Twycross Zoo What would you do?

[Pertinax]

why not get a couple of red river hogs in the old Babirusa enclosure?

Seems like an ideal species for Twycross, and easily available too.

Another simple small change that would cost little would be to send away a few more of the older non-breeding Primates like the Dianas, Roloways and Allen's Monkeys to other Zoos to form fresh pairings, or to a Monkey Sanctuary, as they are contributing nothing the way they are kept now. Each species that goes leaves more space for the neighbours.

 

[Pertinax]

The Chimps in the recently abandoned Gorilla House surely have the least outdoor furniture for the species in the UK (the overhead mesh probably gave them more options in the Green Mile)!

I fear a Dudley scenario* where "jam tomorrow" is promised for a number of years and improvement is always just over the horizon -which for a zoo with about two and half times more visitors than Dudley is just ridiculous.

Chimps- yes I noticed that too. Obviously its because of security concerns and the danger of escape, as the secure indoor areas are well-kitted out and we shouldn't forget, are far superior and more spacious for them compared to their previous indoor housing. But the appearance of the outside 'yards' continues to highlight the fact of them still having to keep many of these Chimpanzees in ugly buildings that are old fashioned in design or not built for them in the first place.

The only way they will get away from that is by overcoming the 'jam tomorrow' concept, and actually building the long- talked about new complex purpose-built to house all the Chimps. After all the years they have endured substandard conditions, they certainly deserve it.

Incidentally the Chimp blog(see above) reports that the two elderly females 'Coco' and 'Noddy' have moved into this house too, that leaves (by my reckoning) only one 'trio' of Chimps in the old Chimp Row/Green Mile and I believe they are likely to be moved to the original Gorilla House soon, as that is the only House that still has an empty indoor half to accomodate them.

 

[CambsVet]

It suddenly occured to me today that I cant remember the last time I saw a twycross advert? WMSP is often advertised on the television. (These may just be regional adverts?) But I dont think Tywcross do? Surely TV adverts or even radio adverts for the west midlands would drum up some added business!? Its really not far from Coventry/Birmingham/Leicester/Derby with MASSIVE amounts of potential customers

 

[Shorts]

They've definitely advertised on the TV in the East Midlands (Derby in my case) this year and in the past. They've also been reasonably good at getting themselves on regional news for publicity purposes.

 

[Brum]

They've definitely advertised on the TV in the East Midlands (Derby in my case) this year and in the past. They've also been reasonably good at getting themselves on regional news for publicity purposes.

There were a few adverts at the start of the summer on Central, not an amazing advert though.
If they had more money to spare then I imagine they would go down the WMSP route of hyping everything up.

 

[mazfc]

I've seen adverts on tv this summer

 

[Snowleepard]

Twycross needs to improve the enclosures down next to the dholes near the walk through lemur exhibit. Get a couple of small cats or a small carnivores e.g. serval and binturong. Already have dholes you could advertise a new small carnivore exhibit. Could either move otters into small carnivore area or next to penguins. Put some birds or animals into aviary in Himalayas. I think they should have more feeding and animal talks. They need to build new enclosures for apes and perhaps could move primates into old apes enclosures. Now you have space in old primate enclosures too get new animals possibly aviary or a nocturnal house or even a reptile house.

 

[mazfc]

I think before getting in new animals twycross should continue its plan to improve the enclosures of the animals its already got.

 

[OrangePerson]

I think before getting in new animals twycross should continue its plan to improve the enclosures of the animals its already got.

I agree, most people don't care what animals the zoo has/brings in unless it's a mega-attraction like a panda. Seeing the current animals in improved displays adds to the enjoyment with, in many cases, a fairly modest outlay and it's already giving the zoo a better feel.

 

[Kifaru Bwana]

I think before getting in new animals twycross should continue its plan to improve the enclosures of the animals its already got.

Plus bring to fruition the Asian carnivore project so the dholes can be with Asiatic lions et al near the Ele exhibit (which is also as per mazfc above).

 

[Integrity]

No never, YWP and super Zoos will take over Twycross will never change there's no passion in the place from the top, they are blinkered.

 

[TARZAN]

No never, YWP and super Zoos will take over Twycross will never change there's no passion in the place from the top, they are blinkered.

Blinkered in what way?,also who is the current C.E.O. at Twycross, is it still the lady who took over temporarily when the previous C.E.O. resigned?

 

[mazfc]

No never, YWP and super Zoos will take over Twycross will never change there's no passion in the place from the top, they are blinkered.

You seem very bitter towards twycross, and I can't help but feel that you are possibly an ex employee or know an ex employee, especially with your talk about employment tribunals and insider information on other threads.

I hope the new management take the zoo forward in a positive way, theres definitely a change in atmosphere at the zoo and the small changes are making huge differences in the lives of the animals.

 

[canaryboy]

If I was chairman for a year I would move the tufted deer and the muntjac deer down to the main paddocks, mixing the vicugna with darwin's rhea, then mixing the mara with the cabybara and tapir creating two South American paddocks and an Asian paddock.

I would then move the camels back to their old enclosure and would, controversially, turn the giraffe enclosure into an Asiatic lion enclosure. The lions were so popular and I believe that it is of ample space with a structurally sound building that could be converted into a lion house. I'd then move some langur species down to the 'old' tufted deer enclosure and bird aviary next to it. This would give the langurs more natural wooded enclosures. I'd then open some of the monkey pens with the others I'd cleared langurs out of.

I'd move the orangutans out of the zoo and put some gibbons in there. I'd move the lemurs in the central lemur house to the lemur walkthrough and turn this into a nocturnal exhibit with the cuscus and some other nocturnal species in it.

I'd then put a walk-through butterfly exhibit in the white building by the pets corner. These are really enjoyable for all ages and are fairly cheap to create.

I'd then carry of with the bonobo house plans created by the 'existing chairman';-D. What do you think

 

[Integrity]

A great plan that would not cost the earth, love the Lion idea and butterflies! You should write in and share your thoughts.

 

[canaryboy]

Thanks Integrity, I'd thought I might get criticized by some zoochatters but the reality that the lions are missed so much and I think there could be come economical benefits.

 

[tpw123]

I think the public miss the girrafes greatly so I would suggest bringing them back perhaps near to the top end of the elephant enclosure [ if there is enough space].
I think they should move the camels back to their old enclosure and place the rhea's with the vicuna.
Then they could place a popular animal like a zebra possibily in the old girrafe enclosure. This would involve making this enclosure greener.
Also they could revamp the enclosures down by the flamingo and put some small carnivore species in those enclosures.
However in the immediate futre they need to improve lots of exisiting enclosures.

 

[Kifaru Bwana]

I keep saying .. bringing back giraffes is all very well ..., but it costs money. A hot tin roof will not do for a group of giraffe.

Considerable investment funding by the looks of it TWZ does not have right now.

I feel / think they are on the right track A and need first to get the house in order before they go into new stuff.
It would also help explaining to people and visitors alike that TWZ is in the process of re-inventing itself and needs to cost save in order to survive the storm.

Underline that they are working hard to make improvements in basic husbandry and housing conditions for their current collection and most notably some of the sore points are being dealt with like the great ape housing and quite a few of the rows of primate enclosures into something more appealing. And this before they can ever think of exploring new opportunities and new investments. And yes in the end, we would like to go the extra mile and provide top of the range housing for say great apes and some of the primates equivalent with zoos like Chester, London (yes, I like theirs …), Stuttgart, Basel, Koeln, Leipzig and others.

 

[Pertinax]

and most notably some of the sore points are being dealt with like the great ape housing and quite a few of the rows of primate enclosures into something more appealing.

I am not aware though of any other changes planned for the Ape housing, or the majority of other primate enclosures- apart from what has been done recently- 1. Chimp moves, 2. roof on half of chimp enclosure, 3 lemur walkthrough, 4. open air De Brazza extension and 5. the planned upgrade of the Bonobo house. While all are commendable improvements, they barely scratch the surface when looked at relative to the overall general standard and appearance of Primate housing at Twycross.

Giraffes- I presume the reason they sent them away was because the simple outdoor yard was considered too small and spartan-looking? The indoor house seems quite serviceable despite its age and I don't know whether they will have gone to anything of better standard at Blair Drummond -just a larger paddock? If they enlarged or redesigned(or both) the outdoor enclosure, could they not have them back at minimum cost?

 

[mazfc]

I certainly wouldn't like to see the giraffes back in their old outdoor area. I'm not sure the elephant grass paddock would suit them either. Even without the cost of a new house and hard standing, the grass area is not much bigger than their old area, and has incredibly steep sides which would need sorting.

I also wouldn't like to see zebra in the old Giraffe paddock. It just looks too small and exposed for them.