It shows the bad planning of this enclosure with only one indoor display area- until they can all be put together Kesho's only indoor area visible to the public is this passageway/tunnel, so he can't be seen properly if he isn't outside. It would be far better if the 'dayroom' was two areas with a mesh division (like Bristol's inside)
Poor planning of the enclosure? Yes I am sure ZSL should have had the foresight to think that another Silverback would have passed away after successfully impregnating a female. It is almost impossible to predict the situation that ZSL is currently in back when the enclosure is being built.
As for splitting the day room I completely disagree. The day room at ZSL provides far better viewing than at Bristol fitting a divide would spoil the space that the gorillas currently have both for the inhabitants and the public.
I can understand that everyone would like to see Kesho mind. However ZSL is providing scatter feeds and with London milder climate it is possible for the silverback to spend a good few hours a day outside even in the winter.
As for splitting the day room I completely disagree. The day room at ZSL provides far better viewing than at Bristol fitting a divide would spoil the space that the gorillas currently have both for the inhabitants and the public.
You hardly notice the divide at Bristol. It allows for the animals to be split if necessary but they can still all be seen properly. It doesn't restrict the total space, especially when the door is open between.
No zoo can know what's going to happen in their group but this was designed without any real allowance for the need for segregation, so IMO, poorly planned (not the actual space or area, but the organsisation of the space.)
The irony is that "Gorilla kingdom" was such an expensively made enclosure (although I'm sure they somehow cheated?) But people on here keep mentioning the long-term inpracticalities of it.
I actually think Gorilla Kingdom is not a bad exhibit at all- the public viewing of the outside island is excellent from all around the perimeter. It has matured quite a lot too though I'd like to see a few more live trees planted and growing in it to give some extra shade/cover and some clumps of bamboo etc.
The inside 'dayroom' is bright and nicely constructed too but as a conventional display designed for a single group. But of course that turns out not always the way, as with the present scenario with Kesho having to remain seperated or just with 'Effie'. They obviously won't change anything and I also think its a bit on the small side-as its only designed to hold about five animals. If the group grows I guess they could enlarge it later. Like most Gorilla enclosures there's a big outdoors but a much smaller indoor display area.
Well seem Bristol zoo agree and prefer ZSL's style of day room as there is a picture of it on the plans for the expanded day room at Bristol on the design brief along the bottom of the page.
Colobus have no been mixed for a while. As they could escape! Which is a pity as the current enclosure is not suitable for colobus. Take Banham or Paignton for good examples of Colobus enclosures.
