Macaque Exhibit at Tierpark Berlin, 30/08/11

Exhibit for Barbary Macaques. An odd exhibit, as its style bears no relation either to the rest of the zoo or the species that lives there!

Can anybody explain this exhibit to me? When I first visited the Tierpark in 2003 this exhibit was inhabited by japanese macaques which fit the japanese temple theme in the exhibit. A new exhibit for the japanese macaques opened in 2004 and barbary macaques moved into the japanese temple. Why didn't the japanese macaques stay here while the barbary macaques moved to the new exhibit?

This exhibit is close to the Africanum so it fits the theme better (the Japanese macaques now reside closer to Asian ugulates etc.). Besides the building material stems from Berlin's post-war ruins no authentic Japanese temples etc. So it's even geographically closer to Northern Africa, but I don't know the actual architectural style of the Berber or Japanese people to make a judgment on the overall authenticity. The monkeys seem to enjoy both exhibits, though.