This is new... Not quite sure of its usefulness though- if its to shelter people from rain or other bad weather, the Gorillas will stay inside anyway...
This is new... Not quite sure of its usefulness though- if its to shelter people from rain or other bad weather, the Gorillas will stay inside anyway...
I thought this too, as you say if it's raining the Gorillas will undoubtedly stay inside anyway.
I did wonder if the awning somehow stops the Gorillas seeing the visitors and makes them more likely to come outside. Possibly coincidentally, the whole group was outside the first time I visited with the covering there.
I did wonder if the awning somehow stops the Gorillas seeing the visitors and makes them more likely to come outside. Possibly coincidentally, the whole group was outside the first time I visited with the covering there.
I would have thought any reluctance to come outside was due to either temperature/weather conditions or the preference for security/overhead cover. But for them to go to the trouble( and cost) of putting this all around the outside perimeter there must be a reason.
Having seen this I would say it was definately erected to reduce glare/reflection from the glass. I think they may be doing similar along the adjacent Chimp house( the old Gorilla one), as there were posts being put up.
Sometimes I think Twycross spend what limited funds they have in strange ways. This is an example. Presumably to reduce reflections in the glass- which has never seemed a problem in this enclosure to me. But given the number of bright sunny days when it could be a problem, coupled with the amount of time the Gorillas are actually to be seen outdoors, it seems a largely wasted effort for the cost it must have involved.
Having seen this I would say it was definately erected to reduce glare/reflection from the glass. I think they may be doing similar along the adjacent Chimp house( the old Gorilla one), as there were posts being put up.
If this is the case someone should provide the designer (and whomever hired said designer) with an elementary lesson in the physics of light. I'm hoping they were going for rain protection here!
In which case its even more pointless as with the first raindrops any Gorillas that were outside would go straight indoors in a flash... Unless its for people to run to and shelter under during a rainstorm...
