Wilhelma Zoo Wilhelma zoo, Stuttgart

For some reasons, i look for pictures of the old bear enclosures i guess left of the main entrance. Those rude cages were replaced in my childhood but i just lime see what they were looking like. Maybe someone can help? Another dream would be apicture of the "old" C.porosus, best in comparison with a person to illustrate the size of the animal and the "enclosure",.....i hope someone has such pictures? Thanks.
 
Those bear pits must be where the aviaries are, and must be a improvment as the aviary complex is wonderful. I also don't know why they dont use the fields and build good primate, ungulate, and big cat areas (the areas that I thought were atrocious.
I think that some of the grassy areas in the middle of the park could be turnede into something too, probably hippos as there exhibit were especially bad.

The areas that definately don't need to be changed(best bits). amazon house, insect house, aviaries, children's zoo, mountain area.
 
@PeGe
Please ask your question under forum.zoofreunde.net or tiergarten.com - The online-shop of Schling Buchkurier - I promise you will get an answer.

@Epickoala
A great part of Wilhelma is declared a listed monument, for example the laws between the green houses and the Damaszener-House with the flamingo pool. Therefor it is impossible to built enclosures there.
 
thank you!
I don't like the real-name-thing at tiergarten.com, so i think i will use the other discussion board.
 
Last night an important birth at Stuttgart : a bonobo was born.
It comes even better becouse 2 further females are pregnant !
 
The Gorillas were moved to the new ape house today... everything gone to plan :)
 
New Ape house finished : costs 22 milion Euro !
Home to 12 Gorillas and 13 Bonobos.
Outside area : 3400 squar meters
Inside area 2000 squar meters
 
Can anyone tell us more about the new ape house and particularly how it benefits the nursery gorillas in terms of socialisation please?
 
Well, I can, although only the first part of your question (and only from visitors view).

While the outside exhibits of the complex are good (Gorillas) to very good (Bonobos) because of a many climbing opportunities, a lot of natural substrate etc., the inside exhibits are a dark hole of steril ground and tons of concrete and iron (not to forget the disturbing reflections because of the stupid angles of the windows).
I have absolutely no idea, why the responsible persons spent millions of Euros for an inside exhibit, which is more or less the same outdated enclosure as the old ape house, but a little bigger.
While I was visiting the new complex, I was talking to a local - obviously an ape fan who knew every individual ape and their relationship. He told me that the steril ground was built because the Wihlema apes are - as a result of their decades in steril exhibits - to sensitive (or not resistant enough) to get a deadly virus or germs...(?!)
 
zoomaniac said:
He told me that the steril ground was built because the Wihlema apes are - as a result of their decades in steril exhibits - to sensitive (or not resistant enough) to get a deadly virus or germs...(?!)
Click to expand...

But if they have access to natural substrates outdoors, doesn't that mean they could pick up germs/viruses there?
 
I agree fully with Zoomaniac in his opinon of he new Apehouse-I was shocked, when I saw it last summer. But there are some small araes in the inside exhibits with bark mulch.

I don't think, Stuttgarts Apes have not resistance enough aganist germs and viruses, they can translated also by the air, and many other Zoos have kept their apes for decades in houses and outdoor Cages the same style like the Wilhelma.

I belive, they have built the new house in the old style, just with a Little bit of more space, improvements and more enrichment ( Tv ! )and better outdoor exhibts, because it is very functional, easy and quick to clean and because it has worked well it for more than 40 years.
 
OrangePerson said:
Can anyone tell us more about the new ape house and particularly how it benefits the nursery gorillas in terms of socialisation please?
Click to expand...

To answer your question :

The Gorilla nursery is now near by the indoor exhibit of the breeding Group;only seperated by a window and a fence. So the gorilla babies have optical and soft physical contact to the adult Gorillas, and they are almost part of the social life in a Gorilla Group.But of course tehy ahve hding places, if tehy don't want to have any contact to the adults. If the handraised Gorillas are old enough for a compelte contact, the window can be opened in a small part, big enough for the handraised animals and the natural raised babies in the Groups, so they can visit each other, but its not big enough for the adults-so its impossible to them, to get into the "Baby exhibit".
 
@Pertinax and Bib Fortuna ref. viruses/germs: That were exactly my thoughts too. I only wrote what I was told...
 
Bib Fortuna said:
The Gorilla nursery is now near by the indoor exhibit of the breeding Group;only seperated by a window and a fence. So the gorilla babies have optical and soft physical contact to the adult Gorillas,

If the handraised Gorillas are old enough for a compelte contact, the window can be opened in a small part, big enough for the handraised animals and the natural raised babies in the Groups, so they can visit each other, but its not big enough for the adults-so its impossible to them, to get into the "Baby exhibit".
Click to expand...

Thankyou for this, its the first time I've heard an actual description of the new set-up. Two questions arising;

1. Can the handraised babies actually touch(if they want to) and smell the adults through mesh, or is it a glass window only?

2. What stops the handraised babies getting in with the main group during the meetings of H/r and m/r young in the situation you describe in the second part.? Or can they if they want to?
 
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