This particular house is probably the worst example there- for some reason this one is square, with high brick walls with windows set into them. All the other enclosures for the Apes, (Orangutans, Bonobos, Gorillas, other chimps) have circular-shaped outdoor enclosures that have a dry ditch around the perimeter with glass viewing windows all/most of the way around. Despite being rather bare they do make very effective enclosures for photography and viewing.
This is the smaller of two parallel outdoor enclosures attatched to this house.. It was specifically designed to house their old humanised silverback 'Joe' so he could have visual contact with the other Gorillas living adjacently. It had a log platform/shelter etc then but if Chimpanzees are kept in here I can't see them being able to have much equipment for obvious reasons.
When they built the next Gorilla House, which houses the Zoo's single Gorilla group now, they reverted to the dry ditch and viewing windows design for the outdoors again.
So Twycross's chimpanzees are going from the "green mile" set of 1960's cages that are uniformly awful...to what is shown in this photo? Is it a temporary move? Looking through the ZooChat gallery I think that the zoo should now call itself the World Primate Penitentiary. Of course some member of this forum will probably reply by saying that the gorilla, chimpanzee, orangutan or gibbon exhibits are functional, wonderfully created masterpieces but from going through the gallery I found it a struggle to see any primate exhibits that could be called modern habitats. It is definitely easy to see many of the species as in most cases they can be found sitting on a clump of grass. Yikes!
So Twycross's chimpanzees are going from the "green mile" set of 1960's cages that are uniformly awful...to what is shown in this photo? Is it a temporary move?
There are Chimps already living in the other half of this house and I think that includes the other(larger) outside area too.
Because this enclosure is narrower than the other, there may be a greater chance of escape if much climbing equipment is added. The interior part of this enclosure is the 'empty' one discussed on an adjacent photo. They may well move some chimps into the indoor area well before allowing them access outside into this area.
Temporary or permanent? There are plans to assemble all the Chimps- about 25 all told- into one large complex- but if or when it will happen remains to be seen.
So Twycross's chimpanzees are going from the "green mile" set of 1960's cages that are uniformly awful...to what is shown in this photo? Is it a temporary move? Looking through the ZooChat gallery I think that the zoo should now call itself the World Primate Penitentiary. Of course some member of this forum will probably reply by saying that the gorilla, chimpanzee, orangutan or gibbon exhibits are functional, wonderfully created masterpieces but from going through the gallery I found it a struggle to see any primate exhibits that could be called modern habitats. It is definitely easy to see many of the species as in most cases they can be found sitting on a clump of grass. Yikes!
This outdoor enclosure is undoubtedly worse for chimps than the old ones in the Green Mile; but the indoor enclosure is much better and it has separate sleeping dens too (I don't know whether they have such dens now, as that area is completely off show).
As Pertinax has said, it would be good if the last three chimps can move into this section and then be integrated into the group of 7 or 8 in the next door section (which is larger). Then the wall on the right of this photo could be pierced (by removing the metal square set into it) or demolished to allow some access to climbing facilities. Of course I agree that a large chimp facility would be the best solution, but I doubt if this can happen for several years at least.
I'm a little surprised that Twycross has around 25 chimpanzees, which would make for an enormous captive troop if they were all placed in one huge enclosure. Kansas City Zoo has a remarkable 3-acre habitat for its chimps but I believe they currently have half of what is found at Twycross. If the British zoo is short of funds then they could always copy the design of Monkey World in Dorset, which might not have the most aesthecially appealing ape exhibits but they still are more than adequate and downright wonderful in comparison to what is found at Twycross. Also, the enclosures probably don't cost millions and have worked well at Monkey World for years.
I'm a little surprised that Twycross has around 25 chimpanzees, which would make for an enormous captive troop if they were all placed in one huge enclosure. Kansas City Zoo has a remarkable 3-acre habitat for its chimps but I believe they currently have half of what is found at Twycross. If the British zoo is short of funds then they could always copy the design of Monkey World in Dorset, which might not have the most aesthecially appealing ape exhibits but they still are more than adequate and downright wonderful in comparison to what is found at Twycross. Also, the enclosures probably don't cost millions and have worked well at Monkey World for years.
Until recently they had a few more still but several of the oldest ones died in the last eighteen months. Molly Badham the zoo's founder was a great fan of Chimpanzes. Some of the earliest ones appeared as 'dressed-up' chimps in the famous 'BrookeBond P.G. Tips' Tea Television adverts of the 1960's era and I believe it was revenue from that which largely funded the early building of the Zoo. Consequently the very oldest chimps are/were humanised to a greater or lesser extent. But she acquired quite a lot of others too, from various sources plus limited breeding from their own.
One of the kindest things Molly Badham did was 'rescue' the little old female chimpanzee 'Melody' who had lived on her own at a little seaside zoo in Wales for many years. This strange looking Chimp-in some respects she rather resembled a Bonobo though she definately wasn't one, eventually came to Twycross very late in her life where she was integrated sucessfully into one of their groups and spent her final years with other Chimps again. I was always touched by that gesture.
Monkeyworld Chimp enclosures are a very good example of what can be done on a limited budget, both the design of the spacious enclosures and proving that even humanised chimpanzees can be brought together into a functional large social group.
