Kent Kollections: A Trip Review

robmv said:
Wingham's mystery rodents are Plantain Squirrels (Callosciurus notatus). A very nice species which surely merit a label.
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Many thanks for that has been bugging me since I visited . I even contacted them via Facebook and got no reply to my question.
 
I was wondering why they seemed so familiar...I saw them in the wild when I visited Borneo this summer!! They were feeding on leftover fruit together with some Prevost's squirrels and one giant squirrel.
 
bongorob said:
So that's where they were when I visited in October 2015.
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They obviously knew you were coming, so they made it really easy for you to count them :D

ShonenJake13 said:
7:30aAfter this we promptly pushed on to get to the Palace of the Apes for the 12:00 feed (shout out and thanks to gentle lemur for recommending which groups to see when). Here my jaw hit the ground. The enclosure was amazing! It combines both the heavily enriched cage design from Howletts and the open topped design of the Gorilla Garden (where the bachelors live at Port Lympne).
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While I have always liked the gorilla accommodation at Howletts, I agree that the Palace of the Apes has an extra dimension. I understand Pertinax's reservations about the open-air enclosure, but the lower part of it is well wooded and the vegetation there provides real enrichment in the summer. I also like the extra height in the enclosed section, allowed by the slope of the site, which provides a more private balcony space for the gorillas.
I'm glad you saw the gorilla feed and the gentle lemurs too, of course ;)
 
gentle lemur said:
They obviously knew you were coming, so they made it really easy for you to count them :D



While I have always liked the gorilla accommodation at Howletts, I agree that the Palace of the Apes has an extra dimension. I understand Pertinax's reservations about the open-air enclosure, but the lower part of it is well wooded and the vegetation there provides real enrichment in the summer. I also like the extra height in the enclosed section, allowed by the slope of the site, which provides a more private balcony space for the gorillas.
I'm glad you saw the gorilla feed and the gentle lemurs too, of course ;)
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;) thank you again for the tips Alan, we had an amazing time!!
 
zoogiraffe said:
Many thanks for that has been bugging me since I visited . I even contacted them via Facebook and got no reply to my question.
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Indeed. Perhaps worth mentioning when we asked the keeper about them she called them Javan Squirrels and said the sign had been stolen.

Shonen, from memory it did indeed have stripes on it.

~Thylo
 
[QUOTE="gentle lemur, post: 1000215, member: 40] I agree that the Palace of the Apes has an extra dimension. I understand Pertinax's reservations about the open-air enclosure, but the lower part of it is well wooded and the vegetation there provides real enrichment in the summer.
[/QUOTE]

Overall I'd agree Palace of the Apes is the best enclosure as it has a combination of all the others- big open area, large covered area and some privacy too. Though I do think the outdoor area is largely cosmetic- very little used- last time I was there, a nice sunny day, the Gorillas popped out for the talk and feed and then back in again, particularly Kouillou who only showed for a few minutes. I believe outdoor enclosures were added at Port Lympne because of public suggestions it would be nice for the Gorillas not to just be in 'cages' as at Howletts, where they haven't got the space for them. But I don't think the Howletts gorillas are missing much because of that.
 
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