Twycross Zoo Twycross Zoo news 2012 #1

mazfc said:
As a very regular visitor I truly believe that the sooner the green mile is gone the better. Inside is definitely not better that the monkey houses. The ceilings/roofs in Particular are in poor condition - leaking etc. The small monkey team have worked wonders to transform the indoor enclosures with I imagine only a small budget.
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If the indoors are that bad, then I can't really argue. I was going mainly on the size & the fact that I didn't think they were particularly old, no older than the Sobells at London (built 1972 I think)e and considering several buildings have been used for over 100 years during London's history I thought a few more years could have been squeezed out of them. I'm not going to argue about the monkey/gibbon indoors either, but I will say I haven't seen many rushing to defend the indefensible.

Don't get me wrong, I quite like Twycross, or I wouldn't have returned twice since my first visit 4 years ago, I do think it sometimes comes in for excess criticism on here compared to other zoos that will be defended to the last! A lot of other people obviously like it too, given how busy it was on a pretty miserable April day last Sunday. I think it is an interesting collection with several rarities which has the potential for development, I look forward to the carnivore exhibits (I really hope that happens as that will strengthen the attraction to the general public further too) and a few other improvements.
 
Kuno on the zoo map

I'm sorry if this has already been discussed but I've just noticed a new (to me) map on the website:-

Twycross Zoo Map | Twycross Zoo | World Primate Centre

I note it says Kuno coming soon.

"Coming soon...Tigers, Lions, Hyaenas and Dholes in a brand new purpose built environment."

Have I missed something? Have these plans advanced? Are there now definite completion dates? Rather than than just the talk of it for a number of years and a model of it?

I'm just concerned they are effectively advertising something to potential visitors to the zoo that they have been promising for years.
 
stulch said:
Which I think would be poor.
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Last time i checked they still hadn't even applied for planning permission for the project,so very much still a pipe dream,I have also heard a rumour and I STATE it is only a RUMOUR,that somebody would like to add a species of Bear into the mix as well!!
 
zoogiraffe said:
Last time i checked they still hadn't even applied for planning permission for the project,so very much still a pipe dream,I have also heard a rumour and I STATE it is only a RUMOUR,that somebody would like to add a species of Bear into the mix as well!!
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I'd love to see Kuno go ahead. I didn't realise that planning permission isn't finalised, though they can't be expecting too problem with it as it is advertised all over the zoo. Lions and tigers would be a great addition, I can't tell you how many times I've heard people say that they are going to see the lions next!
 
mazfc said:
I'd love to see Kuno go ahead. I didn't realise that planning permission isn't finalised, though they can't be expecting too problem with it as it is advertised all over the zoo. Lions and tigers would be a great addition, I can't tell you how many times I've heard people say that they are going to see the lions next!
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Well the last time I checked the local councils website for what planning applications had been applied for by the zoo,the only one on the site was the one for the new Gorilla house,that if what I've heard will only be a Temporary one until yet another new one will be built on the site of the Original Gorilla House,the Green Mile,the Old Pets Corner and the lawn in front of the Original Gorilla House!
 
zoogiraffe said:
,the only one on the site was the one for the new Gorilla house,that if what I've heard will only be a Temporary one until yet another new one will be built on the site of the Original Gorilla House,the Green Mile,the Old Pets Corner and the lawn in front of the Original Gorilla House!
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I think that plan is defunct now? Can't see why on earth they will need one now as almost certainly soon reducing down to one small group and the most recent Gorilla House is quite sufficient in size for them (though landscaping improvements etc could obviously improve the outdoors)

Isn't the area you outline here the one earmarked for the (proposed) new Chimp complex? The Chimps seem far more of a priority now IMO.
 
Pertinax said:
I think that plan is defunct now? Can't see why on earth they will need one now as almost certainly soon reducing down to one small group and the most recent Gorilla House is quite sufficient in size for them (though landscaping improvements etc could obviously improve the outdoors)

Isn't the area you outline here the one earmarked for the (proposed) new Chimp complex? The Chimps seem far more of a priority now IMO.
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It is very possible that the area is now the area they plan on using for the new Chimp complex,which would mean that another plan has been changed before it has even been started!
 
zoogiraffe said:
It is very possible that the area is now the area they plan on using for the new Chimp complex,which would mean that another plan has been changed before it has even been started!
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I'm not really expecting the 'Chimpanzee complex' to happen anytime soon either, but one can live in hope!;)
 
I checked when I was there today, and it is the old enclosure next to Danny and Tommy's that is being demolished. It's already started with windows and bits and pieces removed
 
Anyone else having problems getting onto the zoos web site as the link from the gallery doesn't work at the momment
 
Twycross Zoo is extremely pleased to announce the arrival of one of the world’s smallest species of antelope, Kirk’s dik-dik! Standing between 30cm and 40cm ‘tall’, these miniature mammals are creating quite a stir with the visitors!

The two males, Peanuts and Cyril, arrived at Twycross Zoo on 31st March 2012 from different zoo’s in Europe: Antwerp, Belgium and Duisberg, Germany.

The dik-diks are currently on show at Twycross Zoo.
 
Seems that from all the rumours circulating, Twycross are still playing coy when people show an interest in the zoo's development. It's natural for people 2 be interested. The place might not be up to much yet but there's no denying it has potential. I can't help but feel that they are failing to get the public on side tho by being so tight lipped about plans, animals futures, advertising developments that seem never to appear (Kuno).I often chat to staff there and it's even hard to get correct info from them sometimes, while others express the same exasperation that I do about the place. I go there a lot. It's not a zoo I like as I have a feeling it's business first, animals second sometimes. I'm struggling to see why build a wetlands? how much did it cost? I would love to see a new Gorilla house. It is desperately needed. And poor Asante- I've watched and photod her a lot. She has less bites but is living on her nerves, lost alot of muscle/ fat on her upper arms and stomach. She still clings to people when she has the chance and runs inside hardly waiting for the "green doors" to open at "teatime". Oumbie still intimidates her. Don't you think that if the zoo told her story there would be such an outpouring of sympathy and support for her that they'd have the cash to build a fantastic gorilla enclosure in no time?. Would that put them on the road to really becoming the "World Primate Centre they already claim to be????
 
wild watch said:
I'm struggling to see why build a wetlands? how much did it cost? I would love to see a new Gorilla house. It is desperately needed. And poor Asante- I've watched and photod her a lot. She has less bites but is living on her nerves, lost alot of muscle/ fat on her upper arms and stomach. She still clings to people when she has the chance and runs inside hardly waiting for the "green doors" to open at "teatime". Oumbie still intimidates her.
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Wetlands. Compared to a new animal exhibit, I imagine it didn't cost very much to construct a lake/marsh area and walkways around it, which gives them 'something new for 2012' without the huge outlay of a new animal enclosure.

Asante. This is exactly what I feared would happen, the weight loss being a repeat of last time and there was no reason why things should have been any different this time around as it is the same animals involved, the only difference being Oumbie is more settled there now. She tolerated Boulas a bit better probably because he's an older, quieter male who didn't instill so much fear in her. I think they may eventually be forced to remove her again as her condition deteriorates, unless adding Biddy to the group, as is likely to happen, improves things- but I don't think an extra female being present would/will lessen her(Asante's) fear of Oumbie. Publicising this awkward situation (and I am not unsympathetic with their difficult problem here, nor is it Oumbie's fault either, it is simply Asante's humanised background) might not do them much good either as the public consensus might be to expect the zoo to resolve this situation -which is not easy.

Gorilla House- as I said above, I think the latest house is perfectly adequate in size for the animals they have though some improvements could be made to the outdoors. I think the Chimpanzees are far more in need of a major new enclosure which could then also serve as the flagship enclosure as far as their Primates go.

General- your other comments are pretty close to the mark I think.;)
 
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WETLANDS- Yes, I guess it does-
ASANTE- hearing ugly rumours that she is 2be moved. They are going to put her with (and I quote) "A group of Gorillas who have a similar background"- quite where this fairyland existance with her fellow humanised Gorillas is they didn't say. For a zoo that boasts its the only one with all the great apes in the UK, they seem to lack a certain commitment when it comes to sorting out her problems. I think she will probably be going abroad. that's very sad as she seems 2 b more settled with Ozala, I've even seen them so close that Ozala was inspecting a bad bite wound Asante had on her foot. Both seemed relaxed. Moving her away from her half sister - is that going to help her stress levels? I contend that it's the fault of the humans alone- the Gorillas are only doing what comes naturally, Twycross owes these humanised animals (chimps, gorillas etc) a good life and to quit and just pass on the problem is shirking the job to a degree. They knew what the zoo had been when they took it over, so these problems cannot have been a suprise. I'm sure gonna miss and worry bout her when she moves away!!!! The new Chimp enclosure is going ahead soon, as evidenced by the demolitions going on in the centre of the zoo. They also plan a great new gorilla enclosure with enhanced area- no more of the barren enclosures with neat grass lawns!!! But I'm guessing Asante will not be there- nor (probably) will Boulas. They are also determined that Kuno will go ahead. though personnally I would allocate funds to the chimp and gorilla projects first as the majority of the animals involved in Kuno are not yet part of the zoo. Is there some new legislation about enclosures that they are having to catch up with, does any 1 know?
 
the legislation could be the zoo licensing act maybe an update of the animal welfare act if there has been one
 
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