That was a misunderstanding from someone at the zoo. According to the zoo, the rules were difficult because they change so often. A (Dutch) article about it: Binnenverblijven Ouwehands Dierenpark waren open ondanks coronaregels As far as I know, the outside enclosure is almost ready. However, the Bonobos can be seen in their indoor enclosure.
When looking at the video that they posted on their Instagram account, I believe that they are kept in a slightly darker tank. Source: Instagram of Ouwehands Dierenpark (19/03/2021) https://www.instagram.com/p/CMmvuEBqRRc/
I'm not saying Ouwehands didn't create a 'dark' tank for them, I haven't been there recently. I'm just saying it's not a necessity, especially because the fish are there only temporarily.
Visited Ouwehands yesterday, the Bonobo enclosure is coming along nicely, though the glass wasn't in yet for the viewing areas (I'll upload some pictures I took later). I believe there was one baby among the bonobos (who were all in their inside enclosures), though I couldn't be sure, as they're a small species of ape. The fruit bats in RavotAapia were gone, their enclosure was still there, but all the ropes and climbing equipment were gone. Fan Xing (the "baby" panda) is currently held in a seperation in the inside enclosure underneath the restaurant of Pandasia. There was a huge line to wait in all day, which only cleared up around closing time (which is when I visited Fan Xing). The seperation enclosure is getting a bit small for the baby though, who is now getting rather large. The map of the park seems to show a part of Urucu being opened, but it's not. You walk from the Mouse deer / Burmese rock python area straight to the exit. The climbing bridge over the wolf/bear enclosure is also closed off, as well as the penguin dome and the giraffe house. The maps states Blue Lagoon (The sealion show) to be closed, but this is open for a limited number of guests
Also would like to add, The Von Decken's hornbill is no longer held in the Africa house (Still in RavotAapia), The Nicobar pigeons are also gone
Sent an email to Ouwehands asking if they're making room for a new species in this exhibit, but it's only being renovated "Het klopt inderdaad dat het verblijf van de vleerhonden in de Griezelgrot van RavotAapia op dit moment leeg is. Dit is echter van tijdelijke aard in verband met renovatie. Zodra de werkzaamheden zijn afgerond, keren de vleerhonden weer terug in hun verblijf." ~Ouwehands
Recently, a female lar gibbon was introduced to the male that is housed with the gorillas. The female is from Wildlands in Emmen. They had to get used to eachother, but now everything goes well with the two. It is hoped that they will contribute to the breeding programme in the future. Source: Facebook Ouwehands Dierenpark
Ouwehands combines lar gibbons with l’hoest guenons and gorilla’s? Since when is that? And who / what is in the old gibbon island, a different pair? Guenons, gorilla’s and lar gibbons is a mix you don’t see often…
The guenons are no longer with the gorillas. The combination with the gorillas no longer went well. The guenons are now in an enclosure next to the gibbon enclosure. There are now two pairs of lar gibbons living in Ouwehands, one in the gibbon enclosure and one with the gorillas.
Yesterday, after four years, I went to Ouwehands Dierenpark again. A few things I saw: - The last of the yellow mongoose have died. A new species can now be seen in their enclosure: banded mongoose. - The aquarium has changed a lot. Most of the tanks don't have signs anymore, and where there are signs, they are not correct anymore. This is because a number of species have been taken over from the Artis aquarium, and also because a number of species have changed aquariums. I have taken pictures of all the species I have seen, so that I can hopefully find out what species they are and update Zootierliste. - The birds I saw in the Africa House were not quite the species that were listed there. The red-crested turaco was there, but I did not see the greater blue-eared glossy-starling. Two species that were not indicated but were there were sulphur-breasted toucans and nicobar pigeons. - The prairie dogs now live in the former small-clawed otter/coypu enclosure. Their old enclosure is empty. - The mangalica are now in the old porcupine enclosure. The old enclosure of the mangalica is now home to some turkeys. - In July, two harbour seals were born. - The new bonobo enclosure is completely finished. Yesterday they were lawnmowing in the outside enclosure. I heard that the bonobos will be allowed to go outside very soon.
I visited the zoo a day before you and I did see atleast one greater blue-eared glossy starling. However I did not see any Lyle's flying foxes (Pteropus lylei), their enclosure in Ravot Apia was still empty...
The following species I was able to identify from my pictures, according to Zootierliste these species were not yet present in Ouwehands. Maiden goby (Valenciennea puellaris) Sixspot goby (Valenciennea sexguttata) Golden-headed sleeper goby (Valenciennea strigata) Large starry blenny (Salarias ramosus) Bristle-tail file-fish (Acreichthys tomentosus) Convict cichlid (Amatitlania nigrofasciata) Atlantic mudskipper (Periophthhalmus barbarus) Almorha loach (Botia lohachata) Vampire crab (Geosesarma hagen) Bee shrimp (Caridina cantonensis) I have not been able to identify a number of species, the photos of which I have uploaded to the identification gallery: Animal or Zoo Identification - ZooChat
A male Javan chevrotain (Tragulus javanicus) arrived at the zoo to accompany the already present female. Source: Instagram of Dierenpark Amersfoort (22/09/2021) https://www.instagram.com/p/CUINKzoKS6F/
