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ZSL London Zoo ZSL London Zoo News 2024
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I believe these are two young(ish) females from the USA.
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I don’t think so. Those attempts I witnessed were around the time of Yeboah and Kesho’s residences. This was early morning; the gorillas were shut in, and a group of keepers were attempting the task with a single, belligerent Colobus!
Excellent to hear of more pelicans - love to see the two who are already there.
Kalaw
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I was thinking the same thing, as I can't really see incorporating the squirrel monkey space being sufficient enough expansion for gorillas, although it does have the advantage (as I believe has been mentioned briefly already) of being adjacent to the gorillas' offshow rooms, which they access via an overhead tunnel near the entrance to the pavilion. And as tends to be the case with such mixed-species exhibits between species so different in size, it would be strange and potentially quite risky not to provide the smaller species with private retreats if need be.
Very good news, the pelicans are always very entertaining but just two, as has been the case for the past few years, don't contribute as much to the Three Island Pond as a larger pod would do.
So how many Diana monkeys are currently on display?
Those with a better long term memory of the original Sobell Pavillions layout may be able to help as the original infrastructure remains.Im not sure if this was the Chimpanzee block
The chimpanzees were in part of the 'Ape block' which housed all three species originally. It disappeared with the construction of Gorilla Kingdom.
Currently I believe 3 (one in original enclosures, two in the (newly assigned area ). Possibly one to arrive later.
Was at the zoo recently, managed to get round most of it despite the land of the lions obstructions blocking access to an otherwise perfectly serviceable way to the bird house. Also why is meet the monkeys now only one way? Is it due to staffing issues or just to control visitors entering?
Inside Blackburn Pavilion there was a small parakeet (not sure which species) which seemed to be trapped in a tiny cage on the wall on the far side near the exit of the walk-through. I'm not sure what it was doing in there but another one of the same species was sitting diligently outside.
The room besides the aquarium toilets now has tanks signed with Darwin's frogs, not sure if that's been mentioned already but that was a bonus surprise for me, and could only glimpse something small and green at the back so no photos unfortunately.
The Reticulated giraffe along with another were eating branches of trees near the back of the enclosure so could be viewed from near the entrance of the giraffe house. Seeing the ostriches in there with them was pretty interesting too, though the zebras were locked inside because keepers were fitting a new sun shade in their enclosure I think.
Also finally managed to see the Senegal bush baby which I managed to get a photo of in the light from the enclosure. The bamboo lemurs were supposedly in the enclosure at the back of Rainforest Life though they're still not signed and I didn't see them. Also there's apparently a three-banded armadillo in the main Rainforest Life area but speaking to staff and volunteers they said it's very rarely visible.
I went to look at the site of the former North Mammal House where the Education building now stands and it's quite interesting to see what they've got there with a community garden, and had a brief look at the Mappins which are still so derelict.
Inside Blackburn Pavilion there was a small parakeet (not sure which species) which seemed to be trapped in a tiny cage on the wall on the far side near the exit of the walk-through. I'm not sure what it was doing in there but another one of the same species was sitting diligently outside.
The room besides the aquarium toilets now has tanks signed with Darwin's frogs, not sure if that's been mentioned already but that was a bonus surprise for me, and could only glimpse something small and green at the back so no photos unfortunately.
The Reticulated giraffe along with another were eating branches of trees near the back of the enclosure so could be viewed from near the entrance of the giraffe house. Seeing the ostriches in there with them was pretty interesting too, though the zebras were locked inside because keepers were fitting a new sun shade in their enclosure I think.
Also finally managed to see the Senegal bush baby which I managed to get a photo of in the light from the enclosure. The bamboo lemurs were supposedly in the enclosure at the back of Rainforest Life though they're still not signed and I didn't see them. Also there's apparently a three-banded armadillo in the main Rainforest Life area but speaking to staff and volunteers they said it's very rarely visible.
I went to look at the site of the former North Mammal House where the Education building now stands and it's quite interesting to see what they've got there with a community garden, and had a brief look at the Mappins which are still so derelict.
If there are actually Darwin's frogs in there, that's incredible and I can't wait to go down and see them. If there aren't, it wouldn't be the first time the zoo incorrectly signed a common species as a massive rarity in that exact tank...
Yeah that's true 
I think this is the Goldie's lorikeets you're referring to. I saw the same on my last visit two months ago, but on a second walkthrough, the bird wasn't caged anymore. My suspicion is that the bottom of the cage is open and the "caged" bird was only feeding inside, and its partner was waiting for it just outside.
No cause to be a Doubting Thomas
- Darwin's Frogs have definitely arrived!
Kalaw
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A very enjoyable update, thank you. A few additions and answers:
Meet the Monkeys has been a dead end for some time now (at a guess I would say 2018-19, but not sure exactly), and members who follow these London news threads closely will know that I have ranted about how needless and frustrating this is time and time again! Initially, it was made a dead end due to a technical issue of some description that forced the closure of the exit near Blackburn - it has been rumoured that said issue was flooding due to drainage issues, which would make sense given that the pathway leading to the exit is on much lower ground than the rest of the walkthrough. This was only meant be temporary but, unfortunately for us, the staff discovered it made the walkthrough easier to manage, so they never undid it. It wouldn't be as bad if the pathway you mention besides Tiny Giants that leads to Blackburn was open, but regrettably, it hasn't been since LotL opened - not sure why...
That smaller aviaries on either end of the main walkthrough in Blackburn are, if I am not mistaken, intended for two functions: the rearing of chicks that are too small to be left unsupervised in the walkthrough, and breeding pairs. So far, laughingthrushes and Ornate Lories have been kept in there. You could have seen the latter, but that you mention its partner was outside eliminates this possibility because the other Ornates are not kept in the main walkthrough, rather one of the little aviaries in the entrance hall. That would make Goldie's Lorikeet the more likely candidate, but I can't imagine why they would need to be separated. Perhaps the cage was in fact open, and the bird merely wondered inside by choice - I have never seen the lories do this, but the sunbirds have done so countless times when the doors are left opened.
That is amazing news about the Darwin's Frogs! Wonder where they would have come from - presumably somewhere in Europe must keep them privately.
The Three-banded Armadillo has been kept in Rainforest Life for nearly two years, and I have never seen it once - a very elusive species. The zoo also keeps Big Hairy Armadillos, but they are offshow, behind a bamboo screen near the entrance to the Cassons. A real shame that it is now all but impossible to see armadillos at London - they were one of my childhood favourites.
And while we're on the subject of the Clore, I wonder what will happen to the gentle lemurs who have recently moved into the former spider monkey enclosure, given that the plan is supposedly to bring the squirrel monkeys into there. Let's hope they remain at the zoo, a really delightful, albeit difficult to spot animal.
It's encouraging that just at the same time as Twycross have gone(or appear to be going) out of the species, so ZSL are making renewed effort with their Diana monkeys. A new younger male arrived in June from Leipzig to be paired with the two new females aged 7 & 6 which were born in the USA. The male of the old pair has died, leaving the 23 year old female which was born at the zoo. Whether they will try to add her to form a quartet I don't know, though integrating unfamiliar or unrelated Guenons can sometimes be tricky. But it's a significant and positive move for this spectacular and beautiful guenon in the UK where it has sadly become a rarity.
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I imagine the Darwin's frogs must have come direct from Chile - I know there were plans a few years ago by several European zoos to import them from a breeding centre, which fell through when all the young frogs due to be exported died from a mysterious illness.
Absolutely wonderful news that the species has finally arrived in Europe - I personally think it must be up there as one of the biggest events in a British zoo this year.
Absolutely wonderful news that the species has finally arrived in Europe - I personally think it must be up there as one of the biggest events in a British zoo this year.
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