Twycross Zoo Twycross Zoo news 2016 #2

Update: currently in Twycross. Baby Diana monkey and the solitary siamang is still next door to the crowned lemurs. There's also a trio next door to the meerkats that I thought were gone, meaning there are 7 siamangs at the zoo. The gibbons still aren't allowed outside.

Been great weather, seen all of the types of ape outside so far. There's been some switches with the bonobos; Diatou, Keke and Malaika have swapped sides with Kakowet, Kianga and the baby meaning the groups are now:

Kakowet, Cheka, Maringa, Kianga, Winton, Ndeko, baby

Diatou, Banya, Keke, Malaika, Lopori, Mokonzi

Will post more later
 
ShonenJake13 said:
The gibbons still aren't allowed outside.
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Does anybody have any idea why this might be the case?

It seems the gibbons have been in the (great) new house without being let outside for quite some time now. I'm beginning to wonder if some unforeseen problems have been encountered.
 
ShonenJake13 said:
I still think new verus females should be introduced to the smaller group before both groups are merged just to make things easier, but yes I see your point :)
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Being a regular and knowing the chimps (from a visitor point of view) I'd definitely put any new females in the larger group. They are the more stable and more welcoming. Danny and Peter still have 'beef' especially with Samantha in the mix. Plus the larger group has much more space for introductions and a new intact male.
 
Shorts said:
Does anybody have any idea why this might be the case?

It seems the gibbons have been in the (great) new house without being let outside for quite some time now. I'm beginning to wonder if some unforeseen problems have been encountered.
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According to the guy I spoke to on my last visit, the problem is that the gibbons don't want to go outside. The hatches for two groups were open when I visited on Friday, but the gibbons were just looking through them, not venturing out.

I spoke to the presenter after his gibbon talk and he said that they haven't dared to venture all the way out yet.
 
mazfc said:
Being a regular and knowing the chimps (from a visitor point of view) I'd definitely put any new females in the larger group. They are the more stable and more welcoming. Danny and Peter still have 'beef' especially with Samantha in the mix. Plus the larger group has much more space for introductions and a new intact male.
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Funny you should mention this, but I was talking to a chimpanzee keeper today and asked her about the integration of the two groups/any potential new verus females.
She was saying that a) they have no plans to get new verus females due to space requirements and b) the plan for integration will likely start with Samantha moving across to the larger group, so that introductions between Peter and Danny can take place without Samantha causing problems. They are then hoping that the small group can be introduced to the big group but if not then they may just remain in the large group's current housing whilst the large group go into the new home.

But yes, updates are in order:

- Baby Diana monkey
- The dusky langur indoor area has been extended
- Still no clear plans to transfer the four siamangs not in the new house
- Red ruffs and ring-tails were both out in the walkthrough together
- Demoiselle crane chick!
- Red-crowned crane potentially on eggs
- Bonobo switchovers between the groups (Kianga, new baby and Kakowet have swapped with Diatou, Malaika and Keke)
 
ShonenJake13 said:
They are then hoping that the small group can be introduced to the big group but if not then they may just remain in the large group's current housing whilst the large group go into the new home.
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At least that shows the intention to try and get them into one large single group. Given all the others were in little subgroups previously I can't see why this final phase shouldn't work too, but at least they have a back-up plan if it doesn't. Agreed they do not really have space to add further verus females- it just seems a bit odd to bring in the new pure male when there are now so few(now reduced to one?) pure females not too old to breed, currently in the group.
 
giant_anteater said:
I spoke to the presenter after his gibbon talk and he said that they haven't dared to venture all the way out yet.
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Fear of the great unknown probably- particularly the open sky they aren't used to(even in the wild they are sheltered by the forest canopy). Hopefully they will overcome it over time.
 
Pertinax said:
At least that shows the intention to try and get them into one large single group. Given all the others were in little subgroups previously I can't see why this final phase shouldn't work too, but at least they have a back-up plan if it doesn't. Agreed they do not really have space to add further verus females- it just seems a bit odd to bring in the new pure male when there are now so few(now reduced to one?) pure females not too old to breed, currently in the group.
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I think the idea is that Coco and Noddy, both elderly verus females, will be replaced by younger verus ladies once they inevitably pop off. But for now yes, as you say, only Josie is of a breeding age.

And Danny is hand reared, meaning he has some behavioural problems reminiscent of Joey, a male bonobo in Leipzig (if anyone knows what I mean). So there are worries he may not do well in a larger group format.
But then again, lots of the chimps at Twycross were hand reared so they should all be fine together.
The major spanner in the works is, as mazfc has said before, Samantha and Peter's relationship. Once Samantha has been introduced to the main group and has new friendships, there will hopefully an opening for the rest to be introduced to one another and then to the big group, with Peter therefore having different friends too.
 
It's odd as I would think since there is now room for one more with Choppers gone they could now transfer a younger verus female over, but they may want to do it in pairs or more so that the new individuals have friendly faces.
 
I am not sure .., but is there not another young verus female in Jollie (came in from Colchester in 1984).
 
I popped in today and saw that some of the hatches in Gibbon Forest were open. The White Cheeked and Agile Gibbons have had access to the outside for a week or so apparently, but have not ventured out. They sit in the hatchways checking out the sights, but haven't taken the first swing out ... or knowing my luck, they have since I left today.
 
Awww :( that's a shame. But at least they are actually attempting to give them outdoor access!
Maybe it's because they're not used to the lack of roof? :')
 
Shonen said:
but they may want to do it in pairs or more so that the new individuals have friendly faces.
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Very much so, never a good idea to try adding a new single female due to lack of any support in case of bullying.

I was there the other day also. I noticed the large Chimp group building is showing more signs of wear and tear from their use, not only the permanently closed indoors but at least one window in the outside has been broken/blocked off. The other building with the six chimps looks very outdated too- particularly the inside. They really need that new house now but so far, no sign at least on the ground, of anything happening yet in that direction.

I noticed too with the Bonobos that all their coats, lncluding heads and sidewhiskers were much improved, where before most of them were always very bald on the heads and arms, supposedly from over-grooming. Not sure how they have managed that.

The two young Dusky Langurs are females. The baby Diana looked female. There is a new(?) adult female DeBrazza to replace the elderly one of the original trio, that died. The two young in the group, from the other female, are both male.
 
littleRedPanda said:
They sit in the hatchways checking out the sights, but haven't taken the first swing out ... or knowing my luck, they have since I left today.
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Gibbon Forest is much bigger than I expected. I actually really liked the design, despite the use of the wide watermoats, as the outside islands/aerial space for the animals is pretty big also. But no sign of any of them going outside yet, not even looking out while I was there. If other future Ape buildings planned, e.g. the Chimps, turn out as good as this, Twycross will be a changed zoo.
 
I went again today. One of the White Cheek Gibbons has been venturing out, although the rest barely pass the hatchway. The youngest does take a few steps along the hose, but soon turns back. Wooden slats have appeared between hoses for each section, to maybe encourage them across the divide onto the islands.
 
littleRedPanda said:
I went again today. One of the White Cheek Gibbons has been venturing out, although the rest barely pass the hatchway. The youngest does take a few steps along the hose, but soon turns back. Wooden slats have appeared between hoses for each section, to maybe encourage them across the divide onto the islands.
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It will happen, this is a big change for them. It's good they are cautious.
 
Visited last Sunday. Loved the new gibbon accommodation. Lots of space inside and nice islands outside - ideal. These will look fantastic when the planting has matured and the moats settle down.

I feel that Twycross is really moving in the right direction here. Sorry to upset those who prefer the 'stamp collection' approach, but less really is more when you see the advances in husbandry and welfare standards that this new accommodation brings.
 
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