Colchester Zoo Colchester Zoo news 2011

To my mind a pity Colchester couldn't exhibit both Hyaena species. I know they previously had to 'share' the outdoor enclosure but that could have been rectified with a 2nd enclosure.
 
I'm actually glad they've stopped keeping this species....for several years it felt to me as if, every time Africa Alive added an unusual species, Colchester would follow suit with the same species. This part of the country is fairly dense for animal collections, and it would be nice to see them coordinate a collective diversity of exhibits, rather than have the specialities of the smaller collections readily available at Colchester. In particular, I regret that they plan to build such a dramatic crocodile exhibit, this really is one of Thrigby's main attractions.

I hope Africa Alive will continue with striped hyenas after the current pair (perhaps they are still of breeding age?), and I look forward to the planned Asian Carnivore exhibit at Twycross for their Arabian striped pair.
 
johnstoni. said:
I'm actually glad they've stopped keeping this species....
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To me its a shame that theirs left the UK and that another UK zoo didn't start up with them if Colchester weren't keeping them anymore. Nowhere near enough Hyaenas to be seen in our zoos- very much a rarity numerically.
 
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Watching a Hyaena feed at Colchester a few years ago was one of the most gory, bone crunching experiences I have ever had watching an animal feed!! :eek: Truely horrific :D but a great one to amuse the kids with in the summer holidays!!
 
Just got back from a visit to Colchester. Some things worth reporting.

- Spotted hyenas were off-show for introduction, but were still both visible.
- Otter Creek is a really good looking enclosure with lots of vegetation, two seperate pools and plenty of room for the active group of six otters. They were out and playing in the old seal pool on the second trip round.
- A pair of L'Hoest's monkeys were in the old smooth-coated otter enclosure.
- The breeding pair of golden lion tamarins and their young have moved into the sloth side of the Worlds Apart, while a pair of Goeldi's monkeys have moved into the tamandua side. Didn't see either the Geoffroy's or silvery marmosets.
- The old black hornbill and blue magpie aviary has now been torn down, just the spider monkey cage to go before the entire sun bear site is complete.
- Only seen one Cuban crocodile on the past few visits and the indoor area is totally boarded up- has something happened to the other one?
- A sign on the second giant anteater enclosure (opposite the new red panda enclosure) says it is due to be redeveloped soon.
- Golden lion and golden-headed lion tamarins now live in the small monkey enclosure at Ussuri Falls- there was no sign of the pygmy marmosets.
- The juvenile South American cichlids are all on display in the old koi exhibit in Worlds Apart. Didn't see any of the new stingrays.
 
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DesertRhino150 said:
A pair of L'Hoest's monkeys were in the old smooth-coated otter enclosure.
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I wonder if these are a. a new pair from the Edinburgh group, b. older young removed from the breeding group, or c. a fresh pairing of an older Colchester -bred young with a new unrelated partner. d. another combination. Perhaps c. is most likely?
 
Regarding the location of the marmosets, the Geoffroy's are/were recently with a pair of Golden-Headed Lion Tamarins in the South American Walkthrough and the Silvery Marmosets are still on the left side of the Worlds Apart Walkthrough. This was at the time of my visit about a week ago.

The Emperor Tamarins were in the old Goeldi's Monkey enclosure, but I didn't notice a replacement for them in the indoor walkthrough and couldn't find anyone to ask...
 
DesertRhino150 said:
Just got back from a visit to Colchester. Some things worth reporting.

- Only seen one Cuban crocodile on the past few visits and the indoor area is totally boarded up- has something happened to the other one?
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I too had thought something had happened, however I saw one on my last visit (24th July), the previous time however only one had been on display with the indoor area boarded. Would be interesting to know why this is the case. :cool:
 
Pertinax said:
I wonder if these are a. a new pair from the Edinburgh group, b. older young removed from the breeding group, or c. a fresh pairing of an older Colchester -bred young with a new unrelated partner. d. another combination. Perhaps c. is most likely?
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Looking at the photo of the pair, one of the monkeys does look very young.
 
ZooSam said:
The Emperor Tamarins were in the old Goeldi's Monkey enclosure, but I didn't notice a replacement for them in the indoor walkthrough and couldn't find anyone to ask...
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When I visited there was a sign for emperor tamarins on the indoor area for the golden lion tamarins that used to be in the old walkthrough.
 
DesertRhino150 said:
When I visited there was a sign for emperor tamarins on the indoor area for the golden lion tamarins that used to be in the old walkthrough.
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The Emperor Tamarin in the older walkthrough indoor area is the female offspring of the male currently paired with the new female - both of whom I believe are in the old Goeldi's enclosure.

I also recall that the L'hoests in the former temporary otter enclosure are young from the main group awaiting transfer elsewhere. I *think* there are three in there.

Finally the new Smooth Coated Otter enclosure looks really good, both for the otters and visitors. The family were having a great time charging through the bamboo and into the old seal pool. It has a pretty big area of dense foliage, the old seal pool plus a 'swampy' area connected to the main lake. The surrounding paths and plants have really smartened the area up. :)
 
Here is a list of where tamarins/Marmosets are currently within the zoo:
-South American walkthrough: GHLT group, Geoffroys Marmosets.
-Worlds apart: Pied Tamarin (Only can be viewed from outside the building), Emperor tamarin female.
-Worlds apart walkthrough: Left: GLT family, silvery marmosets. Right: Goeldi's Monkeys.
-Enclosure near Penguins: Emperor Tamarins.
-Ussuri falls: Pygmy Marmosets, then I believe there are surplus of some of the previously listed species.

This is correct as of July 24th so things could obviously have changed since.

PS: I've also realised that my last post on this thread was incorrect. It was meant to say that I saw 2 cuban crocs on my last visit, not one :o
 
Roz said:
Here is a list of where tamarins/Marmosets are currently within the zoo:
-South American walkthrough: GHLT group, Geoffroys Marmosets.
-Worlds apart: Pied Tamarin (Only can be viewed from outside the building), Emperor tamarin female.
-Worlds apart walkthrough: Left: GLT family, silvery marmosets. Right: Goeldi's Monkeys.
-Enclosure near Penguins: Emperor Tamarins.
-Ussuri falls: Pygmy Marmosets, then I believe there are surplus of some of the previously listed species.

This is correct as of July 24th so things could obviously have changed since.
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I think it has changed since, some of the locations were different when I visited last week... :p

The South American Walkthrough held one pair of Golden-Headed Lion Tamarins, the indoor Worlds Apart another pair and the spare female Emperor was in the South American indoor enclosure. I think... :o
 
After all the suspense as to what the old White Tiger enclosure will hold. I can now reveal it will be.....a Lemur Walkthrough. That's they have announce on facebook it will be a Lemur Walkthrough. Like virtually every other zoo is currently building, or has got. It's a really shame that this brilliant enclosure, that could easily held more big cats, like Jaguars, or more White Tigers, has gone to waste on Lemurs. I don't think Lemur Valley sounds right. What are your thoughts?
 
speedycheese said:
After all the suspense as to what the old White Tiger enclosure will hold. I can now reveal it will be.....a Lemur Walkthrough. That's they have announce on facebook it will be a Lemur Walkthrough. Like virtually every other zoo is currently building, or has got. It's a really shame that this brilliant enclosure, that could easily held more big cats, like Jaguars, or more White Tigers, has gone to waste on Lemurs. I don't think Lemur Valley sounds right. What are your thoughts?
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Although I agree that this enclosure should hold something a little more impressive than just lemurs (I'm guessing the ring-tails and probably one of the ruffed species, hopefully the blue-eyed blacks too), I don't think jaguars would have the desired effect, being literally across the path from Amur leopards. And while the easily-impressed zoo-goers might love white tigers, I personally don't think bringing in more would be fitting- aside from the obvious inbreeding argument, it would just be like trying to replace Sasha who was probably liked more as an individual because of his 'grumpy' personality.

Although there would be a long list of much more impressive animals to live there- my top choices would have been another endangered tiger subspecies (either Sumatran or Indochinese), a new mixed Southeast Asian enclosure (housing binturong, small-clawed otters, muntjac, Prevost's squirrels, civets ect.), a group of dhole or a large walkthrough for flying foxes, I think that Colchester are good not to bow to pressure and bring in more white tigers. Also, the current lemur enclosures, while good for their inhabitants mostly require the visitors to look down on the animals. Hopefully their new enclosure will change that.
 
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