Howletts/PL original bull Baringo was zoo-bred at Dublin, his grandparents were the breeding pair 'Willie' and Stephanie' at the Bristol zoo, they were the first black rhinos I ever saw... Paignton's calf is descended from them too.

06-02-2008

So what has happened to her brother KataKata, sent from Chester to France... is he dead, if so why?

07-02-2008

2.: Mwaniki has sired 1 or possibly even the 2 calves with Vuyu and Ruaha (he was mated in 2005 to both successfully). I am not sure regarding which or what. Will check with my rhino adopter's scheme!

France: Bull Katakata (born 1990) still resides at Parc Zoologique des Minieres in Doue la Fontaine. The current total is 2.1 (another ISIS inaccuracy and inconsistency regarding data). The other bull is young Jeremi (born 2000) ex Dvur Kralove and young female Binti ex Berlin Zoo (born 2003)

07-02-2008

'KataKata' is Rosie's fullbrother so she's not quite the only rep of the old London/Whipsnade line within EEP...

08-02-2008

Affirmative. I forgot him in the equation. The bad omen is that both Rosie and Katakata have demonstrated themselves to be non-breeders till now!

This in contrast to the legendary bull Bwana Kidogo (born 1991) who has gone on to become the prime breeding bull in Thaba sanctuary in South Africa where he was sent on permanent loan in 2004 (the trade off has been 2.1 unrelated individuals entering the EEP ex Addo NP in South Africa). The females Tana (born 1998) and Kivu (born 1998) have gone to the same sanctuary and both bred within the year.

I also found out that Nakuru (born 1989) and Magadi (born 1990) share the London/Whipsnade breeder Bwana M'Kubwa as their sire. So, both in part are of the London/Whipsnade line and in part one of the original Lympne female breeders.

08-02-2008

'Nakuru' is Bwana M'Kubwa x Rukwa. She is continuing BM's line at Port Lympne.

First 'Magadi' was BM x Naivasha (same as Bwana Kidogo) but he died at a few weeks old.

Magadi 2nd(the one at Chester) is Addo x Naivasha.

BM's original mate at Whipsnade was Mama Kidogo. They bred together at 3 different locations( something of a record in itself?) 1. 5 calves at Whipsnade, none of which survive now, then 2. Rosie in London and finally 3. KataKata after moving to Port Lympne. Mama Kidogo's only living offspring are Rosie and KataKata. I'm more hopeful KataKata(rather than Rosie) might breed in future..

09-02-2008

At Whipsnade 1.2 was the breeding set up. Bull Bwana M'Kubwa alternating between both zoos and breeding to either female. All individuals were subsequently sent to Port Lympne to augment their breeding herd and went on to breed there (early 1990's).

I am not as sure as you are on KataKata. He had been at Chester Zoo for quite a long while and yet never managed the interest of the females (Emma, Rosie, Kitani). I remain sceptical .... (I hope managers will initiate a programme of manual semen collection with him to retain his genes for the EEP).

In the Doue Zoo KataKata has still several years to wait before Binti is mature enough to breed. I rather think the Dvur bull will be the more able one in that respect.

10-02-2008

Originally there was a pair at London- Paul & June, and a pair at Whipsnade- Bwana Mkubwa & Mama Kidogo. After London's Paul died (he fathered June's first two calves) they moved Bwana between the two zoos from then on for breeding until they eventually sent all three to Port Lympne.

Regarding KataKata- I'm not confident he will breed either- as you say he didn't do so at Chester- but I feel perhaps he has a better chance of naturally mating than 'Rosie' does.

10-02-2008

Who were the black rhinos at Whipsnade in 2005/2006?

When I visited in October 2006, they were still on the maps and printed in the guide book, but the enclosure and house was empty so I assumed they must've died or moved shortly before I visited...

10-02-2008

You witnessed the demise of Black Rhino keeping at Whipsnade... I suspect they won't keep them again.

The final pair were Quinto(came from Chester and now back there) and Saya(from Berlin) Saya was obtained to replace Emma (born at Chester) who was at Whipsnade many years but never bred there. Saya died quite soon after arrival, leaving Quinto as Whipsnade's last Black rhino- his move back to Chester was shown on one of the Zoovet/Supervets TV series.

I believe the Gaur now live in that house and paddock...

12-02-2008

The bare paddocks at Whipsnade were always a less ideal set up for black rhino breeding. Nonetheless, they managed to breed from Bwana Kidogo and June and Mama Kidogo at London Zoo. Exhibit wise they deserved better. Hard standing for this species is very important, so are logs and boulders, a wallow and a large expansive separation area.

I am yet convinced that it was a mistake to stop keeping black rhinos at Whipsnade. If they would have invested in proper exhibits for a male/female pairing (they would now have a breeding pair on the same level as Paignton Zoo).

Even at London Zoo, I guess the implacable Rosie was a real miss(er). If bulll Jos had been kept with a more compatible cow he would have bred long ago and Regent's Park would have kept on the tradition (in an enlarged exhibit for ONLY black rhino (when the elephant cows were fairly and squarely moved out to Whipsnade)!

12-02-2008

The irony is that the Whipsnade Black rhinos WERE eventually moved to a much larger paddock- near the Giraffe House. But by that time the breeders (BM & MK) had already left the park..

The rhinos lived in the larger paddock (+ basic house) for about the last fifteen years. They were (from memory);

1.KataKata & Emma, (then KataKata exchanged for Quinto)
2.Quinto & Emma (until Emma died)
3.Quinto & Saya (obtained from Berlin, she died quite quickly)
4 Quinto.(sent back to Chester)

Its sad that none of these four animals were able to breed- 'Quinto' was proven but nothing happened here. Otherwise no doubt Whipsnade would still be keeping them....

26-05-2008

Kingo has returned to Port Lympne!! More baby rhinos...hopefully

Howletts and Port Lympne - A day out in kent and adopt an animal - Press Item

06-06-2008

The Bull Baringo is on his way to Dvur Kralove. He should mate with two cows, Jessi and Elba.