ZSL London Zoo ZSL London Zoo News 2014
- Thread starter sooty mangabey
- Start date
Given that the enclosure furthest from the current lion one is to be demolished, ie serval, it would seem very unlikely that the other enclosures remain.
Once again I completely agree with you Shirokuma.
I went last year, I couldn't make the previous year and I hope to go this year. I really enjoyed it, a great night of comedy and my money went to a great cause. For me, win win.
Lemur Walkthrough
On the City of Westminster planning permission site, there are plans submitted for a Lemur Walkthrough at London Zoo. It will be built in the currently empty space between the Clore building and the west tunnel.
Its curious they are duplicating a walkthrough already available at Whipsnade, when London isn't short of a walkthrough. Even more so that its a new enclosure for an existing species when they are about to lose 3 types of primates, either temporary or permanently due to the lion development. Would of been great to see a new enclosure for the macaques built on that area for example.
However you can't blame them from a commercial perceptive, walkthroughs seem very popular and they are going to need a draw for next year - assuming it will open next year, makes sense as lions will be the big attraction for 2016 and they won't want a new walkthrough over shadowed by that.
On the City of Westminster planning permission site, there are plans submitted for a Lemur Walkthrough at London Zoo. It will be built in the currently empty space between the Clore building and the west tunnel.
Its curious they are duplicating a walkthrough already available at Whipsnade, when London isn't short of a walkthrough. Even more so that its a new enclosure for an existing species when they are about to lose 3 types of primates, either temporary or permanently due to the lion development. Would of been great to see a new enclosure for the macaques built on that area for example.
However you can't blame them from a commercial perceptive, walkthroughs seem very popular and they are going to need a draw for next year - assuming it will open next year, makes sense as lions will be the big attraction for 2016 and they won't want a new walkthrough over shadowed by that.
This seems to be another odd choice of priority for London zoo, partly due to it's location and I would agree it may have been better used to accommodate some of the species being displaced by the lions.
Surely there isn't enough room for much of a walkthrough there, more of a step-in! I would have thought the Snowdon aviary or the woodland walk might have been better places for this, if they really have to do it! If it is just going to be ring taileds, I really can't see the need for a lemur walkthrough, but if a few new species were to be added it wouldn't be quite so bad.
It may also provide a temporary home (at least) for the langurs, if the lemurs are moved from the roundhouse.
If it's yet another newbuild, just for an existing species that can be seen almost anywhere else, I can't see the point in this at all!
Obviously I don't know the exact design plans but it strikes me as a relatively easy and probably not hugely expensive way of using up some dead space and improving the display of a popular species.
The roundhouse doesn't show the lemurs off particularly well and whilst they are found all over the place I would guess that the bulk of the zoo's visitors aren't all regular visitors to a wide range of zoos and it is good to show off this species in an attractive way.
The roundhouse doesn't show the lemurs off particularly well and whilst they are found all over the place I would guess that the bulk of the zoo's visitors aren't all regular visitors to a wide range of zoos and it is good to show off this species in an attractive way.
IanRRobinson
Well-Known Member
I agree. If the Snowdon Aviary has to be kept, lemurs would utilise it better than its previous occupants. This plan also begs the question as to how the Roundhouse might be used. A New Zealand exhibit with kiwis and Boobook owls indoors and Kea outside, anyone? Maybe that Meerkat exhibit could hold tuatara!
sooty mangabey
Well-Known Member
Even if this is just for ring tailed lemurs - and there is no indication at all of which species will be included - I think this is excellent news. It is precisely the sort of low-key development that people have - rightly - been consistently calling for. It will keep the zoo fresh while the major lion development is underway. It will increase the attractiveness of this area of the zoo. I am sure, given the quality of recent ZSL developments, it will be done well. And people love lemur walk-throughs, even if they are pretty ubiquitous nowadays. The plans can be seen here: 14/07431/FULL | Erection of structure attached to existing Lemur building to create new walkthrough lemur exhibit and associated hard and soft landscaping. | London Zoo Outer Circle Regents Park London NW1 4RY.
And we can but hope that it will contain species of greater zoo rareness than Lemur catta - although it is worth remembering that the wild status of this species is in decline: this year they were upgraded to endangered.
And we can but hope that it will contain species of greater zoo rareness than Lemur catta - although it is worth remembering that the wild status of this species is in decline: this year they were upgraded to endangered.
sooty mangabey
Well-Known Member
The enclosure will be 365 square metres in extent; I would be surprised if the (excellent) lemur walk-through at the Cotswold Wildlife Park were any bigger.
I wouldn't read too much into that, the map is an old one as it doesn't show the new Tiger Territory.
I agree with sooty mangabey that this is a very welcome development, using a vacant area to create a better display for an attractive species (or better still, two or three species if they don't just stick to ringtails). Looking at the plans, I think it will be rather smaller than most of the other lemur walkthroughs I have seen, except Bristol's, but with suitable planting and landscaping it should be attractive and appropriate for a nice group of lemurs.
The Round House is a Grade 1 listed building, but there shouldn't be a problem housing a group of monkeys in it, if the lemurs move into the new exhibit.
Alan
Actually, why not convert the Snowdon to a lemur walk through? It's feasible.
IanRRobinson
Well-Known Member
Frankly, having given up the West bridge, that corner of the site is a bit of a dog's dinner these days. I wonder if it couldn't be offered back to the Park for development, in exchange for the ten acres.
Westminster Council have updated their planning website to Application Permitted and at the same time updated the application relating to the replacement of the North Pheasantry Aviary to Application Permitted.
What's replacing the pheasantry? Or has nothing been confirmed yet?