I thought these enclosures were wonderfully modern and spacious when I visited soon after this House was opened in the late 1960's. Now they just look pokey and cramped!
I think they are soon to have a major renovation though- and will be considerably extended in size, as well as big outside enclosures being built for all the Apes.
I believe the Gorillas will be moved to temporary accomodation while all this is happening, don't know about the remaining Orangutans or the Chimpanzees.
This is true, I think everyone will agree that the Ape House is outdated, but credit is due nonetheless for the breeding success in it; all the ape species in it have bred like rats. But as Basel was the first zoo in which a gorilla was reared by its mother (1961) and you say this house was built in the late 1960s, this would not have been the location.
But as Basel was the first zoo in which a gorilla was reared by its mother (1961) and you say this house was built in the late 1960s, this would not have been the location.
Correct. The original pair of Gorillas, Achilla & Stephi lived at one end of the Bird House- with the Orangutans and Chimps(?) at the other end. The Bird House is still there but the small(tiny) Outdoor Ape cages have been demolished- I think their indoor cages are actually still there but screened off from the public and used as storage areas.
The first three Gorillas at least(Goma, Jambo & Migger) were born in that House. No 4 female Quarta may have been born in the 'new' house but I can't remember, but she was largely reared in it. The whole group were amalgamated only after the transfer. Goma & Quarta still live in the current group.
I remember it was very exciting visiting this House for the first time not long after it was newly opened, and seeing the famous Gorilla group and the re,st of the Ape & Monkey collection they had then. But its definately in need of renovation now.
Correct. The original pair of Gorillas, Achilla & Stephi lived at one end of the Bird House- with the Orangutans and Chimps(?) at the other end. The Bird House is still there but the small(tiny) Outdoor Ape cages have been demolished- I think their indoor cages are actually still there but screened off from the public and used as storage areas.
The first three Gorillas at least(Goma, Jambo & Migger) were born in that House. No 4 female Quarta may have been born in the 'new' house but I can't remember, but she was largely reared in it. The whole group were amalgamated only after the transfer. Goma & Quarta still live in the current group.
I remember it was very exciting visiting this House for the first time not long after it was newly opened, and seeing the famous Gorilla group and the re,st of the Ape & Monkey collection they had then. But its definately in need of renovation now.
I remember it too. The presenter Anthony Smith is by the glass and the adult male gorilla Stephi is sitting right there watching him- he said something about him being the founding father of the group.
This exhibit also features in the National Geographic Film, 'Gorilla' produced in the early eighties. They do an experiment giving them rolls of paper to play with to monitor increased activity levels.
When it first opened it was spacious but very bare. Nowadays they have woodwool and ropes and hammocks and enrichment devices and the chimps(I think) have woodchip flooring- but the enclosures seem to have shrunk in size!.
Oh if only any of you oldies (no offence! had old shows like 'Great Zoos of the World'! But I guess not as VCRs only came into public use in the very late 70s to early 80s. But in the very unlikely event that you did (having obtained it later) the material could be made digital and hence preserved longer. National Geograpic and others would also make documentaries about the changing role of zoos in the 1970s and 1980s and some were released on tapes.
I wrote an article in a Bartlett Society newsletter a few years ago, asking members to look in the shelves under their TVs and other places where they keep video tapes (most of the members are middle-aged or older) to see what they might come up with. You never know, some might have clips or even whole episodes/seasons of gems such as 'Zoo Time', 'Animal Magic' and even 'Great Zoos of the World'. If still in existence, those gems just may not be lost to dust and time. If nessessary (even if living in Iceland) I will participate in the cost and effort needed to transform UK zoo material onto digital format in order to preserve it.
I don't mind, they are just jealous of things we've seen in the past. But their time will come.... Have we done an 'earliest memories thread...? probably.
First time I went to Basel Zoo was 1968. The old ape cages could still be seen in the Bird House- they were tiny- seemed just a few yards square. I know someone who saw the Gorillas still in those cages before the existing house was built.
First time I visited the 3 Gorilla enclosures were interconnected with all doors open. But the adult male Steffi kept the main group in two enclosures while refusing to allow the young silverback 'Pepe' to join them- he had to 'stay' in the third enclosure, the open door was evidently the invisible boundary between the two males' territories. Later Goma and Pepe were kept seperate in one third, until after Steffi died, when Pepe became leader of the group.
B.T.W I have the Nat Geo tape of 'Gorilla' and can still play it on my TV.which has a video(antiquated or what?) Also some other old clips too.
