Twycross Zoo Twycross Zoo News 2021

[rubymurray]

Interesting snippet from a job ad posted on the Twycross site

"There has never been a more exciting time to join the Marketing Team at Twycross Zoo, after experiencing the biggest period of growth over the last few years there is a programme of major investment taking place, including a £5m pound investment in a whole new area at the Zoo for 2022, which will be sure to catapult the Zoo from a leading regional attraction to a major national attraction."

I wonder if this is the start of the vision 2030 area up at the top of the zoo. Sounds like it's something outside of the current footprint.

 

[OrangePerson]

Don't get it. Integrating her with the others will have no effect with breeding, apart from with her. They have no schweinfurthii male. They have no breeding age verus females anymore either. Its a stalemate until they can acquire more verus females, or simply allow mixed breeding again if they want a baby chimp or two now to make the group more complete.

Staff are saying it is so she can breed with Kibale and thought she was Western!

I thought that far from being the only one who can be integrated as someone suggested she is the spanner in the integration works, her relationship with her son Peter makes life complicated. William knows some of the others and hopefully they would realise Tommy is pretty harmless, he's supposed to have met all the others and got on well, except Kibale who didn't realise big doesn't equal tough or a rival.

 

[jamie779]

Staff are saying it is so she can breed with Kibale and thought she was Western!

I thought that far from being the only one who can be integrated as someone suggested she is the spanner in the integration works, her relationship with her son Peter makes life complicated. William knows some of the others and hopefully they would realise Tommy is pretty harmless, he's supposed to have met all the others and got on well, except Kibale who didn't realise big doesn't equal tough or a rival.

Does she have a difficult relationship with Peter?

 

[OrangePerson]

He's her son and she's a good mum and backs him up, but they are a very, very formidable pair. He rose up the ranks whilst still sleeping with mummy at night. I think their relationship would add to the complexity of the already difficult challenge of adding adult male chimps together.

 

[jamie779]

He's her son and she's a good mum and backs him up, but they are a very, very formidable pair. He rose up the ranks whilst still sleeping with mummy at night. I think their relationship would add to the complexity of the already difficult challenge of adding adult male chimps together.

Ooh interesting! Thanks for sharing that

 

[J C]

Interesting snippet from a job ad posted on the Twycross site

"There has never been a more exciting time to join the Marketing Team at Twycross Zoo, after experiencing the biggest period of growth over the last few years there is a programme of major investment taking place, including a £5m pound investment in a whole new area at the Zoo for 2022, which will be sure to catapult the Zoo from a leading regional attraction to a major national attraction."

I wonder if this is the start of the vision 2030 area up at the top of the zoo. Sounds like it's something outside of the current footprint.

I would think they are referring to the work going on at the explorer zone if it’s for next year as I don’t think they could do 5 million for next year with out breaking ground yet any wear else in the zoo yet, that said if 5 million is going into that area my expectations for the development have really go up

 

[rubymurray]

I would think they are referring to the work going on at the explorer zone if it’s for next year as I don’t think they could do 5 million for next year with out breaking ground yet any wear else in the zoo yet, that said if 5 million is going into that area my expectations for the development have really go up

I suspect they've used a bit of license and it won't actually be open for next year, but there is no way they're blowing that amount on the explorer zone. That work is a revamp of what's already there, this sounds like a big development. In fact, they haven't spent that amount on any single development other than Himalaya, to date. Nothing yet on the planning portal, mind.

 

[Pertinax]

Staff are saying it is so she can breed with Kibale and thought she was Western!

A bit confused here as I thought they could do DNA tests to be exactly certain of her subspecies...whether she is schweinfurth's or western? Anyway I could see a scenario where the three other males just carry on living seperately from the main group indefinately now if integration is that problematic. I'm sure they want a baby to 'round out' the group more and believe eventually they will add some younger western females too.

 

[Kifaru Bwana]

Staff are saying it is so she can breed with Kibale and thought she was Western!

I thought that far from being the only one who can be integrated as someone suggested she is the spanner in the integration works, her relationship with her son Peter makes life complicated. William knows some of the others and hopefully they would realise Tommy is pretty harmless, he's supposed to have met all the others and got on well, except Kibale who didn't realise big doesn't equal tough or a rival.

That is not what the stud book ordered or indicates. What proof to the contrary of a Schweinfurthi being a Verus

 

[OrangePerson]

A bit confused here

Me too!

Different people have been told this on more than one occasion although I guess they could have been talking to the same person.

 

[Animallover1998]

There only seemed to be one kangaroo when I was there on the first weekend of January - did feel like they were being phased out. Shame though.

Speaking of animals that have gone, it doesn't look as if Twycross still have coati anywhere. What happened to those I wonder???

 

[pangolin12]

Speaking of animals that have gone, it doesn't look as if Twycross still have coati anywhere. What happened to those I wonder???

I remember they were in with the bush dogs and then they were moved near the guerezas, and then I never saw them again

 

[haydn]

I suspect they've used a bit of license and it won't actually be open for next year, but there is no way they're blowing that amount on the explorer zone. That work is a revamp of what's already there, this sounds like a big development. In fact, they haven't spent that amount on any single development other than Himalaya, to date. Nothing yet on the planning portal, mind.

Depends what they're considering as part of the 2022 developments. If it includes the Explore Zone revamp, plus the seperate attraction building originally planned for 2020-21, and all the car park/road works they now have planning consent for, it could easily add up to £5m.

 

[rubymurray]

Depends what they're considering as part of the 2022 developments. If it includes the Explore Zone revamp, plus the seperate attraction building originally planned for 2020-21, and all the car park/road works they now have planning consent for, it could easily add up to £5m.

You might be right, I have no inside track. Obviously, I hope you're not. It just seems a giant leap to suggest that some junction improvements, a few car parks and what is essentially theming an existing area 'will be sure to catapult the Zoo from a leading regional attraction to a major national attraction.'. I mean there's putting a bit of spin on things, but that'd be Alistair Campbell levels. It just feels to me like there is something afoot. A few weeks back, they applied for £20m from the levelling up fund to build the National Science & Conservation Centre and there seemed a lot of excitement just around making that application, which I thought was a bit odd given that these things are usually by no means a certainty. We know that's a new area and we know it's a game-changer and will raise the zoo to a new level. My bet is they are very confident they are getting that money. The next animal habitat on the vision 2030 roadmap is phase 1 Orangs, which is adjacent to the centre, so my money is on that being the 2022 project. All me reading between the lines, of course.

 

[haydn]

You might be right, I have no inside track. Obviously, I hope you're not. It just seems a giant leap to suggest that some junction improvements, a few car parks and what is essentially theming an existing area 'will be sure to catapult the Zoo from a leading regional attraction to a major national attraction.'. I mean there's putting a bit of spin on things, but that'd be Alistair Campbell levels. It just feels to me like there is something afoot. A few weeks back, they applied for £20m from the levelling up fund to build the National Science & Conservation Centre and there seemed a lot of excitement just around making that application, which I thought was a bit odd given that these things are usually by no means a certainty. We know that's a new area and we know it's a game-changer and will raise the zoo to a new level. My bet is they are very confident they are getting that money. The next animal habitat on the vision 2030 roadmap is phase 1 Orangs, which is adjacent to the centre, so my money is on that being the 2022 project. All me reading between the lines, of course.

It’s not entirely out of the realms of possibility that the next ape enclosure could be what they’re referring to. But planning applications for Chimp Eden appeared at least 12-18 months before it was opened, so they need to get a move on if that is the case.

But we also don’t really know what they have planned for explorer zone and what these interactive/animatronic elements will be. There also appears to be several walk through enclosures. I’m wondering if we’ll see Walking with Lemurs moved here as that will need to move to make way for the new ape exhibits and science centre.

 

[J C]

Few notes from visit today new signage has appeared in some enclosures

Firstly in the spider monkeys opposite the old chimp enclosure which is fair enough the second is in the old / newer chimp enclosure which had the building work being done on recently, this enclosure has had new viewing windows installed on the out door enclosure so would appear to being prepared for new ressedents perhaps a group of bonobos or even the smaller group of chimps if they want to free up that half of chimp Eden the other area was the otters enclosure hopefully this will mark the returns of otters if these enclosures are filled some I am struggling to think of any empty enclosures at the zoo a few enclosures with the same species in but none I can think of as empty which would be a massive improvement to the place

 

[Trudie]

Few notes from visit today new signage has appeared in some enclosures
View attachment 498993
Firstly in the spider monkeys opposite the old chimp enclosure which is fair enough the second is in the old / newer chimp enclosure which had the building work being done on recently, this enclosure has had new viewing windows installed on the out door enclosure so would appear to being prepared for new ressedents perhaps a group of bonobos or even the smaller group of chimps if they want to free up that half of chimp Eden the other area was the otters enclosure hopefully this will mark the returns of otters if these enclosures are filled some I am struggling to think of any empty enclosures at the zoo a few enclosures with the same species in but none I can think of as empty which would be a massive improvement to the place

We saw this the other day we was thinking maybe they might put the orangutans in the big enclosure whilst they start work on their potentially new place ? As that is supposed to be the next revamp and as for the otters it would be great if they had new ones but maybe they have just put a sign up to stop visitors moaning about another empty enclosure lol

 

[J C]

We saw this the other day we was thinking maybe they might put the orangutans in the big enclosure whilst they start work on their potentially new place ? As that is supposed to be the next revamp and as for the otters it would be great if they had new ones but maybe they have just put a sign up to stop visitors moaning about another empty enclosure lol

Possibly but I don’t think they would move the orangutans twice, as they don’t appear to have plans for there current enclosure yet, the leopard could be an option I would think if it held chimps it could hold leopards this would free them up to get the snow leopards breeding again and possibly the Amur leopards should they be allowed as for the otters it does say they will be back sone even if nothing appears to have changed at all in the enclosure

 

[haydn]

Based on the project timeline, Orang Utan and Bonobo are next up. The Orang Utan are ok where they are right now as phase one looks to be on empty land in the bottom right corner of the zoo. However the Bonobos new exhibit is planned for where the current one is, so they’re certainly a candidate for relocation in the not too distant future.

Also worth noting, though it’s a few years off, the Gorillas will need to be relocated too as the new Gorilla Islands exhibit is located where the current Gorilla and old Chimp house are. Both sets of Lemurs will also need to move too.

 

[J C]

Based on the project timeline, Orang Utan and Bonobo are next up. The Orang Utan are ok where they are right now as phase one looks to be on empty land in the bottom right corner of the zoo. However the Bonobos new exhibit is planned for where the current one is, so they’re certainly a candidate for relocation in the not too distant future.

Also worth noting, though it’s a few years off, the Gorillas will need to be relocated too as the new Gorilla Islands exhibit is located where the current Gorilla and old Chimp house are. Both sets of Lemurs will also need to move too.

. I could see the lemurs moving to the new explorer zone area if it an interactive area a walk through would suit and get them well away on the other side of the zoo, the orangutans staying as is till there new place is ready as for the gorillas they would be more suited to the orangutans current enclosure or even there old one by the tapirs whilst there new exhibit is made as I wouldn’t think the old chimp enclosures windows on the out side would last long being at waist height I would think that they would sone be cracked so logically that would leave the bonobos to move into the old chimp enclosure I guess If this is all towards the new construction if not it could be the smaller group of chimps to free up there half of chimp Eden so they could start a new group before the older one dies out