melbournes colobus exhibit
though the colobus in melbourne have always been housed in the largest enclosure within the arboral primates exhibit, for years i wondered why the keepers had not installed structures so that the colobus could access one tree from another - without having to decend to the ground. essentially you would find each colobus occupying a fork in a different dead tree. not a great deal of interaction as they all seemed to just sit there, hunched over with those magnificent pelts on display. the last time i visited, the zoo had placed a lot of fire hoses and ropes amongst them to give them more to climb on, but i didn't notice much difference behavioural at that particular time. it supprised me that it took them so long to do this though. the tree-top monkeys and apes exhibit is earmarked for eventual demolishion, but i can't see it happening in the immediate future as it houses some 7 or so different species of primate that will need new exhibits or temporary housing elesewhere whilst it is being demolished.
in the meantime the zoo should consider removing the wire mesh around the colobus exhibit - replacing it with cheap wire fencing with a strip of sheet metal around the rim (stopping the primates from climbing out) and installing tall poles within the enclosure that have an o-line like connection into the gorilla exhibit. two non-connected poles (but within colobus jumping distance)within the gorilla rainforest could be used to stop the younger gorillas from climbing out and into the colobus exhibit and provide the monkeys with a "safe zone" in case the mischievous gorillas pester them too much.
just an idea - but it would be a relatively inexpensive way of testing if the two species will get along at melbourne. if so, the zoo could consider a more permanent design. colobus and de brazza's guenon interact in the wild also and should the zoo install a few additional dead trees in the rainforest - i see no reason why the enclosure wouldn't be big enough for everyone...
