Although not a fantastic enclosure, it is however a lot better than those small, very old fashioned cages they had before. Certainly loads more space.
I wouldn't mind knowing more about how much of their monkeys have had new enclosures and how many are staying. I won't ask here though because I'm not fully up to date on reading the threads.
On a different note I like the fact the post thing-a-me has a spell checker.
I can't help wondering if that enclosure might be more appreciated by its inhabitants if it was roofed over, twice as high and maybe half the length.
Seriously, I wonder about the longer term wisdom of open-topped primate enclosures at Twycross. A lot of land nearby is earmarked for re-afforestation, and whilst I would be thrilled to have Goshawks nearby, I would feel differently if I were a smallish primate.
I can't help wondering if that enclosure might be more appreciated by its inhabitants if it was roofed over, twice as high and maybe half the length.
Seriously, I wonder about the longer term wisdom of open-topped primate enclosures at Twycross. A lot of land nearby is earmarked for re-afforestation, and whilst I would be thrilled to have Goshawks nearby, I would feel differently if I were a smallish primate.
A lot of land nearby is earmarked for re-afforestation, and whilst I would be thrilled to have Goshawks nearby, I would feel differently if I were a smallish primate.
But surely they won't be conifers will they? I thought the policy was now in favour of planting hardwoods?
Regarding the enclosure- its a good 'first attempt' but like GL I would like to see more foliage- a few fast growing trees planted in the centre around the climbing frames- hotwired or caged to protect them initially of course- suggested species- Sycamore/Acers/Wattles or Willows. Bristol's De Brazza enclosure (before they rather oddly got rid of them) looked good with several trees which they didn't seem to damage. I fear Twycross will just leave this as it is though as most of their primate enclosures are very bare and they don't try to landscape -as they do effectively at Bristol.
On the evidence of this photo – I have not yet seen the enclosure for real – this looks pretty unimaginative. A flat lawn with a few rather half-hearted climbing structures popping up in the middle, with the visitors viewing through thick mesh fence. It's not exactly going to thrust zoo design forward into the next generation is it? I'm sure that in many ways this is a step forward, and I certainly applaud the movement that Twycross is making in improving its various enclosures, but any cage that has this little attention paid to aesthetics is not going to be massively impressive. I'm not arguing that they should have spent a huge amount of money trying to replicate a slice of tropical Africa in the Leicestershire countryside, but they could at least have considered such things as what the visitor will actually see as they gaze into this enclosure: what I think they will see is fence, a not very good view of a monkey (if they are lucky), and then other visitors beyond.
I am not sure but there are what look like two monkeys on the ground near the posts on the left hand side?(but maybe not..) generally I would agree to an extent about Forest monkeys- they probably pop in and out and so use the open outdoor area part of the time. Bristol's De Brazzas used their outoor area (more wooded than this one) only sparingly. At Port Lympne I have seen them outdoors more often- but that enclosure is light years away from this one.
but they could at least have considered such things as what the visitor will actually see as they gaze into this enclosure: what I think they will see is fence, a not very good view of a monkey (if they are lucky), and then other visitors beyond.
That's where higher/more natural climbing equipment would help- the monkeys would (at least some of the time) use the higher areas and then visitors would view them above the fence level whereas as it is they are looking through the fence. But then aethsetics has never been Twycross' strong point- look at all the ugly Ape enclosures( and other monkeys too).
My feeling is that this is a laudable attempt to create something different, but that it won't be landscaped any further and will represent a 'one-off'- as cost-wise, I can't see them tacking open-air enclosures onto all the other covered Primate enclosures- except maybe the odd one or two perhaps. And it would create miles of electrified fencing too.
