What to do with "Mercedes"? » Edinburgh Zoo

16-08-2008

Does that mean a new Polar Bear exhibit is now definate at Edinburgh? If so I thought it was planned for an area in the lower part of the zoo not near where the existing enclosure is. So Mercedes could stay where she is until its ready...

Moving her to a European zoo indicates to me she doesn't figure in future plans and she wouldn't probably return later.

16-08-2008

I found out that the intention for Mercedes is in fact to move her out to the HWP, and it is likely that other polar bears will follow at some point. It will depend on how the arrival of tigers, leopards etc impacts on gate revenue there, as visitor numbers will be used to justify the decision either way. I still imagine that a polar bear exhibit would be on the cards though at Edinburgh, regardless of Mercedes being moved.

There was some press a while back where RZSS had said that the plan was to loan her to a zoo on the continent while a new exhibit was being built. I guess this isn't the case now.

A HWP polar bear reserve would be world-class, now all that needs to happen is for visitor numbers to increase or funds to become available from another source.

16-08-2008

A conundrum for them- HWP has the space- while the city zoo has the more reliable visitor attendances..

18-08-2008

I think HWP is pretty full already, with planned arrivals to fill it up further. Do they have undeveloped land adjoining the current park?

Alan

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11-10-2008

leave her where she is until she dies, then move her on!

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Danny

12-10-2008

I'm sure she'd appreciate a new enclosure more when she's alive...

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12-10-2008

ha, exactly what I was thinking. I suppose most animals would rather have a new enclosure before they die than afterwards

12-10-2008

Perhaps I have missed something?

What is Mercedes' age?

I favour the UK option with breeding companions for her. In view of the climate change crisis and human impaction on the Arctic habitat polar bears depend heavily upon, I think it imperative that the UK do its bit to strenghten captive polar bear breeding on your shores.

Speaking of opposition, the anti polar bear campaign has just had quite the opposite effect that one would desire. How are people in the UK going to care about polars bears or climate change and its effect on them if most people cannot even relate to polar bears in zoos (through Animal Planet documentaries ... just give me a break ... before I get any painful bouts of laughter that will have me require urgent medical intervention)!

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12-10-2008

Actually, well-made documentaries can be more powerful than seeing a wild animal in a tame zoo environment. Just think of the polar bear footage in the Planet Earth "Ice Worlds" episode. How many hundreds of millions of people around the world saw that, and became aware of the polar bear's plight? Nothing about Mercedes' current situation would inspire the same response.

14-10-2008

Quite a lot of people here in the UK like Whales and Dolphins despite never seeing one in captivity. I think we underestimate our modern capacity to empathise with animals we may never see.

16-10-2008

now this may sound a bit mad and contreversial but ...

what i think should hapen is if they build a new exhibate for her why not keep her in the zoo and half the penguin pool at the bridge them adapt one half for her

wouldent think it would be to much work and let the pengins have the other half or even madder build a new penguin pool and have polar bares in the old one

16-10-2008

but also i agree with the macquace(sp?) enclosure at HWP for mercades

i think it would look a little something like the one at the detoite zoo

heres a link to what it looks like
http://www.zoolex.org/zoolexcgi/view.py?id=779
and also somone mentiond leoprd at the HWP im presuming they will be snow leopards

but where is there exhibate going / is it in the old carabu exhibit with all the cliffs i remember the ares having 3 padocks noxt to eachother one of them i think would suit a snow leopard well

16-10-2008

hwp are getting amur leopards but i would imagine they have plans for snow leopards in the future

2 Weeks Ago

RZSS chief executive has dropped the biggest hint so far that "Mercedes" will be moving up to the HWP.

Mercedes gets set to motor north - Strathspey and Badenoch Herald

2 Weeks Ago

Very intresting good to see the Amur Tigers have had an impact on visitor numbers its a great park and deserves to be seen by more people.