Twycross Zoo Twycross Zoo News 2018
- Thread starter kiang
- Start date
Main group in, however, only 13 Chimps. The other group of 4 still to go. Outside just about finished but not yet open.
Thanks. So another one lost (or PTS maybe?) in recent weeks?
I did see a single tweet a couple of weeks ago intimating that, however, no info on the net anywhere.
Article on the siamang escape, sounds like things were dealt with quickly and professionally.
Escaped gibbon forces zoo into emergency lock down
Escaped gibbon forces zoo into emergency lock down
After a visit today, can confirm the 13 in Eden are Jambo, Flynn, Jomar, Kibali, Coco, Noddy, Rosie, Tojo, Holly, Josie, Victoria, Genet and Tuli.
Still Samantha, William, Peter and Tommy in the complex.
Still Samantha, William, Peter and Tommy in the complex.
Can you name the one that's gone, I cannot rememer from this list...
Lottie, I believe she passed away recently.
Visited today and saw 2 Elephants in the first paddock . The house was closed.
Long queue to enter the new chimp complex so I didn't bother. Outside looks finished, but obviously not as several pieces of wood lying at viewing platform end with a coffee cup neatly left upright next to them!
I know they are waiting to start on the tiger enclosure , but I hope they are able to start soon as that side of the zoo seems very poor at the moment . They can't afford to many empty areas , with the Elephants going and 2 empty Chimp houses as well.
Long queue to enter the new chimp complex so I didn't bother. Outside looks finished, but obviously not as several pieces of wood lying at viewing platform end with a coffee cup neatly left upright next to them!
I know they are waiting to start on the tiger enclosure , but I hope they are able to start soon as that side of the zoo seems very poor at the moment . They can't afford to many empty areas , with the Elephants going and 2 empty Chimp houses as well.
Visited today, primarily to see the new Chimpanzee exhibit( 'Chimpanzee Eden'). They have not been allowed outside yet, though it appears completed now, perhaps to allow the grass and planting to establish a bit first. They all looked very relaxed indoors, though West African male Kibale has been challenging dominant (bald) male Jambo who has a nasty cut on his wrist as a result.
As BeakerUk and others commented, the main shortcoming is that at busy times it will be horrendous as the walkway through the house is very narrow. There are two windows looking into the vast outside area, and one into each of the two large indoor areas. Each measures 9-12 feet width. There are little wooden seats for people to sit at the glass and interact with the chimps also. A nice touch but at peak times, despite the one way system, I think they may need a system of controlled entry. There are the obligatory fibreglass(?) tree buttresses and artificial foliage, some 'explorer' type props and a 'thunder/waterfall' soundtrack but look past that and its a perfectly good exhibit, from the Chimps point of view at least. The outdoor wall is very formidable- looking and a few large natural logs or tree trunks might have given the outside a less formal feel, though overall for the chimps its excellent. Its been an awful long time coming though.
Elsewhere in the zoo; The Elephants Noorjahan & her calf Esha are still there.There are several empty enclosures; ex Hyaena and Dhole enclosures, ex Chimp/Gorilla house, and soon the Elephant paddock and the other Chimp building. Notices on the empty ones say new animals will be moving in soon- but not when or what. The Zoo looks tatty again, the empty overgrown enclosures and fenced-off service areas behind the several ape buildings all add to this impression. Gibbons all apparently shut indoors but I doubt they would have been outside on a grey windy day anyway.
Will post some photos in the Gallery.
As BeakerUk and others commented, the main shortcoming is that at busy times it will be horrendous as the walkway through the house is very narrow. There are two windows looking into the vast outside area, and one into each of the two large indoor areas. Each measures 9-12 feet width. There are little wooden seats for people to sit at the glass and interact with the chimps also. A nice touch but at peak times, despite the one way system, I think they may need a system of controlled entry. There are the obligatory fibreglass(?) tree buttresses and artificial foliage, some 'explorer' type props and a 'thunder/waterfall' soundtrack but look past that and its a perfectly good exhibit, from the Chimps point of view at least. The outdoor wall is very formidable- looking and a few large natural logs or tree trunks might have given the outside a less formal feel, though overall for the chimps its excellent. Its been an awful long time coming though.
Elsewhere in the zoo; The Elephants Noorjahan & her calf Esha are still there.There are several empty enclosures; ex Hyaena and Dhole enclosures, ex Chimp/Gorilla house, and soon the Elephant paddock and the other Chimp building. Notices on the empty ones say new animals will be moving in soon- but not when or what. The Zoo looks tatty again, the empty overgrown enclosures and fenced-off service areas behind the several ape buildings all add to this impression. Gibbons all apparently shut indoors but I doubt they would have been outside on a grey windy day anyway.
Will post some photos in the Gallery.
Lottie has died but I have no details of the cause.
Agreed. In truth I would hope they tear down that old section eventually and replace it with more setting friendly exhibits (this includes the other old Great Ape buildings too).
I'd agree to an extent, that enclosure is not pretty. But* it was a good move when it was made, the zoo's finances were in a parlous state and it really didn't have much room to manoeuvre -these enclosures enabled them to retain species and upgrade/shuffle other species (as part of a slowly building, realistic, masterplan). To be fair the enclosures, whilst ugly, are of a reasonable size (far more so than the leopards' previous enclosure) and seem to function well (as the breeding records attest).
The enclosure is far from perfect but, for me, it'll do (for now) whilst they deal with more pressing issues (personally I'd like to see the orang enclosure bulldozed). Unfortunately/realistically, most zoos have their blind spots and I think the leopard enclosure will be one (not the worst, see previous orang quip) for a while yet. Let's not forget how grim Chester's old orang enclosures (pre RORA) looked not that very long ago.
*I know you're not supposed to start a sentence with but, but I've never been a stickler for conventions.
@Shorts, agreed the Orang House is an eyesore! I do hope they are somewhere next on the list.
Next TWZ will hopefully start building new for the gorillas and of course there is still the Sumatran tiger venture (orange …. there???). I somehow feel the old Elephant House is of lesser importance and will only get minor renos to accommodate another pachyderm species with probably later on a major fix and face-lift). All this is speculative … that is!
Next TWZ will hopefully start building new for the gorillas and of course there is still the Sumatran tiger venture (orange …. there???). I somehow feel the old Elephant House is of lesser importance and will only get minor renos to accommodate another pachyderm species with probably later on a major fix and face-lift). All this is speculative … that is!
I don't think there are any short term plans to build new accomodation for any of the other Great Apes...I think that advertised plan may have been quietly put on hold. I imagine replacing the Elephants and renovating the old Lion/Hyaena enclosure and general area for Tiger will be the next projects. It seems one new enclosure at a time is as much as they can do, which is understandable of course.
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