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Pertinax,

What do you make of Boulas move to Twycross?

Has any fertility screening and evaluation been done recently or will this be done prior to him leaving Belfast?
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
Pertinax,

What do you make of Boulas move to Twycross?
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Boulas' move to Twycross has been planned for some months now. I don't know if they will evaluate his fertility when he moves, but he's obviously going anyway... ;) Naturally there must be a big question mark over whether he will be any use as a breeder to Twycross.

Because of that(?) there was a plan for Twycross to also obtain a 2nd male (one of Boulas's three brothers) from Port Lympne but this may not happen now. If only Boulas comes, perhaps they will form just a single group round him. Whether any of them breed or not remains to be seen, but success or failure may prove whether the problem lies with Boulas, or with the females at Belfast.
 
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Twycross' Twitter feed is giving a few cryptic clues about a new opening

Something new and exciting is opening at the Zoo today - watch this space for details...
about 5 hours ago from Seesmic
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This is a new path - can you guess where it is heading...(find out later): Twitpic - Share photos on Twitter
about 1 hour ago from Seesmic
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I haven't been following their recent developments too closely, but could this be the lion/hyena enclosures?

Im not sure if people without Twitter accounts can see the image so here it is (obviously not my image)
25356875.jpg
 
CZJimmy said:
Twycross' Twitter feed is giving a few cryptic clues about a new opening





I haven't been following their recent developments too closely, but could this be the lion/hyena enclosures?

Im not sure if people without Twitter accounts can see the image so here it is (obviously not my image)
25356875.jpg
Click to expand...

Sorry to disappoint you, but its not a new enclosure.

It's......(drum roll please) a new path! :eek:

It goes around the elephants and is raised so you have a good view. (This is what it looked like from my last visit.) Am not even sure the lion enclosure has been started :(
 
taun said:
Sorry to disappoint you, but its not a new enclosure.

It's......(drum roll please) a new path! :eek:

It goes around the elephants and is raised so you have a good view. (This is what it looked like from my last visit.) Am not even sure the lion enclosure has been started :(
Click to expand...

Haha!

I pretty much assumed that it would be something low-key and I was posting about the lion/hyena enclosure in hope rather than expectation...

At least they're making an effort to improve the appearance of the zoo, lets hope that the apes are in line for a make-over after the entrance plaza and carnivore section have been completed
 
CZJimmy said:
Haha!

lets hope that the apes are in line for a make-over after the entrance plaza and carnivore section have been completed
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I can't see them(unfortunately:( ) making any changes to the Orangs or Gorillas accomodation, but I believe there may be a new (common) Chimpanzee 'complex' planned? Is there any further news on this and might it mark the disappearance of the horrid old chimpanzee cages?
 
So whens Bolus coming to Twycross. Anyone got any ideas? Will he be moving in to Joe's old enclosure? Will he be integrated in with the other gorillas? xx
 
tomzoo123 said:
So whens Bolus coming to Twycross. Anyone got any ideas? Will he be moving in to Joe's old enclosure? Will he be integrated in with the other gorillas? xx
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Not sure when he is going to move. The other two questions depend on if there is to be any other new arrivals to twycross.

1) If they only bring the one male in, they may try and create one big group. or Keep them as two sperate groups with Bolus going in the breeding gorup.

2) If they bring a new male in, If he was mother reared he should go in the breeding group with Bolus going in or adjacent to the the non-breeding females.

This is not inside information but how I see the options.
 
taun said:
Sorry to disappoint you, but its not a new enclosure.

It's......(drum roll please) a new path! :eek:

It goes around the elephants and is raised so you have a good view. (This is what it looked like from my last visit.) Am not even sure the lion enclosure has been started :(
Click to expand...

It's just been confirmed that it's the elephant viewing

This is the part of the view from our very exciting new Elephant Walkway - well worth a visit to see: Twitpic - Share photos on Twitter
4 minutes ago from Seesmic
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So if they were to make one big group, where would they all be housed? In the new gorilla enclosure?? Surely that would be best hence its general large size. I wonder if they made one big group what they would do with the other gorilla house?????

Also, hopefully now that the elephant walkway is complete they can begin on the lion and Dhole encore. Thats something I think really needs doing. I think that having one big open plan ensure for the lions will make them more active, and i also reckon the dholes would love having a big area as they are always active anyways.

Do you know of any more animals planned to come to twycross anytime soon?
 
Boulas will obviously be placed with(at least) some of their females as he's been a group leader at Belfast for a number of years.

Which enclosure they use is anybody's guess. The older House with its divisions into two enclosures is probably better for introductions-he could live in Joe's old half while he settles in, but it really depends whether they plan to amalgamate them into one group or not and if he's going to be the only male.
 
Whereas I am glad Boulas will leave Belfast, I am not too happy with his relocation to Twycross (unless they keep him with post-repro females and let a younger mature silverback in with the repro females).

If not, it is simply moving a dysfunctional silverback (and possibly even infertile) from Belfast to an already dysfunctional gorilla troupe in Twycross. Obviously, everyone should acknowledge the Twycross sit really desperately requires reperative measures to re-start a functional gorilla breeding group here!!!
 
From what i have been told the Lion and Dhole enclosures will not be started until the new entranace and Snow Leopard enclosure has been finished.
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
Whereas I am glad Boulas will leave Belfast, I am not too happy with his relocation to Twycross (unless they keep him with post-repro females and let a younger mature silverback in with the repro females).

If not, it is simply moving a dysfunctional silverback (and possibly even infertile) from Belfast to an already dysfunctional gorilla troupe in Twycross. Obviously, everyone should acknowledge the Twycross sit really desperately requires reperative measures to re-start a functional gorilla breeding group here!!!
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I quite agree, however it all seems to depend on whether they can find a more suitable Silver back.
 
taun said:
I quite agree, however it all seems to depend on whether they can find a more suitable Silver back.
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I do hope that the Species Coordinator will start looking overseas (the SSP) for fresh unrelated silverbacks. Exchange of male gorillas of blackback or silverback quality ready to breed and overrep in their region is probably the immediate way forward (NY Bronx, Columbus, Toledo, Cincinnati).

Any thoughts on intercultural Oceanic exchange (LOL)?
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
Whereas I am glad Boulas will leave Belfast, I am not too happy with his relocation to Twycross (unless they keep him with post-repro females and let a younger mature silverback in with the repro females).

If not, it is simply moving a dysfunctional silverback (and possibly even infertile) from Belfast to an already dysfunctional gorilla troupe in Twycross.
Click to expand...

Agreed he is not the ideal choice:( Boulas was supposed to join a new bachelor group in Warsaw but Howletts/PL(who own him) didn't approve the enclosure. Going to Twycross is a way of getting him out of Belfast as Twycross need a male and do have the room for him whereas PL would probably not be able to reintegrate him into one of their male groups so they don't want him back. Boulas is definately NOT dysfunctional though;).- his only problem is whether he is infertile (no particular reason why he should be) or is he not to blame for the lack of any pregnancies at Belfast? We don't know....:confused:

Perhaps because of this doubt, another male was going to Twycross direct from Port Lympne - possibly as a breeder for the two younger females- but I'm not sure if this will happen now. He would be(or have been) one of Boulas' three full brothers in the bachelor groups, it was suggested another mother-raised one.

There's no reason why they couldn't obtain a 2nd male from Europe instead if they applied for one. My guess is it depends whether they want one group now, or still aim to keep two seperate ones. My preference would be one group- but with a proven male...or try Boulas and if he fails, add another male. (I'm sure once Boulas arrives at Twcyross he will stay for life).
 
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Kifaru Bwana said:
I do hope that the Species Coordinator will start looking overseas (the SSP) for fresh unrelated silverbacks. Exchange of male gorillas of blackback or silverback quality ready to breed and overrep in their region is probably the immediate way forward (NY Bronx, Columbus, Toledo, Cincinnati).

Any thoughts on intercultural Oceanic exchange (LOL)?
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I agree that Europe could now do with some totally unrelated Gorilla males from the USA lines. However, I think any import(s) of this nature should go to Zoos that would make a serious effort to breed from them- not Twycross ;)

London could properly use a US male though, while Wuppertal in Germany are needing a new one too.
 
Ah thats rubbish, I was hoping the lion and dhole enclosures would be next as the elephant path is now open. Never mind!
 
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