I'm not entirely sure myself but I only spent a very brief time disscussing this. I think the plan is to allow the Elephants the whole paddock not splitting it bettween them.
Colchester Zoo Some intresting information for my visit
- Thread starter monkeyworld
- Start date
I'm not entirely sure myself but I only spent a very brief time disscussing this. I think the plan is to allow the Elephants the whole paddock not splitting it bettween them.
GillP
Well-Known Member
I went to Colchester today (mid-week obviously, term time) and it was fantastic owing to there being so few visitors (and no-one to please except myself about how long I looked at things). I had Orangutan Forest to myself for ages, likewise Chimp World.
The extension to the Amur Leopard enclosure is coming on ...... it's now been extended, not only into the old Pallas Cat outside area, but also the indoor area which has been housing the Geoffroy's cat recently. No idea where that's gone though ...... couldn't find it anywhere !
As yet there's no screen up for Cynthia (rhino) and baby.
Tiga was outside this morning - wrapped in a 'Sasha' style tiger towel. He continued to clutch this around him with his teeth when he came in for feeding at midday - like a little old lady. Rajang ventured out - for all of 5 seconds ...... climbed down, then went straight back in. There was a bit of interaction between them at feeding time ......... Rajang fancied the carrot Tiga had, which he wisely surrendered. Tiga very sweet ..... hopefully gaining in confidence, despite the security blanket (towel) ....... lots of peering out and he sat by the glass for quite some time.
Chimps - except Tumba - not very active at all. I think they'd recently been fed when I saw them. Tumba increasingly seems to be with Tara or Cora, or following Pippin about. He was doing that sweet thing today of getting from a to b with repeated head over heels. What I did notice though ....... something I've never seen before today ....... was Tumba very definitely 'humping' Pippin. Right ....... we all know what bonobos are like, and am thinking that Tumba but I didn't know that chimps indulged in same sex activity (I assume there's no inherent taboo with Pippin being his dad - guess he wouldn't know that ?) and I was really surprised that dominant male Pippin permitted this - a couple of times
Managed to get quite a good view of Tembo in the back paddock today - from the cafe balcony in Kingdom of the Wild. You can better appreciate the suggestion of bridgeing the 2 paddocks from up there, as they appear to be separated by a large ditch and a line of trees. I imagine they might be thinking of doing something similar in appearance to the way the sand and grass paddocks at Twycross are bridged perhaps ?
The extension to the Amur Leopard enclosure is coming on ...... it's now been extended, not only into the old Pallas Cat outside area, but also the indoor area which has been housing the Geoffroy's cat recently. No idea where that's gone though ...... couldn't find it anywhere !
As yet there's no screen up for Cynthia (rhino) and baby.
Tiga was outside this morning - wrapped in a 'Sasha' style tiger towel. He continued to clutch this around him with his teeth when he came in for feeding at midday - like a little old lady. Rajang ventured out - for all of 5 seconds ...... climbed down, then went straight back in. There was a bit of interaction between them at feeding time ......... Rajang fancied the carrot Tiga had, which he wisely surrendered. Tiga very sweet ..... hopefully gaining in confidence, despite the security blanket (towel) ....... lots of peering out and he sat by the glass for quite some time.
Chimps - except Tumba - not very active at all. I think they'd recently been fed when I saw them. Tumba increasingly seems to be with Tara or Cora, or following Pippin about. He was doing that sweet thing today of getting from a to b with repeated head over heels. What I did notice though ....... something I've never seen before today ....... was Tumba very definitely 'humping' Pippin. Right ....... we all know what bonobos are like, and am thinking that Tumba but I didn't know that chimps indulged in same sex activity (I assume there's no inherent taboo with Pippin being his dad - guess he wouldn't know that ?) and I was really surprised that dominant male Pippin permitted this - a couple of times
Managed to get quite a good view of Tembo in the back paddock today - from the cafe balcony in Kingdom of the Wild. You can better appreciate the suggestion of bridgeing the 2 paddocks from up there, as they appear to be separated by a large ditch and a line of trees. I imagine they might be thinking of doing something similar in appearance to the way the sand and grass paddocks at Twycross are bridged perhaps ?
Are they that bad? I can remember when it first opened at the time it seemed amazing. I was only little then and of course it was before I'd seen better (or in some cases probably before they'd even been built). I know some people still see this enclosure as one of Colchester's best bits. Although they probably haven't seen their Sealion pool
.
Today however the Elephant paddock isn't very genourous with space but the Elephants all seem very content and I don't think there bored as I've just seen the hard work the keepers put in to make their lives stimulating.
.Today however the Elephant paddock isn't very genourous with space but the Elephants all seem very content and I don't think there bored as I've just seen the hard work the keepers put in to make their lives stimulating.
johnstoni
Well-Known Member
You're right, its amazing how fast elephant exhibits are going out of date. It seemed like such a high standard when it was built. I would add that the house and yard are still very good by today's standards. When the paddocks opened, they were grass for a bit but have since become compacted sandy earth.
GillP
Well-Known Member
He's definitely called Zamba ..... there's a notice up about him inside Kingdom of the Wild. It also says that due to the cold weather (though it was lovely today) he'll be kept inside for a few weeks. There's a TV screen up in the cafe ..... with a 4-view split where you can see him and Cynthia below.
Zola (elephant) was in the back paddock with Tembo today.
Work's continuing on the leopard extension ........ in the entrance to the Tiger Valley corridor, they have meshed over the 1st 6 or 7 windows overlooking Sasha and have covered it in yet more fake rock, creating a whole wall of rock !! Can't think why ! That end now looks really dark and gloomy.
In the chimp feed talk they mentioned Tombe, rather than Pippin is now the dominant male. Back in the summer I'd overheard that Tombe (who is 13 or 14 I think) had started to challenge him ..... Pippin apparently backed down without much of a protest.
Zola (elephant) was in the back paddock with Tembo today.
Work's continuing on the leopard extension ........ in the entrance to the Tiger Valley corridor, they have meshed over the 1st 6 or 7 windows overlooking Sasha and have covered it in yet more fake rock, creating a whole wall of rock !! Can't think why ! That end now looks really dark and gloomy.
In the chimp feed talk they mentioned Tombe, rather than Pippin is now the dominant male. Back in the summer I'd overheard that Tombe (who is 13 or 14 I think) had started to challenge him ..... Pippin apparently backed down without much of a protest.
