But it has plenty of hideous "climbing frames" and looks nothing like an African rainforest. It's a perfectly good gorilla enclosure, but misses the whole concept of attempting to represent the real places where wild gorillas live. That's not a fatal flaw, by any means, but Seattle succeeds on both levels (great living space for the animals, beautiful and educative experience for visitors), while Apenheul only achieves the former.
I refer the honourable member to the reply I gave earlier. I don't doubt for a moment that this is also a perfectly good gorilla enclosure - but it bears very little resemblance to any of the West African forests that I have walked in (although they were west of the Dahomey gap, so outside the range of the gorilla). As a representation of the habitat of wild gorillas it has very little authenticity or value, in my opinion.
I refer the honourable member to the reply I gave earlier. I don't doubt for a moment that this is also a perfectly good gorilla enclosure - but it bears very little resemblance to any of the West African forests that I have walked in (although they were west of the Dahomey gap, so outside the range of the gorilla). As a representation of the habitat of wild gorillas it has very little authenticity or value, in my opinion.
Having visited gorilla habitat in Gabon, Rwanda and Uganda, as well as this attempted replica (and Apenheul), I can attest that Woodland Park comes very close to creating a sense of the natural habitat of gorillas--particularly the forest clearings they favor for the edible emergent vegetation found there. The mix of broadleaf evergreens, tall canopy trees, vines and rank grasses-- and the fact that visitors are enveloped in the same landscape--make this a very compelling and fairly accurate representation of an African forest environment.
It's a well known story that when this exhibit was being planned, Diann Fossey was consulted and when asked what gorilla habitat looked like she pointed at a bit of roadside landscape near Seattle and said "it looks just like this."
What is the indoor area for Gorillas like at Seattle? Is it open to the public or is it outdoor viewing only? At Apenheul the indoor area is very inferior to the outside- small, cramped dens-a very disappointing contrast to such an excellent outside area.
The Apenheul outdoors does have some climbing frames, or it did some years back when I was there, made up of natural timber so not totally artificial.
Having visited gorilla habitat in Gabon, Rwanda and Uganda, as well as this attempted replica (and Apenheul), I can attest that Woodland Park comes very close to creating a sense of the natural habitat of gorillas--particularly the forest clearings they favor for the edible emergent vegetation found there. The mix of broadleaf evergreens, tall canopy trees, vines and rank grasses-- and the fact that visitors are enveloped in the same landscape--make this a very compelling and fairly accurate representation of an African forest environment.
It's a well known story that when this exhibit was being planned, Diann Fossey was consulted and when asked what gorilla habitat looked like she pointed at a bit of roadside landscape near Seattle and said "it looks just like this."
My eyes must work differently from yours (and Ms Fossey's). I don't see any canopy, any bamboos or palms or anything that resonates of Africa - or are they in other parts of the enclosure?
I see well-grown temperate parkland - a superficially pleasant background for human eyes and, more importantly, a properly rich environment for captive apes. That's fine! Indeed it is probably the best that is possible in terms of geography and climate for this type of enclosure - but no more than that.
1.The exhibit was built around a few mature trees, providing instant canopy cover and scale.
2. After the landscape work was done, the exhibit was allowed to sit unoccupied for over one year, allowing the new plants to establish themselves.
3. Seattle has a very long growing season, and plenty of rain!
The gorillas are out nearly every day, but often can be found in the covered area at the exhibit foreground where bedding and heat are provided.
Am I right in saying these were originally Bear Pits converted for the Gorillas, hence the rock walls and front? No harm in that and they have certainly stood the test of time and are extremely well vegetated.
I too don't think they look very 'African' but then few Gorilla enclosures in temperate climates can really replicate that can they?(perhaps the exception being New York's Bronx which is in a class of its own I think but was deliberately created at eyewatering expense to resemble rainforest.?)
