Gorillas enclosure - Schmutzer Primate Centre

Maxime said:

That's why it's very hard to find the right balance for the visitors AND the animals...

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As a designer I would say it is not so hard to find the right balance. It is hard to find the zoo that will do whatever is required to achieve that balance

Absolutely

But we are okay, to finish : this gorilla exhibit is brillant (for the animals...) ?

Maxime said:

Absolutely

But we are okay, to finish : this gorilla exhibit is brillant (for the animals...) ?

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Yes

But it's nice to be able to start with a climate and a mature forest so similar to Central Africa!

But many here on Zoochat will say the same thing about the giant cages at Howletts, and in that case what makes them good is the large complex social structure of the gorilla troops housed there. With only 3 animals, this exhibit cannot offer the same social stimulus or visitor interest as is possible at places with bigger groups. But hopefully with time, there will be reproduction and/or new animals imported, and this forest will begin to be a magical gorilla forest.

Maxime said:

Absolutely

But we are okay, to finish : this gorilla exhibit is brillant (for the animals...) ?

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Oh yes! And it could be made brilliant for visitors as well. I'll bet it's close to perfect

Zooplantman, this is best gorilla exhibit in a zoo I ever seen. Bronx congo exhibit looks puny in comparison.

For instant gratification visitors, I guess, going on a cool bridge compensates for missing a gorilla.

Jurek7 said:

Zooplantman, this is best gorilla exhibit in a zoo I ever seen. Bronx congo exhibit looks puny in comparison.

For instant gratification visitors, I guess, going on a cool bridge compensates for missing a gorilla.

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...and were I there, scouting for gorillas from that bridge, I might very well agree

this is by far the best gorilla enclosure I've seen myself and it's even more remarkable for being in an Indonesian zoo -- indeed, within the grounds of Ragunan Zoo where the primate cages are pretty appalling -- however it is interesting that you didn't see the gorillas here either Maxime. I didn't see them in 2009 and spent a fair bit of time looking (granted it is very heavily planted), and in response to my review (here on Zoochat) Peter Dickinson wrote (November 2010) "Now it is interesting that you say you did not see the Gorillas. Another (private) source said they had not been seen for months and that the outside enclosure was considerably overgrown. So where are they?"

Well its easy to be the best gorilla exhibit if you don't put gorillas in it!

I have an elephant exhibit in my back yard you would not believe

I'm surprised European-born gorillas could adapt to the tropical diseases - case in point Singapore's dramatic failure in the 80s and early 90s where five gorillas from Europe died after contracting tropical soil disease (which is also fatal to humans), even after placing one of them in a concrete-floored cage.

And i do agree that this is an amazing exhibit for gorillas. But if visitors don't see the animals, they won't return and the zoo loses revenue. IMHO, an exhibit like Bronx's is a good enough compromise.

Zooish said:

I'm surprised European-born gorillas could adapt to the tropical diseases - case in point Singapore's dramatic failure in the 80s and early 90s where five gorillas from Europe died after contracting tropical soil disease (which is also fatal to humans), even after placing one of them in a concrete-floored cage.

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Now we are getting nearer the point.. I think you'll find the only place Ragunan could obtain Gorillas from was spare young males from Howletts. EEP would not risk allowing any to go there after what happened at Singapore.

Four young males were sent. One(Kidjoum) apparently was removed after fighting with the others, and then later died at the Jakarta Zoo. But from what has been said above about them not being seen 'for some months', I'm wondering if in fact the other three are still there?