I have a question for british zoo fans... Does London Zoo still keep Francois langurs? According to pictures and zootierliste.de they still keep them, but I want to be sure! Thanks, Swedish Zoo Fan...
I was dissapointed when I couldn't find the langurs after wandering around the big cat terraces. where exactly are they?
Yes they do still have them. I saw two in quarantine a couple of weeks ago to join the existing group.
I rather hope they keep them longterm, but make more of them as an exhibit- preferably in a more suitable/fitting enclosure.
I agree Pertinax . If the Cat Terraces are due for redevelopment , I hope all the monkeys housed there will be given some decent new exhibits .
i imagine the days of just keeping a variety of monkey species per se at ZSL are more or less over -they probably want more geographically themed exhibits(as per Gorilla Kingdom). Hopefully the Francois would fit into an 'Asian theme'- not so sure where they could place the Spider Monkeys or Macaques?
Just recieved an email from the zoo regarding Francois Langurs: We currently hold 0.2 Francois Langurs here at ZSL, London Zoo. Regards Tracey Tracey Lee Team Leader Mammals South ZSL London Zoo Regent's Park London NW1 4RY Hope this helps, they seem not to have any in quarintine.
With only O.2 left they may either decide to phase them out OR bring in a new male and try to revive the group. Perhaps it would be better for the 0.2 to join another group if ZSL have no plans for a better exhibit for them.
That's a lot lower than I thought! I definatly saw more than 2 back in Easter. I was going to suggest that perhaps the zoo had confused them with the Entellus Langurs but ISIS backs them up on 0.2 Francois Langurs. Down from 2.3 at the begining of the year.
The latest ISIS listing shows London Zoo as having 0.2 plus 0.3 Francois langurs , the second group listed to sub-species level . Twycross is listed as having 4.2 , more than I thought they had , with 1.3 at Belfast ( including a new male ) . Not certain how this fits with the e-mail from Tracey Lee at ZSL saying they have 0.2 .
Those numbers for Twycross sound right - there were three enclosures' worth when I was there earlier in the month (two pairs and the two spare males?). Not sure why they're not kept together.
On Saturday I saw 2 langurs in the outside enclosure with another 3 in the den on the other side of the path , they could also travel along the overhead run to see the others but not enter the enclosure . Other primate observations - the 'Colobus link' to the Gorilla enclosure has been totally removed . All 4 gorillas were together inside and , later , with access outside , all looked relaxed but not in close contact with each other . The volunteer in the area suggested the pregnancy story might be due to the portly appearance of Zaire , I thought she looked slimmer . Not easy to identify the new male as he is much the same size and colour of the younger females . I was told that only 1 of the squirrel monkeys born last year was reared , some females dropped their babies . Other observations - I was early in the Blackburn Pavilion and had it to myself , some very nice birds including new African pygmy geese , breeding sunbitterns , several sunbirds and hummingbirds . Other birds continuing to breed - black hornbills , Toco toucans , black-faced ibis . I enjoyed the exhibits in the Amazon Hall of the Aquarium including a second piranha species not familiar to me and breeding spotted freshwater rays ( small ones ) , the Tropical Reef Hall has many superb tanks full of live corals and colourful small reef fish . There are now 2 adult Komodo dragons but the small enclosure where the youngster was on show is blocked off . The African walk-through Aviary was empty with the netting being replaced . Saw the aardvark getting their morning feed , one is much smaller than the other . Lots of meercats in 3 separate exhibits . I have commented on the area beyond the tunnels on the Okapi thread . Seemed to be quite a lot of visitors around , foreign accents being very much to the fore . I suppose for European visitors the £19 entry fee is not too bad . Any questions ?
London advertise the fact that their colobus and gorilla groups mix. I take it that this is now impossible? Are there any tufted grey langurs left? (next to the diana monkeys).
