'Vulnerable' peccaries find new home at zoo

BBC
·2-min read

A vulnerable species of peccaries has arrived at a zoo in Devon.

Dartmoor Zoo said it had acquired seven white-lipped peccaries, a pig-like animal, from Dudley Zoo and Castle.

The breed is considered vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature with a worldwide population of 5,000.

David Gibson, the chief executive of Dartmoor Zoo, said the arrival was a "major milestone for the zoo".

Found across Central and South America, peccaries live in places like tropical rainforests, wet and dry grasslands and mangroves.

Agricultural expansion, deforestation and hunting is blamed for declining numbers, with the latest IUCN assessment showing a decrease in numbers of almost 30% in the past three generations alone.

'Conservation dependent'

Mr Gibson said: "The arrival at Dartmoor Zoo of the UK’s only collection of white-lipped peccary is a major milestone for the zoo.

"It is the first time in the long history of the zoo that we have included peccaries, or indeed any pig-like species, in the collection.

"This symbolises our desire to focus on conservation dependent species and their arrival will be the first of many such developments over the coming years."

The mixed group of three males and four females will occupy a newly refurbished enclosure at the top of the drive, next to the zoo's Turkey oak.

Richard Brown, curator at Dudley Zoo and Castle, said they were "delighted" by the move.

“We feel very fortunate to have been able to house white-lipped peccary for the past 15 years at Dudley Zoo and Castle, but we’re delighted they’re heading to Dartmoor," he said.

"We look forward to following their future progress in their new home."

Follow BBC Devon on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk.

More on this story

Related internet links

  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next

Latest stories

  • Rare shark that lives for 500 years could hold secret to increasing human lifespan

    The metabolism of a shark species which can live for 500 years could help scientists treat heart disease and increase people’s lifespan, scientists hope.

  • Flirting with disaster: When endangered wild animals try to mate with domestic relatives, both wildlife and people lose

    Conflicts between herders and the wild ancestors of their yaks, camels and reindeer are a serious threat to both people and wildlife, writes a scientist who has seen these clashes firsthand.

  • Indonesia launches first EV battery plant

    Indonesia launched its first electric vehicle battery plant on Wednesday, President Joko Widodo said, as Southeast Asian countries move to gain a foothold in the emerging industry.The plant is part of a $9.8 billion electric vehicle battery deal signed between Indonesia and LG in 2020.

  • Washed-up giant shark removed from beach by forklift

    The body of a giant basking shark which washed up on Scottish beach has been removed by a forklift.

  • Freya the rescued lion cub is safe in South Africa, but many other lions there are bred to be shot

    Freya, a 6-month-old lion cub rescued from the wildlife trade in Lebanon, poked a curious nose out of her transport crate and sniffed the air. Satisfied, she took her first cautious steps in her new forever home in a sanctuary in South Africa. Freya's relocation to the Drakenstein Lion Park is only a partial success story.

  • Coffee, eggs and white rice linked to higher levels of PFAS in human body

    US study that researchers say highlights chemicals’ ubiquity also shows PFAS association with seafood and red meat

  • To save spotted owls, US officials plan to kill hundreds of thousands of another owl species

    To save the imperiled spotted owl from potential extinction, U.S. wildlife officials are embracing a contentious plan to deploy trained shooters into dense West Coast forests to kill almost a half-million barred owls that are crowding out their cousins.

  • What Is the Most Dangerous Animal in the World?

    It's hard to say what is the most dangerous animal in the world; you're not comparing apples to apples. But when it comes dangerous, these four top the list.

  • 'It's all gone': floods in southern China devastate residents

    STORY: This shop owner in southern China's Hunan Province is busy cleaning up debris on Wednesday after heavy rainfall and flooding devastated her stationary store.She says she didn't receive any notice to move her goods and asks: "How can a family survive in this situation?"Heavy rainfall pounded parts of Hunan earlier this week, causing the water level of a local river to reach its highest level in 70 years.Local authorities have activated the maximum emergency response level.This restaurant owner said she had to flee before it became impossible to get herself out.Now, with her business flooded - she says she is heartbroken and doesn't know how she will provide for her children.Last week, President Xi Jinping urged authorities to put in all-out efforts to protect lives as floods and natural disasters increased.China has provided more than $316.4 million in funds to help with rescue efforts and emergency supplies as deadly floods and landslides caused by almost two weeks of torrential rain ravage several parts of the country.In Changsha, the capital of Hunan, the Xiang and Laodao rivers are expected to hit peak dangerous levels Thursday morning, state media reported.

  • Newborn white rhino Silverio takes his giant first steps in a Chilean zoo in a boost to his species

    Hannah, a 13-year-old white rhinoceros, has delivered a newborn calf in a rare zoo birth for the almost endangered species. The arrival of the male calf, named Silverio, two weeks ago marked the third time that a white rhino had ever been born in South America. The Buin Zoo in Chile's capital of Santiago unveiled Silverio to the public on Tuesday as he took his first giant-footed steps after 12 days of medical care in confinement.

  • Adorable Black Bear Cubs Explore Neighborhood

    Three adorable black bear cubs were spotted roaming around a New Jersey neighborhood in late May.Laura Geer captured this video of the cubs exploring the front lawn of a home before moving on and trotting up the road.“These adorable bear cubs were romping all over the neighborhood searching out mama bear who had walked up the street,” Geer said.New Jersey Fish and Wildlife advise New Jersey residents to take steps to avoid attracting bears, such as securing garbage and not leaving out any food that may encourage bears to linger in residential areas. Credit: Laura Geer via Storyful

  • Philippine town cleans up beach in exchange for rice

    STORY: :: Mabini, PhilippinesPlastic waste litters the shores of this resort town near Manila, the Philippines' sprawling capital.This coastal cleanup crew is trying to hold back the steady flood of waste.But each sack of they gather doesn't go unrewarded. They get a two-pound bag of rice in exchange, enough for a small family's needs.:: This Earth Green campaigners say the exchange can educate the community about why protecting the environment is so critical, all while keeping the shores clean, and as inflation bites, keeping people here, like Janeth Aceveda, afloat. "The exchange is a huge help for us because in a month I need four and a half sacks of rice, but now all I have to buy is two sacks, which is a huge help in saving money. It also helps the environment and it shows when our surroundings are clean." Mabini in Batangas province is a world-class scuba diving destination, known for its vibrant corals and marine biodiversity. But a rising tide of plastic pollution is posing an increasing threat to marine life. Organizer Giulio Endaya has witnessed the harm first hand. :: Giulio Endaya, Exchange organizer"I've seen sea turtles entangled in nets and other types of plastics. They've been known to eat straws and plastic bags, and the fish also eat microplastics that have been, you know, broken down in the shore. And recently we've been finding more and more microplastics even in fish that we eat, so it's also harmful to us." To untangle the problem, Endaya and his group of volunteers spearheaded the ‘Plastic Palit Bigas’– or ‘plastic in exchange for rice’– program. The project is funded by donations from individuals and small companies that advocate for marine conservation. Through the exchange, Mabini volunteers can turn in sacks of litter, regardless of weight, for a kilogram– or 2.2 pounds– of rice. Volunteer Raymond Basit says it’s been a potent incentive. "It helps a lot because people now have an urge, because of poverty and especially during these times, the price of goods is so high. Now during their free time they can clean, and they push themselves to clean because they get something in return, which is a big help for them." An updated 2022 University of Oxford report found that The Philippines accounts for 36% of the total global input of plastic waste into the ocean, more than any other country. The plastic for rice exchange aims to change that. :: 4.7 tonsAccording to Endaya, since clean-up efforts began in October 2022, more than 4.7 U.S. tons of garbage have been collected and exchanged for nearly 3 tons of rice.

  • Air Force Hurricane Hunters Fly Into Eye of Hurricane Beryl

    Members of the US Air Force Hurricane Hunters flew into the eye of Hurricane Beryl on Tuesday, July 2, to collect data as the storm churned across the Caribbean Sea.This footage was captured and posted by the Air Force Reserve 403rd Wing

  • Climate scientists urge responsible use of AI as Google’s emissions soar by 48% since 2019

    Scientists have asked individuals to think twice before using AI to generate memes.

  • This Tiny Swift Bird Can Fly for 10 Months Without Landing

    Thanks to new technology, researchers have discovered that the common swift flies 10 months a year without landing, setting a world record for uninterrupted time aloft.

  • Not politics, not interest rates: India's surging economy at risk from water

    Water delivered by tankers provides one additional bucket to each of its 1,000 residents for drinking and cooking. In parts of the arid state of Rajasthan, southwest of the Indian capital, tap water is available once every four days for an hour. In rural areas near Mumbai, women and children travel more than a mile to get water.

  • Several shark species are facing extinction. Here’s how you can help

    Older than dinosaurs and trees, sharks have endured a lot throughout their 450 million years on Earth. They’ve even survived five mass extinctions, including the asteroid that wiped out 75% of life on the planet. But many species of these aquatic apex predators are now in danger of dying out forever.

  • Sewage in the Seine: New tests show the river remains unswimmable with three weeks to the Olympics

    A rehearsal for the Paris Olympics opening ceremony was cancelled yesterday due to dangerous water in the Seine.

  • The secret plight of seagulls – and why we should learn to love them

    A great annual conflict is underway. Each summer, as hordes of holidaymakers descend on beaches and seaside towns across the country, humans and seagulls come face to face in a chip-based standoff. ‘Giant swarms’ of gulls apparently attack beachgoers, traumatise children – and fill the tabloids. Gulls are even being blamed for postal delays: last month, Royal Mail claimed that aggressive birds had prevented postmen from making deliveries in Liskeard, Cornwall.

  • World’s biggest sodium-ion battery switches on, able to power 12,000 homes

    The new installation follows a number of breakthroughs with sodium-ion batteries in recent years