Asian Reserve...
An area of contrasts; everything from the enormous Asian Water Buffalo (Bubalus b. arnee) to the diminutive Anoa (Bubalus depressicomis) ;the great Samba Deer (Cervus unicolour) to the dainty Blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra) and, above all perhaps, the worlds rarest dee, the Philippine Spotted Deer (Cervus alfredi). Not forgetting of course the endangered Barasingha Deer (Cervus duvaucelii) and the Yak (Bos grunniens) which can often be seen through the fence to the left grazing in the SSSI as part of the joint West Midland Safari Park/Natural England heathland restoration programme. It is a favourite haunt too of the indiginous Little Owl (Athene noctua) as well as the white tigers of Tiger Ridge. And where else could you see white tigers and black rabbits? – in the Asiatic reserve, if you keep your eyes peeled!
Asian Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis arnee)...
Alias Arni, Asiatic or Asian Buffalo, in the wild is a mainly nocturnal bovine that is declining, because of inbreeding with domestic and feral specimens, loss of habitat due to cultivation, hunting and competition with domestic cattle. Conversley there are up to 150 million domestic buffalo world wide, whose use has been traced back nearly 7,000 yrs in China.
It’'s former range across much of Asia is now restricted to remnant populations, in countries like Nepal and Thailand (whose wild buffalo are the largest in the world) of no more than 500 in conservation areas, although groups of 50 are now the norm.For much of the year ‘nursery’ groups, live separate from the bulls. Both utilize wet areas, especially elephant grass, and marshes alongside rivers and lakes, living off the lush grass and aquatic vegetation.
Banteng (Bos javanicus)
Banteng or Bali Cattle are a species of wild South East Asian cattle, although, like the yak, water buffalo and particularly the guar to which it is closely related, it has been domesticated. Wild specimens are shy, a factor contributing to its rapid decline. It is extinct in India, Bangladesh and Western Malaysia due mainly to habitat loss and hunting for the illegal trade in banteng horns that adorn both sexes.
Hybridisation coupled with disease transmission from domestic cattle also contribute to its decline. Although banteng is a Malaysian name, current distribution is in densely wooded areas of forest and bamboo jungles in Indochina, Borneo, Java and the Malay Peninsula. Apart from man, their main predator is the dhole.
Genetic purity is an issue in the banteng survival. There is some suggestion that three sub-species exist, while hybrids with domestic cattle are invariably fertile. Hope exists with the feral population in Northern Australia and in America. Recently in Iowa, for the first time with an endangered species, a cloned calf was born genetically identical to a banteng bull that died in San Diego zoo over 20 years ago.
Przewalski's Horse (Equus przewalskii)
It is a sobering thought that this innocuous looking equine with an unpronounceable name (try ‘Shevalski’) sometimes known as the Mongolian wild horse, the Przewalski's Horse is the only true species of wild horse in existence today.
The genetic origins of these horses are unclear, but what is certain is that they have been extinct in the wild for over 50 years.
The name in fact derives from a Russian explorer who ‘discovered’ them in the 1880’s, Nicolai Przhevalsky.
Local tribesmen had of course known of them for centuries, wisely perhaps they refer to them simply as ‘yellow horses’! Fortunately, they have bred well in captivity and owe their continued existence solely to captivity.
The przewalski’s horse has short ears, round hooves, rough warts (chestnuts) on the inside of each leg and tail hair which grows the whole of its length. Its mane is stiff and erect with no forelock.
They are relatively small horses, extremely hardy, standing just 1.5m, pale sandy brown in colour with a dark mane and tail.
Pére David's Deer (Elaphurus davidianus)
Named after the French missionary who 'discovered' them inside the Imperial palace of the chinese emperor, (which was their last refuge) Père David's Deer owe their existence solely to captive breeding in parks like ours.
When the palace was finally destroyed during the Boxer rebellion, the 4 survivors found their way to Woburn abbey in Bedfordshire and the entire world population of this species stems from this rescue mission. Long extinct in the wild, they have since been re-introduced to China with some success, giving an indication of how captive breeding can help a species from becoming extinct.
The Chinese refer to these animals as Mi Lou, meaning the animal with the four unusual features: the hooves of a cow; the tail of a mule; the neck of a camel and the antlers of a stag. These are unique amongst deer in that they face 'backwards'. Equally unusual, two sets of antlers can be produced each year.
Nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus)
Nilgai are the largest of the Asiatic Antelope. They live mainly in small groups on the semi-arid plains of the Indian sub-continent, which they share with blackbuck a "Gazelle-like" animal. Nilgai means ‘blue bull’ which is the colour of the mature males. By contrast the cows are biscuit coloured as are the fawns at birth.
Twins are common but survival rates depend largely on them being born in summer. A striking feature of the nilgai is that males and females both carry white markings ("stripy socks") on their fetlocks. Nilgai have unusual links with some of the parks other species. Together with the llama, ostrich, emu, rhea, gnu, eland, American bison and przewalski’s Horse for over 100 years they’ve shared an unlikely home; the 27,500 acres of the Askaniya Nova Reserve in the Ukraine.
This represents the largest remaining tract of virgin steppe in the world, a living laboratory for a unique blend of indiginous and exotic fauna and flora. The original safari park!
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