Chester Zoo Primates
- Thread starter LeeMac13
- Start date
taun
Well-Known Member
Bonobos! It should not be difficult for a topgrade Zoo like Chester to obtain Bonobos in this day and age. An application to the EEP would I guess, be the first stage.
Or they could take half of Twycross's current 'split' population and in doing so offer a satisfactory solution to that situation.
Or they could take half of Twycross's current 'split' population and in doing so offer a satisfactory solution to that situation.
I agree with you lot Bonobo's would be great for the island 
Plenty of space,vegitation and loads of space high up with poles,trees,platforms etc.
They would look great in it, With Twycross giving them the other half of the group would be a very wise decision but are Twycross good at wise decisions?
Regards
Plenty of space,vegitation and loads of space high up with poles,trees,platforms etc.
They would look great in it, With Twycross giving them the other half of the group would be a very wise decision but are Twycross good at wise decisions?
Regards
It would be wonderful see them in such a great setting, I was so sad for them when I saw them at Twycross.
twycrosszoo
Well-Known Member
I agree with you lot Bonobo's would be great for the island
Plenty of space,vegitation and loads of space high up with poles,trees,platforms etc.
They would look great in it, With Twycross giving them the other half of the group would be a very wise decision but are Twycross good at wise decisions?
Regards
The decision as to where the bonobos go is not down to Twycross!!!. It has to be agreed by the studbook keeper who decides who has what etc?
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taun
Well-Known Member
Another suggestion, which might be more practicable and which I would really like to see - Patas monkeys. I think they could do well on a grassy island enclosure with a few trees, perhaps mixed with a medium-sized antelope: the current warthog enclosure might work with some hot wires along the rear and around the nightquarters building (the old rhino house).
Another primate possibility is the black and white ruffed lemur island. There are now brilliant views from the bridge and the boardwalk along the canal bank, but it's been at least a year since I've seen the lemurs on the island. Does anyone know why? If there is some reason why the lemurs can't use the island, build a new cage or even a walk-through for them somewhere else (perhaps behind the aquarium) - and then put something interesting on the island, I like the combination of red titis and white-faced sakis which they have at Bristol and Blackpool (but masked titis and black sakis would be even nicer).
Alan
Another primate possibility is the black and white ruffed lemur island. There are now brilliant views from the bridge and the boardwalk along the canal bank, but it's been at least a year since I've seen the lemurs on the island. Does anyone know why? If there is some reason why the lemurs can't use the island, build a new cage or even a walk-through for them somewhere else (perhaps behind the aquarium) - and then put something interesting on the island, I like the combination of red titis and white-faced sakis which they have at Bristol and Blackpool (but masked titis and black sakis would be even nicer).
Alan
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I would love it if the current inhabitants of monkey islands swapped with the lemurs to create a Madagascar House- the 'kitchen' could be changed into exhibits for reptiles...
Ring-Tailed would be in the first one, then the Ruffed, then the Aloatran Gentle Lemurs, and, the last section could be for another lemur species (sifakas?) or fossa.
Ring-Tailed would be in the first one, then the Ruffed, then the Aloatran Gentle Lemurs, and, the last section could be for another lemur species (sifakas?) or fossa.
Solitary (ish) species like the gentle lemurs and fossas would totally be lost in the huge and heavily vegetated islands. the monkey islands make an interesting, active and exciting exhibit, which, I think ould be ruined with the introduction of species like lemurs.
The chimp enclosure was designed for a large group of strong Apes- Chimpanzees- and both outdoors and the the indoor display area (in particular) reflects that- most other species, even Mandrills would look rather out of place/out of scale unless they replaced the current very robust equipment with something more befitting smaller species.
I still think Bonobos would work well there though again the indoors would need to be completely refitted out for these much more delicate-looking apes. But IF Chester ever got them shouldn't they go into the proposed 'Heart of Africa' ?
I still think Bonobos would work well there though again the indoors would need to be completely refitted out for these much more delicate-looking apes. But IF Chester ever got them shouldn't they go into the proposed 'Heart of Africa' ?
as far as I can tell, the "bridge" between the house/cage and island is usually open, so it appears to be their choice to remain in the cage.
(I stand to be corrected though)
I don't agree that much modification would be needed to house smaller primates in the chimpanzee house. A large troop of smaller monkeys, or something bigger like mandrills or hanumans, could be quite a sight. What changes do you think would be necessary for bonobos? I think it would be ideal exactly as it is. Zoogeographically they would fit in with HoA but then it would be in danger of becoming mainly an ape house if there are already going to be reasonable sized groups of chimps and gorillas.
Thonoir
Active Member
I've been to the zoo many times and have only noticed the gate closed on a few occasions, several of which seemed to be feeding time. Indeed, the gentle lemur returned from the island to the cage and the gate was shut during feeding time on my last visit.
In the wild, ruffed lemurs typically exhibit peak activity in the morning and evening, so their behaviour with regards to visiting the island may not be unexpected. Though zoo routine seems to dictate that they are fed during visitor hours, it may not be inaccurate to hypothesise that their biological rhythms continue to regulate activity much as they would in the wild*.
*Note that while their peak activity periods are known, my comment regarding biological rhythms is based entirely on my trail of thought and is entirely conjectural.
Thonoir
Active Member
While I would welcome many improvements in the chimpanzee house prior to the introduction of another species, I must agree that the current configuration would work well for bonobos. Though they consume food and forage at ground level, bonobos mainly forage 20m+ above the ground. Such a feeding strategy would suggest more strategic and thoughtful feeding routines andwould ideally include the addition of more climbing apparatus outdoors. It also suggests that bonobos would have no trouble in taking to the enclosure as it currently stands.
The outdoors is largely fine as it is. My main comment on the inside area is that the large tubular steel(?) climbing frame+nets etc was designed for the very strong Common Chimpanzees and any other species(even Bonobos) would look dwarfed by it. There is nothing worse than seeing a 'replacement' species living in an enclosure that was clearly originally used by something else/larger.
But it could quite easily be replaced by logs, branches and more sympathetic modern 'vine' type climbing equipment (as used in ROTRA)- to suit the needs of whatever species was going to go in there.