Zoo de La Palmyre New great ape complex at La Palmyre zoo

Thanks for posting the link kiang! It is difficult to judge the size and scale of the finished enclosures, but it's cool to check out the plans.
 
That is an eye-sore lifted! The zoo in Royan had some really sub-standard great ape enclosures ... so good on them that they have built completely new House for them (it has been in the planning stages for quite a while now).

Pertinax can probably testify to the above and will remark they have a peculiar social set up with their gorillas with twin bro silverbacks and very little breeding. I wonder what the future outlook for gorillas is going to be .. breedingwise?
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
Pertinax can probably testify to the above and will remark they have a peculiar social set up with their gorillas with twin bro silverbacks and very little breeding. I wonder what the future outlook for gorillas is going to be .. breedingwise?
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I haven't been there but have seen many photos(and film) and the current enclosures are not good. A small open island(with no cover) for the 'group' and very basic housing with a rock 'grotto' for the two seperate males.

Management wise its not a good situation either. They now have 1.2 breeding group (Bongo, Yola and ?(2nd female)) and seperately, the silverback males (halfbrothers) Mike and Nyuki. Historically they have bred a number of gorillas from several different male & female founders (King Kong, Migger, Balu, Natasha, Martha etc) all of which have died there, none from old age.... In the current set-up Bongo & Yola have bred several times but he has killed at least one infant. Maybe better housing will help here. 'Bongo' is the older full brother of the London/Bristol male 'Jock' and these two males are near- identical in appearance. If you look at photos of each on Flickr you will see what I mean. (Their father was the 2nd male 'Balu' from the original shipment to Apenheul and they get their distinctive look from him.)


The two silverback males(handraised halfbrothers born there) live (or did live) together. They are 'spares' and grew up together without no other social opportunities. Unfortunately Mike and Nyuki may have to remain like this indefinately as Apenheul, when scouting for a new silverback a couple of years back, reported they were aggressive/desocialised and wouldn't risk taking one on as a potential group leader...As Apenheul are now also the studbook holders its unlikely they would recomend their transfer into any other breeding group either. Its a great pity as Mike in particular is a splendid-looking male- but then so was their father, the beautiful male 'Migger' of the Basel Zoo.
 
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Also Kibobo lived at Royan.

Balu used to be the oldest male at Apenheul. He got a healthy son there. Motherreared.
 
john said:
Also Kibobo lived at Royan.

Balu used to be the oldest male at Apenheul. He got a healthy son there. Motherreared.
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I forgot about Kibobo.. Of the males at La Palmyre; I think Migger replaced King Kong, Kibobo may have later replaced either Balu or Migger. Balu was very similar in appearance to his two sons born at La Palmyre (Bongo & Jock) and they look sort of identical. I believe La Palmyre have lost several other Gorillas, adults and young ones too.
 
I saw this new ape complex a couple of weeks ago. It had had an enthusiastic write-up in IZN, but i have to say i was not hugely impressed. The house is pretty good, with large, nicely-furnished areas for each group (Bornean orangs, chimps, 2 x gorillas), but the islands for each group were on the small side, with only a limited amount of climbing space. Compared to most zoo enclosures for apes, this is an improvement; compared to what was here beofre, it is a vast improvement. but for the money spent, they have a 1980s exhibit which people will like, as it all seems quite 'naturalistic', but which doesn't seem to furnish the apes with any great stimulation or space.
 
sooty mangabey said:
The house is pretty good, with large, nicely-furnished areas for each group (Bornean orangs, chimps, 2 x gorillas), but the islands for each group were on the small side, with only a limited amount of climbing space. compared to what was here beofre, it is a vast improvement. but for the money spent, they have a 1980s exhibit which people will like, as it all seems quite 'naturalistic', but which doesn't seem to furnish the apes with any great stimulation or space.
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It is the usual story with building new enclosures for Apes, of falling short of the mark, particularly with the outdoor enclosures. There are a number of pictures of these enclosures in the Gallery- they seem to have fallen into the usual pitfall of being too open, and for some reason one or two contain quite a lot of stonework(reminded me of Stonehenge) though I can't see the purpose of that. More planting of vegetation would certainly help naturalise them more.
 
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