Longleat Safari & Adventure Park Nico Passed On?

Longleat's 'Gorilla Island' is really only suitable for about three Gorillas as the indoor house is very basic indeed.

If a 2nd smaller primate species was to be exhibited with them they would need their own indoor housing and also a 'private' outdoor area where they could get away from the Gorillas if they wanted.

Realistically, I think a better idea would be(after Nico goes) to use the island for a different species- such as a breeding group of Mandrills.
 
I too would advocate introduction of an African primate species - not an ape - for the exhibit once Nico has passed on. This along with remodelling of the island itself and remodification of the the nightime off-exhibit and keeper areas. Given the all out African theme of Longleat candidate species for the exhibit would be colobus (largely arboreal) and the mandrill (ground foragers).
 
Maybe they'll give the island to the sealions or hippos.

So, does anyone actually know the answer to the question?
 
johnstoni said:
Maybe they'll give the island to the sealions or hippos.

So, does anyone actually know the answer to the question?
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The sealions have sealion beach and the hippos have a very large field next to the lake.

If someone does there keeping quiet on what will happen.
 
johnstoni said:
Maybe they'll give the island to the sealions or hippos.

So, does anyone actually know the answer to the question?
Click to expand...

Nico is still there. He is currently the oldest male Gorilla in Europe.

I think they will continue to feature another animal species on the Island in the future- as this island is the main destination of the 'Boat Safari'.
 
johnstoni said:
Maybe they'll give the island to the sealions or hippos.

So, does anyone actually know the answer to the question?
Click to expand...

The island is too high for that and as MD said i dont think they want to make the island any bigger as it was designed and built by capability brown.

And remeber guys that the safari boat doesnt actually go that close to the island so the animal will have to be pretty big to be noticed from the boat, my money goes on gorillas returning once nico has gone.
 
Pertinax said:
Nico is still there. He is currently the oldest male Gorilla in Europe.

I think they will continue to feature another animal species on the Island in the future- as this island is the main destination of the 'Boat Safari'.
Click to expand...

I emailed Longleat about a year ago after Samba had died and inquired what the plan for the island was.

They were rather vague and said:

"I am sure we will do something to utilise the island but at present that is a long way off as Nico is more than happy (and very healthy) enjoying the single life."

However that seems to be a bit of PR speech...
 
Yeah, they don't give very definitive answers. I remember typing a good amount of text in a response to whether they would consider elephants again a while back, and all that they replied was 'Unfortunately, there are no plans to reintroduce elephants to Longleat at the moment.'

Personally, I think they'll carry on keeping gorillas, preferbley a small bachelor group. From the mainstream visitor's point of view they expect something big and exciting to see at the island, so would probably be dissapointed with monkeys which they've already seen in the Safari Park.
 
Tigerlemurguy said:
The island is too high for that and as MD said i dont think they want to make the island any bigger as it was designed and built by capability brown.
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I don't think that's right, just googled it to find out who Capability Brown was, and it says he died in 1783 and that a guy called Humphry Repton designed the Gorilla island.
Maybe they'd be more likely to modify it than we thought ;)
 
I thought the island would have been built when the park opened in the 60's?
 
The island was built when Half-mile lake was dug, and it only started housing animals (baboons to start with till they swum off) in 1967.
 
Ah I see, makes sense now.
 
johnstoni said:
Maybe they'll give the island to the sealions or hippos.

So, does anyone actually know the answer to the question?
Click to expand...


does anyone know what longleat will do once the hippos die. i cant imagine them getting any more as they will attack the sealions.
the hippos are a big draw for longleat and i cant imagine as many people going on the boats just to look at sealions. (as you are not guaranteed to see nico from the boat).
 
taun said:
The island is not really suited for such animals. I would feel sorry for chimps as they could only house a handful of animals. Thats why I feel its better for a small batchelor group of two or three male Gorillas.
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i think that the island is perfect for retierd gorillas in there old age. it suits all there needs. Nico is alive but i fear this winter will be his last he has gone down hill lately:(
 
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