Dudley Zoological Gardens Dudley Zoological Gardens in 2017

They currently have three 'groupings' but only two outdoor enclosures.
When this new enclosure is built they will have three 'groupings' and three enclosures.
But yes I would still like to see all of the orangs get to use the new enclosure in rotation.

After the new enclosure is built the zoo will then turn their attention to developing the existing two enclosures, but we don't know how yet.
 
Nisha said:
"Looking further ahead, there are plans to extend the Tiger enclosure* and begin a Chimpanzee breeding programme"

*into Inca's enclosure possibly??
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It would be a strange and fairly ineffective upgrade. Someone previously suggested into the Bush Dog area.
 
The only way they could possibly extend the tiger enclosure would be to extend to the rear of the enclosure as the front and sides are listed under the tecton listings, I would be happier if they were to move the tigers completely from the tecton complex and say build a new enclosure opposite the chimpanzee's as this area is unused and could make a great exhibit as it has many environmental attributes that the tigers own environments have.
 
I visited Dudley today and I was pleased to see so much progress since my previous visit. The Lorikeet Lookout seems to make much better use of the space than the previous incarnation of the building. I saw the chimps being fed and had a nice chat with their keeper.
I was really impressed with the revamped capuchin exhibit and the monkeys were making good use of its features. The baby is obviously doing well. The black lemurs were in their own enclosure without access to the walk-through, but again the baby seems to be doing well. I was interested to see the plans for the new orang outdoor exhibit in the little lean-to beside the old house: however they were not very detailed - has anyone found them on web yet? I made a small contribution to the appeal for this building, but it won't make much of a dent in £650k which is still required :(
 
Warning: If you're wearing socks, you might want to hold on to them...

We’re looking ahead to our 2018 redevelopment plans and inviting visitors to choose our next exciting animal project, involving either bears, tigers or chimpanzees.

All visitors who add the ten per cent voluntary donation to their entrance fee will receive a token and be invited to vote for one of three major projects we’ve got in the pipeline.

1. The first project is adapting the fencing in the chimp enclosure, which will enable us to introduce males to the all-female group, as well as extending the climbing frame and creating additional viewing facilities for visitors.

2. The second proposed development includes reinstating brown bears back into the Tecton Bear Ravine and building separate internal dens at the far end of the paddock as well as providing a large climbing frame.

3. The third option is to extend the Sumatran tiger enclosure across the rear bank, as well as creating new housing with visitor viewing and building additional climbing frames and platforms.

Zoo Director Derek Grove, said: “The three projects put forward for the vote are part of our long term development plan, which we estimate would cost us £250,000 each.

“We wanted to give those visitors who support us through donations an extra say in the timings of our work as they’re the ones who are helping us contribute more to conservation.

“Visitors have until the end of the year to vote for their favourite plan and we’ll focus on the winning project next year, although if we’ve got enough funds available we’ll move on to the other projects too.”

We’re currently in the midst of a £295,000 redevelopment programme, having already built a new lynx indoor den and an extended capuchin enclosure and we’re working on a new farm barn.

Plus we’re still set to extend the snow leopard enclosure and rebuild the triple parrot aviaries as well as continuing our fundraising for an £800,000 outdoor enclosure for our Bornean orang utans.
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Voting visitors - Dudley Zoological Gardens
 
On the one hand: wow! Outrageously cool!
On the other: if all three are serious options it seems almost immoral to not direct all funding towards the chimps. The tigers are fine and the bears can wait, but the chimps have been a depressing exhibit for a long time.
 
All of the above where projects talked about under the previous leadership mind you that was b/s at the time according to one member, all the money should be targeted at the orang-utans and why not let the chimps move to another collection and use the area for the orang-utans.
 
AdrianW1963 said:
. . . why not let the chimps move to another collection and use the area for the orang-utans.
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The chimps are kept in one group, but the orangs each need separate accommodation. So this would involve building a lot of new indoor accommodation for the orangs as well as new outdoor enclosures.
 
FunkyGibbon said:
On the other: if all three are serious options it seems almost immoral to not direct all funding towards the chimps. The tigers are fine and the bears can wait, but the chimps have been a depressing exhibit for a long time.
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I agree with that sentiment, the Chimpanzee situation should have been addressed years ago, so now if there is opportunity to overcome the cost problem and rectify the situation,, it should really be directed at them. I like the idea of Bears returning, at some stage, to the Bear Ravine also, but I'd say the chimps are still the priority. But I expect a lot of people will vote for the Bears...
 
Some thoughts.

Option 1 - Chimps
Pros
  • We've been calling for this to happen for a very long time.
  • The chimps will finally have their social needs met and will be livened up a bit; making for a far better exhibit/ visitor experience.
  • The fact they plan to extend the already fairly large climbing frame and add even more viewing areas.
  • It could pave the way for a 'better' group of chimps in the future or even a bachelor gorilla group.
Cons
  • It's already a very good enclosure, so a revamp would not improve the look of the zoo that much. So it's a lot to spend.
  • It's been over a decade since any of the females saw a male. Will they tolerate the change? It's a big and risky undertaking.
  • It would probably take at least 3 or 4 very confident males to overcome this settled group and if they plan on breeding them as well then I fear the indoor section would be too small.
  • I think all of the females are on the older side now.
  • Will they still have any maternal instinct?
  • I don't think the chimps are that much of crowd draw for Dudley, even if they were in a proper group.

Option 2 - Bears
Pros
  • This will be by far the biggest crowd draw and see the biggest increase in visitor numbers.
  • Will be nice to see the renovated Bear ravine being used properly and not just a grass paddock.
  • They might be rescued bears.
Cons
  • Brown bears - can't imagine they'll be getting any of the endangered/vulnerable sub-species, which I think sends out the wrong message.
  • I don't think the area would make for a good brown bear enclosure. It's too small in my opinion; unless they extended it right to the top of the wooded hillside that is.
  • I'd much rather they chose a smaller, more at risk bear species (e.g. spectacled, sun, Asiatic).
  • It needs proper landscaping, not just a climbing frame added.
  • I can just imagine the bears sitting at the edge of the Tecton all day begging for visitors to throw food.
  • Sadly, everyone's going to vote for this.

Option 3 - Tigers
Pros
  • The tigers could do with a better enclosure with more space. It's not a bad enclosure though, just not good.
  • They really need a bigger, better climbing structure.
  • The tigers are the biggest crowd draw at the zoo.
  • Would be grrreat for them to have a large indoor space with indoor viewing.
  • Extending it "across the rear bank" would make for a very unique/exciting exhibit, given it's verticality. I can't image they would extend it behind the ex-polar bear tecton, but they could extend it to the left; on the bank above their current indoor area. They could also take it right to the top of the bank, all the way along, and 'square it off' slightly instead of the upper perimeter being trapezium-shaped like it is now.
  • Sumatran tigers are a critically endangered species. They have two very genetically important individuals.
Cons
  • They're trying to breed from this young pair. Would major construction work interrupt that?
  • It may look 'messy' with all the new fencing needed to go laterally across the bank.
  • Viewing may become tricky.

In conclusion, the tigers slightly edge it for me over the chimps. I may change my mind though. However, I definitely don't want the bear option.

I just hope the zoo is sure they can reach their target for the orangs and do their best for them, because after all, they are priority number 1.
 
I'll vote for the Bears when I visit! The chimps rarely go outside from what I've read on here, despite having a large outdoor area.

The current tiger enclosure could do with improving, but it isn't awful!

All these should be behind the Orangs in the queue though!
 
Benosaurus said:

  • It's been over a decade since any of the females saw a male. Will they tolerate the change? It's a big and risky undertaking.
  • It would probably take at least 3 or 4 very confident males to overcome this settled group and if they plan on breeding them as well then I fear the indoor section would be too small.
  • I think all of the females are on the older side now.
  • Will they still have any maternal instinct?
  • I don't think the chimps are that much of crowd draw for Dudley, even if they were in a proper group.
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Regarding the chimps. These are important considerations;

As you say, the existing established females will form a united front against any incomers. They will need a bonded group of at least 3 strong adult males as you also say, which can stand their ground against them and then become the dominant force in the group. Adding a single or even two males is likely asking for trouble. They do mention 'males' in the plural so probably recognise this. But finding suitable males of the right age and already bonded might not be at all easy.

The females are all quite advanced in age now. A few of the youngest may still be of breeding age though?

I don't think maternal instinct is 'lost' over time.

This has been talked about many times in the past but nothing has ever happened so far...
 
I think it's worth pointing out something which is implicit in the comments of Benosaurus and Pertinax above. If I remember correctly, the youngest chimps at Dudley are in their 20s: so if the chimp plan is to happen at all with the current animals, it will have to happen within the next few years or it will be too late.
The bears could wait and the tiger plan is probably not so urgent from the conservation breeding point of view (in the past few years, far more Sumatran tiger cubs than baby chimps have been born in the UK).
The current fencing and viewing of the chimp enclosure is not good, but it could be improved. There is an off-show outdoor cage and the indoor area could be expanded quite easily by extending it into part of the public area, which is surprisingly large. As I said to the keeper last Friday, the thing that always surprises me about the chimps at Dudley is how quiet the females are together. They are not very active either, I watched as the keepers gave them their mid-day feed in four parts, calling them to each end of the enclosure in turn, to make them exercise a bit more. I am sure that a proper group of noisy, active chimps, with the added possibility of infants, would attract visitors to that area of the zoo.
 
It turns out that 4 of the chimps are a lot younger than I first thought. After reading the comments above I'm definitely leaning more towards the chimps now, despite it being the most difficult option. It would be great if they could extend the indoor section as well.

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Does anyone have any ideas where this group of male chimps might come from?
 
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Is the chimp project endorsed at the EAZA level? As far as I am aware there had been a reason for a females' only group? Anyone have additional and new info?
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
Is the chimp project endorsed at the EAZA level? As far as I am aware there had been a reason for a females' only group? Anyone have additional and new info?
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Its been a female only group because they didn't believe the fences were strong enough to contain adult males. Hence now fundraising to replace them and make other enclosure changes
 
Didn't their last male also break the glass in the indoor viewing area?

All in all I approve of the great ape developments as the two enclosures feature extremely popular animals but are poorly executed for different reasons.

But I would quite like bears in the Bear Ravine... ;)
 
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