Dudley Zoological Gardens Tecton Bear Ravine Refurbishment idea's

[adrian1963]

With the refurbishment of the Bear Ravine and Tecton building at Dudley Zoo, I was just wondering what you thought would make a great exhibit in the new enclosure with the Tecton Building as a back drop or as a indoor enclosure.

Do you think it should be used to exhibit a current species at the zoo or should they bring in a new one, should it be used as a walk through exhibit or should it be left as a Tecton attraction with the current species still in the exhibit.

This is a bit of a way out shot but I think this would show how the zoo is moving forward, why not move the Orang – utans from the worst Orang enclosure in the UK to the Bear Ravine this would then make it a better experience for the visitors as you would have both the Chimps and the Orangs in close proximity to each other.

Then they could use the Orang house for a Vulture exhibit by filling in the moat, knocking out the awful walls that act as a divide and extending to the fence opposite the Gibbon enclosure.

If not the Orangs then how about an Amur Tiger enclosure for a breeding pair including tschuna both of these I think would work for both the zoo and the visitor.

I would love to hear your ideas but please remember these are only ideas and not Fact

 

[johnstoni.]

I assumed they will eventually house the geladas here, if they intend to bring in more bears after Inca. Clearly her new enclosure would not be acceptable for younger, active bears.

 

[Brum]

Hmmmmm, the orang idea is good but I think it would be quite costly as they'd have to construct a new house, create new barriers & do extensive work for climbing oppurtunities.
I think it should be used as a paddock, cost effective and easy to maintain. They could move the camels over as their enclosure is quite small and if they had a herd, would look impressive against the hill.
Johnstoni, you're thinking of the bear pits on the other side of the zoo.

 

[johnstoni.]

No, I am thinking of the Bear Ravine. What I'm saying (maybe not very clearly) is that I assumed that the current home for the geladas was short-term, and that Dudley may have acquired them in anticipation of refurbishing the bear ravine for them when funds became available.

I have read comments on here suggesting that primates will be kept in the restored ravine, I would not think of a more suitable primate for an open, grassed area, than geladas. As someone else pointed out, indoor housing is the main issue, which I think will prevent large hoofstock or great apes from being housed here.

I have also read comments suggesting that Dudley will replace Inca when she passes, again this lead to my statement about the carnivore pits in their current form. If the geladas remain in the right-hand pit, I don't see Dudley keeping bears in Incas pit after she dies. Its really only suitable for a very old animal with limited mobility. Given this, I think it is also therefore possible that Dudley may restore the ravine itself for bears to replace Inca.

One question - are the guanacos on an exact footprint of the old bear ravine enclosure, or was it alot smaller than the guanaco paddock on that site today?

 

[Brum]

I understand & I agree, geladas are a good choice.
Not sure of the original size. Sorry!

 

[Pertinax]

The Bear Ravine would lend itself well to Baboons but it will take them a very long time to get enough Geladas to make a reasonable exhibit in such a large area, as they still have to acquire any females when available.

I know Geladas are 'fashionable' at present and visually a great species but for Dudley, Hamadryas might have been a better choice- more easily available and very free breeders to produce a sizeable group quickly.

 

[TeaLovingDave]

I know Geladas are 'fashionable' at present and visually a great species but for Dudley, Hamadryas might have been a better choice- more easily available and very free breeders to produce a sizeable group quickly.

Considering how horrible the South Lakes enclosure for Hamadryas is, I'd very much welcome seeing a UK collection get the species and have them in suitable accomodation!

Haven't seen the Paignton enclosure, so I cannot comment on theirs.

 

[pipaluk]

Considering how horrible the South Lakes enclosure for Hamadryas is, I'd very much welcome seeing a UK collection get the species and have them in suitable accomodation!

Haven't seen the Paignton enclosure, so I cannot comment on theirs.

I haven't been to S.Lakes so can't comment on their baboon enclosure, but from my memory(last visit nearly 3 years ago) Paignton had a large breeding group with a number of youngsters in a fairly dated but by no means inadequate enclosure,although most of them seemed to gather on the rock rather than the pit below. Hope to visit Dudley soon so may have suggestion for future use of the bear ravine then,but bears are always good choice in most cases!

 

[chizlit]

Hmmmmm, the orang idea is good but I think it would be quite costly as they'd have to construct a new house, create new barriers & do extensive work for climbing oppurtunities.
I think it should be used as a paddock, cost effective and easy to maintain. They could move the camels over as their enclosure is quite small and if they had a herd, would look impressive against the hill.
Johnstoni, you're thinking of the bear pits on the other side of the zoo.

Those lazy camels spend most of the day inside their house!

 

[chizlit]

Happy 75th birthday to 'my zoo'.

 

[Devi]

There's two questions going on here, what animals would we like, and what animals are likely. I love the orang idea, maybe even get a good family troupe going, I also fancy a wolf pack or hyenas. If we're being really ambitious, dig a hole and get some hippos in.
However, money is short and from what I've heard the lottery grant will just be to fix up the tecton, not to do anything fancy, so I reckon hoofstock is most likely, camels, deer, sitatunga, nothing massively impressive. Maybe we'll be lucky and see the return of zebra.

 

[chizlit]

There's two questions going on here, what animals would we like, and what animals are likely. I love the orang idea, maybe even get a good family troupe going, I also fancy a wolf pack or hyenas. If we're being really ambitious, dig a hole and get some hippos in.
However, money is short and from what I've heard the lottery grant will just be to fix up the tecton, not to do anything fancy, so I reckon hoofstock is most likely, camels, deer, sitatunga, nothing massively impressive. Maybe we'll be lucky and see the return of zebra.

Or bison

I'd never thought of hippo's but you know that would work but only in our dreams sadly.