Once upon a time there was no aviary at the end of this walkway but a door into the Nocturnal House. As as a child, my favourate part of the zoo. Visitors were treated to a range of small nocturnal mammals including Black Rats, Tree Porcupine, Bushbabies and more. The walkway led to the pygmy hippo indoor enclosure (Viewed from above) and then to the ramp alongside the crocodile pool brought the visitor back into the Tropical House. Of course the building at the time had so much inside that there was an additional entry fee, pay booth and turnstyle in the entrance foyer. Because visitors had paid to enter, toilet facilities were provided inside too. The toilets, often pungent were at the rear of the tropical house in what is now the exit doorway to the capuchin exhibit at the rear. Even in the early eighties the Tropical House was a fantastic visitor experience. Gorillas could be seen at the front viewed from ground and upper ramp level. There were enormous black carps in the indoor gorilla moats. Upstairs, before the bird aviaries were windows to the inside chimp yards, and, in addition to the fantastic Nocturnal house was a veeeeeerrrrrry long herp corridor. ??????? I've got childhood memories of the interior of the Nocturnal House but would love to see a photo if anyone out there has one ??????????
I can remember the Nocturnal House before the Tropical House was built, but that was before I had a camera. You went in at the door where the capuchins are (unless they have just moved to the Monkey House ) which was the pygmy hippo's outdoor enclosure. Then up stairs (or was it a ramp) over the hippo's indoor enclosure, as you have described, and a crocodile pool and into the Nocturnal House which was where the indoor part of the hyacinthine macaw's aviary is now: you can still see the windows, which used to be blacked-out by dark blue paint. It was not large, I remember a few larger glass-fronted cages and one or two smaller ones, and then you went out through a turnstile on to the landing at the outside end of the chimp viewing gallery. I don't think I have ever seen a photo of the interior of the house.
