Yorkshire Wildlife Park Proposed Gorilla Exhibit

Antoine

Antoine

Well-Known Member
10+ year member
Not sure if Zoochatters have seen this but the park submitted a planning application for a new exhibit with the code name GOLF which I assume means gorilla of the lowland forest ?!
The exhibit consist of a massive building of 1.300 m² (with 3 indoor enclosures + 10 dens + 2 others enclosures and dens for small primates I suppose) and 3 outdoor enclosures of 4.900, 3.650 and 900 m² (the last one is off-show). You must notice that the public will not enter the buidling and will see the indoor by windows in a viewing shelter.
In this planning application there is a plan of the area with others enclosures called bongo and havanna which could perfectly fit...bongos and pygmy hippos.

21/02108/REMM | Details of Access, Appearance, Landscaping, Layout and Scale of design for the creation of the golf reserve at Yorkshire Wildlife Park (being matters reserved in outline application previously granted permission under ref 17/02189/OUTA on 02.07.2018 | Yorkshire Wildlife Park Hurst Lane Auckley Doncaster DN9 3QY
 
Antoine said:
Not sure if Zoochatters have seen this but the park submitted a planning application for a new exhibit with the code name GOLF which I assume means gorilla of the lowland forest ?!
The exhibit consist of a massive building of 1.300 m² (with 3 indoor enclosures + 10 dens + 2 others enclosures and dens for small primates I suppose) and 3 outdoor enclosures of 4.900, 3.650 and 900 m² (the last one is off-show). You must notice that the public will not enter the buidling and will see the indoor by windows in a viewing shelter.
In this planning application there is a plan of the area with others enclosures called bongo and havanna which could perfectly fit...bongos and pygmy hippos.

21/02108/REMM | Details of Access, Appearance, Landscaping, Layout and Scale of design for the creation of the golf reserve at Yorkshire Wildlife Park (being matters reserved in outline application previously granted permission under ref 17/02189/OUTA on 02.07.2018 | Yorkshire Wildlife Park Hurst Lane Auckley Doncaster DN9 3QY
Click to expand...
It will be exciting to see how YWP will create an ape enclosure. It seems very ambitious but I'd expect nothing less from YWP given the fantastic quality of the rest of their enclosures
 
Antoine said:
Not sure if Zoochatters have seen this but the park submitted a planning application for a new exhibit with the code name GOLF which I assume means gorilla of the lowland forest ?!
The exhibit consist of a massive building of 1.300 m² (with 3 indoor enclosures + 10 dens + 2 others enclosures and dens for small primates I suppose) and 3 outdoor enclosures of 4.900, 3.650 and 900 m² (the last one is off-show). You must notice that the public will not enter the buidling and will see the indoor by windows in a viewing shelter.
In this planning application there is a plan of the area with others enclosures called bongo and havanna which could perfectly fit...bongos and pygmy hippos.

21/02108/REMM | Details of Access, Appearance, Landscaping, Layout and Scale of design for the creation of the golf reserve at Yorkshire Wildlife Park (being matters reserved in outline application previously granted permission under ref 17/02189/OUTA on 02.07.2018 | Yorkshire Wildlife Park Hurst Lane Auckley Doncaster DN9 3QY
Click to expand...

@Antoine assuiming that the project passes planning permission do you think we could see the new Enclosures open within the next 12 to 18 months?
 
Antoine said:
Not sure if Zoochatters have seen this but the park submitted a planning application for a new exhibit with the code name GOLF
Click to expand...
Thank you for posting the link to these plans. I did wonder if they would show an 18 hole course, a 9 hole course or would it just be Crazy Golf? ;)
To be serious, this does look like a gorilla complex. One the western side, the larger outdoor enclosure joins to a double indoor section (the rear one also seems to connect to another walled off-show outdoor area), which I presume is designed for a breeding group. On the eastern side the enclosures are rather smaller, perhaps for a bachelor group. I presume that the Studbook keeper is making it a condition that the Park must hold similar numbers of males and females. The design ensures that the animals in the 2 groups will not be able to see each other, and I expect the little island beside the public gallery will be planted to make a visual screen. There does not seem to be any outdoor access for the two smaller on-show enclosures between the large ones (although a passage over the gallery to that island could be added). They could be used as areas for guenons or other monkeys if they plan to run them with the gorillas.
The paddock in the centre of the complex is labelled for bongo, and the paired paddocks in the south are labelled 'Havana reserves'. I don't get any clues from that name, but I note that they both have pools which makes me wonder about pygmy hippos.
I think the planning process seems to be at a relatively early stage, so it might well take rather longer than 18 months to develope, build, furnish and stock this complex.
 
gentle lemur said:
Thank you for posting the link to these plans. I did wonder if they would show an 18 hole course, a 9 hole course or would it just be Crazy Golf? ;)
To be serious, this does look like a gorilla complex. One the western side, the larger outdoor enclosure joins to a double indoor section (the rear one also seems to connect to another walled off-show outdoor area), which I presume is designed for a breeding group. On the eastern side the enclosures are rather smaller, perhaps for a bachelor group. I presume that the Studbook keeper is making it a condition that the Park must hold similar numbers of males and females. The design ensures that the animals in the 2 groups will not be able to see each other, and I expect the little island beside the public gallery will be planted to make a visual screen. There does not seem to be any outdoor access for the two smaller on-show enclosures between the large ones (although a passage over the gallery to that island could be added). They could be used as areas for guenons or other monkeys if they plan to run them with the gorillas.
The paddock in the centre of the complex is labelled for bongo, and the paired paddocks in the south are labelled 'Havana reserves'. I don't get any clues from that name, but I note that they both have pools which makes me wonder about pygmy hippos.
I think the planning process seems to be at a relatively early stage, so it might well take rather longer than 18 months to develope, build, furnish and stock this complex.
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How do you view the planning application drawings and plans?
 
From what I see in the documents the left and right side of the building and complex are separate. Does this mean two species of African ape? Because even if you are managing a family and bachelor group, you would prefer doors to connect these spaces.
 
WillemGorman1 said:
How do you view the planning application drawings and plans?
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Follow the link posted by @Antoine, click on Associated Documents and then View associated documents There is a list of 30 documents that can be viewed. Clicking on one will open it and then it can be saved as a pdf file.
nczoofan said:
From what I see in the documents the left and right side of the building and complex are separate. Does this mean two species of African ape? Because even if you are managing a family and bachelor group, you would prefer doors to connect these spaces.
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As I said before, I believe that the Studbook Keeper will insist on the Park taking a bachelor group, perhaps before permitting the formation of a breeding group. I can't see the point of allowing any connection between two groups - it would almost certainly cause unnecessary stress.
 
nczoofan said:
Does this mean two species of African ape? Because even if you are managing a family and bachelor group, you would prefer doors to connect these spaces.
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Not really. The non-breeding males (at least in European zoos) would never be required to have contact with the breeding group. Better if they were completely out of contact.
 
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littleRedPanda said:
I think a separate thread should be created to keep the endless flow of questions, speculation and guessing out of the actual news thread :)
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Quite possibly...if its gorillas not a golf course, it will be the first new UK holder since Paignton back in 199(?).... .
 
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gentle lemur said:
Follow the link posted by @Antoine, click on Associated Documents and then View associated documents There is a list of 30 documents that can be viewed. Clicking on one will open it and then it can be saved as a pdf file.

As I said before, I believe that the Studbook Keeper will insist on the Park taking a bachelor group, perhaps before permitting the formation of a breeding group. I can't see the point of allowing any connection between two groups - it would almost certainly cause unnecessary stress.
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Agree about lack of connection, as I posted above also. I think nowadays new holders either have to start with males, or in some cases, if you want a breeding group you must be prepared to build on sufficient scale to house a similar number of bachelors also. Seems to be the case here? If the building was ready within 18 months there would be four young upcoming males/eligible bachelors already waiting within the UK- Lope & Shufai(Twycross) Baaku(Belfast) and Gernot(ZSL). That is if Twycross themselves are not planning to house a male group so soon(they appear to be planning to do so at some stage in future with the new buildings). As to a potential breeding group for YWP- they need look no further than the two half-sisters (Meisie & Moanda, 11 & 8 years)) in Blackpool- not that far away either- ready to breed now and needing a transfer. For an unrelated male- any number are available, either within UK e.g. at Port Lypmne, Belfast, Longleat, Paignton, or in other European groups, for the SB coordinators to designate a genetically suitable match. ALL speculation of course but all these 'possibles' could prove easier for all than time-consuming exports/imports.
 
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Pertinax said:
Quite possibly...if its gorillas not a golf course, it will be the first new UK holder since Paignton back in 199(?).... .
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It will also finally give the north another holder since Blackpool are the only ones currently!
 
Pertinax said:
Not really. The non-breeding males (at least in European zoos) would never be required to have contact with the breeding group. Better if they were completely out of contact.
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I mean I understand that and believe that is the case at almost every American zoo I have visited. And yet I can’t think of a single zoo that has bachelor and breeding groups in complexes that do not have linkages. In my experience zoos enjoy the possibility of flexibility especially given the low cost of installing a chute/door. Maybe this will be the exception to that though.
 
As @gentle lemur and @Pertinax said it is quite sure that if the species is confirmed the park will receive one (and perhaps two) bachelor group of gorillas.
From what I know for a long time it was hard for a park to start to house great apes with gorillas and it was harder to have a breeding group. Of course there were some exceptions (like la Vallée des Singes) but not the major cases. For example, in France, Amneville and Thoiry build new exhibits for gorillas in the last ten years and received bachelor groups. Moreover, like for giraffes, the new holders should built two facilities to house surplus animals (EEP recommandations).

Not sure it will change in the future as it is not good for different gorilla groups to see, smell...each others.
 
What is the height of the inside enclosure of this species? And the height of the building itself?
 
nczoofan said:
From what I see in the documents the left and right side of the building and complex are separate. Does this mean two species of African ape? Because even if you are managing a family and bachelor group, you would prefer doors to connect these spaces.
Click to expand...

I would prefer to have some possibilty of connection.
 
john said:
What is the height of the inside enclosure of this species? And the height of the building itself?
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If I read the plans correctly, all the indoor enclosures have mesh ceilings 4.8 metres above the floor. The height of the whole building is 12.5 metres at the eaves. There is a stairway giving keepers access to the top of the mesh presumably for scatter feeds, cleaning etc. There seems to be a good deal of headroom above the mesh with 8 relatively small windows, so I presume that this space will also be used for heating, lighting and ventilation equipment - none of which is shown on the plans, I also note that there is no boiler room.
 
gentle lemur said:
If I read the plans correctly, all the indoor enclosures have mesh ceilings 4.8 metres above the floor. The height of the whole building is 12.5 metres at the eaves. There is a stairway giving keepers access to the top of the mesh presumably for scatter feeds, cleaning etc. There seems to be a good deal of headroom above the mesh with 8 relatively small windows, so I presume that this space will also be used for heating, lighting and ventilation equipment - none of which is shown on the plans, I also note that there is no boiler room.
Click to expand...

So there seems to be a space of 7 metres above the enclosures. That's a lot. 4.8 metres is quite standard for gorillas. But 12 metres made me thinking of bonobo's.

Gorillas would be nice. Are there no adult trees on the outside enclosures?

Thanks for your reply.
 
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