Best gentle / bamboo lemur enclosures and holdings / collections in zoos

Onychorhynchus coronatus · 1 Dec 2020

There is an interesting paper on the greater bamboo lemur that was written by Patricia Wright and colleagues in 2008 called "The Crisis of the Critically Endangered Greater Bamboo Lemur (Prolemeur simus)".

Here is a quote about the provenance of greater bamboo lemurs in French and German zoos :

"Since 1986, P. simus individuals have been observed in the bamboo patches at the edge of the Kianjavato coffee plantation, 50 km due east of Ranomafana National Park. This forest is isolated from the main eastern escarpment forest that includes Ranomafana. Two small groups were recorded in 2004 (E. E. Louis Jr. unpubl. data) and, more recently, two groups of seven individuals each were sighted in July 2007 (R. Jacobs unpubl. data). Since 1986, P. simus individuals captured at Kianjavato were exported to Vincennes Zoo, Mulhouse Zoo, and Cologne Zoo (Table 2)."

Here is another quote about the status of the species in captivity in 2008:

"Prolemur simus in captivity
Only 39 P. simus individuals have been kept in captivity. As of 2007 there were 22 in seven institutions (five in Europe and two in Madagascar). All P. simus in captivity in 2007 are from Karianga and Kianjavato."

Four years earlier in 2004 according to the paper the holders of the species in Europe were apparently Asson (1.2), Bescancon (1.1 with 1.0 birth), Edinburgh (1.1), Cologne (1.1), Omega parque (2.1), Port Lympne (1.1) and Paris (2.2 with 0.1 birth).

GiratinaIsGod · 1 Dec 2020

Onychorhynchus coronatus said:
I can't find a picture of what their enclosure looks like but there are some terrific shots in the gallery of this beautiful species at the Cologne zoo and it certainly seems like this is a breeding group which has had success.

Photo credits to @Dianamonkey, @ronnienl, @Javan Rhino, @Tomek, @Glutton and @Eagle.

The cologne zoos madagascar house is very outdated, and not that good (in sense of animal wellfare, not species of corse). But after the South America House is renovated, it is the next area getting worked on.

Onychorhynchus coronatus · 1 Dec 2020

GiratinaIsGod said:
The cologne zoos madagascar house is very outdated, and not that good (in sense of animal wellfare, not species of corse). But after the South America House is renovated, it is the next area getting worked on.

Do you know what the outdoor enclosures for the greater bamboo lemurs at Cologne look like ?

I couldn't find any pictures of these in the gallery and I'm curious to see what the conditions are like.

I did find this video on youtube which shows the group at Cologne in their indoor enclosure but there is still no indication of what the outdoor one looks like.

GiratinaIsGod · 1 Dec 2020

Apenheul has a great exhibit with Alaotra bamboo lemurs and crowned Sifakas. Both breed regulary.

GiratinaIsGod · 1 Dec 2020

Onychorhynchus coronatus said:
Do you know what the outdoor enclosures for the greater bamboo lemurs at Cologne look like ?

I couldn't find any pictures of these in the gallery and I'm curious to see what the conditions are like.

I did find this video on youtube which shows the group at Cologne in their indoor enclosure but there is still no indication of what the outdoor one looks like.

This is the exact reason why Cologne plans very soon the renovate the Madagascar hosue. It screems 1970s. And untill 2006 it was even worse, with more species in a smaler area. Proberly the most outdated part of the zoo still standing. Together with the Urwald-Haus

Onychorhynchus coronatus · 1 Dec 2020

@GiratinaIsGod Yes, I agree, I think that Apenheul is a brilliant example of excellent husbandry for the species (well, pretty much all the primate species they keep actually) in terms of enclosure design.

What is impressive is how naturalistic the enclosures look and the opportunities that these animals seem to have available to engage in natural behaviours.

Photo credits to @Jogy, @vogelcommando, @Goura, @EmperorTamarin and @Elko.

Onychorhynchus coronatus · 1 Dec 2020

GiratinaIsGod said:
This is the exact reason why Cologne plans very soon the renovate the Madagascar hosue. It screems 1970s. And untill 2006 it was even worse, with more species in a smaler area. Proberly the most outdated part of the zoo still standing. Together with the Urwald-Haus

Yes, it does seem outdated by European standards and does have a very 70's look to it but by no means is it the worst set up for primates that I've seen.

Onychorhynchus coronatus · 1 Dec 2020

GiratinaIsGod said:
This is the exact reason why Cologne plans very soon the renovate the Madagascar hosue. It screems 1970s. And untill 2006 it was even worse, with more species in a smaler area. Proberly the most outdated part of the zoo still standing. Together with the Urwald-Haus

I found this picture from 2009 in the gallery which states that at that time the greater bamboo lemurs at Cologne were being given access to one of the strange sci-fi looking lemur enclosures.

Do you know if this is still the case ?

Photo credit to @Toddy.

GiratinaIsGod · 1 Dec 2020

Onychorhynchus coronatus said:
I found this picture from 2009 in the gallery which states that at that time the greater bamboo lemurs at Cologne were being given access to one of the strange sci-fi looking lemur enclosures.

Do you know if this is still the case ?

Photo credit to @Toddy.

Onychorhynchus coronatus said:
Yes, it does seem outdated by European standards and does have a very 70's look to it but by no means is it the worst set up for primates that I've seen.

Well, I was talking about the standart of Cologne. I am awear that inm areas like asia and latin america the husbandary standart is not on the same level.

Onychorhynchus coronatus · 1 Dec 2020

GiratinaIsGod said:
Well, I was talking about the standart of Cologne. I am awear that inm areas like asia and latin america the husbandary standart is not on the same level.

Yes, I know what you mean and I do think the Madagascan house could do with a renovation but I don't think it is terrible by any means.

GiratinaIsGod · 1 Dec 2020

Onychorhynchus coronatus said:
I found this picture from 2009 in the gallery which states that at that time the greater bamboo lemurs at Cologne were being given access to one of the strange sci-fi looking lemur enclosures.

Do you know if this is still the case ?

Photo credit to @Toddy.

I am realy not awaer of the situation right now. I was to be honest only once at the Cologne Zoo (2005, and I was still very young. So I remeber not that much) So Iam sadly not able to help you much in this case. Even though I plan to visit next year, frst time in a serious matter. (Since the new South America House will be finished, and as somone who started universety has acces to free rail travel in my German state (North-Rheine-Westphalia), which makes traveling much easyer and cheaper)

Onychorhynchus coronatus · 1 Dec 2020

This appears to be a news report about the birth of a greater bamboo lemur at Cologne zoo in 2014 and some of the indoor enclosure appears (doesn't seem too bad at all).

More footage of the group at Cologne from around 2014.

In 2015 there appears to have been a few more infants born if this video is anything to go by.

Onychorhynchus coronatus · 1 Dec 2020

GiratinaIsGod said:
I am realy not awaer of the situation right now. I was to be honest only once at the Cologne Zoo (2005, and I was still very young. So I remeber not that much) So Iam sadly not able to help you much in this case. Even though I plan to visit next year, frst time in a serious matter. (Since the new South America House will be finished, and as somone who started universety has acces to free rail travel in my German state (North-Rheine-Westphalia), which makes traveling much easyer and cheaper)

No problem at all

It would be great to see some new shots of these lemurs from when you visit, be sure to post them here on this thread.

I think from the videos and photos I've been able to check out it appears that the greater bamboo lemurs are mainly kept in a large indoor enclosure.

However, in the past / end of 2000's (and possibly up to the present) they were being given access to one of the strange sci-fi style enclosures.

GiratinaIsGod · 1 Dec 2020

Onychorhynchus coronatus said:
This appears to be a news report about the birth of a greater bamboo lemur at Cologne zoo in 2014 and some of the indoor enclosure appears (doesn't seem too bad at all).

Well, I talk about my very high standard. With the indoors being only bearly ok for animals that size (and not particular pretty too), and with the most oudoor exhibits (like in the post I posted before) are still very outdated. But like I said. The madagascar house will be the next big area changed in the Zoos master plan. With big outdoor islands for the lemurs. And a compleatly new and modern indoors house.

Onychorhynchus coronatus · 1 Dec 2020

On Zootierliste the greater bamboo lemur is listed as once having been held by the following zoos in the UK :

Edinburgh zoo

Chester zoo

London Zoo

Does anyone know what happened to these animals and why they are no longer held at these collections ?

Onychorhynchus coronatus · 1 Dec 2020

GiratinaIsGod said:
Well, I talk about my very high standard. With the indoors being only bearly ok for animals that size (and not particular pretty too), and with the most oudoor exhibits (like in the post I posted before) are still very outdated. But like I said. The madagascar house will be the next big area changed in the Zoos master plan. With big outdoor islands for the lemurs. And a compleatly new and modern indoors house.

Well I hope with this refurbishment at Cologne that the greater bamboo lemurs will get a much larger and outdoor enclosure for them to use.

It is a bit of a pity really to think of them being confined to an indoor enclosure most of the time.

Onychorhynchus coronatus · 1 Dec 2020

The Rare Species Conservation Centre appear to have been another collection that kept bamboo lemur (the Sambirano bamboo lemur and possibly others?).

Some of the enclosures seem as if they were a bit questionable.

The graphics of the signage looked like they were brilliant though.

Photo credits to @callum, @stubeanz, @LaughingDove, @Al,@ro6ca66 and @Tomek.

Onychorhynchus coronatus · 1 Dec 2020

In the UK and as a whole it seems that the Lac Alaotra gentle lemur is the species most commonly kept Haplalemur (probably as a result of the efforts of Jersey zoo).

ZSL have them and have personally seen them here (though not as many as in the picture).

Shaldon zoo keep the species, have some great little enclosures with excellent signage, and apparently (according to @Sausagefingers) had one of the original founders brought back by Durrell from Madagascar in 1990.