Paignton Zoo Monkey Heights

Gigit

Gigit

Well-Known Member
I can sense Sim looking over our shoulders and tutting, so here's a new thread to carry on the discussion about Monkey Heights from the news from Paignton thread.
Wearing a rainproof deerstalker, I spoke to a monkey keeper today. Apparently, it was never the intention for the monkeys to have access to the plane trees. The idea was that visitors could look down from tree height at the monkeys. The colobus escapees weren't used to electric fences when first put in the enclosure and this aided their escape.
The King Colobus monkeys have recently been joined by a male, Martin, from Chester and it is hoped they will soon produce a baby.
The adult female Diana Monkey is heavily pregnant and due to give birth at any time.
 
Gigit said:
Apparently, it was never the intention for the monkeys to have access to the plane trees. The idea was that visitors could look down from tree height at the monkeys..
The King Colobus monkeys have recently been joined by a male, Martin, from Chester and it is hoped they will soon produce a baby.
The adult female Diana Monkey is heavily pregnant and due to give birth at any time.
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1. That is what I originally thought- they didn't want the Plane trees damaged by the Monkeys. Certainly the two Colobus groups, being leaf eaters, would have soon started to damage them. But it seems a very odd idea to me to plan the exhibit for people could look 'down' on monkeys- its like the roles have been reversed- maybe that's why I find it an unnatural display.

2. As mentioned above, there are no Colobus at Chester- maybe Colchester?

3.Glad to hear the Diana female is pregnant again- will this be her third offspring now? Do you know the sexes of the others? A pity they don't add the two females from Newquay to this group.....
 
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Shame they won't let them use the trees. The least they could do is give them more climbing structures!
 
Pertinax said:
3.Glad to hear the Diana female is pregnant again- will this be her third offspring now? Do you know the sexes of the others? A pity they don't add the two females from Newquay to this group.....
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Yes, her third - a female in 2006 and a male in 2007.
 
They would have to cut the plane trees back drastically if the monkeys were to use them. The branches are very wide spread, overlapping with each other in the different enclosures. You may end up with something that didn't look much better than the climbing frames!
 
Yes, cutting them back would be really ugly and spoil three beautiful trees.. The problem is the trees are like umbrellas in the enclosures and it is difficult to add or raise the height of anymore climbing structures as it would let the Monkeys access the trees/escape. Its a plan that hasn't worked very well in my opinion.:(
 
Dianas.

Gigit said:
Yes, her third - a female in 2006 and a male in 2007.
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I would really like to see them concentrate on this species and build up a decent-sized group. That's why I'd like to see the Newquay ones added(or alternatively get a male themselves and restart breeding.) This species is numerically rare in the Uk nowadays, and even fewer zoos are breeding them at present.
 
johnstoni said:
monkey 'heights' is therefore the least appropriate name for this exhibit.
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I don't like to be overly critical but I always think of it as 'Monkey Lows...' Paigton is a 'go ahead' zoo in many ways nowadays with a comprehensive & interesting collection so I was really surprised when they produced this 'White Elephant'.
 
johnstoni said:
So where did the King colobus actually come from?
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I haven't been back to check with the keeper yet. Anybody got the stud book? He must have come from a British zoo as planned imports from European zoos to Paignton all seem to be on hold.
 
No but ISIS shows; Blackpool 3.7 Marwell 2.3. Suffolk 1.1.
There are no others in UK
Suffolk with only a pair is unlikely.
Marwell or Blackpool are more likely.

I was going to say I would be happy to see Paignton replace one of their two Colobus groups- preferably the Abyssinian ones, with an entirely different species to give them a better variety of species. I'd really like to see Newquay's Red- capped Mangabeys in their place (Paignton & Newquay being joint owned nowadays) That would give them one representative each of Macaque, Guenon, Mangabey and Colubus species.
 
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Martin was born in Erfurt and moved to Paignton before moving to Newquay for a while before returning to paignton recently. Out of the three females at paignton, 2 where born there and one came came from Cricket st.thomas were she was born in 1989.
 
Good work, Al!

I feel I must defend 'my' zoo and Monkey Heights! The Diana monkeys and Macaques are always active and exploring their enclosures. The male Abyssinian Colobus were brought down to Monkey Heights from their house up on the hill when the females all died suddenly. The females had youngsters so they were often up to something indoors or out. The males do tend to just sit about inside but the keeper explained that this is what leaf eating monkeys have to do while they digest their food. The King Colobus go outside more. So maybe the monkeys enjoy their home more than some visitors do?
I do agree that one species of Colobus would be sufficient.
I tend to take the zoo's situation for granted as I go there so often, but people visiting for the first time must be impressed by the lakes, trees, hills etc and by the number of animals not totally fenced in. Monkey Heights looks attractive. There must be worse monkey houses around, surely!
 
Al said:
Martin was born in Erfurt and moved to Paignton before moving to Newquay for a while before returning to paignton recently. Out of the three females at paignton, 2 where born there and one came came from Cricket st.thomas were she was born in 1989.
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At one time a few years ago, Newquay, as well as Paignton had a small group of Western Colobus, and at least one exchange was made between the two groups but they aren't listed as having any now. Is that correct do you know?
 
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