Dudley Zoological Gardens Dudley Zoological Gardens in 2016

That's strange because they were in the text in in July. I wonder why they've decided on the switch.

 

It was certainly occupied by the capuchins when I visited on 7th July. They were very active and making good use of the space and the ladders etc. as well as foraging around the enclosure.

 

Dudley Zoo's 2017 anniversary calendar came out today. The more interesting aspect about this is the proceeds go towards their orangutan enclosure project.

Anyone know anything more about this?

 

They need one! I've only been to Dudley once and loved it, but the Orang ' exhibit ' is a continual source of embarrassment!!

 

Could they finally be moving the Orang down by the Chimps and then knocking down this horrible building (another reminder of the past will then be destroyed) and then extending the african dog enclosure so as to have a bigger group?

 

Good news if the orangs are going to get new accommodation. I visited for the first time last week and feel really sorry not only for the orangs but for the keepers having to work around such inappropriate housing.

I wanted to throw a hammer and chisel over to Benji so that he could make a start on the demolition

 

New website

DZG's new website has gone live today. It's certainly very bright and well laid out. Not 100% sure if I like it yet but think that's more down to my dislike of change than any issues with the layout or content
Dudley Zoological Gardens

 

Well spotted! This is the first I've heard of this. However, I'm not getting too excited until we hear more information, but it is the glimmer of hope we've been waiting for.


I'm really not sure about the idea of reducing the size of the chimp enclosure to build something for the orangs because...

a) Realistically, I really don't think Dudley has the kind of budget to build something decent from scratch.

b) Why swap 1 very good primate enclosure for 2 mediocre ones?


I know it's controversial to some but I think they could completely transform the current building.

This is what I said in THIS thread:

-Brick up the front of the orang 'pods'. Fill in the moat. Add viewing windows and a roof. Knock into the current indoor areas. This now becomes an enormous orang house. Turn the peccary enclosure and the African hunting dog enclosure into two huge outdoor orang areas. Problem solved.


Come to think of it, a few ideas I put across in that thread have now become reality; extending the snow leopard enclosure, macaques left of the chairlift, anteaters where the cassowary used to be, sensory garden into a picnic area

Oh and I quite like the new-look website, much easier and more professional looking, but they do need to sort out the animal list.

 

I didn't say they were going to reduce the outside enclosure of the Chimps to make a Orang enclosure I said down by the Chimps, just bare in mind there are a few enclosures from years gone by past the end of the Chimp enclosure.

 

So you're suggesting that those derelict, dilapidated 'buildings', that have barely been seen or used in the last decade, and have since been taken over by woodland should be used in some way? I'd hardly call them enclosures any more either, unless they've been secretly maintained over the years for some reason.

If not then think it's highly likely that 'point a)' still stands

 

I don't think they would use those buildings but would use the land as it was removed from sale quite a few years ago.

 

Exactly my thoughts. Better than nothing but the calendar is going to generate little money. The fact that a few grand (realistic estimate?) is being put towards what should really be a multi-million dollar project is not an inherently encouraging situation. But at least there is a plan now, possibly.

Because the situation with the chimps is also not very good. Not being able to hold males makes for a very quiet, often depressing exhibit. That will been to be dealt with eventually too. Plus the outdoors is sooo large. They could absolutely use some of it without compromising on the chimps needs.

All that being said, your idea from the other thread is still a good one, and possibly cheaper.

Very impressive. I didn't know the snowleopards had been extended though.

 

On a completely separate tack, I wonder why the sealions still have not been mixed.

 

Will try and get your question answered Funkgibbon on Monday when I visit again will also try and get what the sensory garden will be as rumour has it that it won't be an enclosure or picnic area but a ?

 

This year's calendar made £520.73.

They're probably using the calendar idea to start the ball rolling and to perhaps steadily gather the public's interest/support to make them feel more part of the project. Nothing wrong with that. Members with greater knowledge of marketing etc. will be able to explain it much better than me.

The fact they've given something as big as an 'orangutan enclosure project' a fleeting mention hidden within a news article about calendars, rather than an all singing and dancing announcement suggests to me that things won't be happening for a long long time, because the money just isn't there yet (they had to fundraise for the snow leopard extension*) . Or maybe it suggests the project won't be as big or expensive as we'd like. Hope I'm wrong of course.

The thing is they've needed a new orang exhibit for over 40 years. It should be their number 1 priority if they want to move forward. Actually, it will be a gigantic leap forward for the zoo if the orangs get something decent. The zoo has only really started to turn a corner in approximately the last 5 years, but they must've had multiple ideas of what they'd like to do for way longer than that. The zoo's director was a long standing keeper at Dudley.

I just hope that they get things right. I hope they don't rush in and think; "right then, we've got 10k and a voucher from B&Q, lets build the orangs something". I'd rather they wait until they have enough to create something brilliant, that's exactly what they need, than something poor and disappointing that will just need replacing/updating a few years down the line, because that won't do anything for their reputation.

With regards to the chimp enclosure, I know the chimp group itself isn't great, but the majority of the public don't know that. I'd rather have an enclosure that goes above and beyond a captive animal's needs (natural group or not), is impressive to the public and is good for the zoo's reputation than one that just looks/is adequate. People don't return to a zoo to see lots of 'adequate' enclosures. And anyway I was thinking more long term than the current chimp group. It would be a shame to diminish one of Dudley's best enclosures, when the good exhibits they do have are so few and far between. It would be a step back for their growing reputation.

*It was revealed in March that they were planning to extend the snow leopard enclosure. They also released artist's impressions and did quite a bit of fundraising for it. I don't know if they've started work yet or if they planned to start by now. The recent death of the female and the cub, as well as the upcoming arrival of a new female some time in the Autumn may have unsettled plans.
http://www.zoochat.com/198/snow-leopard-sign-455591/

 

I think I would prefer to see Dudley not keep the Orangs at all, rather than struggle over many years to raise funds enough to build a decent enclosure, in the meantime with them staying in what they have now for years to come.. IMO one species of Ape would be quite sufficient- if they concentrated efforts on improving the Chimpanzee enclosure so that males could be kept and a more dynamic group resulted.

 

I spoke to a chimp keeper on my recent visit and her dream would be to keep the female group, on contraception, and have a pure breeding group mixed with them. She thought that would provide some interesting dynamics. She isn't involved with the orangs and I didn't get the opportunity to speak to their keepers.

 

That's an interesting idea. 'Common' chimpanzee conservation is becoming increasingly important. I presume that the zoo management has considered all the alternatives, but I suspect that upgrading the chimp facilities would be a good deal cheaper than building a new orang house or rebuilding the present one to modern standards. I agree with Pertinax, if the zoo went out of orangs it would be possible to make a cheaper conversion of the orang house to hold a nice group of mandrills or some other large monkey species.

Alan

 

Dudley`s female Asiatic black bear Inca is THE last example of her species in the UK now, since Heythrop Zoo`s elderly male Dennis has sadly died within the last two weeks.

 

Sad to see the incipient disappearance of what was once a staple zoo animal. Lots of rescued 'Moon Bears' in Asia, it would be nice to see a few over here.