This is just a bit of fun to judge the general consensus on the best enclosure for Gorillas in the UK. I have added a few photos from the gallery to make it easier for members to compare the different exhibits. If anyone wants to make an argument for a particular enclosure, please feel free to do so. Also, I would encourage people to list the enclosures in order of what they think is best. If there are any outdated photos, collections that no longer hold them or people have photos for exhibits not in the gallery or with poor photos please let me know. Howletts @MagpieGoose Belfast @Green_mamba @Bhutan Blackpool @MagpieGoose @MagpieGoose Chessington @Crowthorne London @twilighter @MagpieGoose Port Lympne @MagpieGoose @MagpieGoose @MagpieGoose Paignton @gulogulogulo @MagpieGoose Twycross @Benosaurus @Benosaurus Longleat @JamesB Jersey @Bonobob @Gigit (I've heard the gorillas are getting a new house built here, is it complete yet, or are they still using this house? Let me know.)
A very difficult decision here, less due to the abundance of strong enclosures and rather due to the lack of it. For example, Paignton may well have the best outdoor enclosure of the lot - truly beautiful with a wonderful selection of foliage and a wetland-like design, while still having ample climbing and using the hilly setting to offer the gorillas privacy. However, as is sadly the case with so many gorillas in captivity, they rarely use the outdoor area (from my own visits and from what regulars have informed me) and the indoor is far too poor to make up for it, depressingly dark and very barren, with little to no straw for foraging. Longleat also offers a lot of outdoor space, and from experience (only two visits, so not worth much) the gorillas seem to use it more than at other zoos - the issue here is of course the fact that it is only seen from a boat ride, meaning that the indoors is offshow and you are seeing it from a distance. By contrast, Howletts offers a series of excellent indoor cages, which are covered with straw for foraging, lined with mesh roofs for scatter feeds, and feature all sorts of excellent climbing apparatus. I don't think I have ever enjoyed admiring gorillas as much as I did on my visit here, as they used straw to create ice skates for their drained pool, or used what appeared to be a slide. However, it lacks a traditional, grassy outdoor area - I am not sure whether the gorillas are all that bothered, but it is clearly lacking in naturalism, and given how intelligent these animals are, I suspect they may have noticed. Although I have never visited, Port Lympne seems to be better by virtue of combining this with a traditional outdoors, although even then (from photos, and I would be curious to hear from someone who has seen it in person) it seems a little too barren. This may sound odd, given how much criticism it has received on this forum, but as an all-rounder, London's is probably the best. It has an excellent indoors with plenty of climbing and, most importantly, natural substrate that allows for foraging, as well as an extensive offshow area connected by overhead tunnels. The outdoors is very spacious, with ample retreats for the gorillas among the long grass or behind the rolling hills to offer privacy, as well as extensive climbing that is often littered with enrichment boxes. The arrival of silverback Kiburi seems to have given the gorillas more confidence, as unlike with the majority of UK zoos (Longleat seeming to be an exception from my experience) they actually use the outdoor areas here on a regular basis, but only since his arrival. It's a good enclosure, and the gorillas seem to be appreciative of it, as there have already been two births this year! All things considered, I voted for London, but am not entirely sure that it deserves it. Unlike orangutans and chimpanzees, we seem to be lacking any single outstanding gorilla enclosure in the UK. That said I haven't seen all of them, and from images Jersey and Blackpool look like good enclosures and potential title contenders (Jersey less so due to the barren and unattractive indoors) as well, so I will be interested to hear from someone who has visited.
We will have Bristol to add soon. For now, from a visitor & animal point of view, only London really works.
It's neat for me to follow along with these U.K. threads, even though I've not been to any of the zoos. I feel that @Kalaw has offered up an excellent recap of the Gorilla exhibits here, with London almost a begrudging winner due to the flaws of others. For sure, Twycross has to be the worst of the lot and it's totally inadequate these days for great apes. If politics and international boundaries were set aside for a moment, it would be interesting for someone to compare London's Gorilla exhibit with the one at Dublin Zoo in the Rep. of Ireland.
I admittedly haven't visited Twycross, but it surely cannot be worse than Chessington, which I have seen in person two years ago and was appalled by. No outdoor access, poor separation options, extremely limited height of the climbing apparatus, blatantly fake mock rock (not that the gorillas mind) and a lot of poorly lit areas; the only silver lining is the straw on the floor and the mesh walls. It is probably the worst gorilla enclosure that I have seen by some margin - even worse than the notorious one at Zurich in Switzerland that so many zoo enthusiasts have criticised, in my opinion!
Paignton's indoor area is badly designed architecturally as the large window behind the gorillas means they are largely silhouetted and so difficult to see. The outside is fine but as you observe given free access they nearly always prefer to be indoors a lot of the time. Longleat- if they appear to like being outside it will be because they are shut out- at least in decent weather-otherwise the boatloads of visitors would not see them.. London. IMO the indoor dayroom is too small, otherwise okay though they have made it more difficult to see them with the hessian blinds,painted windows etc. most zoos with indoor gorilla exhibits leave it more open.Outside is good. If Kiburi goes outside a lot it may be because they were shut out in the daytime at Loro Park where he used to live so he has the habit.. Or maybe its just that with a silverback present again who goes outside at intervals,,where he goes,the group follows Chessington. Copied from Howletts but needs upgrading or a new enclosure.as in a poor state No indoor viewing is a big downside too.Talked about over many years but doesn't ever happen. Twycross it's not the best but for a small group of 5 with no likely breeding in the future it is adequate imo.Plans to replace it seem to have been pushed back yet again.
Not sure where I would put my vote..london/howletts/Pl are the strongest contenders probably. Bristol will certainly build a really nice enclosure but it's taking a long time. Jersey outdoors is good but the small inside is in bad need of replacing and currently awaiting the rebuild which seems a big issue at present.
I doubt it, given the fact that gorillas aren't exactly known for coming from open, grassy areas I'd tend to argue that the complex, multi-level cage exhibits providing large areas of shade and shelter, and excellent foraging opportunities, at Howletts do a significantly better job of representing the natural habitat of Western Lowland Gorilla than anywhere else in the UK does, barring Port Lympne. As such, given the fact I have less familiarity with PL than I do Howletts, that's where I have placed my vote!
Technically it's not on here yet, but the new Bristol zoo's gorilla enclosure looks like it will be amazing!
There is a whole forum about yorkshire wildlife park and a gorilla exhibit in the future here. Proposed Gorilla Exhibit [Yorkshire Wildlife Park]
Unfortunately the whole plan went down the drain when the business plan for ywp went belly up with the closure of Doncaster airport,as a result the conference facilities that they were building now stand as a steel frame untouched since before COVID, and the plans for the gorillas was pulled from going before the planning committee of the local council, so therefore is a dead duck and not a live one now.
Bristol always do very attractive new builds. I am sure when finished it will move into one of the highest positions on such a list. The only downside is the time it has taken to even get to preparing the ground but I think it is in progress now. Opening not till 2025 though.
I always think Blackpool deserve an award for inovation here. They took a previously bare and rocky water -moated 'mountain' originally used for Chamois, planted(or allowed) tree/scrub growth on it and connected it to the existing gorilla enclosure with a bridge. The Gorillas look good on it and its extended their outdoor area with a completely different dimension for them- they seem to like it a lot too.
In response to some of the earlier comments, I have to say that none of UK exhibits are bad, probably all are better than what I have seen of Zürich?!
Unfortunately still waiting for them to be resubmitted, although they did submit a raft of alterations to the hive area.
This is Jersey's current gorilla house, opened 1981, built for their original silverback Jambo and females. It must have been pretty cutting edge but clearly time has caught up. They did a big fundraising sculpture trail pre-Covid for the new house and I think raised over £1mil towards it. Chatted to one of the gorilla keepers last time I was there and he said that it will be 5-6 times the size of the current house and 3 stories, hopefully opening 2025 for Gerald Durrell's 100th birthday. It will also allow them to bring in new females and breed again (currently have a troop of 1.4). The outside is still fantastic in 2024, huge space with lots of natural planting and climbing structures. I'd wager once the new house is operational this could well be the UK's best gorilla enclosure. Will be interesting to see Bristol Zoo Project's new complex also, and which one of the two will be open first next year! Personally really dislike the gorilla cages of the Aspinall zoos and Chessington. I'd say London is probably the best gorilla enclosure in the UK currently.
The green leaf decals at London were originally put up soon after their previous silverback Kumbuka arrived, as he was very people reactive. They increased in number until they practically covered the entire window. Since he died most have been removed, there were only a few decal strips left at the weekend. New silverback Kiburi is less people reactive, and definitely more confident with using the outside space, which has encouraged the others outside more too. Their indoor housing does feel too small though, considering how much it is used. I've seen London, Blackpool, Twycross, Howletts, Chessington and Paignton of the exhibits listed. Chessington's is too small, but the gorillas seem to do well there, and have always been active. Similarly, Howlett's cages don't look great, but they suit the gorillas well and replicate the 'feel' of an enclosed forest for them, even if it is all metal. Paignton's looks nice, but the island is probably too 'open' for the gorillas. Twycross is very small, and with not much looking to change for quite some time there. Can't recall Blackpool's much, so it hasn't stuck in my mind. I also saw Bristol's before they closed, and seemed like it would have been a good contender if they were still open. As it is, my vote goes to London. It isn't perfect, but has the right balance, and their breeding record recently shows the space is working.
