Twycross Zoo Twycross Zoo News 2019

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haydn said:
I think it’s pretty certain we won’t see the major ape complex. Chimp Eden shows that. But I think we will see each ape species get a new home over time.

I’m sure there will be some major builds in the next five years, still plenty of time for the applications to go in.

But I think it does also make sense to focus a little bit on guest logistics too. A 20% jump in visitor numbers has caused all sorts of problems in the car parks and on local roads - so I can see them delivering on the ideas in the plan around expanded car parks, new road entrance and roads etc. Plus a whole new main entrance into the zoo. These open up a huge space adjacent to Himalaya for future habitats too so would make sense.
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Yes, agree the parking and access( and associated traffic jams and queues entering the zoo when they do their special offers) are all priorities they need to address.

I agree that Chimp Eden shows the ape complex idea has proved too much for them but can still envisage the other great apes getting individual new enclosures over time, perhaps with the Bonobos and Orangutans earlier than the gorillas which have the newest build of the three (apart from the orangutan extension).
 
Yes I would agree the parking and access need to be address, more so the access as 90% of the year this is fine just when the promotions run does it become overwhelming though to be honest it's never taken me more than ten mins to get it, mabey I'm lucky. To be honest it took me 50 mins to park and get in at Colchester last year and this issue doesn't seam to come up on there page.
As for the apes I wouldn't right of the gorillas as being last I would think there group has grown the fastest since moving in the current house which I would think is one of the smallest in the country now with the amount of apes in there. And would also think it would depend on how they plan the design out for the future of the zoo. There area of the zoo might be mark for some thing else if they are looking at a redesign over the next 20 years.
I would think the next couple of years will be in house stuff, car parks, playareas, new enclosures for exsisting species ect to allow the brexit to be sorted and settle down before new species are introduced aside from the tigers and rhino. But hope they find a way of being able to bring new species in along side those plans to be able to continue this growth they are experiencing as joe public won't be getting to excited about comeing next year for new car parks or new admission booths to take your money quicker. Even a lesser degree new housing would be lesser of a draw than new species to the average punter.
 
There are still only six gorillas, and only one breeding female(Ozala), while her two sons in the group will probably have to leave at some stage, so the group isn't likely to grow any bigger, at least as it is at present.
 
Pertinax said:
There are still only six gorillas, and only one breeding female(Ozala), while her two sons in the group will probably have to leave at some stage, so the group isn't likely to grow any bigger, at least as it is at present.
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Unless they receive additional breeding age females which is highly unlikely given enclosire and group size. The EEP would certainly not recommend to add on more individuals!
 
Just up loaded some new pics from the weekend of the tiger exhibit they seam to have all the fencing in now and are landscaping the exhibit now and creating pathways and finishing of the night quarters, the rhino exhibit looks be be at a bit of a stand still at the moment whilst they concentrate on the tigers to get them in pre brexit. Thought I did see new barriers going in along the walkways that over look the paddock so hope fully some of the dead ends in that area will sone be opened up again. Also the corn snake appears to be gone in the farm area and replaced by gundi which I think are new to the collection.
 
ThomasNotTom said:
New mock footage of the Sumatran Tiger enclosure can be seen here: Twycross Zoo
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Intresting video, they did the same with chimp Eden before that opened shame they didn't go around the rest of the enclosure but at least this leaves sum surprise element. Looks as if they are leaving the first panels of glass in the tunnel coved, probably in timber to allow the tigers to pass from one side to the other. I heard they will be doing members previews for the enclosure once it is ready like they did for the rhino before opening to the public.
 
It is great to see Twycross ploughing forward with its make over. The chimps are looking like a natural group and thank goodness those ghastly enclosures where the hyena and dholes where are gone. I am looking forward to seeing the developments progress over the next few years. Does anyone know the plan for the Chimp Complex building? The one where Peter, Samantha etc. were housed?
 
jamie779 said:
It is great to see Twycross ploughing forward with its make over. The chimps are looking like a natural group and thank goodness those ghastly enclosures where the hyena and dholes where are gone. I am looking forward to seeing the developments progress over the next few years. Does anyone know the plan for the Chimp Complex building? The one where Peter, Samantha etc. were housed?
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Short term, I think the expectation is they’ll be re-used whilst other species are moved around to make way for the next round of developments. Medium to long term, demolition to make way for future developments.
 
Got to visit today on tiger pre veiw day and managed to see the new female just, the out door enclosure is still a month or so of I would say a least as there are diggers still inside so grassing will need time to set. The indoor housing has one viewing section which we where told they will be rotating the male and female into, this has an of show area also though so got a pic just as she moved over through a gap most just saw the tail sticking out, poor pic but will post the glass was so reflective :eek:. I know they moved the tigers in quickly because of the Euro fears but I am getting a little worried about there recent policy on this the chimps where moved in before the outside was ready and it's a rare to see them outside, same with the gibbons and today the rhino gates where open to the main exhibit out side with no interest at all from the rhino going outside I fear if they take to long with the tigers they also will become a custom to being indoors. Ok there newer enclosures especially have great viewing for us but it is good to see the animals outdoors.
 
J C said:
the chimps where moved in before the outside was ready and it's a rare to see them outside, same with the gibbons and today the rhino gates where open to the main exhibit out side with no interest at all from the rhino going outside I fear if they take to long with the tigers they also will become a custom to being indoors. Ok there newer enclosures especially have great viewing for us but it is good to see the animals outdoors.
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I think in the case of the Chimpanzees its simply they prefer to be indoors. Having a huge outdoor space they rarely use is classic for many zoo apes. In Twycross' case, the chimps were nearly always inside in the old buildings too. The only way to get them to use the outdoors more frequently would be scatter feeds (or some other stimulation) outside at regular intervals during the day when they will come outside
and wait for a short while beforehand when they know they are due. Its not only at Twycross- at Monkeyworld I saw chimps fed outside, in good fine weather, but immediately afterward they were all back indoors again. Temperature, draught etc may play a part in this but overall they prefer covered areas, as they would in the forest.

The gibbons at Twycross I think have a very windy/exposed site in the new forest building. Again, I've seen them outside but mostly indoors which is a more comfortable environment for them a lot of the time in our climate. I doubt they will change their habits either.

Rhino, particularly Black, are often very nervous in new surroundings. I think with time she will start to use the outdoors. Unlike Apes, rhinos don't normally have an aversion to using their outside enclosures once they are used to them.
 
Pertinax said:
I think in the case of the Chimpanzees its simply they prefer to be indoors. Having a huge outdoor space they rarely use is classic for many zoo apes. In Twycross' case, the chimps were nearly always inside in the old buildings too. The only way to get them to use the outdoors more frequently would be scatter feeds (or some other stimulation) outside at regular intervals during the day when they will come outside
and wait for a short while beforehand when they know they are due. Its not only at Twycross- at Monkeyworld I saw chimps fed outside, in good fine weather, but immediately afterward they were all back indoors again. Temperature, draught etc may play a part in this but overall they prefer covered areas, as they would in the forest.

The gibbons at Twycross I think have a very windy/exposed site in the new forest building. Again, I've seen them outside but mostly indoors which is a more comfortable environment for them a lot of the time in our climate. I doubt they will change their habits either.

Rhino, particularly Black, are often very nervous in new surroundings. I think with time she will start to use the outdoors. Unlike Apes, rhinos don't normally have an aversion to using their outside enclosures once they are used to them.
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I wonder if anyone has done a study on this? Enclosure design could include covered outdoor areas to replicate a canopy for apes?
 
TriUK said:
I wonder if anyone has done a study on this? Enclosure design could include covered outdoor areas to replicate a canopy for apes?
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Somewhere should try this. I don't think I've seen it done anywhere yet. Canvas awnings would work probably -IF they could be designed to stay out of reach of the inmates! There's still the problems of temperature/wind etc. though. I often think zoos should build the very largest indoor quarters they possibly can for apes, and save on expense by just providing a quite small outdoor area, but of course general visitors would think that wasn't nice..;) So instead you have these enormous outdoor islands and enclosures which lie empty much of the day- if the inmates have free choice- as many apes probably use them a good deal less than 10% of the time.
 
Hi, I want to ask if Twycross plans to get some elephants unsuitable for breeding. The range is decent, but unsuitable for the breeding group. I think it would be not wrong to bring some older cows and set up a group of older elephants like Karlsruhe.
 
Elephantelephant said:
Hi, I want to ask if Twycross plans to get some elephants unsuitable for breeding. The range is decent, but unsuitable for the breeding group. I think it would be not wrong to bring some older cows and set up a group of older elephants like Karlsruhe.
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Twycross no longer keep elephants. They moved to Blackpool and their enclosure now houses rhinos.
 
I went to see the tigers this afternoon. The male was outside in the morning from what I heard, so I was treated to the placid female posing for a little while in the rather barren enclosure. I saw the male later indoors, being very protective of his food and attacking the window we were gathered at a couple of times.
 
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