From the pictures I've seen of Bronx, I get the impression that they are left with the "corridors" you mentioned, with an open area in the middle. Yes, it looks great but I just fail to see the point, there doesn't appear to be any climbing equipment, and they're obviously limited by the hotwire.
*Awaits gunfire *
From the pictures I've seen of Bronx, I get the impression that they are left with the "corridors" you mentioned, with an open area in the middle. Yes, it looks great but I just fail to see the point, there doesn't appear to be any climbing equipment, and they're obviously limited by the hotwire.
*Awaits gunfire *
Maybe some of our American correspondents will strongly refute this, but I do get the feeling the Bronx 'Congo Gorilla Forest' is not quite what it seems in terms of how much is actually accessible to the Gorillas.
Some questions-1. what % of the whole area can they use?
2. what climbing facilities do they have?
3. How many months a year can they use the outdoors?
Nah the Howletts gorillas are out all year round. Isn't it great how people have had to resort to bad mouthing a dead man when they can't think of anything else to say? Comments like that give this forum a bad name.
Mmm. I don't deny for a second his contributions to captive breeding of several endangered species. I just don't want anyone to gloss over the less desirable aspects of his character and legacy. It's just not a great difference from "he was a right-wing nutjob but at least he bred a lot of gorillas" to "he was a right-wing nutjob but at least he made the trains run on time". If you get my drift.
By all means celebrate Aspinall's achievements - I'd love to visit Howletts and Port Lympne one day. Just don't try to fool yourself or anyone else into believing that he was a decent man.
Based on the content of your prior posts, I'd suggest you might not want to throw around the term "ignorant" quite so blithely.
Aspinall did good things for conservation and animal management. He was not a particularly reputable or honorable person in other ways. These statements are both correct.
@ashley-h: go to the Zoolex presentation on Congo and you will see many images and descriptions of the elaborate climbing structures (trees and vines, not "climbing frames" as you Brits so charmingly call the metal structures that we refer to as "monkey bars") that were built in both exhibits to encourage arboreal behavior--yes they are "fake" but as such will withstand the attentions of many gorillas for many years, and look great besides. There are un-hotwired live trees and shrubs throughout.
So what about the masses of space taken up by hotwired to plants? I'm sorry but I just see it as a waste of space. And sorry my grammar isn't up to standard
So what about the masses of space taken up by hotwired to plants? I'm sorry but I just see it as a waste of space. And sorry my grammar isn't up to standard
I give up. Enjoy watching animals in ugly metal cages. I'll enjoy seeing animals in beautiful natural habitat exhibits. And the world will continue to revolve.
Based on the content of your prior posts, I'd suggest you might not want to throw around the term "ignorant" quite so blithely.
Aspinall did good things for conservation and animal management. He was not a particularly reputable or honorable person in other ways. These statements are both correct.
@ashley-h: go to the Zoolex presentation on Congo and you will see many images and descriptions of the elaborate climbing structures (trees and vines, not "climbing frames" as you Brits so charmingly call the metal structures that we refer to as "monkey bars") that were built in both exhibits to encourage arboreal behavior--yes they are "fake" but as such will withstand the attentions of many gorillas for many years, and look great besides. There are un-hotwired live trees and shrubs throughout.
sorry reduakari but i dont think i used the term lightly ,admitedly i do not have as much experience with zoological gardens as other zoochatters and also english is my second language so some things get lost in translation , but to call a man like Aspinall a hobbyist is a bit silly to say the least , anyway i will agree to disagree with you on this topic as a great deal of other zoochatters have done and i will return to Howletts in the near future to catch up on lost time and to watch these amazing animals in their "ugly" enclosures
sorry reduakari but i dont think i used the term lightly ,admitedly i do not have as much experience with zoological gardens as other zoochatters and also english is my second language so some things get lost in translation , but to call a man like Aspinall a hobbyist is a bit silly to say the least , anyway i will agree to disagree with you on this topic as a great deal of other zoochatters have done and i will return to Howletts in the near future to catch up on lost time and to watch these amazing animals in their "ugly" enclosures
Aspinall had zero academic training or practical animal management experience when he began collecting animals to keep on his property. He learned primarily by trial and error, and he never depended upon his zoo for his livelihood. Zookeeping was not a profession for him--it was a hobby (one he did extremely well in some ways). Feel free to disagree with me; but don't call me ignorant.
