Its been heavily criticised many times on here. It is a 1960's building which they can't afford to replace(unlike many of Dudley's Tecton buildings it's not because it has conservation status though). It used to house Gorillas, Chimps and Orangutan in each of the three compartments. Nowadays its only Orangutans(4 animals currently) and they have done their best to upgrade the interior recently by extending the animal areas, and the outdoors by providing better climbing equipment. But you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear...
In its defence, this building now looks far better than it used to but it's still uninspiring and really should have been bulldozed by now, or at least re-purposed for something other than a great ape! Unfortunately Dudley seem quite happy to continue displaying orangs here.
Let's hope this building never attains protected status...
I wonder how much it would cost to roof those dens over? Granted, it would need very heavy duty mesh, but it might allow for a huge increase in climbing space.
There are so few zoos in the UK keeping Orangs now that for Dudley to go out of them would be sad, but this facility can't stay this way indefinitely.
I wonder how much it would cost to roof those dens over? Granted, it would need very heavy duty mesh, but it might allow for a huge increase in climbing space.
Its a good Idea. I would also fill in the water moats to give extra space and put in viewing windows- but that's all a big expense and at the end of it you still have a converted monstrosity- they'd still be better of starting with a new house really. I agree I wouldn't like to see them disband keeping Orangutans though.
So would you say that the Gorilla cages at Howletts and Port Lympne,are awful just because they aren't themed?Sometimes if an enclosure does the job for the animals it doesn't need to look pretty for them,if it does what they need this falls into that bracket just as the Howletts and Port Lympne Gorilla cages do,and so does this enclosure just!
So would you say that the Gorilla cages at Howletts and Port Lympne,are awful just because they aren't themed?Sometimes if an enclosure does the job for the animals it doesn't need to look pretty for them,if it does what they need this falls into that bracket just as the Howletts and Port Lympne Gorilla cages do,and so does this enclosure just!
However, this is the enclosure that does the most damage to Dudley's reputation in the mind of the average zoo visitor, and has the greatest influence on whether someone may recommend the zoo and visit again - so looks do count in a certain way.
I've never been to Howletts/Port Lympne, but from photos the cages look spectacular, despite a lack of theming - no one can say this about the above photo.
I agree that enclosures don't have to look pretty to fulfil animal needs, but I disagree that this particular enclosure "does the job". It lacks space and height (there's nowhere to go). It's a solid structure so no swinging opportunities. There's no view for the animal at all. It's also not stimulating in any way for such an intelligent animal and just plain boring.
It should be said (for those who don't know) that this is the outdoor enclosure for a lone adult male orang called Benji. He is a fairly humanised non-breeder and spends a lot of time in the indoor section, which has been renovated to a decent standard. I think the zoo provides him with extra enrichment inside to compensate for the outdoor section.
I've never been to Howletts/Port Lympne, but from photos the cages look spectacular, despite a lack of theming - no one can say this about the above photo.
Howletts enclosures aren't pretty either but they were designed with maximum benefit and exercise for the animals as they can utilise virtually the whole area including the sides and roof. The public and viewing facilities weren't really built into the equation though some viewing windows have been added in some of the enclosures since.
The difference from that is that Dudley's Ape House is a classic 'zoo' design of its period- it was designed to show off the Apes to the public to best effect, rather than with any strong consideration of their needs. A lot more climbing equipment has been added in later years to combat that aspect. But it is what it is and as you said, a rather bad advert for the Zoo as a whole.
