Monarto Safari Park Monarto's new chimpanzee exhibit...

In a perfect world we would have have large well equipped enclosures, but it just doesn't happen sadly. Too many people assume that space is the be all and end all, and it's not. A large barren enclosure is as bad as a small barren enclosure. There are some species that require large spaces regardless of the enrichment excuse, so I agree with you.

Large spaces can be enriched just as well as small ones and in some cases much better, look at lures for example, having water features. But it just isn't done, and it frustrates me no end. I would rather that some species though be kept in a smaller than optimal enclosure and have a rich life than a large boredom inducing empty space.

Don't worry, when I am Queen of the Universe things will change :)
 
Over my dead body!
 
The man made Ant hills like Tarongas are always good in a chimp exhibit, watching them poke sticks down into the holes for honey or jam or what ever they wish to give them is always interesting and gives them just another thing to think about.
 
by the looks of monartos, it's going to have 2 or 3 different viewing areas, incluing viewing 'blinds' afrom board walks around the perimeter, just like say an chimpanzee reserve in africa.

Also by sheer size means the holding capacity will be/can be large, so social and natural behaviours will be expressed to provide constant enrichment. i have read the holding facility is complex, with 'day rooms' or oevr night rooms, with extensive enrichment activities. Zoo designer Jon Coe pointed this out in a report i read of this, in reality, most captive animals spend most of there day in the holding facility, though spent sleeping, it is often the best area to provide enrichment, as you need only suit the animals needs, and not that of the publics, so 'un-realistic' climbings tructures, and other enrichment devices can be added for optimum behaviral stimulation.
 
Yabbies in the shallow water for them to find as well, there could be logs in the stream for them to move around looking for the yabbies, but on stainless steel chains so the cant through them only move them
 
We can't put anything in that can be viewed as a live food source, even inverts.
 
and bamboo stands are a potential source of tools for escaping. on the movable tree/log idea positioning the limbs within 'butresses' of tires buried underground produces trees that 'give' and 'sway'.
when it comes to the great space debate im a fence sitter. no one likes seeing animals in a small space but i think there is a lot to be said for enrichment, in every form.
i have no doubt that Taronga's elephants, with 5 in a smaller exhibit, are much better off and lead more behaviorually complex lives than Burma at WPZ for example, who in contrast has alot of space.
 
They can't have anything they can use to throw or climb up on, so any browse/branches etc have to be short. I have images of the chimps pole vaulting out and into the wilds of Monarto, after giving a few visitors a smack or two.
 
glyn said:
and bamboo stands are a potential source of tools for escaping.
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Of coarse if some of the the larger species of bamboo were used in the exhibit they could be used to climb on and out off an enclosue but there are much smaller species which could be used to good affect in the exhibit that would be of no use for tool making ;)
 
It would have to be wired off, they would pull it all out, especially if they had termite mounds for dipping. I don't think they'd allow bamboo out there anyway, at Monarto they are very strict on having only native plants.
 
Jo said:
We can't put anything in that can be viewed as a live food source, even inverts.
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... what, no colobus monkeys for them to hunt?;)

How many(approximately) chimps do they plan to start with, and what sort of capacity number is it designed for?
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I am really looking forward to seeing the plan of the new Chimp exhibit I hope they do a wonderful job as this could be a major drawcard for Monarto
 
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