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Best enclosure / exhibit design for lesser known smaller mammals.

Discussion in 'General Zoo Discussion' started by Onychorhynchus coronatus, 15 Nov 2020.

  1. Onychorhynchus coronatus

    Onychorhynchus coronatus Well-Known Member

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    This is really great @Jarne and thank you for your contribution in this thread.

    The enclosures look pretty good and sizeable and I really like that the mouse deer and the slender loris were housed together as a mixed species exhibit.

    I know that one species is from the Philippines and the other from the Indian subcontinent so it isn't exactly biogeographically correct but they are both Asiatic species of conservation concern and so the exhibit seems to have worked pretty well.

    Seems that there were plenty of climbing opportunities for the loris and space for the mouse deer and I see that there were quite a few of these little animals kept.
     
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  2. Jarne

    Jarne Well-Known Member

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    Sri-lanken mouse deer species are not available, so they had to make due with what they got. I can say it's a great combination between a fully terrestrial and almost fully arboreal species, and all three species bred well there.

    Also nice to mention is that their nocturama was also part of the APOPO operation. They both kept and trained Gambian pouched rats in it as well as educating the public via small video fragments about the mine-clearing they did. It wasn't an endangered species, but rather a perfect example of coöperation between man and animal to save both people and wild animals from mine-accidents.
     
  3. Onychorhynchus coronatus

    Onychorhynchus coronatus Well-Known Member

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    Well I don't think it was too bad a mix even if biogeographically incorrect as I prefer the Philippine mouse deer anyway as it is of conservation concern and the Sri Lankan species isn't.

    Sounds like a fascinating programe with the Gambian pouched rat too, I've heard of their use in mine clearing and it is absolutely amazing what these "hero rats" do.
     
  4. Jarne

    Jarne Well-Known Member

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    Fun fact, the Antwerp University Biology department has played an important part in setting up the project. A year or two ago magazines about XX years of hero-rats were made available in our communal "Biology room". They are also involved in TBC-detection amazingly enough.
     
  5. Onychorhynchus coronatus

    Onychorhynchus coronatus Well-Known Member

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    It must be amazing to work on that project, I know it isn't biodiversity conservation related, but it is still fascinating to work with these fascinating small mammals and to contribute to excellent humanitarian work.
     
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  6. Westcoastperson

    Westcoastperson Well-Known Member

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    The Langur exhibit at the Los Angeles Zoo is in my opinion one of the best primate exhibits in the whole zoo. It looks amazing, the large oaks add a nice ambiance, there is great glass viewing and net viewing, and it's built on a hillside so you look down a hill which I always felt was a creative way to see them in the trees but also avoiding the need for a climb up stairs or ramps.
     
    Last edited: 17 Nov 2020
  7. Onychorhynchus coronatus

    Onychorhynchus coronatus Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for your comments @Westcoastperson !

    What species of langur are kept here ?
     
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  8. Westcoastperson

    Westcoastperson Well-Known Member

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    Francois' Langur
     
  9. Onychorhynchus coronatus

    Onychorhynchus coronatus Well-Known Member

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    Two other enclosures for an endangered small mammal species, the volcano rabbit (or "teporingo" as it is known in Mexico), at two different zoos are worth mentioning.

    I've used the excellent photos of zoochatter Estimado @carlos55 in this comment to highlight why I find these enclosures brilliant. I hope he doesn't mind my use of them to illustrate the points nor find it disrespectful.

    Zoologico de Chapultepec

    The colony of volcano rabbits is significant for many reasons but probably the most notable reason is in conservation terms. It is the only colony of this species held by a zoo that has ever thrived and where breeding and survivorship ex-situ has been good enough (and even then it has been far from perfect with the species doing much better being kept ex-situ within its habitat).
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    It is quite a large roofed enclosure with an earthen floor and is planted quite densely with clumps of zacatuche grass. Zacatuche is the high altitude growing grass species that forms the majority of the diet of the species in the wild and which the rabbits will hide in from predators, tunnel and browse through and line their burrows with. It is therefore an essential part of their nutritional and enrichment requirement either in captivity or the wild.
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    There are also numerous rocks, boulders and ledges to perch on, hollow logs to hide within and run through and a backdrop of a volcanic rock walls with burrow systems that would also be used by the species in its montane habitat. Little hide boxes / shelters are provisioned throughout the enclosure for the animals to build nests in and to encourage / stimulate breeding further.
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    Safety barriers around the glass windows of the exhibit here are more for the safety of the rabbits and prevent the occasional disruptive or ignorant visitor common to zoos the world over from banging on the glass and startling these easily stressed animals. It doesn't always work out though as children will sometimes misbehave through occasionally climbing over the barriers and banging on the windows.
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    Noise levels are encouraged to be kept at a minimum around the exhibit to reduce stress further. However, as this is a busy inner city zoo with hundred if not thousands of visitors a day passing through its gates this doesn't always work out in practice.
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    The positioning of the enclosure is in a shady spot within the "temperate biome" themed zone of the zoo but periods of indirect sunlight are frequent depending on the season and time of the day / position of the sun.
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    The species breeds here like...well...rabbits so there are near enough always young animals in the enclosure either scurrying around or being fed by their mothers that can be seen by visitors. I think that this constant presence of infant animals in this enclosure greatly adds to the appeal of the species and exhibit to the visitors. A couple more breeding colonies of the species are held by Chapultepec zoo but these are kept out of public view.
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    The activity levels of these animals in conditions that are as optimum as they can get in a public zoo located at lower elevations and are excellent for watching these rabbits. Depending on the time of the way they can be either lazing in the sun or shade or quite active chasing eachother around the enclosure in dominance squabbles, mating, perching on the grass clumps or rocks etc.

    [​IMG]

    Though the birds mostly go unnoticed it is actually a mixed species exhibit and a couple of pairs of painted buntings also inhabit the enclosure. These species seem to do well together and as they are native to the same habitat and region it is a biogeographically correct mix and one with some educational value.

    [​IMG]

    The information signs are quite attractive in my opinion in terms of their colours / graphics / illustrations and the content is neither too overwhelming or underwhelming. There is a brief overview of the ecology, morphology, conservation status and the status of this rabbit as a "living fossil".
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    The signage is complemented by environmental education talks and occasional exhibitions on the species given by the zoos excellent education team. This really hits home the message to the general public just how endangered this species is and the anthropogenic drivers of its endangerment.

    Some of the educators and displays also talk of / convey the cultural importance of this animal to past civilizations of the Valley of Mexico such as the Aztecs which helps to place the importance of this animal as a part of Mexico's cultural heritage.

    *To the Aztecs this animal was linked with the rabbit diety "Ometochtli" and associated with drunkeness, the alcoholic drink pulque (a beverage made from fermented cactus which is still drunk to this day in Mexico), the moon and their cyclical calender.

    Here is a short video of some of the teporingos in their enclosure at Chapultepec that gives a bit more an impression of how it looks.



    Zoologico de los Coyotes

    This "rabbit house" isn't as big as the one Chapultepec zoo and so holds a slightly smaller colony of this species for the captive breeding program. However, it still has a great design (though some people might think it looks too utilitarian) in terms of consideration of the husbandry of the species in my opinion.

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    Like Chapultepec the enclosure also is a roofed enclosure with an earthen floor and is planted with clumps of zacatuche grass in which the rabbits hide in and browse upon, rocks to perch on, hollow logs to hide within and run through and a backdrop of a volcanic rock wall with tunnels which mimic burrow systems. The positioning of the enclosure is in a shady spot but one that allows for periods of indirect sunlight too depending on the time of the day / position of the sun.
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    Safety barriers around the glass windows of the exhibit here are more for the safety of the rabbits and prevent the occasional disruptive or ignorant visitor common to zoos the world over from banging on the glass and startling these easily stressed animals.
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    The enclosure is located in a quieter area of the zoo in terms of anthropogenic noise (close to the Mexican wolf which is also a species easily stressed) so stressful stimuli is kept at a minimum.
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    Similarly, it is also a mixed species exhibit and a couple of pairs of painted buntings also inhabit the enclosure. As in Chapultepec zoo the species seem to do well together and as they are native to the same habitat and region it is a biogeographically correct mix.
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    The birds are more frequently noticed at Los Coyotes by the visitors as the enclosure is much smaller than the one in Chapultepec.
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    The activity levels of these animals in conditions that are as optimum as they can get in a public zoo located at lower elevations are excellent for watching these rabbits. Los Coyotes being a far quieter zoo than Chapultepec is actually a far bet option to see these animals.
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    From what I remember the information signage around the enclosure could be much better. However, in direct educational terms the Los Coyotes exhibit is brilliant for the public and in the past I've watched adults, families and children laughing and smiling at them which really does highlight the educational value of it.

    The Los Coyotes teporingo / volcano rabbit enclosure can be seen in the video below from minute 5:39 to 8:16. The professional being interviewed is Dr Alejandro Fernandez who oversees the zoo and is a brilliant biologist / conservationist and just an all around nice guy.

     
    Last edited: 17 Nov 2020
  10. TinoPup

    TinoPup Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    It's wonderful to see such large exhibits for rabbits!!
     
  11. Onychorhynchus coronatus

    Onychorhynchus coronatus Well-Known Member

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    Yes, I totally agree @TinoPup :).

    The exhibit at Chapultepec zoo is much larger than the one at Los Coyotes by a lot.

    However, I think both of these do the job very well (but obviously not 100 % perfect and by no means as good as ex-situ enclosures within the natural habitat) in both husbandry terms and educational engagement with the public.
     
    Last edited: 17 Nov 2020
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  12. Onychorhynchus coronatus

    Onychorhynchus coronatus Well-Known Member

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    Thank you for the comment @birdsandbats and sorry about my late reply.

    I agree with you about active small mammals having the potential to be the most engaging and memorable zoo animals and crowd favourites. I've seen this with my own eyes on many occasions in zoos and it is one of the reasons why I will never believe that it takes tigers, lions, elephants and giraffes to get the public through the entrance.

    Those examples you've given are great but can you think of an exhibit / enclosure in particular at a zoo that held a threatened small mammal that was memorable in its design in terms of meeting the husbandry requirements of the species kept or educational / engaging for the general public?
     
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  13. Onychorhynchus coronatus

    Onychorhynchus coronatus Well-Known Member

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    Thank you for your comment @Westcoastperson and I'm sorry for my late reply.

    The Francois langur is an interesting species indeed and definitely of top conservation concern given the threats that face it in the wild.

    I looked in the gallery and I couldn't find a picture that gave a full view of the enclosure but I did find some pictures of those oak trees that you mention.

    They do indeed seem to give both a nice ambiance to the exhibit and clearly from the images below are also greatly appreciated by the monkeys themselves.

    I think that visitors probably also enjoy seeing the monkeys climbing and perched up in the trees too rather than on artificial climbing structures that are so common in most zoos.

    (By the way, once again I have to say I'm sorry about posting more of your pictures Estimado @carlos55 it is just they are really very good and illustrate the topic at hand so well)

    [​IMG]

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    Last edited: 17 Nov 2020
  14. carlos55

    carlos55 Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Muchas gracias, estimado OC, i am very happy to see you use my photos
     
  15. Onychorhynchus coronatus

    Onychorhynchus coronatus Well-Known Member

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    Muchas gracias estimado Carlos :), thank you very much for this once again.


    Your photos are excellent and really give a good impression of the enclosures and the species kept.
     
    Last edited: 17 Nov 2020
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  16. Onychorhynchus coronatus

    Onychorhynchus coronatus Well-Known Member

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    As I've done bats and lagomorphs I thought I'd do a comment on an enclosure design that impress me greatly and that holds small primates / monkeys.

    I've used some great photos of the zoochatters @KevinVar and @Rick J in this comment to highlight why I find these enclosures brilliant. I hope they don't mind my use of them to illustrate the points nor find it disrespectful.

    Black lion tamarin enclosures

    As with the Livingstone's fruit bat the black lion tamarin is a species that has quite a long history with the Durrell trust and Jersey zoo. Jersey have kept this species for many decades now and in 1990 were the first zoo outside of Brazil to manage to breed this species. Individuals from Jersey have also be reintroduced back to the wild at Moro do Diabo National park so this is a captive population that is deeply significant in both in ex-situ conservation terms and in-situ.
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    Unfortunately, I've never been to Jersey zoo (though I would like to go in the future) so I am making this comment based on what I have seen in the gallery, in videos, what people who have been there have told me and in journal papers on husbandry and conservation that I have read.
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    What is so remarkable about this particular enclosure is just how beautifully and naturalistically planted it is and just how uncannily the dense vegetation inside resembles the habitat of the tamarin in the wild.

    I count myself as incredibly lucky to have seen the black lion tamarin in the wild here in Brazil and the vegetation structure of the remaining fragments of the Atlantic rainforest where this species is clinging on to survival looks just like this. The Moro do Diabo national park is semi-deciduous tropical rainforest / secondary forest and the species shows a preference for edge habitats where there is higher diversity of plant species and some breaks in the canopy.

    Some might say that the distance of the enclosure from the path and how densely planted and gloomy it looks detracts from the visitor really getting a good look at these monkeys. However, to me personally what it really shows is a greater and correct (scientific) level of prioritization being shown to the wellbeing of the species.

    Many visitors may be unaware of this but as they watch the tamarins within these enclosures they are actually watching an animal being primed to the fullest ability to express its natural behaviour for future reintroduction which in my opinion is valuable in terms of education in itself.

    The education signage is well produced in terms of design and graphics and highlights the role of the Durrell trust in the in-situ conservation of the species here in Brazil. This encourages / stimulates interest in the visitor and gives a feeling of appreciation for and participation in the greater mission of the Durrell trust.

    Other Callitrichid enclosures at Jersey

    The other enclosures for Callitrichid species at Jersey also seem to be very impressive structures and also illustrate the level of care that is given / provided to the species that are kept here.
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    Like with the black lion tamarin the majority of the enclosures appear to be set back from the path in order to avoid causing undue stress from noise or activities of the visitors to the animals. The animals can hide away amongst the foilage or in their indoor shelters if they feel like doing so and are not shut outside to be in public view all of the time.
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    The beautiful and naturalistic planting of the enclosure with its vegetation promotes natural behaviours such as hunting for insects. As so many of these species are "leaf-gleaners" that in their wild state spent a great deal of time hunting insects amongst the foilage of the rainforest whether Amazon or Atlantic. This is an excellent encouragement of natural behaviours which promote wellbeing and enrichment of the occupants.

    In regards to species kept like the pied tamarin in particular (another endangered Brazilian primate the Durrell trust works with ex-situ and in-situ) this is a very important consideration. This is a highly strung species which is very prone to stress and stress induced illness in captivity which can even kill it.
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    The use of the surrounding trees and landscape around the enclosures is also very impressive and no doubt this naturalism helps these monkeys to feel at ease in terms of their well-being and therefore promotes / facilitates their captive breeding.

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    Tamarin woods - Free ranging tamarins at Jersey

    The tamarins (black lion tamarin and cotton top tamarin) are actually permitted to range free across an area of woodland at Jersey zoo. This set-up helps promote naturalistic behaviour which prevents the animals from undergoing domestication in zoos.

    Dealing with this dynamic environment helps to keep the tamarins physically and cognitively healthy and facilitates them being primed should they one day be reintroduced to the wild in Brazil or Colombia.One of the historic problems with the reintroduction of callitrichids such as the golden and black lion tamarins to the wild in Brazil has been a marked reduction in survivorship of animals raised in captivity in conventional zoo enclosures.

    This is because animals raised in conventional enclosures often lack the fine motor skills and cognitive ability to recognise potential predators or threats. As reintroduction efforts are always costly in terms of time, money and logistics these kinds of enclosures and setups are pre-emptive, anticipate the challenges and help avoid these problems before they even happen.

    Here is a video from the Durrell trust which mentions the "tamarin woods" and features footage of the animals within this environment. The footage of the black lion tamarins can be seen from minute 1:36 to 2:36.

     
    Last edited: 17 Nov 2020
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  17. Jurek7

    Jurek7 Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Some exhibits for small monkeys (in Wroclaw, I think capuchins) are even better. They are surrounded only with a low electric fence. Very cheap. Monkeys cannot jump high from a flat ground, and after learning the electric fence it can often be switched off, because they don't check it anymore.

    There are also nice exhibits for small cats in Parc des Felins which are fenced pieces of natural vegetation.

    I think such design is best for mid-sized mammals: take a rectangle of natural vegetation and fence it. If it jumps very well, make a tall fence and put viewing windows with shade. If it cannot jump, put a low moat or a low fence. Eventually put a fence underground if it digs.
     
  18. Onychorhynchus coronatus

    Onychorhynchus coronatus Well-Known Member

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    Thanks to @Giant Eland for allowing me to post these excellent pictures of these species and their enclosures taken during his trip to the Dominican Republic on this thread.

    Hispaniolan solenodon and hutia enclosures


    I've never seen this enclosure or indeed these species as I have never been to zoodom or indeed the Dominican Republic. However, the keeping of both of the solenodon and the hutia here is significant as they are currently kept by other zoo in the world outside of the Dominican Republic / Hispaniola.

    [​IMG]
    These are both really fascinating mammals endemic to the island and both of conservation concern due to the threats they face in the wild. In the case of the solenodon it is also fascinating as it is both venomous and a "living fossil" having remained relatively morphologically unchanged since the the time of the extinction event of the dinosaurs which its ancestors somehow survived.

    However, it might be said that the solenodon suffers from an image / PR problem as though it is a fascinating creature it isn't really what most people would call an aesthetically "beautiful" species at all.
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    The Hutia is an endangered rodent and also one of the only terrestrial mammals endemic to the Caribbean. However, as a rodent and by association it is linked in many minds with the disease vector and maligned brown rat.

    It could therefore also could be said to be a species that possibly could suffer from this same PR / image problem in terms of the marketing of its conservation.
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    The pair of glass fronted enclosures in this area of the zoo are in a nocturnal house type set up with what appears to be suitable lighting for these nocturnal / crepuscular species and their wellbeing.

    The space given over to each species is fairly decent (though could be a bit larger perhaps ?) and the furnishings of the enclosure are quite naturalistic in terms of planting and decoration for enrichment purposes.
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    The rocky backdrop of the enclosure mimics a characteristic of this habitat well. Geologically much of the island is composed of karst and limestone rock and most of the forested protected areas where both the hutia and solenodon are found in the wild like Los Haitises and Sierra de Bahoruco National parks have this topography.

    The animals can use the rocky backdrop as enrichment through sensory exploration of the enclosure and to forage for food as the solenodon is doing in the picture below.
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    The animals can also use little crevices and hollows within the rockwork for artificial caves / burrows to hide in away from the gaze of the public if they wish. Both species are nocturnal use burrows in the wild either in limestone caves of karst and limestone hillsides or those between tree roots for much of the day before leaving these at night to forage for food.

    This hutia in the picture below appears to be using its artificial burrow in the enclosure in a way similar to what it would do in the wild, as a refuge spot.
    [​IMG] The other strength of this enclosure appears to be the attention to detail paid to the substrate that is used which is leaf litter. This is important in terms of enrichment and wellbeing and particularly for the solenodon. During periods of activity the solenodon forages extensively through the leaf litters of the forests and probes the soil with its nose to detect the worms, arthropods, gastropods and small reptiles which are its prey.

    It must be quite amazing to see this curious "living fossil" in the flesh root through the leaves as its ancestors would have done in primeval times when the dominant life forms were Saurians and not homo sapiens.
    [​IMG]

    I think that in educational terms these two enclosures at Zoodom really do a great job of highlighting / showcasing these two endemic small mammals to the visitors and generating an interest in them.

    Conservation marketing at zoodom

    Another apparent strength that I wanted to mention for zoodom does not relate to the enclosure itself but more to the championing of these endemic and endangered mammal species through conservation marketing.

    The symbol of the zoo fairly recently became the solenodon and it has been adopted and portrayed in an anthromorphic cuddly cartoon form as the logo of the zoo. This is a really important development as it puts this endangered endemic mammal at the centre of the zoos image in the public arena.

    The picture below taken in the zoos education centre really illustrates this point well. The graphic design of the logo of the zoo shows the solenodon placed at the centre of the silhouettes of other animals kept by the zoo such as the lion, rhino and antelope.

    The taxidermy specimen of a solenodon (which looks like it has seen better days) is placed prominently above the information desk of the education centre making it and native biodiversity the focus of visitor attention.
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    Last edited: 17 Nov 2020
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  19. Onychorhynchus coronatus

    Onychorhynchus coronatus Well-Known Member

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    The enclosures at Wroclaw look great for these capuchins I must agree with you but are they comparable to Jersey zoo in conservation terms with the black lion or pied tamarin ?

    I definitely agree with you regarding the exhibits for small cats at Parc des Felins and I truly think that they are some of the best enclosures for felines in the world hands down.
     
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  20. Jarne

    Jarne Well-Known Member

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    I personally love the Callitrichid island at Planckendael. Due to incompatibility they have split the island in two to keep two groups of tamarins (white-headed and golden-headed lion). One group has access to the canopy of the trees whilst the other is free to roam the bottom half including some smaller trees/bushes and the roof of the indoor housing. The indoor area isn't great but at least they have 4 indoor enclosures of which 2 behind the scenes I believe. After years of degrading education (information panels and steel structures representing cocoa trees were removed) they have recently installed new large information panels.

    An overview
    Callitrichid walk-through area, 2020-01-11 - ZooChat