Exciting births and arrivals!

It has been exciting start to the year for all at Marwell with new arrivals and new births that have brightened up the cold winter months.

White-faced saki monkey

The first new arrival was Diego, who was born just before the start of 2018. He became Marwell’s fourth white-faced saki monkey joining his parents Twenke and Manja as well as big brother Denny.

Sable antelope

Hot on his heels was Eric. Our Sable antelope calf was born in January and is easily identifiable because he is currently a different colour to the rest of the herd. Both of our new arrivals have settled in really well in their enclosures.

New species & arrivals

Plenty of new animals have joined the zoo, many of which have joined our Hoofstock team. Moving in near to the giraffe enclosure is a pair of blesbok. This species are a type of antelope and can currently be found within Heart of Africa. They will be moving to the paddock near the tropical house entrance by summer.

Along with the blesbok is the Kirk’s dik-dik. This very small animal, which is around 40cm long, is another type of antelope and can be found with the dorcas gazelles near the meerkats. Five oriental short-clawed otters have also moved to Marwell, settling in opposite the siamang gibbons. Another new animal near the gibbons’ enclosure is Banu, the binturong, who arrived from Rostock Zoo, Germany, back in January.

Animal moves & departures 

With animals arriving, this has meant some have had to leave too. Marwell’s female Amur tiger cubs Bailla and Zima, who left the zoo in February for their new home at Kolmarden Wildlife Park, Sweden. They are now part of a breeding programme and will help to sustain the captive population of Amur tigers. Reports from the zoo have been really positive with the pair settling in well.

Also leaving the zoo was the fossa. She headed to Czech Republic after a recommendation from the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP).

The squirrel monkeys will soon move back on show having mixed with another new group and we will welcome back to the collection golden lion tamarins which will move into the pygmy marmoset enclosure now that they have moved into the new Tropical House.