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13-11-2008

Neither would i!
You missunderstood what i was saying like the downside was that they couldnt be housed there not the bats being there.

13-11-2008

Is Kepali sumatran or a Bengal tiger ?
The stud book wouldnt mix the 2 or would they?

13-11-2008

Isn't that a wooded area? Hamadryas are semi-desert dwellers so it might have been an odd choice...

13-11-2008

Kepala is Sumatran.

He arrived at Chester whilst the two Bengal females (on loan from WMSP) were already there. Kepala then rotated his time in the enclosure with the Bengals.

In the last couple of months, the Bengals have returned to WMSP and Kirana arrived. The plan (it's mentioned in a chester thread) mentioned moving Kepala out and bringing in an unrelated pair of Sumatrans. Currently Kepala and Kirana are rotating use of the outdoor enclosure.

Kepala will leave soon and a new male will be brought in for Kirana

13-11-2008

This is going to be huge by paignton standards. How much will it cost overall? The ideas sound great although paignton have a habit of messing these things up. I don't know why they would want to demolish the barbary sheep enclosure as i really like it. Could the barbarys be housed with the baboons? I know that they don't come from the same part of africa but other zoos have done it.

13-11-2008

hELLO THERE,tHAT PLAN FOR THE NEW bABOON AREA WAS SCRAPPED AS THE neighbours [locals that is] complained as they thought the babaoons might escape and visit them.So no news on where they will make the new enclosure.I think we are talking a lot of money here .But I am sure they will get funding from the E.U. like they did with the crocodiles.Which is why they have the money 1.1/2 million left over from the croc funds! next time you go in the zoo check out the front window where they were saying how much they wanted for the crocodiles .they just swapped it over to the new baboon enclosure .No doubt they will have billy botch it in for the design hopefully not.
Talking of botch its the new tiger viewing platform has failed its 'health and safety check '.Waste of money but hey whats new.

13-11-2008

Sorry, forgot about the residents complaining. I couldn't agree more on the pointless waste of money spent on the completely unimaginative crocodile swamp and the disastrous design flaws in monkey heights. As i said in another thread, the designers should be thrown in with the baboons.

13-11-2008

Before or after they have designed another enclosure for them??

13-11-2008

So are they going to house the current group of baboons in the new enclosure, or get a new species??

13-11-2008

well it seems from the above its going to be the existing group...

13-11-2008

Ah, ok, I misread one of the posts :S

14-11-2008

From the horse's mouth:



Champagne and CHIPS at the Mistletoe Ball 13/11/2008

Paignton Zoo’s Mistletoe Ball takes place on Saturday 6th December at the Grand Hotel, Torquay.

This traditional charity curtain-raiser to the festive season features a champagne reception, four-course meal and dancing to live music from CHIPS. This year the Ball is being held to raise funds for the Zoo’s new Baboon Rock exhibit.

Neil Bemment, Curator of Mammals and Director of Operations at Paignton Zoo, said: “The original Baboon Rock opened in July 1973 and is one of the most popular exhibits in the Zoo, but after 35 years it’s starting to show its age. While it still meets the animals’ needs very well, by today’s modern zoo standards, and the high standards which Paignton Zoo sets for itself, it is now past its sell-by-date.”

Experts have concluded that renovating the enclosure would not be cost-effective. The Zoo hopes to build an exciting new baboon exhibit on the site of other aging buildings nearby. The project is due to go out to tender in due course.

Neil Bemment again: “The new exhibit will include a realistic rock-work backdrop with kopje-style hills, water features, different natural substrates, an unimpaired view of the animals and excellent off-show areas to make the management of the group for daily cleaning and veterinary purposes as easy as possible. The cost of the project is expected to be in the region of £1 to £1.5 million. We hope the new exhibit will be open by 2011.”

Hamadryas baboons (Papio hamadryas) are found in eastern Ethiopia, northern Somalia, Sudan and along the coastal ranges of south-western Arabia. They are not threatened as such, but their range is comparatively restricted so they are listed as ‘Vulnerable’ in the IUCN Red Data Book. "

As I suggested before, it's likely to be on the site of the small mammal house and winter quarters (and I was right about the water feature too!)

14-11-2008

2011, thats ages! sounds good though

14-11-2008

That explains a lot. Its a great deal of money to spend on a non-endangered species enclosure but they are such an excellent exhibit I can understand why they are doing it. It makes me feel old as I can remember the existing rock being built. I hope the new one is as spacious and works as well as the old one has done- just with better viewing access..

Will you be tucking in at this 'Mistletoe Ball'?...

14-11-2008

So I will Bang my tamborine too BUT>>>>>>>>>>why are they raising money for the new build when it has already been raised for all to see!No doubt they will lie about that too.....In fact if it only costs £! million then the zoo is quids in that can only be a good thing