Apart from cleaning and individual training - or, if there is work needed on the enclosure - the gorillas have free access to either inside or outside during park opening times. It's up to them.
Thanks- that regime has changed sometime in the last few years then- they always used to be either shut out- if weather good- or shut in- if weather was bad. The 'free choice' method is much more widely adopted by zoos these days. And yes, the more cover they have, the less inclined they are to hide away. I have- in the past- seen Gorillas in open exposed enclosures so desperate to get under cover/away from sight that they took extreme measures like hiding under a big plastic dustbin or crawling under a ground-level platform 'bunker-style.' Never at Jersey of course!
Gorillas seem to instinctively avoid open skies, in my experience. If they have no cover, the stress in them is plainly evident.
Badongo did cause some consternation when he arrived, however, as he likes to climb trees! That led to some of the existing tree cover coming down or being transplanted elsewhere (to avoid falls/injuries as the immature trees weren't strong enough) so the shelter was built to compensate and improve!
They hate being unable to get under cover, particularly the silverbacks. Outdoors they will nearly always choose a spot under cover as their favourite resting spot- provided there is one, or they often stay indoors, if given the choice.
Not surprised Badongo likes tree-climbing- you only have to see the Vallee de Singes outdoor Gorilla island to know why!
How do you stop them getting on the roof of this shelter?- is there electrified wire?- or aren't they prevented?
They aren't prevented. It has footholds for keeper inspection, but he seems to only go up trees so far!
I'm uploading a picture of Ya Kawanza on the actual gorilla house roof as we speak! We've now taken measures to stop this happening, but he totally surprised everyone at the opening of 'The Hogs of the Bai', when he appeared and chest-slapped - it echoed around the park!
I'm uploading a picture of Ya Kawanza on the actual gorilla house roof as we speak! We've now taken measures to stop this happening, but he totally surprised everyone at the opening of 'The Hogs of the Bai', when he appeared and chest-slapped - it echoed around the park!
Amazing picture. I guess no-one knew he could do this before? As I said under the photo, it looks like he could have escaped had he wanted too yet presumably had never done this( get up on the roof) for years beforehand. Gorillas are full of surprises.
No-one had any idea he could do it, he just popped up! There was a point where he was in classic gorilla stance almost on the edge of the wall! He never tried to escape, just wanted to see what all the people were looking at.
Its that same old thing- the Silverbacks always prefer the most cover.... They used to have a rather more basic outdoor shelter at Paignton(until it fell down) and the senior male(Pertinax) favoured that a lot too.
Bristol have a windbreak/shelter on their island too- the females use it a lot but their silverback 'Jock' tends to stay indoors nearly the whole time apart from when he comes out for the public feeding sessions. I believe he spends well over 90+% of his time inside, the females and juveniles rather less.
