Twycross Orangutan moves. » Twycross Zoo

22-11-2007

It was many years ago now but I remember he was asked to transfer several female Gorillas to other zoos in the UK(including Twycross!!!) He wrote a scathing attack in the International Zoo News(which I think he owned at the time) saying how animals which had been transferred out in the past had mostly not prospered or bred in their new locations,(which was true) and that they wouldn't comply with any more similar requests. Nowadays they do send Gorillas and other animals to other zoos 'on loan'- but these are still mostly spare males. They also usually make a proviso of receiving female offspring in exchange. I think in recent years they are possibly more sympathetic to EEP guidelines than they used to be in the olden days.

Re Rhinos- yes, many black rhino enclosures in Urban zoos are still far too small and unsuited to receiving new animals- especially ones previously used to having lots of space as at Port Lympne.

22-11-2007

yeeees... I have some reservations about this too I'm afraid. I believe the 'new' management regime has been in situ for a lot more than twelve months now, but I'm still waiting to see the changes....

22-11-2007

Options;

1. I think they will add a new male..... but it might take a while. Kumbuka at Paignton would be ideal, they could take him NOW!!!

2. If they don't want to do that, then send Asante (particularly) and Ozala to a proven breeding male as soon as possible. Ozala's son Matadi(4 years) should stay with his mother for some time yet though. He's genetically important and needs good social rearing, that also means not being placed in a batchelor group too early.

3. SamSam and Bongo and Biddy could stay on exhibit as they are. Biddy has a breeding daughter(ozala) so not so important if she doesn't breed anymore. Bongo will never breed- she's more like a male!

4. How many decent ape enclosures could they build for £11 million...

22-11-2007

At least 7!!!

The orang house at Chester was nearly 4 million, and the exhibit at London was 5 Million, so in theory, they could make loads more than that.
Saying that the new exhibit at LA, cost something in the region of $20 million

22-11-2007

And I second that we - taun, Pertinax and all the rest of us - petition Twycross Zoo as a positive action to do something drastic about the Twycross ape accomodation inside and outside wise! [/quote]

Hear hear! And surely if you donated to the fund for new orangutan equipment, and a large part of the money raised was used for something else that you wouldn't have contributed to (eg visitor facilities), then you could ask for your money back. They've got their priorities all wrong.

22-11-2007

Jelle,

Will tell you what i can.i agree with you all over the concerns over the management of some species over the years but this was very much due to the to old dears(Nat and Molly) and a small number of keepers who are still stuck in the rut from that era.But on with what i know abour develoment plans as every one is aware the first is the new entrance/shop/restuarant and Snow Leopard enclosure and an aviary,their are plans for a new Lion and Dhole enclosures at the back of the Elephant House/Paddock,as for any changes to the primate enclosures their are none that i know of,alot of mammal species have been talked about bringing in including Rhino and Bears been the most un-Twycross animals mentioned,also their are plans to expand the bird collection the first of which is their new wetlands Aviarys exhibit which opened this year.As i hear of any other plans will let you know.

23-11-2007

We seem to have opened a can of worms here... I didn't realise others felt strongly about the Ape accomodation and management situation as I do, but that's a good thing.

I really wouldn't expect to see any changes to the existing Ape enclosures, given the Bonobo and Gorilla ones are all quite recently built, while the Orangutan enclosure has been 'refurbished' and(soon) the number of inhabitants reduced. Its a sad fact they obviously have very many other more new developments which will take priority at present.

What COULD easily be done is some landscape improvements to make the existing enclosures more attractive and interesting, in the form of planting, climbing and enrichment facilities. And a new young male for Asante and Ozala a.s.a.p. Then I'd be a lot happier.

23-11-2007

Those I would approve of... the existing Asian Lion and Dhole enclosures are pretty small and basic so I can see the sense in building new modern ones.

I'm always surprised Twycross have no zebras- it seems an odd omission after all this time- and they are easy to house too...

23-11-2007

zoogiraffe,

Thanx for letting us in on the plans on offer at Twycross. Some of these look good (dholes and Asian lions) and are of conservation value too. I guess their policy to bring in more mammalian and avian species is to broaden the scope of the zoo .. isn't it?

What interests me there .. is apart from a masterplan is there something like a new defined mission for the zoo after the Molly Badham era?

Do you agree the primate collection could serve as a focal point for ex situ and in situ conservation. Their strong point has always been colobines, cercopithecines, langurs and gibbons. Coupled with the successful great ape groups (bonobos and orang utans) that should count for something .. don't you think?

Cheers,

Jelle

24-11-2007

They do now call them selves the World Primate Centre,which is a bit bold as their is a collection in Japan with more species.Wouldn`t say that cercopithecines was a strong point as the last time they bred one would probaly be in the late 80`s or early 90`s unless any one knows different,as for the rest yep i would agree Twycross has a good record and any zoo that has a good record with Langurs is fine with me but they could do so much more with them,someone i know use to be a keeper with the Langurs but he left to work at another zoo because he felt restricted in what he could do with them under Molly and Nat,forgot to mention they are thinking of building a house to handle a Bull Elephant.

24-11-2007

Excellent undertaking to plan to get a bull elephant. Perhaps a move is also on for giraffes (pure-breds) and gorillas yet!!!

Shame that a langur keeper left the collection pre- new era .. I hope this will be rectified now new management is in place. Just thinking how Twycross and Port Lympne could go into Indo Chinese and Indonesian vulnerable/endangered langur species and go forward with breeding them (a lot has been learned lately especially diet wise!!!).

24-11-2007

A move to pure Giraffes would be great but un-likely in the near future as one Female is pregnant at the moment.As for working with Port Lympne that is a great idea would also make alot of sense.

25-11-2007

[quote=zoogiraffe;27518]A move to pure Giraffes would be great but un-likely in the near future as one Female is pregnant at the moment.[quote]

1. I believe the previous male giraffe at Twycross was called 'Zoolu' and came from Paignton where he'd been handreared. (His parents being the purebred Rothschilds pair which died in the fire). His arrival was mentioned but I've never heard his name since... so I presume he died? I think the current male is a different one. Do you know where it came from?

Even if 'Zoolu' had bred, the calves wouldn't have been pure on the mother's side.

2. Monkeys- Do you know which species of Guenon monkeys(if any) Twycross have bred in recent years? They seem to have mostly individual pairs, not groups, and I don't remember seeing any babies for a long time. Whereas the Langurs and Colobus are larger units and always seem to have young...

25-11-2007

The male giraffe at Twycross is called Justin, he came from Suffolk Wildlife Park which is where he was born.

As my nearest big zoo its exciting to see talk of potential new developments at Tywcross - I'm very much looking forward to the snow leopards already, and bears would be just brilliant! I have got a lot of time for this zoo actually - like any its not without its faults, but I think it is a very good place overall.

25-11-2007

1.Sand Cat is quite right the Male Giraffe is called Justin (Named after Justin Hawkins from the Darkness for those of you musicly inclined),as for his purity he`s about as pure as Heinz 57,so why the hell have they bred from him???
2.Good question asked this question myself earlier in the thread still trying to come up with a answer myself have been going to Twycross regularly for over 10 years and cannot find an record of a baby Guenon in any of my notes for that time,so does any body no the answer to this?