Paignton Zoo Paignton Zoo News 2017
- Thread starter TriUK
- Start date
With all three together again?
Gigit
Well-Known Member
Ah, looking back I see that TriUK said both public and ape flooring was being redone. I'll have a closer look next week.
Gigit
Well-Known Member
All three had access to indoors and outdoors. Toby was inside as I passed and then the females went in too.
Yeah, that's what a Mammal Dept keeper told me. I do believe they should add some kind of cover to the area between the house exit hatch and the centre of the island so the Gorillas do not feel so vulnerable when accessing the outside. All four spend way too much time indoors in my opinion.
If they did that they will simply remain in the covered area and not come out into the open any more than they do now. All gorillas far prefer to spend most of their time in enclosed areas- its like 'forest canopy' for them, where they feel safest.
Gigit
Well-Known Member
The ape flooring appears to have been renewed but with some sort of paint-like covering rather than the soft material in the public area. It's green on the gorilla side and red on the orang side - judging from photos in the gallery, both sides used to be red.
Gigit
Well-Known Member
I feel the need to vent.
Thank goodness for annual passes. I'm glad I wasn't a paying customer this morning when the zoo was invaded by reportedly 600 aimless and uninterested schoolchildren. Fortunately, their teachers had left a few tables inside and outside the restaurant unoccupied by themselves and their baggage so we were able to have our usual coffees before leaving far earlier than normal.
And breathe..........
Thank goodness for annual passes. I'm glad I wasn't a paying customer this morning when the zoo was invaded by reportedly 600 aimless and uninterested schoolchildren. Fortunately, their teachers had left a few tables inside and outside the restaurant unoccupied by themselves and their baggage so we were able to have our usual coffees before leaving far earlier than normal.
And breathe..........
littleRedPanda
Well-Known Member
I feel your pain.
I went to Blackpool Zoo last week, as well as others and it was an absolute nightmare; not just streams of squealie brats being led around by exhausted teachers, but groups of teens chasing each other around.
I went to Blackpool Zoo last week, as well as others and it was an absolute nightmare; not just streams of squealie brats being led around by exhausted teachers, but groups of teens chasing each other around.
It is always the same at this time of year- end of summer term school outings. There were plenty at Twycross too, though no noticeably bad behaviour.
littleRedPanda
Well-Known Member
I popped in today and it was quiet, but Facebook comments yesterday gave the impression they were overwhelmed. I thought Paignton would absorb them, as I feel that Chester seems to.
There is an argument to say would that be such a bad thing - to build them something that makes them feel safe and means they use more of their enclosure?
Indeed, I've always wondered why more zoos don't provide overhead cover, where practicable, for their gorillas. For instance, I've always thought some kind of framework covered by camouflage netting at Twycross might work wonders in making them feel safer outside and encouraging them to use more of their enclosure.
I don't know if you have seen the photo I posted in the Gallery of the chicks that we saw.
In the caption I wrote that I first said 'hornbill' but some else said 'toucan'. Was that you?
Anyway vogelcommando replied that he was sure they are toucans (and he should know). In which case, they are very likely to be Toco toucans, as this is the only species on show at Paignton and they have a breeding pair. I suppose it is just possible that they were hatched from eggs laid by a pair off-show or even at another collection - but I always stick with Occam's Razor in these circumstances, so I am happy to call them Toco toucans.
I've always thought similar, some sort of awning of camouflage netting or similar- at least over a section of the enclosure- like a big tent. But quite complicated to make 'gorillaproof' I guess, Gorillas don't like wind much either and I think that may act as another inhibitor- the windbreak shelter at Bristol is very well used- in fact its looking in need of repair now. Paignton had an outdoor shelter that was used too- until it fell down.
What I was trying to say is it probably wouldn't make them use the open areas any more than they do at present. Nowhere has yet devised an outdoor area that is mostly covered over- unless you count places like Howletts & Chessington where the outdoors are covered enclosures-big cages in fact, but they are well-used as a result.
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I don't know if you have seen the photo I posted in the Gallery of the chicks that we saw.
In the caption I wrote that I first said 'hornbill' but some else said 'toucan'. Was that you?
Anyway vogelcommando replied that he was sure they are toucans (and he should know). In which case, they are very likely to be Toco toucans, as this is the only species on show at Paignton and they have a breeding pair. I suppose it is just possible that they were hatched from eggs laid by a pair off-show or even at another collection - but I always stick with Occam's Razor in these circumstances, so I am happy to call them Toco toucans.
It was not I. I haven't seen your photo until now.
Visited today... have done a bit of catching up through the thread but still have a few questions:
- What happened to the Takins? Couldn't see them on show today, the house looked all locked up.
- Are the Loris/Tenrecs on display? Looked inside the nocturnal house only to be disappointed by meerkats. Found it amusing that they still call it the nocturnal house.