The enclosure looks nice, but i'm not sure i'm keen on the primary viewing windows being located in the cafe area. Theoretically, that could make it quite difficult to see one of the cats if a family or large party of people has claimed the tables closest to the glass.
Was this photo taken from a seperate viewing area?
What an amazing looking enclosure, it is very well suited to the cats! must be one of the best snow leopard exhibits in the Europe! will there be other animals as part of the Himalayan center?
I have absolutely nothing against snow leopards per se (I'm a cat lover big and small) who are beautiful creatures, and their enclosure looks fantastic etc etc .......... I even like the chairs (as shown in the other picture, but that's beside the point) ....... but just can't help wishing that the 'World Primate Centre' had chosen to invest some of the money spent on this project on demolishing and replacing the dreadful Green Mile chimp enclosure first ........
I believe I read in an annual report somewhere on the net that in the future (This was 2008 I think) that there was to be some sort of chimp centre so maybe they are thinking of doing that? and yes this photo is from a diffrent viewing angle. Also insiode there is room for people to look in between the tables, and also on the far left there is a big gap for viewing inside too near to where the coffee bar is.
I am pleasantly suprised by this enclosure, before these pictures I imagined a much smaller cage which would just be adequate. But this has far exceeded my expectations.
but just can't help wishing that the 'World Primate Centre' had chosen to invest some of the money spent on this project on demolishing and replacing the dreadful Green Mile chimp enclosure first ........
Here, here. Unfortunately most Zoos do this, press ahead with wonderful and expensive new buildings while some animals live on old or decrepit buildings that should have been demolished long ago. Twycross did badly need a proper entrance area- but some existing enclosures equally badly need demolishing!
In Twycross' case, as their motif is 'World Primate Centre, its been mentioned here before its strange they haven't featured some Primates, rather than Snow Leopards, as their 'first impression' species in this new display. Now it will produce even more of a contrast to leave this area and then see some of the other 'infamous' enclosures, particularly the Green Mile Chimps.
It does indeed feel like such a contradiction in terms. If an institution is describing itself as the world primate centre, I'd expect that not only would it have an excellent collection of primates, but it would also have excellent accommodation for them too ..... and, excellent understanding of how best to keep the various species. I'm nothing like an expert, but that doesn't mean keeping many chimps in 2s and 3s !!
I feel as though I'm pouring cold water on what is an interesting and exciting project - if looked at in isolation - but which doesn't seem right when put into a wider context. Obviously I understand that most it not all zoos are constrained by money when it comes to doing what's best for their animals ..... but that argument doesn't stand up in regard to the 'Green Mile' when you consider so much has been spent on the new entrance exhibit.
I think we all agree with what you're saying but they must at some point start looking at the primates and the exciting thing is that if Twycross see Himalaya as a benchmark for future developments then we should expect to see some really high quality exhibits. This possibility has never existed at Twycross before, bland brick or wood clad enclosures with little imagination has been the recipe until now.
Now correct me if I`m wrong but to me you pay at the entrance of a zoo before going in,now I`m pretty certain that you don`t pay inside this building at all but in the same old wonderfull porto cabins that you always have.So to my mind this building is nothing more than a Tourist Visitor Centre which you have to pass through to get to the zoo entrance.
