My hairdresses in Atlanta, knows someone who was looking to make a donation to Atlanta Zoo. The zoo was showing him around and was suggesting he could donate US$30,000 for a tree for the giraffe enclosure. I wonder what this artifical log cost?
I have seen burgers zoo use what looked like xmas trees, 6ft tall secured to the indoor furnishings. Watching the gorillas firstly use brute strenght to remove them and then slowly tear them apart. GREAT enrichment.
My point is how many xmas trees would $30,000 pay for! Although from what l have seen at Atlanta they dont do allot of enrichment devices. Except obviously the regular feeding. Also the great familg groups. Although in captivity l would have point out J Aspinall, that family groups are not enough.
@reduakari: you have constructed a great list of notable gorilla exhibits, and of course there are many more that we could all name. Obviously zoos like the Bronx, Atlanta, DAK, Woodland Park, San Diego, etc, are at the top when it comes to exhibiting gorillas...but I was wondering what you think of Omaha's gorilla valley habitats? I remember feeling as if I was in a maze when I visited that section of the zoo last summer, and according to the book America's Best Zoos there are FOUR exhibits at the Henry Doorly Zoo for gorillas. That makes the zoo equal with Atlanta for the number of enclosures, although I am personally undecided when it comes to ranking those particular Omaha exhibits. Also, have you seen the photos of the truly awful new orangutan exhibit at Colchester Zoo in the U.K.?
Uh, oh--your're getting me started back on Omaha.....
Yes, there are at least 4 separate spaces for gorillas, plus a red river hog/duiker area and a Wolf's guenon exhibit in the maze-like complex. It is certainly a great facility for managing gorillas, and the public get to see a lot of them at very close range. However, the public galleries are harsh and sterile concrete passageways that evoke being in a military missile bunker much more than experiencing an African rain forest. The gorilla exhibits themselves are backed by ugly visible concrete walls and are filled with the most hideous fake trees this side of Tragic World. again, it comes down to attention to detail and aesthetics, but as with most of Omaha's exhibits I think the big idea is better than the final product. No doubt the public love it though, and it's a fine space for gorillas to live (except of course in the winter).
As for the Colchester organ exhibit--the less said the better. Pure crap....
@reduakari: I agree with you on the sterile army bunkers that constitute the visitor walkways at the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha. The ugly human area makes for a sharp contrast with the lush but fake great ape enclosures. The gorilla valley complex was designed with the intention of having the humans incarcerated rather than the apes, but I was not impressed with my surroundings while there. The concept is original and hopefully the zoo rotates its gorillas through the four different habitats, but overall it would not rank highly on my list of great gorilla exhibits. On the other hand I quite like the climbing opportunities for the orangutans in Omaha, and while the netting is distracting at the same time it provides the apes with room to brachiate if they are not already on their massive, 65-foot fake trees.
