Drayton Manor Theme Park Help Rehome Toto the Chimpanzee (Drayton Manor Park and Zoo)

J

jem170884

Member
Toto is a 40 year old male Chimpanzee who lives at Drayton Manor Park and Zoo, in 2005 Toto's mate died, Toto is now alone in an ill equiped enclosure. Like people Chimps live in family groups and are not meant to live alone. Chimps need lots of space to run and jump. Any good zoo should know this, at Monkey World Ape Rescue Centre... you are not able to get too close to the Chimps as this can be very upsetting. At Drayton Manor Zoo Toto is housed in a perspex 'fish bowl' enclosure with a sign on saying 'beware this animal throw things', Toto did infact throw something while I was visiting however this was due to a crowd of 30+ people banging on the plastic and taunting him.

Toto is a very sad Chimpanzee and Monkey World have recieved many complaints about his treatment however they are powerless to help Toto as Drayton Manor have a zoo licence and in the eyes of the law not doing anything wrong.

Less than 10 miles from Drayton Manor is Twycross Zoo World Primate Centre with a large group of Chimpanzees, please help us to rehome Toto to live out his days with his own kind.

Monkey World have asked we write to the the local council/authority who are responsible for not only issuing their zoo licence but making annual checks on their conditions and the animals welfare. Urge them to look into this situation and ensure that each of their animals are receiving the best care possible.

Monkey World says 'there is no reason at all why this chimpanzee should remain in solitary confinement and feel that it is about time that the zoo community got together and helped each other out when such situations occur.'

Dr Alison Cronin is keen to hear about any responces from the local authorities to keep on file.

Please help Toto by bringing Toto to the attention of Zoo licencing in Staffordshire

Sign my petition: Get Toto Rehomed

or contact: environmental.health@staffsmoorlands.gov.uk

Environmental Health
Staffordshire Moorlands District Council
Moorlands House
Stockwell Street
Leek
Staffordshire
ST13 6HQ

Thanks guys!
 
This chimp has been discussed before in the link below. The enclosure is perfectly adequete for the time being and Drayton Manor have stated that they wouldn't re-house him due to his age.
It's unlikely he will replaced once he dies so bringing in more chimps as company for him wouldn't benefit the zoo at all.
http://www.zoochat.com/38/chimps-drayton-manor-28037/
 
Here is what Monkey World have to say about Toto:

Thank you for taking the time to e-mail Monkey World following your visit to Drayton Manor.
We are sadly aware of this chimpanzee Toto.
I cannot really comment but will tell you that we have received many complaints about the place over the last few years but are powerless to intervene.


Sadly there is little we can do for animals being kept in establishments that hold a Zoo License and operate within the legal framework for that country.

We are constantly campaigning to the National and International Authorities to amend their laws for the benefit of animals – and we will continue to do so.

In the future I hope there will be some kind of international standards committee that will ensure animals kept in at least comfortable, suitable conditions.

Our mission is to assist Governments to stop the smuggling of primates from the wild. At our centre the refuges of this barbaric trade are rehabilitated into natural living groups. We cannot rescue all the monkeys living in poor conditions in zoos/parks across the world as we would not be able to survive both in terms of space or financially as we would be full in days.

I agree there is no reason at all why this chimpanzee should remain in solitary confinement and feel that it is about time that the zoo community got together and helped each other out when such situations occur.


If you would be happy to, please write to the their local council/authority who are responsible for not only issuing their zoo licence but making annual checks on their conditions and the animals welfare. Urge them to look into this situation and ensure that each of their animals are receiving the best care possible.

We appreciate any letters that you are able to write and ask that you forward us copies of any response that you receive so that Dr Alison Cronin can keep all of your information on file for future reference.
 
OrangePerson said:
Is there any suggestion that Twycross are willing to take him as you seem to imply?
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I am not implying that Twycross will be taking Toto, it seems like the logical solution, the journey would not be far for Toto.

My main goal from this is to ensure that Toto gets a good quality of life for his remaining years.
 
As this chimp could live another 10 to 15 years that's a long time in a solitary situation.
 
jem170884 said:
I am not implying that Twycross will be taking Toto, it seems like the logical solution, the journey would not be far for Toto.

My main goal from this is to ensure that Toto gets a good quality of life for his remaining years.
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What response did you get from Drayton Manor when you contacted them?
 
I have had no responce yet. I found watching Toto for an hour really heart breaking and I really felt I had to do something to help him.
 
Firstly, I cannot comment on Toto's enclosure or any other exhibit at Drayton Manor, as I have never visited the place. I am sure Toto is well looked after and I also appreciate that Monkey World cannot take in everything, however the fact of the matter is that Toto has been living on his own since the death of his companion, just like the male gorilla at Longleat and unfotunately now the African elephant at Paignton. Drayton Manor are not obliged to give up Toto if they do not want to and I don't like the idea of causing trouble for them by suggesting they have their zoo license scrutinised. Jem, you would like to help Toto and your interest and concern is admirable. Just a thought, when we were discussing the red river hogs at Edinburgh recently, Pertinax furnished us with a comprehensive list of zoos where he thought were suitable homes for the hoglets, indeed it was suggested that some zoos may not have been aware of the situation, and perhaps could have taken them in . Could I therefore take the liberty of suggesting Flamingoland , N.Yorks as a possible new home for Toto, as I understand it they currently have only two chimps therefore it is inevitable that if they continue to maintain this number they will one day find themselves in the same situation as what drayton are in now that is if such a move would be practical on both sides lions were recently moved from Romania to S.Yorkshire in large numbers, so surely moving a solitary chimp from Drayton Manor to North Yorkshire surely would not be a great problem.
 
TARZAN said:
Firstly, I cannot comment on Toto's enclosure or any other exhibit at Drayton Manor, as I have never visited the place. I am sure Toto is well looked after and I also appreciate that Monkey World cannot take in everything, however the fact of the matter is that Toto has been living on his own since the death of his companion, just like the male gorilla at Longleat and unfotunately now the African elephant at Paignton. Drayton Manor are not obliged to give up Toto if they do not want to and I don't like the idea of causing trouble for them by suggesting they have their zoo license scrutinised. Jem, you would like to help Toto and your interest and concern is admirable. Just a thought, when we were discussing the red river hogs at Edinburgh recently, Pertinax furnished us with a comprehensive list of zoos where he thought were suitable homes for the hoglets, indeed it was suggested that some zoos may not have been aware of the situation, and perhaps could have taken them in . Could I therefore take the liberty of suggesting Flamingoland , N.Yorks as a possible new home for Toto, as I understand it they currently have only two chimps therefore it is inevitable that if they continue to maintain this number they will one day find themselves in the same situation as what drayton are in now that is if such a move would be practical on both sides lions were recently moved from Romania to S.Yorkshire in large numbers, so surely moving a solitary chimp from Drayton Manor to North Yorkshire surely would not be a great problem.
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During the summer I listened to one of the keeper talks at the chimpanzee enclosure at Flamingo Land and according to the keeper they are planning to get more chimpanzees, possibly West Africans to join the remaining two females.
 
The problem for this lone Chimp, like most solitary Apes in similar situations, is that you don't know how he would get long with other Chimpanzees. He might not like them, or they might not like him- or they may get along fine together. The problem is it wouldn't become apparent until he'd been moved and it was tried, a costly and time-consuming undertaking particularly if it then failed.

If Drayton Manor did want to relinquish him I would suggest that Monkey World would be the best home as they are very experienced with mixing chimps together, many of them being desocialised/humanised into the bargain.

Twycross is close to Drayton Manor and they have a number of elderly Chimpanzees but these are living in established pairs and trios and even if Drayton offered him it might not be practical for them to take on another, at least while they are housed as they are. (Maybe if they built their new complex things could be different though).
 
Every where I looked I saw large room for improvements on my first and only visit.
I felt like I was in a spainish zoo,it is just there as an add on for the theme park.I remember the poor chimp last summer looked really sad.I wrote to the zoo but they did not reply.
 
I doubt Monkey World would take him.

Our mission is to assist Governments to stop the smuggling of primates from the wild ... We cannot rescue all the monkeys living in poor conditions in zoos/parks across the world as we would not be able to survive both in terms of space or financially as we would be full in days.
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arthurparkinson said:
Every where I looked I saw large room for improvements on my first and only visit.
I felt like I was in a spainish zoo,it is just there as an add on for the theme park.I remember the poor chimp last summer looked really sad.I wrote to the zoo but they did not reply.
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Well that' not very good, a pet hate of mine, not having the decency to respond to correspondence, if it is either praise or criticism if someone has taken the trouble to write it suggests that they are interested and at least deserve an acknowledgement
 
jem170884 said:
Like people Chimps live in family groups and are not meant to live alone. Chimps need lots of space to run and jump. Any good zoo should know this,

Toto is a very sad Chimpanzee and Monkey World have recieved many complaints about his treatment
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Blimey - you'd better tell Drayton Manor quickly. I'm sure their keeping of this chimpanzee in these circumstances is due either to ignorance or to deliberate cruelty. No chance at all that having worked with this animal for many years, they believe its best interests would not be served by its being moved and having to integrate with a new group elsewhere. And if 'many' people have complained to Monkey World, then certainly there must be truth in the ignorance / evil theory. The general public are, after all, so attuned to the husbandry of wild animals, and so able to make informed judgements without being swayed by the self-interested propaganda of publicity hungry organisations.
 
sooty mangabey said:
Blimey - you'd better tell Drayton Manor quickly. I'm sure their keeping of this chimpanzee in these circumstances is due either to ignorance or to deliberate cruelty. No chance at all that having worked with this animal for many years, they believe its best interests would not be served by its being moved and having to integrate with a new group elsewhere. And if 'many' people have complained to Monkey World, then certainly there must be truth in the ignorance / evil theory. The general public are, after all, so attuned to the husbandry of wild animals, and so able to make informed judgements without being swayed by the self-interested propaganda of publicity hungry organisations.
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So true ;)
 
I grew up in Hinckley so my local zoological park was Twycross. However, on numerous occasions I was taken to Drayton Manor with my schools. Whilst most kids went on all the fair rides and roller-coasters I used to walk around the 'zoo', although it was really a sad menagerie. My standout memory is of a bear and an arctic fox, both of whom used to pace tiny concrete cells, display negative psychological habits and looked generally unwell>
I havn't been back for years, but I do remember reading that they had started to specialise on Big Cats (there tiger and lion exhibits were always satisfactory!)? If an establishment like this is allowed to invest millions in state of the art theme park rides, surely they can improve the life of a chimp. If the management were 'clever' they could spin some positive publicity around his [the Chimps] case. So DM..... show some loyalty, common sense and empathy.
I would have no issue joining some other people on this site to help Drayton Manors management go about this.
 
sooty mangabey said:
Blimey - you'd better tell Drayton Manor quickly. I'm sure their keeping of this chimpanzee in these circumstances is due either to ignorance or to deliberate cruelty. No chance at all that having worked with this animal for many years, they believe its best interests would not be served by its being moved and having to integrate with a new group elsewhere. And if 'many' people have complained to Monkey World, then certainly there must be truth in the ignorance / evil theory. The general public are, after all, so attuned to the husbandry of wild animals, and so able to make informed judgements without being swayed by the self-interested propaganda of publicity hungry organisations.
Click to expand...

You're probably right, and it would only take a simple reply to correspondence to put across their side of the argument. So Drayton Manor do what lots of other organisations do and respond to your correspondence.
 
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