Just wondered if there were many mixed primate collections in the Uk . I remember going to Woburn last year and there were several species of lemur kept together and in the drive through patas monkeys and Barbary macaques. It was interesting to watch both enclosures as the lemurs seemed to have their own areas and the macaques were all over the place but the patas kept together
There are quite a few; mixed lemur exhibits and mixed callithrichid (tamarin/marmoset) exhibits are quite common. Most zoos with a number of primate species will frequently keep some together.
OK A I SAID MIXED LEMURS yep and i'm sure ive seen mixed marmoset /tamarin exhibits i'm unsure why most are not mixed. For instance Ive nevr seen say a capuchin/squirrel monkey exhibit or squirrel monkey/marmoset exhibit for instance
As I recall I think Howletts had colobus and lion-tailed macaques mixed. There were two seperate indoor and cage areas (but those could be shared depending on who ventured inside!) on either side of a shared main paddock/outside space.
At Howletts their colobus are mixed with gelada not Lion-tailed macaque. Do PL still have de Brazza mixed with colobus?
Squirrel monkeys are not usually mixed with callitrichids due to possible contamination with herpes of the latter.
Yes they are, the fence divides the 2 halves of living links. On each side there is a group of brown capuchins and a group of common squirrel monkeys. All 4 groups have their own indoor area but each side shares their outdoor enclosure. In fact the squirrel monkeys can and do go in and out of the indoor capuchin enclosures but the capuchins can't get inside the indoor squirrel monkeys enclosure. This video shows how they are kept https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAksjSUmaWk&feature=youtube_gdata_player
fascinating looks a good enclosure and seems to work well - i wonder whether they could add a 3rd species to it Wooly monkey etc
I'm not sure really, have only visited once and didn't study them for long. Most of the colobus were in their cage area when I went, but I do have a photo of one colobus and a few gelada in the outdoor space together. Maybe a more regular Howletts visitor can shed light on interactions between the two species..?
Very cool looking exhibit. Lots of activity for visitors and interaction between both species of primate. Does anybody know the numbers of both species and the size of the exhibit? I would think that capybaras could work as a third (non-primate) species.
There's around 20 of each species in each group, not sure of exact size of enclosures. There isn't really any grass or space for capybaras sadly. I've seen photos of squirrel monkeys in other zoos sitting on capys, as long as they don't bother them I think it makes for a good combination, would like to see it in person.
