Pretoria Zoo Historical information you say? What else do you know about Pretoria Zoo's history?
Bristol Zoo (Closed) Twilight World
- Thread starter Orycteropus
- Start date
The Hedgehog
Well-Known Member
I am aware that prior to being converted to a Nocturnal House Twilight t World housed the Gorillas. Are there any reminents of the Gorilla house in Twilight World, for example where the Gorillas would sleep or even the indoor playroom. I believe the outside bird enclosure opposite the Asiatic Lions was the Gorillas outdoor enclosure but I could be wrong.
The structure of the Gorilla indoor areas is still there, the dividing walls between the exhibit areas etc. You can't see much of it though as the nocturnal exhibits are built into it, but in the main AyeAye exhibit you can still see the metal doors in the walls. There were five indoor exhibit cages and sleeping dens in a basement area/service passage below them. No doubt some is still there, probably used as service area.
Outside there are now Keas, Red Pandas and Fruit Bats. The site of the Kea/outside bird enclosure was the Orangutans. The Gorillas occupied the outdoor areas of the other two exhibits.
The Hedgehog
Well-Known Member
I would ask Gentle Lemur. He visits sometimes very early while it is still 'daytime' in there. If he's got any photos of the enclosures in daylight then you'd be more likely to see what's left. Of course the whole structure and outside walls/rocks are from when it was an Ape House too.
I have some photos of the animals in the gallery, but there is very little of the original indoor structure visible.Unfortunately since lockdown the zoo has started to open at 10 am each day - it used to open at 9 am, before the lights were dimmed in the Twilight World. I haven't arrived at 10 am since the Twilight World reopened so I cannot be sure, but I expect that it will be dark at 10 am now.
I'm pretty sure a lot of the old structure is still there, you can definately see some of the metal doors in the old dividing walls at some points- the Twilight World was pretty much created over the existing structure. The old Ape House had a very wide public viewing area which I think a lot of the exhibits take up too.
Possibly another effect of the pandemic- the Zoo opening at 10 a.m. I wonder if they will ever revert to 9.a.m. again(at either site)- I doubt it rather.
One of my favourite memories of Twilight World was getting to the "House" section and finding that the House Mice were exhibited inside the washing machine.