Dudley Zoological Gardens Dudley Zoo Chimpanzees.

[Pertinax]

Plans have been submitted to Dudley council for a £750'000 new enclosure, to be built on the site of the tecton carnivore building.

I didn't realise this was at the planning application stage only. I had thought it was definate already. Where they talk about 'redevelopment of the land' e.g. where the chimps are now, I'm presuming they actually mean its being sold off?

There's no mention of plans for a new Orangutan enclosure in this so I'm wondering what the situation with that is- will they stay as they are?

 

[Bobby_21]

Does anyone know if they've managed to get a new male or males into the group as its been just a group of 7-8 females for at least 2 yrs now

 

[Pertinax]

Does anyone know if they've managed to get a new male or males into the group as its been just a group of 7-8 females for at least 2 yrs now

To my knowledge , no. This group has been females only for several years now, since the death of the old male Pepe (original Dudley male) The females all came from ZSl but no babies have been born since they came to Dudley.

I presume there must be a reason why they don't reorganise a proper sex ratio in this group.

 

[scottie31]

I presume there must be a reason why they don't reorganise a proper sex ratio in this group.

Or to look at it from another angle, are there any suitable candidates from other collections? Pertinax, any ideas on where they could acquire suitable male chimps from?

 

[Pertinax]

Twycross- very near Dudley and they, of course, have a large collection of chimps. I should have thought they might have a couple of males they could make available. Whipsnade have several males and only one breeding female in their small group- why not an exchange to balance up the two groups? Two males is better to balance this all female group and its preferable if they're ones that are already 'friends'. (Only one needs to be a breeder though). A single male would have a hard time standing up to 7/8 females and be socially isolated too.

Other possibles might be Monkeyworld or the Welsh Primate Sanctuary but they probably won't let chimps go to regular zoos even if its a good home. I'm sure Dudley could find a couple of males somewhere in the Uk, even if not from the one source.

 

[taun]

Pertinax, all good candiates.

I doubt tywcross have that many spare as there two main groups are quite small and should not really be split.

All other chimps there are probably too old to stablise things.

 

[Pertinax]

All other chimps there are probably too old to stablise things.

Agreed that if you discount all Twycross's old 'teaparty' chimps (as being too old and probably totally unsuitable socially) it doesn't leave so many normal ones. And Dudley need a couple of adult or subadult males from reasonable social backgrounds to make the group work.

I'm sure the reason Dudley haven't got another male/s isn't because there aren't any available anywhere though.

 

[taun]

I'm sure the reason Dudley haven't got another male/s isn't because there aren't any available anywhere though.

Am sure they shouldn't have two much trouble sourcing a few males.

Whipsnade seems the est option to source a couple of males.

 

[scottie31]

Do you think its fair to say that zoos are reluctant to move their Chimpanzees? They seem to be the least 'trafficed' spieces that I know of. And theres no doubt that Dudley should have acquired a new male or two after the old male died. A group of 7-8 females would not have gone 2-3 years without acquiring a new alpha male.

Actually, just thought of something. If you move the number 2 male from a breeding group to establish him as an alhpa male in another collection, does that not weaken the group he has just left?

With regards to Monkey Worlds male chimps, its doubtful whether any of them would be capable of leading a breeding group in another collection, because of their socially deprived upbringings. One of the Alpha males, Hananya (he took over from the ex-Windsor safari park Rodney), came from isreal as a result of the pet trade, and he initially had trouble establishing his dominance over the group, although I believe he is doing a good job now.

 

[taun]

Actually, just thought of something. If you move the number 2 male from a breeding group to establish him as an alhpa male in another collection, does that not weaken the group he has just left?

I wouldn't move one of the top ranking males out.

Any chimps being removed would slightly alter the group, but a well estblished group should be able to handle a few lower ranking males being moved out.

 

[Pertinax]

What they really need may not be quite so easy to find- two (even 3?) strong adult males which are socially well balanced and preferably already live together(to avoid them being strangers and able to provide a solid 'front' to the bigger female group.) Dudley's original male 'Pepe' was a typical dominant male in the old house with just the two females he grew up with, but when they introduced him to the larger ZSL female group I think it was too much for him as he was completely outnumbered. The few times I saw them he sat quietly on his own in a corner and screamed in fear when females came up and displayed at him( it should be the other way round) Males go around together in the wild and like each other's company- all good zoo groups nowadays contain several males, not a single one.

 

[stephend]

chimps outdoor area

Wondering if anyone seems to know the long term plans for the chimps at the zoo as I have visited today & this is the second time I have been & the chimps are inside. A beautiful sunny day but still they are kept inside. Then I took a look at the outside enclosure & are saddened to see what probably was a good outside area is now very poor.
Picture in gallery

 

[Pertinax]

Wondering if anyone seems to know the long term plans for the chimps at the zoo. A beautiful sunny day but still they are kept inside. Then I took a look at the outside enclosure & are saddened to see what probably was a good outside area is now very poor.

the outdoor chimp enclosure has never been much different than this- very large but flat and devoid of much equipment. Maybe there was a 'technical' reason to do with the enclosure which resulted in tthem being shut inside?
I think they plan to move them to one of the old carnivore pits. Keeping just these females seems pointless and bad socially for them too.

 

[RTB1987]

Apparently a new £750,000 chimp enclosure has been built. Anybody know anything about it? If they've built a new one then what has happened or is going to happen with the old enclosure?

 

[chizlit]

Apparently a new £750,000 chimp enclosure has been built. Anybody know anything about it? If they've built a new one then what has happened or is going to happen with the old enclosure?

Don't know where it is then if this has been built! Certainly nowhere to be seen on my last visit in early July.
Where did this story come from?

 

[RTB1987]

its at the bottom of this article

Developers shun zoo chiefs? Eden Project : Express & Star

 

[chizlit]

Then the few pieces of wood that's been put up in the chimp enclosure must be made of gold not wood if it cost that much.

 

[johnstoni]

Wasn't the house the expensive part? It's fairly recent I think.

 

[chizlit]

The newspaper report made it sound like it's brand new (like the new lion enclosure, which is new), the chimp house has been there for a few years now.

 

[RTB1987]

So do you think it's just a mistake at the papers end or do ya think maybe they have moved the chimps somewhere else in the zoo?