New enclosure for endangered animals at Whipsnade Zoo approved
It'll provide a new home for macaques and lowland anoas
Plans to build a new enclosure at Whipsnade Zoo have been approved, despite concerns of it being within a greenbelt.
The plan was submitted by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) for two new buildings to house macaques and lowland anoa.
The site at The Green in Whipsnade was previously used as stables and paddocks for wild horses.
The new development will cause the loss of 16 trees but more trees are due to be planted in adjacent areas to compensate.
Central Bedfordshire Council's development management committee said in a report:
“The proposal is considered inappropriate development within the greenbelt, but special circumstances put forward are considered to outweigh the harm".
Senior planning officer Lauren Rance told the committee:
“The application is for a new animal enclosure within the confines of Whipsnade Zoo located in the South Bedfordshire greenbelt and Chiltern area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB).
“It includes the loss of 16 trees to ensure the macaques don’t escape their new enclosure. But 16 replacement trees are to be planted in an adjacent area to compensate for this."
Whipsnade Zoo's chief operation officer, Owen Craft, told Greatest Hits Radio the enclosure will help increase populations of these animals.
"The benefits to this project is to ensure we have optimum welfare standards for these species, as well as continuing to deliver our conservation impact across our zoos.
"Critically endangered Sulawesi macaque is known for its black fur and pink bottom. They're the world's rarest species of macaque, there's this few as 5,000 left in their natural habitat.
"The endangered lowland anoa is the smallest species of wild cattle in the world, whose population is continuing to decline due to habitat loss and ZSL plays a vital role in a global species management plan for this species."
We're told work is already getting underway to develop the new enclosure, with the aim to open to visitors in early 2024.