Chimpanzee enclosure at Basel Zoo 30/08/09

A lot of the old houses were also built at a time when great apes were hard to keep alive. The died of diseases of various sort both from the visitors and the environment. Part of the sollution at the time was to build very sterile exhibits. They may not have been pretty but they kept the apes alive.

That, plus the fact that it simply was the fashion at the time.

I think in Basel's case lack of space in the Zoo generally had something to do with the original decision not to have outdoor enclosures when this house was first built. Later the two small outdoor cages were added to the building, but for forty years now these Apes And Monkeys have all lived chiefly indoors. Finally however new large outdoor cages are planned to start construction shortly- some other old enclosures nearby are having to be demolished to provide the necessary space.