ZSL London Zoo ZSL London Zoo News 2024

[zooboy]

Although I must confess that I am a little disappointed, if it is true that the infrastructure of the building is no longer suitable for keeping animals then I much prefer this to leaving it empty and offshow like with the Aquarium or Elephant and Rhino Pavilion, as it definitely has some educational value, and anything that gets younger visitors excited by animals is a good thing.

That said, I thought that the only real issue was with heating the building, thus ruling out ectotherms - I don't recall hearing anything about infrastructure preventing any sort of animal being held, as is the case with the Mappins. Therefore, I somewhat hoped that at least a portion of it will still hold live mammals. Perhaps an exhibit devoted to rodents and other small mammals.

That said, I mostly don't mind this development. The name on the other hand...

The announcement of the re-use of the former Reptile House contradicts the statements made around the time of its closure, that indicated that it could be, at least in part, museum and also include some animal exhibits. The current statement about ZooTown, from the Chief Operating Officer says, amongst other things: "The building had come to the end of its useful life as a place for animals, so needed a future that didn’t include housing any of our animals here.", so it seems it had never been intended to still keep some animals there.

It goes on to say: "We were also responding to audience insight coming in through our regular visitor surveys, that some of our visitors were not having fun on their day out – especially those with younger children.". I would be interested to know if any of you participated in this survey, or what the questions were. I am certain that most families with young children do not always have "a fun day out", but that can be for a myriad of reasons and not because of lack of a ZooTown, however great the role-play experience may be.

ZooTown will be specifically for children within a narrow age range - albeit to the enjoyment of their patents too - but the announcement continues " We are always driving to create learning opportunities for people of all ages..." which is what a museum style development could have achieved.

With the 200th anniversary not that far off, this seems a lost opportunity to me, particularly as the iconic building is one of the first encountered when entering the Zoo. There will need to be supervision and trained staff for ZooTown to operate, but I trust that there will not be additional charges which would prevent all children of the designated age range from participating, and that all visitors will still have access to the building.

 

[Typhlonectes]

The announcement of the re-use of the former Reptile House contradicts the statements made around the time of its closure, that indicated that it could be, at least in part, museum and also include some animal exhibits. The current statement about ZooTown, from the Chief Operating Officer says, amongst other things: "The building had come to the end of its useful life as a place for animals, so needed a future that didn’t include housing any of our animals here.", so it seems it had never been intended to still keep some animals there.

It goes on to say: "We were also responding to audience insight coming in through our regular visitor surveys, that some of our visitors were not having fun on their day out – especially those with younger children.". I would be interested to know if any of you participated in this survey, or what the questions were. I am certain that most families with young children do not always have "a fun day out", but that can be for a myriad of reasons and not because of lack of a ZooTown, however great the role-play experience may be.

ZooTown will be specifically for children within a narrow age range - albeit to the enjoyment of their patents too - but the announcement continues " We are always driving to create learning opportunities for people of all ages..." which is what a museum style development could have achieved.

With the 200th anniversary not that far off, this seems a lost opportunity to me, particularly as the iconic building is one of the first encountered when entering the Zoo. There will need to be supervision and trained staff for ZooTown to operate, but I trust that there will not be additional charges which would prevent all children of the designated age range from participating, and that all visitors will still have access to the building.

I would’ve rather seen the building demolished and replaced with enclosures seeing as it is not listed

 

[Panthera1981]

The announcement of the re-use of the former Reptile House contradicts the statements made around the time of its closure, that indicated that it could be, at least in part, museum and also include some animal exhibits. The current statement about ZooTown, from the Chief Operating Officer says, amongst other things: "The building had come to the end of its useful life as a place for animals, so needed a future that didn’t include housing any of our animals here.", so it seems it had never been intended to still keep some animals there.

It goes on to say: "We were also responding to audience insight coming in through our regular visitor surveys, that some of our visitors were not having fun on their day out – especially those with younger children.". I would be interested to know if any of you participated in this survey, or what the questions were. I am certain that most families with young children do not always have "a fun day out", but that can be for a myriad of reasons and not because of lack of a ZooTown, however great the role-play experience may be.

ZooTown will be specifically for children within a narrow age range - albeit to the enjoyment of their patents too - but the announcement continues " We are always driving to create learning opportunities for people of all ages..." which is what a museum style development could have achieved.

With the 200th anniversary not that far off, this seems a lost opportunity to me, particularly as the iconic building is one of the first encountered when entering the Zoo. There will need to be supervision and trained staff for ZooTown to operate, but I trust that there will not be additional charges which would prevent all children of the designated age range from participating, and that all visitors will still have access to the building.

All rather sounds like a glorified crèche to me. They’d have been better off putting in an indoor soft play if this were the case.

Agreed, very much a missed opportunity

 

[Kalaw]

I would’ve rather seen the building demolished and replaced with enclosures seeing as it is not listed

Although I am not too keen on the idea of complete demolition, I could definitely get behind the idea of demolishing the bulk of the building, but maintaining the gorgeous entrance facade, one of the finest pieces of architecture, maintained, similar to what the zoo did with the former Parrot House, the former entrance to which is now found between the penguins and the butterfly house. Perhaps even move it, placing it between SLoRA and the giant tortoises, to continue the reptilian theme in that portion of the zoo, and to contrast the old with the new.

 

[jtrbmvcq]

Although I am not too keen on the idea of complete demolition, I could definitely get behind the idea of demolishing the bulk of the building, but maintaining the gorgeous entrance facade, one of the finest pieces of architecture, maintained, similar to what the zoo did with the former Parrot House, the former entrance to which is now found between the penguins and the butterfly house. Perhaps even move it, placing it between SLoRA and the giant tortoises, to continue the reptilian theme in that portion of the zoo, and to contrast the old with the new.

I agree. Bronx Zoo transforming their 1930 lion house to the spectacular Madagascar exhibit comes to mind.

 

[aquilla1]

2023/24 Annual Report is now on the website. There's reference to the plans for the gorilla enclosure, they made £4.3m surplus, pretty impressive considering cost of living etc, not much mention of the collection at all, guessing the scarlet-chested sunbirds didn't raise any chicks...

 

[Pertinax]

2023/24 Annual Report is now on the website. There's reference to the plans for the gorilla enclosure,

It says 'plans for expansion of Gorilla Kingdom'. I hope this might mean enlarging the inside area which I've always thought rather small, or will the reality just be additional (seperate/adjacent) housing for the Black Managebeys which they intend to add to the exhibit? Either way the outside area is plenty big enough as it is.

 

[equidae]

Presume it’ll be a while still until the zebra are allowed to mingle with the others but it’s been interesting to watch the stages of how they’re introducing the three species to having a mixed species enclosure.

 

[LucasRyan]

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Presume it’ll be a while still until the zebra are allowed to mingle with the others but it’s been interesting to watch the stages of how they’re introducing the three species to having a mixed species enclosure.

The plan is to start introducing later this month.

 

[LucasRyan]

It says 'plans for expansion of Gorilla Kingdom'. I hope this might mean enlarging the inside area which I've always thought rather small, or will the reality just be additional (seperate/adjacent) housing for the Black Managebeys which they intend to add to the exhibit? Either way the outside area is plenty big enough as it is.

The current idea is to expand into the space currently taken up by the all male group of squirrel monkeys (the enclosure by first aid post/wooden gate exit of gorillas). The squirrel monkeys are planned to move into the old red faced spider monkeys enclosure in the rainforest. Not sure how this is going work, but the enclosure does back onto the current offshow dens for gorillas so it is connected.

New diana monkey is also due to arrive shortly.

 

[Panda_Fan]

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Presume it’ll be a while still until the zebra are allowed to mingle with the others but it’s been interesting to watch the stages of how they’re introducing the three species to having a mixed species enclosure.

So are they going to join the zebra paddock with the giraffe one?

The current idea is to expand into the space currently taken up by the all male group of squirrel monkeys (the enclosure by first aid post/wooden gate exit of gorillas). The squirrel monkeys are planned to move into the old red faced spider monkeys enclosure in the rainforest. Not sure how this is going work, but the enclosure does back onto the current offshow dens for gorillas so it is connected.

New diana monkey is also due to arrive shortly.

Preaty excited for the arrival of the monkeys! It's always fun to watch other primates interacting with gorillas, it's makes for a much more dinamic habitat.

 

[Pertinax]

The current idea is to expand into the space currently taken up by the all male group of squirrel monkeys (the enclosure by first aid post/wooden gate exit of gorillas). The squirrel monkeys are planned to move into the old red faced spider monkeys enclosure in the rainforest. Not sure how this is going work, but the enclosure does back onto the current offshow dens for gorillas so it is connected.

New diana monkey is also due to arrive shortly.

I haven't been there for a while so I'm not sure of where you are describing quite. But do you think they will be enlarging the gorilla indoor area with these plans?

 

[Kalaw]

I haven't been there for a while so I'm not sure of where you are describing quite. But do you think they will be enlarging the gorilla indoor area with these plans?

The current enclosure for male squirrel monkeys that he describes is the one that once held colobus before their move to Snowdon, and since has temporarily held gibbons while their new enclosure in Tiger Territory was under construction. The monkeys in question are the males from Whipsnade, who moved to London a while ago but were at first kept in an offshow enclosure behind Rainforest Life. Interestingly, it was possible to just about see this enclosure from the viewing area of the former spider monkey enclosure, which is supposedly where they will be moving to next.

 

[tennisfan]

the enclosure currently occupied by the male squirrel monkeys is the one that faces the woolly neck stork aviary.

 

[JVM]

I remember the second squirrel monkey exhibit, interesting to know it will be used for this construction but I'm sure the final result will be splendid.

I'm surprised the zoo seems to be going out of its way to continue maintaining the second group of squirrel monkeys and apparently they are the individuals from Whipsnade? Maybe one of the regulars can shed some light but I find it a bit confusing considering they sent out the red-faced spider monkeys.

 

[Pertinax]

The current enclosure for male squirrel monkeys that he describes is the one that once held colobus before their move to Snowdon,

Originally when GK opened it was the intention to add Colobus to the Gorilla exhibit. That big fat 'fake' tree in the exhibit was designed to facilitate this but was never used as the mixed exhibit never happened. I wonder if it will now be used for the Mangabey plan. I'm thinking maybe these planned changes will involve the Mangabeys rather than adding to the Gorilla indoor space but its not very clear what is planned exactly.

 

[Panthera1981]

Originally when GK opened it was the intention to add Colobus to the Gorilla exhibit. That big fat 'fake' tree in the exhibit was designed to facilitate this but was never used as the mixed exhibit never happened.

Not for want of trying though, but the Colobus had a rather annoying habit of escaping!

An acrylic tunnel also connected the ‘tree’ to the indoor dens, the circular attachments of which are still present. That was on the assumption, of course, that the Colobus would use said tunnel!

 

[tennisfan]

Two new Diana Monkeys are settling in, they are in the newly assigned enclosures opposite Gorilla indoor area.

 

[tennisfan]

In this image the male squirrel monkeys are in the enclosure to the right of the clock tower. To the left of the clock tower is the enclosure for the newly arrived Diana Monkeys

 

[Pertinax]

Not for want of trying though, but the Colobus had a rather annoying habit of escaping!

An acrylic tunnel also connected the ‘tree’ to the indoor dens, the circular attachments of which are still present. That was on the assumption, of course, that the Colobus would use said tunnel!

I remember the 'tunnel'. I didn't know the history of escapes etc or that the mix had actually been tried- do you know if it ever got to the stage of the Gorillas and Colobus actually together? Hopefully they will have more success with the Mangabeys in the future.