Colchester Zoo Colchester Zoo news 2010 #1

I can see it now- using the next available disused carnivore enclosure perhaps. Welcome to the 'L'Hoest's Monkey Forest', complete with candy coloured Fakerock walls and 'honeycomb' timbers.:D

But as long as they have some space and keep breeding, it doesn't really matter..;)
 
That sounds fantastic Pertinax they haven't used much pink lately :D hmmm are you secretly their enclosure designer or is it growing on you like fake moss :p :rolleyes:
 
karenZOO said:
hmmm are you secretly their enclosure designer or is it growing on you like fake moss :p :rolleyes:
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If I was their enclosure designer, I would phase out the Fake Rock very rapidly.;) However, as I've said before, it is purely an aesthetic thing- I don't think it affects the quality of the animals' lives, or their breeding performances at all -which is the main thing. But in the Orangutan 'Forest' I do think it is has reached its nadir and is totally unsuitable.:(

It would be good if they could extend the Chimpanzee outdoors at some time.
 
And I hope that when they do extend the chimpanzee's outdoor area there will be more planting in there.

AND NOT JUST MORE FAKE ROCK WORK!!!!!;)
 
We visited the zoo on Wednesday 17/2/2010 didnt realise when booked the time off it was half term!!!

Quite busy it was a lovely sunny day! Usual people queueing to get in who decide to queue in all 3 lanes meaning us card holders have to (smugly) fight our way thro lol

Loved the huge new decking area! Loved that they had demolished all the small animals section rather than a refurb job!
Did not love the fact the only way through was through worlds apart! a bit of a bottle neck with all the pushchairs!

Rajy was on top form, although suddenly seems to be looking his age! Was not playing to the crowds, just happily doing his own thing and lots of interaction with Tiga who was teasing him to chase him!

Highlight of the visit was watching Tiga work his way around the top of the enclosure then walk round the glass viewing area, right up against the glass making eye contact with the public and with NO sack in sight! Maybe Rajangs calmness with the public is wearing off on Tiga (although would not like to see him become another Rajang!! just sitting all day)

My humble opinion on Ussuri Falls!!

What a waste of a great opportunity!! I think I was expecting more! Yes it looks nice with the waterfall bit but was hugely disappointed in the fact it looks like just a bit added on the end and not a whole revamp!

The inside viewing cave bit, was being missed by most of the public and not obvious from the outside withaccess being through those old wooden doors!
WARNING do not look in the safety cave bit without a hard hat :p major concussion and 2 day headache from the wallop my head got backing out lol! Also the tiny viewing windows are also disappointing

What I would have liked would have been for it to incorporate the whole area. Move the anteaters (I know they are breeding well there) and have that whole area as another jungly bit for the amur kept on the left hand side (still called Leopards something) you could then block out (with fake rock) the viewing windows of the anteater house and create a tunnel through the house to view them from! Also the viewing platform at the side would give you a chance to view them at height.

Was great to see Anouska and Igor out and about, mainly as they were locked out :D everytime we have been before they have been asleep!

Got a glimpse of Otto from above he looks a big boy lol

Baby hippo Ayo has got so big already!

New Gelda baby is a boy lol :D website says they don't know the sex??? my photos say otherwise lol rather obvious :rolleyes:

Lovely day out other than the kids everywhere :eek:
 
I also went on the 17th Feb and did my Keeper for a Day (worked with Small Mammals, Carnivores and on the giraffe section)
Had a walk around the zoo for a while before my experience started at 11. A couple of changes that I noticed were that the frog tank in worlds apart has been renovated and now houses Yellow banded poison dart frogs, Trinidad stream frogs and one other species (can't remember which though :o). The whole of the small mammal block has been demolished too, looking forward to what is going to be built! :D

Ok, my keeper experience started at 11, and I was starting on the 'Gelada section' (small mammals). I also had the experience to myself :D ! I started off by cleaning and feeding the Blue eyed black lemurs and having a chat about the colobus monkeys, both of these species being held at Out of africa. I then cleaned and fed the meerkats, and then went on to feed the banded mongoose, ring tailed lemurs and Red Ruffed Lemurs.

I then moved on to the carnivore section. I started by being told about the training with sasha the white tiger and watched a training session with him. I then moved on to cleaning out the lions indoor area (changing bedding, Hosing the floor and washing the windows). Then we changed the binturong bedding and fed them some fruit (this was at the Binturong enclosure in the heights zone as the other has been demolished). I then had a talk about the amur leopards with the keeper I was with.

After a very good lunch, I moved on to the Giraffe section. I started by going off show and fed the red river hogs chicken and fruit and veg. there are now 9/10 of them, and have 3 huge feeds a day. The keeper then explained all the animals in the african paddock, and then i went into the offshow stalls for these animals where I prepared the Kudu bedding, got to stroke Zamba the baby rhino and mum Cynthia, and had a private feeding session with all the giraffe, although Isha wasn't interested in food! :rolleyes: Lastly we moved on to the aardvarks where I got to go in the indoor burrow which is 28 degrees! We took them their delicious looking food- crushed up fruit/veg, insects and dog biscuits, all mixed into one lovely looking mess! It was very nice being able to meet all of the aardvarks, and all of them woke up apart from Oq who is expecting a baby any day!

Some other things I found out:
-Mongoose lemurs were split up and sent to various zoos in europe
-Sayan and Dende the Male Leopards will swap enclosures next week, in the hope that Sayan and Milena will breed later in the year.
-Zamba and Otto have been mixed and get along well, however will not be mixed again for a while as him and zamba were playing, however Zamba slipped over and Otto continued playing, causing mum cynthia to start fighting with Otto, being an overprotective mum! :eek:

Overall it was a brilliant day, the keepers I worked with were really friendly and informative, and the day has made me want to be a keeper myself!
 
Sounds a brilliant day Roz and you were so lucky with the weather considering how wet Tuesday was!!

Very jealous, I have looked at the different experiences but would have trouble picking which one to do!!
 
karenZOO said:
My humble opinion on Ussuri Falls!!

What a waste of a great opportunity!! I think I was expecting more! Yes it looks nice with the waterfall bit but was hugely disappointed in the fact it looks like just a bit added on the end and not a whole revamp!

The inside viewing cave bit, was being missed by most of the public and not obvious from the outside withaccess being through those old wooden doors!
WARNING do not look in the safety cave bit without a hard hat :p major concussion and 2 day headache from the wallop my head got backing out lol! Also the tiny viewing windows are also disappointing

What I would have liked would have been for it to incorporate the whole area. Move the anteaters (I know they are breeding well there) and have that whole area as another jungly bit for the amur kept on the left hand side (still called Leopards something) you could then block out (with fake rock) the viewing windows of the anteater house and create a tunnel through the house to view them from! Also the viewing platform at the side would give you a chance to view them at height.
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Interesting comments Karen. I will have to see it properly in flesh for myself before making my own comments. But I am surprised that you seem quite harsh about it. When I'm next at Colchester I won't be rushing off into the cave!!!!:eek:;)
 
Goretex didnt realise I sounded harsh lol I will be joining the other 'marmite' side soon :p

No I just feel if they really want to concerntrate on breeding Amur Leopards they should have gone the whole hog and moved the anteaters and made instead of a good enclosure, an amazing Amur exhibit.

It feels to fragmented to me, with several different styles and I assume the planted bit in the middle is where they will meet for breeding??

On one side you have the 'orange' rock section which is nothing special where viewing is quite difficult (due to light and position of windows) the middle planted section viewed from both sides. then the cave part (mind your head lol) then down to a huge glass window at Ussuri falls.

The anteaters are seperating all these areas, just my opinion, also I dont feel people realise it is all part of one exhibit! Might be due to the fact that overhearing people conversation it held, cheetahs? Jaguar? and a big pussycat :D

Anyway I hope it works out breeding wise at least :D
 
Not really sure what to make of this. It was posted earlier by someone on the zoo's facebook page:
"i was at colchester zoo on friday and the elephants were kept inside and there was lots of people inside the elephant house and they were saying opal is giving birth was she ???"
Could she have given birth? I thought that the due date was end of march/beginning of april. I certainly hope that it's ok if she has. However, I'm thinking that this could just be more general public nonsense! :D
 
Roz said:
Not really sure what to make of this. It was posted earlier by someone on the zoo's facebook page:
"i was at colchester zoo on friday and the elephants were kept inside and there was lots of people inside the elephant house and they were saying opal is giving birth was she ???"
Could she have given birth? I thought that the due date was end of march/beginning of april. I certainly hope that it's ok if she has. However, I'm thinking that this could just be more general public nonsense! :D
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No calf as of yesterday so I think we can file this a speculation for now!
 
grrr Facebook annoys me for that lol someone puts up is Rajang alright and turns into 'he is ill' drama :rolleyes: :eek:

They must be pretty sure of the dates with this one as it was AI with the daddy never leaving West Midlands :D so not as if it can be early unless something is up? I remember on zoodays them saying elephants can delay a birth
 
karenZOO said:
Goretex didnt realise I sounded harsh lol I will be joining the other 'marmite' side soon :p

No I just feel if they really want to concerntrate on breeding Amur Leopards they should have gone the whole hog and moved the anteaters and made instead of a good enclosure, an amazing Amur exhibit.

It feels to fragmented to me, with several different styles and I assume the planted bit in the middle is where they will meet for breeding??

On one side you have the 'orange' rock section which is nothing special where viewing is quite difficult (due to light and position of windows) the middle planted section viewed from both sides. then the cave part (mind your head lol) then down to a huge glass window at Ussuri falls.

The anteaters are seperating all these areas, just my opinion, also I dont feel people realise it is all part of one exhibit! Might be due to the fact that overhearing people conversation it held, cheetahs? Jaguar? and a big pussycat :D

Anyway I hope it works out breeding wise at least :D
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Me too I get where your coming from Karen now.;)
 
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obviously orchestrated for a bit of publicity, call me a cynic i know, but why else would you give an orang a bucket and cloth?, please do not call THAT enrichment!
 
I dont think its orchestrated Kiang Rajang often has his buckets that hes busy doing stuff with like moving things and gardening! I think its sweet :D lol
Old sacks, bread boxes, rags and cardboard boxes you find in most orangs/gorillas enclosures are hardly natural either!

Although we did wonder why his enclosure was full of takeaway boxes and car magazines last week we didnt realise him and Tiga were having a batchelor party for 'woo at the zoo' :rolleyes: :p

I cant stop singing 'when im cleaning windows' everytime I watch it :D
 
Who's to say he doesn't find it enriching? I've seen apes using makeshift items from their enclosures to "clean" windows and floors. Nobody has forced them to do it. They're just copying activities they've seen in their restricted world.
 
I absolutely loathe anthropomorphism. These are not people. There's nothing wrong in and of itself with giving apes non-natural enrichment material (in fact I'm all in favour - it's a very cost-effective way of doing it). The problem is the intent - promoting this as 'Rajang and Tiga's Boy's Night In'. Ugh.

I don't see too much difference in the intent between this and a Chimpanzee's Tea Party - the only saving grace being that at least the orangs reserve the ability to ignore the whole ridiculous nonsense if they choose.
 
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Both Gorillas and Orangutans seem interested in playing with water(particularly soapy water) and it seems to be ingrained behaviour among them (or some individuals, anyway). I have seen film of 'tame' Orangutans at Rescue/Rehab centres in Borneo doing similar- scrubbing a boardwalk with soap and cloth- again these animals are copying what they have seen and have not been taught.

Colchester are just cashing in on Rajang's behaviour here. Shmaltzy? Yes, but not as bad as hanging a Valentine's Heart in the Tiger enclosure when the pair are about to be permanently seperated. :(
 
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