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Whipsnade Zoo

ZSL Whipsnade Zoo in April 2014: free-roaming maras, white rhinos on the hillside, a brown bear in the long grass, and a bird and butterfly finale.

In April 2014 we took the cameras up to ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, on the Chiltern Hills above Dunstable. It is the roomy, windswept cousin of London Zoo: whole hillsides for paddocks, and maras wandering the lawns as if they hold season tickets.

Out on the hillsides

Dileep bent over a long white telephoto lens on a green lawn, photographing a Patagonian mara standing a few metres away — The maras roam the grounds freely, so Dileep opened negotiations for a portrait. The mara set the terms.

A Patagonian mara with tall ears and long whiskers lying folded on a sunny lawn, looking straight at the camera — The result of the negotiations. Part hare, part deer, entirely unbothered.

Two white rhinos grazing on a wide green hillside, one close to the camera and one approaching from behind — White rhinos with an entire hillside to themselves, mowing it in tandem.

A zebra with fine narrow stripes and large rounded ears grazing on short grass — Pinstripes on the lawn. The narrow stripes and radar-dish ears earn a long look.

A brown bear lying in long green grass beneath overhanging branches, looking towards the camera — The brown bear, filed under long grass and low effort.

A chimpanzee walking on all fours through tall dry stems with green bushes behind — A chimpanzee on the move through the dry stems, giving the lens one measured glance.

A pile of ring-tailed lemurs huddled together on a mossy wooden plank, one striped tail hanging down and one lemur staring at the camera — The ring-tailed lemurs run a communal napping arrangement. One member is always on watch duty.

Close-up of a hippo with its muzzle dipped in a green pool, grass stuck around its mouth — Mid-graze, mid-drink, garnish still attached.

Back five days later

The first visit clearly did not finish the job, because the camera dates say we were back five days later for the cats, the birds and the butterfly house.

A tiger with a thick ruff of white cheek fur lying against sandy rocks, staring directly into the camera — That stare held longer than we did.

A large vulture with a pale downy head perched on a rock pinnacle, wings folded, in front of a painted rock wall — A vulture surveying its kingdom from the official perch.

A black and white spotted butterfly feeding upside down on red and yellow milkweed flowers — In the butterfly house, lunch is taken upside down.

A violet-backed starling with iridescent purple head and back and white breast perched on a bare branch — A violet-backed starling, wearing the most expensive-looking feathers in the building.

A small bird with a bright red head, grey wings and white breast standing on a mossy stone ledge — A red-cowled cardinal inspecting the paving. Standards were apparently met.

A plump house sparrow perched on a dark plastic edge in front of a grey post — And a house sparrow, resident by choice rather than by ticket. Honestly one of the best portraits of the day.

Two visits in one week says it all. For more animal encounters, there are snow monkeys at Jigokudani and wild elephants at Yala. The maras remain the most relaxed of the lot.