# killer whale at dudley zoo what do you remember?



## cbmark (Feb 23, 2008)

does anyone remember when dudley zoo had a killer whale and ive heard mixed storys of what happened to it whats your story?


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## mattm (Jul 18, 2008)

From what I've read it went to one of the seaworld parks in America, not sure though.


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## SilverSteno (Feb 12, 2006)

You mean Cuddles? He died at dudley zoo after numerous health problems.


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## mattm (Jul 18, 2008)

Oh that's sad!


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## cbmark (Feb 23, 2008)

thats the one cuddles ive heard various things that supposdly happened to it regarding health problems i only found out it was there the otherday i was amazed that there was a killer whale in brum i thought it was a tall story


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## JUJU (Aug 16, 2007)

I live about 3 miles from Dudley Zoo and I can't remember anything about this, :lol2:how long ago?


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## CoinOperatedGirl (May 7, 2009)

^ Not recent, but recent enough for my Mum (45 yo) to remember it being there. I certainly don't remember it. It was in one of those big pits where the tigers/bears are now right? & there were Polar Bears in whichever pit didn't have the whales in?

I believe I have a book on the history of Dudley Zoo somewhere about the house. I'll find it out & look it up if no one on here can remember.


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## Charlibob (Jun 21, 2008)

I just found out Edinburgh Zoo still has a polar bear I got all excited then realised it was a 4 hour drive :whip:


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## GeckoLass (Nov 15, 2007)

Charlibob said:


> I just found out Edinburgh Zoo still has a polar bear I got all excited then realised it was a 4 hour drive :whip:


Iv not been to the zoo in a good few years but shes been there for as long as i can remember, must be a fair old age now if its the same one. I always felt sorry for her. But she is gorgeous:flrt:

EDIT: Just checked shes been at the Zoo since 1984, they are raising funds to move Mercedes to a wildlife park in the highlands.
Centenary Appeal


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## blackjohnzx6 (Jun 18, 2009)

*cuddles*

i actually went and saw cuddles dont remember much about it think it was late 70s all i remember was it like a goldfish in abowl no room to move


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## blackjohnzx6 (Jun 18, 2009)

*cuddles*

just looked it up he died 1974


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## lenemily (Jul 7, 2008)

I grew up in clacton on sea and i remember them having a killer whale on clacton pier :bash:

god knows what happened to him


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## cbmark (Feb 23, 2008)

blackjohnzx6 said:


> i actually went and saw cuddles dont remember much about it think it was late 70s all i remember was it like a goldfish in abowl no room to move


thats why i was amazed when someone told me they had one :sad:


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## bampoisongirl (Mar 28, 2008)

Charlibob said:


> I just found out Edinburgh Zoo still has a polar bear I got all excited then realised it was a 4 hour drive :whip:


off topic but i went in april and she is still there atm. gorgeous, bt she is showing behavioural problems such as pacing. i asked about this adn was told she has been doing this since her mate died  but we were also told that she likes to leave a bit of food on a rock, and wait until a seagull swoops down to it then pounces on them and squishes them! silly girl lol.

ive never been to dudley zoo is it big? xx


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## EP1 (Jun 27, 2009)

> there was a killer whale in brum i thought it was a tall story


 Dudley is not brum
any way it was in the pool where thay have the seals in now


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## Mujician (Mar 7, 2007)

I remember the one that was at Westminster Safari Park. I used to think that was a brilliant place. Sadly closed and is now Lego Land


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## gregjones (Sep 14, 2008)

Cuddles came to Dudley from Flamingo Land in Yorkshire. If you do some Googling around you can find quite a bit of history on it.

Dudley weren't ready for him, but he was delivered none the less so they had to put together a make shift tank. It was half of what is now the sealion enclosure, which used to be the moat around the castle. They put concrete walls around it to make it deeper though. Either way, it was still waayyy to small. It was about double his body length and he could barely turn around at the one end.

I went to Dudley Zoo just yesterday and although it's not the best of zoos I've been to, it isn't as bad as some people make out. It's a shame that the ugly buildings in the zoo are listed, it stops them from utilising the space they have to make better enclosures.

The reptile house is pretty cool...was hoping to see some venomous snakes though!


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## ukphd (Mar 29, 2008)

here's a link to some photos of cuddles

Cuddles


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## 955i (Aug 17, 2007)

I remember seeing Cuddles when I was young (brought up near Sedgley just down the road).

I remember hearing that he/she had ingested a plastic bag and it had caused the problems leading to its death, but not sure how true that is.


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## ukphd (Mar 29, 2008)

Another link - this one has info about when cuddles was captured (along with quite a few other whales!) - interesting stuff (and also quite sad)

Ishmael


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

Loads of stuff about him on here

Whale Web Forums: Cuddles


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## rehcsif (Dec 28, 2009)

EP1 said:


> Dudley is not brum
> any way it was in the pool where thay have the seals in now


Right on both counts - Dudley IS NOT Brum,
and I remember seeing Cuddles a number of times (I still live in Dudley), can't believe he died as long ago as 1974!!


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

Edinburghs polar bear has been moved to the highland wildlife park. We saw her earlier this year and her enclosure was absolutely teenie.


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## SilverSteno (Feb 12, 2006)

selina20 said:


> Edinburghs polar bear has been moved to the highland wildlife park. We saw her earlier this year and her enclosure was absolutely teenie.



The Highland Wildlife Park encolousure or Edinburgh zoo one? I've seen her at the Highland Wildlife Park, it's good to see her with space to move (and I bet she's loving all this snow at the moment too!).


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