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Animal updates!

February 15, 2020

We have a new female addax as well as a stunning new Sclater’s pigeon! 

Neil and Maria the Sclater’s pigeons

Our male Sclater’s crowned pigeon has a new girlfriend… meet Maria!

Maria arrived at Marwell from Copenhagen Zoo a few months ago and spent some time settling in behind the scenes with Neil – now you can see the pair in Tropical House!

It appears the new couple have settled in together very well as they’re both already busy building a nest, so pop along to say hello if you can.

A new female addax

We have a new arrival! A female addax, named Amelie, arrived at Marwell on 2 January from Woburn Safari Park, following a breeding recommendation from the EEP (European Ex-situ breeding Programme).

This move is crucial for the species as addax are critically endangered. Their primary threat is unsustainable hunting for their meat, horns and hide. Their habitat has also been disturbed by oil exploration and an increase in cattle farming.

Addax are listed on CITES Appendix I, which means that trade in the animal or any part of its body is illegal. Addax are protected in Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria, and it is illegal to hunt addax in Libya and Egypt. In Niger there are addax present in a large reserve. In Tunisia and Morocco several hundred addax have been released into large fenced enclosures.