I agree with Zoo_boy. From what i have seen from photoes of UK zoos, the monkey exhibits are usually a grassy paddock with pine climbing frames and ropes. I have a question though, Can the indoor exhibits be viewed by the public?
Yes, the indoor exhibits can be viewed by the public.
Visitors enter through a door at the top, and visitors can look out into the spider monkey enclosure on the left-hand side and the indoor enclosures on the right.
The indoor enclosures are well furnished. There is wood chipping substrate, climbing ropes, plenty of enrichment and it's high (so lots of climbing oppurtunities). The mandrills have had a screen of plants placed in front of their windows to give them more privacy.
I have always presumed that the monkeys were shut indoors during the day, as this is usually where they are. Is this the case, or is it just the monkey's preference?
The only monkeys I have seen outdoors are the Sulawesi Crested Macaques once, and the spider monkeys a couple of times. The lion-tailed macaques I have seen sitting in the doorway to the outdoor enclosure once, close to closing time, and the mandrills never. Is it because there is more enrichment inside?
I'm impressed with the size of these monkey islands, and Chester Zoo certainly has a lot of top notch exhibits for primates. No wonder it's regarded as perhaps the best zoo in the United Kingdom, and one of the better zoos on the planet.
I have always presumed that the monkeys were shut indoors during the day, as this is usually where they are. Is this the case, or is it just the monkey's preference?
The only monkeys I have seen outdoors are the Sulawesi Crested Macaques once, and the spider monkeys a couple of times. The lion-tailed macaques I have seen sitting in the doorway to the outdoor enclosure once, close to closing time, and the mandrills never. Is it because there is more enrichment inside?
Dragging up an old thread here, I realise, but as this question went unanswered...
As I understand it, the monkeys have free access to the islands except in very bad weather. I have read that they often spend the night outside - don't know how true this is or if it applies to all species. Since the new climbing structures were added, the Lion-tailed Macaques in particular spend a lot more time outside.
And as what is now a 12-year-old exhibit (opened 1997) I think this house is superb. The interpretation is good too - there are hands-on things like the test your grip and the race-a-monkey-at-getting-a-walnut-round-a-maze that have been there since the start and still doing sterling service. Though I do miss the Campbell's Guenons and Grivets!
The only monkeys I have seen outdoors are the Sulawesi Crested Macaques once, and the spider monkeys a couple of times. The lion-tailed macaques I have seen sitting in the doorway to the outdoor enclosure once, close to closing time, and the mandrills never. Is it because there is more enrichment inside?
The Sulawesi macaques use their enclosure quite a lot (unfortunately it's hard to see them at the moment because the crazy golf course is being constructed nearby). I almost never see more than a couple of lion-tails, staying close to the house. Today all the mandrills were out - only the second time I've seen them together. Very impressive, you can understand how hard they would be to see in their native habitat. I'm still downloading my photos, but I'm hopeful
I saw the Mandrills out the other week as well, got some good pics but I need to move them to my PC from my Mac to resize them, and it requires too much effort at the moment lol.
The Sulawesi macaques use their enclosure quite a lot (unfortunately it's hard to see them at the moment because the crazy golf course is being constructed nearby). I almost never see more than a couple of lion-tails, staying close to the house. Today all the mandrills were out - only the second time I've seen them together. Very impressive, you can understand how hard they would be to see in their native habitat. I'm still downloading my photos, but I'm hopeful
I have some photo's of the Lion-tailed macaques in the trees on the island and at the age of the Island. See them quite often there and have only seen mandrills a few times on the Island.
