ZSL London Zoo ZSL London Zoo News 2014

I don't find it problematic, we were constantly raising money for something or other when I was at school. And knowing they had a part in something tangiable at the zoo could be the beginning of a lifelong relationship with ZSL for the kids involved.
 
I rather agree with you, Shirokuma. Another potentially inexpensive project that might get a bit of community fundraising (whether schools or elsewhere) might be the North Bank. Assuming that ZSL wants to retain it, there are no structures there worth keeping.

The topography will not allow heavyweight buildings, so a pragmatic plan for the land would be inexpensive - something that might be achievable by a group of enthusiasts clubbing together, in fact.
 
stulch said:
The planning application is now on Westminster's website:-

13/12883/FULL | Demolition and partial demolition of existing animal accommodation structures and walls; erection of new animal accommodation block, alterations to existing structures/enclosures/barrier protection/landscaping/footpaths and new elevat
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From a brief look at the documents and statements, it seems there will be no home for the servals, macaques or gibbons in the new development, only the Francois' langur staying in the new area.
 
stulch said:
The planning application is now on Westminster's website:-

13/12883/FULL | Demolition and partial demolition of existing animal accommodation structures and walls; erection of new animal accommodation block, alterations to existing structures/enclosures/barrier protection/landscaping/footpaths and new elevat
Click to expand...

Thank you for posting this; very interesting stuff.

It looks as if there will be langurs, hornbills and domestic animals, alongside the lions. This is better than nothing, but I'm sure I won't be alone in wishing there could be a number of exhibits for smaller birds and mammals.

Whatever - this will be a vast improvement on an area that is showing all of its 40 or so years.
 
LucasRyan said:
From a brief look at the documents and statements, it seems there will be no home for the servals, macaques or gibbons in the new development, only the Francois' langur staying in the new area.
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I have to disagree, from the final part of the planning, langurs will in fact be Hanuman langur.
 
kiang said:
I have to disagree, from the final part of the planning, langurs will in fact be Hanuman langur.
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Correct:

Primates Enclosure

The existing primate building will be retained and a new territory created around it for Hanuman Langurs that will replace the 3 existing primate and cat species. Primates are generally active throughout the whole of the day and therefore are an ideal species to compliment the large carnivores which will spend a fair percentage of the day sleeping.
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They should compliment the theming nicely? Wonder what'll happen to the other species though...
 
sooty mangabey said:
Thank you for posting this; very interesting stuff.

It looks as if there will be langurs, hornbills and domestic animals, alongside the lions. This is better than nothing, but I'm sure I won't be alone in wishing there could be a number of exhibits for smaller birds and mammals.

Whatever - this will be a vast improvement on an area that is showing all of its 40 or so years.
Click to expand...

Correct, you are not alone in your wish! I find it hard to be positive about anything which will lead to a further reduction in mammals potentially, especially yet another carnivore. I've said all this before though so better that i don't comment further, i'm sure plenty will find positivity from this.
 
sooty mangabey said:
Thank you for posting this; very interesting stuff.

It looks as if there will be langurs, hornbills and domestic animals, alongside the lions. This is better than nothing, but I'm sure I won't be alone in wishing there could be a number of exhibits for smaller birds and mammals.

Whatever - this will be a vast improvement on an area that is showing all of its 40 or so years.
Click to expand...

I agree. A definite upgrade as per today. Somewhat apprehensive of further species loss, I agree they could have included more in small birds and mammals on the perimeter to really make it stand out.

Any idea which hornbill species (greater or one of the rarer Indian subcontinent ones)?
 
kiang said:
I have to disagree, from the final part of the planning, langurs will in fact be Hanuman langur.
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I stand corrected, thank you. Is the zoo big enough for two types of langur I wonder? I assume not, so could be a lose of a successful breeding group there. Similarly if the macaques are lost. I hope homes are found elsewhere in the zoo for them at least along with the servals. Although I think the future isn't too bright for the gibbons at the zoo.

It will be interesting to see how they manage this development, as the lions would need to be moved out I assume (to Whipsnade?), I don't see them being able to develop around them what with the noise/etc. So could visitors be unable to see lions for a length of time? Its different to the tiger redevelopment, where until the final month tigers were on show and the section of the zoo being re-developed was pretty much not used anyway.
 
LucasRyan said:
Is the zoo big enough for two types of langur I wonder? I assume not, so could be a lose of a successful breeding group there.
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I'd welcome seeing all those Monkeys rehoused(in other Zoos that is) as long as they were in suitable groupings. They do seem to blow with the wind rather over choice of species- they had Hanuman Langurs (Sri Lanka ones) not that long ago but they eventually dwindled to nothing. Now its no doubt a case of choosing some geographically sympathetic species to exhibit alongside the Lions so they may have them once again. It means the existing species in that area could well be ditched- or some of them- or maybe sent to Whipsnade?
 
I think putting aside the fears of the potential species lost, the plans look very good. It is certainly as others have said a much needed upgrade for that part of the zoo, even more so when comparing what the lions have to tigers now. They have even succeeded in creating something which isn't just a tiger territory but for lions by designing an enclosure which has two very different landscaping (the forest and "beach" area) along with the 360 viewing area.

I do worry it will suffer from the same as Tiger Territory where you enter, see the lions in a single spot and then wander around a empty enclosure - which is why you do need more of the smaller animals to provide the "side show" as you walk around. Certainly more of an effort needs to be put into that than they did with Tiger Territory where all you have are malayan tapirs (which are regularly not visible).

There was initially a plan I believe to move the macaques to the Casson Pavilion where they would fit well into the geographical theme of Tiger Territory - but now two of the outside areas of Casson are taken up by the tapirs and the other one the bearded pigs, it seems unlikely, but certainly would work well there.
 
sooty mangabey said:
Thank you for posting this; very interesting stuff.

It looks as if there will be langurs, hornbills and domestic animals, alongside the lions. This is better than nothing, but I'm sure I won't be alone in wishing there could be a number of exhibits for smaller birds and mammals.

Whatever - this will be a vast improvement on an area that is showing all of its 40 or so years.
Click to expand...

If you say so, sooty.

The Lion Terraces were built with the idea of displaying diversity amongst the cat family, and London Zoo's brief ought to include keeping the rare, the obscure and the unusual.

Lions are, let's be honest, inactive beasts. An awful lot of land will be given over to very little use. Hanuman langurs (and zootiereliste shows only one group of Semnopithecus that isn't just generic, ie of real use for breeding programmes) and domestic livestock (further comment seems superfluous) really don't make up for that.

Presumably Great Indian Hornbills will be re-acquired, which is excellent, but they really ought to be part of a collection that aspires to a greater depth in both quality and quantity than ZSL appear to envisage for London Zoo.
 
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I wonder what will happen / where the now surplus animal species will go?
(Francois langur, Sulawesi crested macaque, serval, concolor (??) gibbon and spider monkeys)
 
Interestingly the former tiger enclosure seems to be staying. I wonder what will move in when the hippos move out.
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
I wonder what will happen / where the now surplus animal species will go?
(Francois langur, Sulawesi crested macaque, serval, concolor (??) gibbon and spider monkeys)
Click to expand...

A suggestion could be the okapi be moved over to the former camel and llama house, utilising part of the current giraffe paddock, with the now former okapi paddock absorbed into the giraffe paddock with the serval in an enclosure partly housed in the former cattle house.
The gibbons and the langurs could be mixed in a netted enclosure next to the Malayan tapirs in the Casson pavillion, with the Sulawesi macaque on the other side, next to the bearded pigs.
The spider monkeys would make an ideal exhibit crossing the canal with climbing ropes slung at height across the canal.
Job done! ;)
 
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