Part II: Rearing House and Primate Exhibits Following the route through the collection suggested on the map, we next reached a building labelled as the "Jungtieraufzuchthaus", which literally translates to "Young Animal Rearing House"; for the ease of reference I will refer to it from now on as the "Rearing House". The first enclosure we reached, prior to entering the building itself, was a rather unusual mixed exhibit containing a single Red Ruffed Lemur (Varecia rubra) and two Domestic Chicken (Gallus gallus domestica) of no particular breed. Signage on the exhibit explained that the lemur had once been part of a breeding pair, but that on the recent death of the other individual, the survivor had become lethargic and would no longer eat; attempts to mix the Ruffed Lemur with other lemurs and monkeys had met with no success, but the addition of chickens into the exhibit had spurred the Red Ruffed Lemur to become more active and resume feeding. This was a rather unconventional display, and as such it rather stuck in my memory. The exhibit itself was relatively prosaic and nothing particularly special, comprising a soil-and-woodchip substrate, with a number of small dead trees and branches dotted around the exhibit providing space for the lemur to climb and move around; panels in the back wall of the exhibit permitted the inhabitants access into their indoor housing. As noted, the enclosure was nothing special but nor was it poor in any regard, striking me as a perfectly adequate exhibit for the needs of the animals within. A little further along, we came to a very similar exhibit which was signposted for Bearded Emperor Tamarin (Saguinus imperator subgrisescens); this exhibit, despite the smaller size of the species within, was slightly larger to my eyes. In theory this - along with the fact that there were plenty of climbing opportunities provided - would presumably mean that it would be a good enclosure for the taxon in question, meeting their needs well. However, this is hard to gauge as the inhabitants of the exhibit seemed to all be inside at the time we were viewing this exhibit; as such my evaluation cannot be complete. The final exhibit which we viewed before entering the Rearing House itself was a large, but pretty bare, enclosure which was signposted for Drill (Mandrillus leucophaeus); this is a species with which I am rather fond, and as such it was somewhat disappointing that the inhabitants of the exhibit were seemingly not visible. Although the exhibit was certainly large enough for the species in question - depending, of course, on the size of the group held at Wilhelma - and there were large numbers of tree trunks and wooden platforms provided in order to allow climbing and movement opportunities for the inhabitants, the floor of the exhibit was bare concrete with no additional substrate or bedding material visible. Moreover, a lot more of the basic structure of the Rearing House was visible here, with bare, grubby concrete and stark angles being the dominant "feel". I would assume that this structure may well be one of the older of the animal exhibits at Wilhelma, possibly dating to the 1950's as a result. Entering the Rearing House itself, the initial "feel" I got from the interior decoration and the appearance of the public areas was somewhat akin to that I had gleaned from the new Monkey House at Tierpark Berlin a year before; an antiseptic "hospital" type effect, but in this case, rather than the bright and clean modern hospital feel I described at Tierpark Berlin, it would be more accurate to think along the lines of a 1960's hospital, brown floors and brown walls. Not unpleasant by any means, but I imagine this is a general "feel" which anyone reading these words would instantly recognise. The exhibit signposting within the Rearing House was relatively good, albeit old-fashioned in design and appearance, but the supplementary information dotted around here and there struck me as a little amateurish in presentation. For instance, on one wall there was a display discussing the wide variety found within the Callitrichids as an overall group, along with their behaviour, breeding habits, diet and so forth. The information presented was of a high quality; however, the way that it was presented was more akin to a primary school, a hospital or GP surgery than a zoological collection - a disparate mish-mash of laminated A4 print-outs and photographs sellotaped or pinned to a wall. This was a shame, as the exhibit quality within the Rearing House was quite good, as I shall now discuss. The first interior exhibit we came to was the indoor enclosure for the Emperor Tamarins; rather large considering the taxon within, this exhibit contained a vast number of branches and trees, with ropes, wooden blocks and hammocks stretching back and forth between them, and with a soil/woodchip substrate covering the floor relatively thickly. The base of the exhibit had a handful of shrubs and other such vegetation dotted around, providing cover and greenery for the inhabitants, whilst straw and thick mats of dry, dead vegetation was hung from the branches and ropes. As such, the exhibit looked pretty good, with the inhabitants making full use of the climbing opportunities within; there appeared to be a relatively large group of Emperor Tamarin visible within the enclosure, which may be an indication that the inhabitants were indeed thriving within the exhibits provided. The neighbouring exhibit - which contained Western Pygmy Marmoset (Cebuella pygmaea pygmaea) - was very similar, albeit a little smaller and with significantly more lush vegetation present both close to the floor of the enclosure and dotted around the various levels of the exhibit. It is worth noting here that the vast majority of Pygmy Marmosets within the UK are either non-subspecific status individuals, or belong to the Eastern subspecies; as such, although I *had* seen Western Pygmy Marmoset before, it was quite enjoyable to get the opportunity to view this subspecies at close range and note the subtle differences to those individuals with which I am more familiar. The exhibit size and the quantity of opportunities given for the inhabitants to climb around or - through the use of little wicker baskets and sleeping areas dotted here and there - escape the view of the public meant that I felt this was a very good exhibit for the species, even if the indoor location meant it was nowhere near as naturalistic as the best enclosures for Pygmy Marmoset which I have seen. The next exhibit in this area which we reached, again very much akin to the previous two, contained a large and very active group of Goeldi’s Monkey (Callimico goeldii); in terms of scale the exhibit was more akin to that for the Emperor Tamarins, in point of fact being slightly larger than the aforementioned, whilst the level of greenery and vegetation within the enclosure was more akin to the Pygmy Marmoset exhibit. This enclosure, perhaps due to the larger size, not only contained branches and logs on various levels connected by ropes and nets as the prior enclosures had, but also contained several tree trunks and logs on the ground; this, along with the thick vegetation located at the rear of the enclosure and in the corners, made me wonder whether this enclosure was designed to hold multiple species. If this was indeed the case, the previous inhabitants had either departed, or were unlabelled and particularly elusive, as we had no luck spotting any other taxa within. The next area of the Rearing House we reached was a set of exhibits which served both as a demonstration of the off-display rearing of birds and reptiles in an incubator, and of the maturing process in hatchling birds; in the centre of the room, there was an active incubator containing a pair of chicken eggs; one of these was visibly pipping whilst the second did not display any indication of imminent hatching. Alongside this was informational signage discussing the use of incubators within a zoological collection. We decided that, pending our having time to do so, we would return to the Rearing House late in the day in order to see if either egg had successfully hatched. Along the wall to one side of the incubator, there were three more-or-less identical exhibits, each approximately a metre across, and around half a metre deep and high, containing little other than a source of drinking water, a feeding bowl and sawdust covering the floor of the exhibits; each contained a handful of hatchling chickens at one week old, three weeks old and five weeks old respectively. One would imagine that these are regularly rotated in and out of their exhibits, with the incubator already discussed providing the source for additional chicks to enter the exhibit. As Helly's family keep chickens themselves, I have in point of fact seen juvenile chickens as they mature - however, it was nonetheless an interesting exhibit, as I imagine many visitors to Wilhelma will not have had the same experience. As such, this exhibit served an important educational purpose in my opinion. Just opposite the third of these exhibits, there was a small corner exhibit where the public path took a sharp right turn; this comprised a well-lit alcove of imitation rock, with genuine rocks forming shelves and crevices within which the inhabitants - Arabian Spiny Mouse (Acomys dimidiatus) - were able to hide from the view of the public. The floor of the exhibit was covered in thick sand, with the back corner of the exhibit comprising a collection of dead wood and branches forming an approximation of a desert tree. As the taxon concerned is one of the more seldom-displayed members of the Acomys genus in public collections within Europe, and one which I had seen only once before, I was pleased that a little patience and waiting at the exhibit quietly for a few minutes allowed me a brief glimpse of one of the inhabitants before it once again hid from view. Overall I thought this exhibit was rather good, although I was somewhat surprised to find it within an area which had hitherto primarily contained primate taxa; my general assumption is that this may well have been one of the species once displayed within the currently-closed Small Mammal and Bird House. Nearby, immediately next to the third exhibit for juvenile domestic chickens, there was a lushly-vegetated glass-fronted exhibit containing Barred Buttonquail (Turnix suscitator) - again, quite possibly one of the former inhabitants of the aforementioned closed portion of Wilhelma. Being the only member of the Buttonquail family now visible within public collections in Europe, I was rather pleased to see this taxon on-display at Wilhelma; there is something special about the unique, and this particular group of birds is certainly rather unique, looking very much akin to a gamebird but being closer affiliated to the shorebirds. The exhibit itself was rather pleasant in appearance, with the thick vegetation providing plenty of opportunity for the inhabitants to avoid view if they so wished; in point of fact, it took quite some investigation before we were able to spot any! The next exhibit which we reached was a relatively large and very well-planted enclosure containing a variety of bushes and shrubs, along with one or two trees, with the floor covered in the same soil-woodchip blend which seemed to be the standard at Wilhelma from those enclosures we had seen thus far, and with various tree trunks and logs dotted here and there. The general look of the enclosure looked a little more naturalistic than those we had seen thus far, with no additional climbing aids added; this fit the inhabitants rather well as it happens, as the exhibit contained a mixture of Asian Fairy Bluebird (Irena puella), Crested Wood Partridge (Rollulus rouloul), Mindanao Bleeding-Heart (Gallicolumba crinigera) and White-rumped Shama (Copsychus malabaricus) - all taxa which are perfectly at home in a well-vegetated exhibit providing undergrowth and the foliage of trees in which to shelter, and which are not renowned for needing ropes or logs to climb on! Moreover, all of these species are rather attractive-looking birds; I have a particularly strong soft spot for the Mindanao Bleeding-Heart, but always enjoy viewing the other taxa in question too, even if they can often be a little tricky to photograph adequately! Along from here we came to a mid-size exhibit quite akin to those containing callitrichids which we had already viewed, containing trees, branches and logs dotted around the enclosure, with areas of climbing vegetation snaking up some of the trees and nestboxes at the rear of the exhibit; surprisingly there were very few additional ropes or other such additions to the enclosure, and as such this particular exhibit - which was signposted for another group of Goeldi's Monkey along with Golden-headed Lion Tamarin (Leontopithecus chrysomelas) - looked a little more bare than the previous enclosures. However, closer examination of this exhibit revealed that it also contained at least one Orange-rumped Agouti (Dasyprocta leporina), a taxon which although very common on the continent is pretty scarce within UK collections. This pleasant surprise rather demonstrates the importance of paying close attention to exhibits on the off-chance that the signposting or labels are incomplete or, indeed, out of date. I am not sure about how well-known agouti are for climbing, but I suspect they may be rather adept at it given some of their close kin within the rodent family; as such this *may* provide some explanation for the relative lack of ropes and other such climbing material. The next enclosure was quite similar in general feel and design to its neighbour, albeit somewhat larger and containing significantly more branches and other such climbing material towards the roof of the exhibit, including a handful of nets and ropes at the ceiling itself. This exhibit was signposted for further Orange-rumped Agouti, along with Geoffroy's Marmoset (Callithrix geoffroyi) and Linne's Two-Toed Sloth (Choloepus didactylus); the sloth in particular was making very good use of the climbing material within the exhibit, with the other inhabitants also appearing to be very active and having plenty of space, with no adverse interaction appearing to take place between the different taxa. The final exhibit which we encountered within the Rearing House was possibly the largest by a narrow margin, with a similar combination of tree trunks, logs and branches to that seen in previous enclosures once again providing climbing opportunities for the inhabitants; however in this case, these were supplemented by wooden climbing frames, platforms and - close to the ceiling of the enclosure - a pair of nestboxes. It was sleeping within these that we were just about able to spot the inhabitants of this exhibit; two male Brazilian Porcupine (Coendou prehensilis). This comprised the first mammalian lifetick of the day - a fortunately timed one, as within a few months of our visit this taxon had departed Wilhelma. Leaving the Rearing House, the next point on our route was the old Ape House; this had once contained Western Lowland Gorilla, Common Chimpanzee, Bonobo and Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii) but in recent years, subsequent to a much larger and more up-to-date Ape House being constructed elsewhere in Wilhelma, the Gorilla and Bonobo had moved into the new house in 2013 whilst the Common Chimpanzee had left the collection entirely. As such, at the time of our visit the house contained only Sumatran Orangutan, with the majority of the building standing empty. As I understand the current situation, in the near future the old house will be demolished; however I have heard conflicting reports regarding whether a new house to house Sumatran Orangutan and a number of other primate taxa would be constructed in its place, or whether this will mark the departure of Orangutan from Wilhelma entirely. Knowing this, my expectations for this area of the overall collection were rather low. The first impression I got on entering the structure was a similar sense to that which I had felt within the Rearing House; a stark, clinical and slightly-abandoned feel. The quality of the informational signposting within the house was extremely variable; whilst there was a very good display discussing the evolution of the great apes, the place of humanity within the family, and the extinct taxa which have been discovered over the course of the 20th Century which help us to fill in the gaps in our knowledge regarding the evolution of mankind, this display was something of an outlier. The majority of the labels on exhibits, and informational displays on the walls, were akin to those I have already remarked upon in the Rearing House; mere compilations of laminated pieces of paper pinned to a noticeboard. However, whilst the exhibit quality within the Rearing House had been rather good, and therefore made up for the ageing feel of the building itself, the same could not be said of the exhibits within the old Ape House; these were incredibly small and looked like nothing more than laboratories or, possibly, operating theatres. Although plenty of climbing opportunities *were* provided, with a combination of metal poles and wooden platforms criss-crossing each exhibit, with ropes dangling from the ceiling, this cannot be said to count for a great deal when the overall height and size of each exhibit were - at most - maybe twice that of the largest exhibit within the Rearing House; which, it bears repeating, contained Brazilian Porcupine, a significantly smaller species than the Sumatran Orangutan! As such, it scarcely seems worthwhile describing each exhibit in turn, given that each one was very much akin to the others - a brief summary will suffice. The interior of the house contained three exhibits; we first reached a pair of interior enclosures for Sumatran Orangutan, which stood side-by-side but appeared not to provide access from one to the other. Each, as previously noted, looked rather like a laboratory which happened to contain a climbing frame and a handful of ropes, with a few handfuls of straw scattered on the ground providing the only visible bedding for the inhabitants. The third, and largest exhibit - now standing empty - was the former indoor enclosure for Western Lowland Gorilla; were it not for the fact I was already aware of the previous use to which this exhibit had been put, the stark, sterile appearance of this enclosure would have quite possibly made me believe it *was* a laboratory or operating room! Beyond here, another pair of Orangutan exhibits akin to the first was visible. Leaving the interior of the building, we then took the opportunity to look at the exterior exhibits for the Sumatran Orangutan held at Wilhelma. Any hope that these would be more suited towards their inhabitants, however, were sadly soon dashed; for all intents and purposes, the exterior enclosures were identical to those indoors, albeit even smaller and contained within mesh-topped glass cases, like some unholy blend of laboratory and giant fishtank. As we had been unable to spot *any* of the five individuals housed within the old Ape House, there must presumably be off-show sleeping quarters somewhere in the building for the Sumatran Orangutan to escape the view of the public; however, considering the size and quality of the display enclosures, one is not filled with confidence regarding how well the off-show enclosures would be suited to the taxon which they contain. Reflecting on the fact that at one point, this house once contained four species of Great Ape is an even more unpleasant thought; all in all, I think it is safe to say that this building was the second-worst exhibit I had seen thus far in a German collection; the first place still being held by the internal exhibit for Sun Bear at Tierpark Berlin, which coincidentally also had once held multiple Great Ape taxa. Opposite the exterior enclosures for the Sumatran Orangutan, we were able to see a rather strange and unorthodox exhibit for a relatively large group of Colombian Brown Spider Monkey (Ateles hybridus); a large and angular ornamental pond, with a series of concrete islands dotted within. These islands held various tall climbing frames and platforms with rope bridges connecting them to one another, and to the nearby interior house for the Spider Monkeys; this was not accessible to the public, so no judgement of the interior enclosures can be made here. Unorthodox and strange-looking as this exhibit was, resembling a work of art more than it did a zoological enclosure, it wasn't actually as bad as it first seemed. A little more height for the climbing frames and platforms, and possibly one or two more islands for the inhabitants to move between, would have been very much beneficial; however, it did provide a reasonable amount of space and was nowhere near as unpleasant-looking as the contents of the building which we had just exited. Looking to our right, a massive structure loomed above us; the Gibbon House. At a rough estimate, the building and the exterior exhibit for White-handed Gibbon (Hylobates lar) visible at the front of the structure could not have been less than approximately ten metres tall and perhaps a similar distance in terms of width, with the exhibit in question extending forward for approximately six metres. Around two thirds of the way up the exhibit, there was a public walkway allowing visitors to look at the inhabitants both from a height and at ground level; this was a feature that I particularly liked, as it allows the public to appreciate just how much space the inhabitants of the enclosure have - there tending to be something of a foreshortening effect when one is looking directly up into an enclosure. The floor of the exhibit was thickly covered with the same woodchip-soil combination which we had encountered within the Rearing House, with a handful of trees - including fir trees and a tall palm-tree - located here. The main body of the enclosure contained a vast array of wooden poles, platforms and struts, supplemented by ropes, hammocks and tyre-swings at the very top of the exhibit. As such, this exhibit - although by no means naturalistic - granted its inhabitants plenty of space and climbing opportunities; quite possibly significantly more of both than would be found within the majority of more "standard" gibbon exhibits elsewhere in Europe. Overall, I felt this was the first truly excellent mammal exhibit we had seen at Wilhelma, certainly beating any of the other primate exhibits which we had seen thus far hands-down. From the higher viewing point - accessible via steps - we were also able to see the interior exhibits for the group of Javan Langur (Trachypithecus auratus) which were also present within the Gibbon House; these were quite similar to those found within the old Ape House, if truth be told, but due to the significantly smaller size of the inhabitants, the presence of a natural woodchip substrate rather than bare concrete flooring and the significantly brighter and airier "feel" of the Gibbon House they seemed a lot more acceptable than the aforementioned enclosures had been. Moreover, the standard of informational signposting within this area struck me as somewhat better than had been found within the Rearing House and old Ape House; although a little old-fashioned looking, the signage and information posters here was well-presented and provided a good level of detail whilst avoiding the "primary school" look which I have bemoaned previously. The public footpath around the higher viewpoint into the Gibbon House and associated exhibits allowed us to continue to the next major feature on our routeplan, the Sub-Tropical Terraces and the vast number of parrot aviaries found here.
I must say that I highly disagree with you about some enclosures Imo the drill enclosure for example is way too small imo, even now when they have moved to the former prehensile-tailed porcupine enclosure, they still have only very little space, even for the 2 drills they currently have. I would have seemed more logical to move them into the former gorilla enclosures... On the other hand I did not find the orang enclosures that terrible, there are certainly worse ones around, though it must have been a terrible house with 3 or 4 different species.... Btw. they have reshuffled some enclosures in the Jungtieraufzuchthaus, buttonquails are gone for example and a small group of Chilean tinamou has joined the sloths and monkeys.
Well, that's why I write these walkthroughs - to get people talking about their various opinions on given exhibits and collections. If I didn't want people to disagree with me I would never have written about the Alfred-Brehm Haus! Well, as I only saw the original drill enclosure - and as noted, didn't see the individuals using this enclosure, hence the fact I was only able to guess at how well it suited the inhabitants - I can't really comment on how well their new enclosure fits the species. That said, I am pretty sure that if they are now in the former Brazilian Porcupine enclosure, this means they have been moved into a *smaller* enclosure, as I seem to recall the old Drill exhibit was larger than the Porcupine exhibit was. I do, however, agree that it would have been more logical to move them into the former gorilla exhibits; it may well be that these are in a poor enough condition after years of disuse that they didn't want to bother making them suitable for use again when the house as a whole is planned for demolition in the near future. Frankly I would have much preferred to have seen the Chilean Tinamou than the Buttonquails I have only seen one species of tinamou, the Tataupa, although with a little luck I will be seeing more in a few months when I visit Walsrode.
They have also access to the outdoor enclosure adjacent to the former porcupine one, so outdoors they have slightly less space, but their indoor situation has apparently improved...
Part III: Subtropenterrassen and Parrot Aviaries The “Subtropenterrassen” or Sub-tropical Terraces were designed, as with the majority of the original features of Wilhelma, by the architect Karl Ludwig von Zanth at the behest of King Wilhelm I of Württemberg; comprising a series of terraces overlooking the Moorish Villa and the surrounding gardens and structures, with a Belvedere at their summit which was intended to allow Wilhelm to survey the entirety of Wilhelma, the Subtropenterrassen were intended to provide an area sheltered from the wind yet exposed to as much sunlight as possible, permitting the presence of a variety of vines and fruit trees which would otherwise be too delicate to thrive outside. These were supplemented by a variety of ornamental fountains and sculptures which are dotted around the various levels of the terraces. Although our visit to Wilhelma had come somewhat too early in the year to appreciate the full splendour of this area – which in the summer is decorated by hundreds of potted plants on the various tiers of the Subtropenterrassen, ivy and Virginia creeper thickly coating the sandstone walls and steps, and flowerbeds bursting with colour – this is not to say that they were without their charms; many of the flowerbeds were starting to bloom at the time of our visit, giving us some idea of how they must look when at the height of their finery. The design and placement of the flowerbeds within the terraces as a whole provided a positive contribution to the feel and “look” of the Subtropenterrasen, fitting well with the architectural designs found elsewhere within this area. Glass showcases on the terraces displayed a variety of insectivorous plants; again, it was somewhat too early in the year to properly appreciate these, but it was already apparent that a very impressive variety of pitcher plants, sundews, flytraps and other such taxa were present within these showcases. However, the main allure of this area from the point of view of a zoo enthusiast is of course the secondary use to which the Subtropenterrassen have been placed in recent decades; the warm and sunny position of the terraces has led to the decision to use this area for avenues of parrot aviaries on multiple levels, displaying a wide range of taxa from around the world. In point of fact, at the time of our visit it was so bright and warm that many of the inhabitants of the aviaries were remaining in the cool and shade of their interior housing, invisible to view. The collection of parrots here was, quite simply, one of the best and most comprehensive I had ever seen; only the collection found within the Bird House of Zoo Berlin rivalled it in any way. As the aviaries were located on multiple levels of the terraces, our route through this area meant we had to ascend steps to access the next level of the terraces after reaching the end of a row of exhibits, giving us a better and better view of the buildings and gardens of Wilhelma as we did so. The taxa on-display within the exhibits and aviaries were as follows: Hyacinth Macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus) Vinaceous Amazon (Amazona vinacea) Bolivian Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri boliviensis boliviensis) Kea (Nestor notabilis) North Island Kaka (Nestor meridionalis septentrionalis) Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae) Northern Bald Ibis (Geronticus eremita) Marbled Teal (Marmaronetta angustirostris) Greater Vasa Parrot (Coracopsis vasa) Derbyan Parakeet (Psittacula derbiana) Solomon Island Eclectus Parrot (Eclectus roratus solomonensis) Swift Parrot (Lathamus discolor) Mount Goliath Papuan Lory (Charmosyna stellae goliathina) Hooded Parrot (Psephotellus dissimilis) Palm Cockatoo (Probosciger aterrimus) Moluccan Cockatoo (Cacatua moluccensis) Australian King Parrot (Alisterus scapularis) Sun Conure (Aratinga solstitialis) Blue-and-Yellow Macaw (Ara ararauna) Monk Parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) Pacific Parrotlet (Forpus coelestis) Black-headed Caique (Pionites melanocephala) Hahn’s Macaw (Diopsittaca nobilis nobilis) Blue-cheeked Amazon (Amazona dufresniana) Red-fronted Macaw (Ara rubrogenys) Green-winged Macaw (Ara chloroptera) Needless to say, although this parrot collection was one of the most comprehensive which we had been fortunate enough to view up to this point in time – beaten only by the selection of taxa displayed within the new Bird House at Zoo Berlin – there was one taxon which represented the undisputed jewel in the collection; the North Island Kaka. At the time of our visit – and, barring any developments which have not been made public, up to the present day – Wilhelma held the only individuals of this taxon on-display outside of New Zealand, an elderly female and her two daughters. As the latter detail would tend to suggest, Wilhelma is also the only collection outside New Zealand to have bred the taxon, a feat which is somewhat less impressive when one considers that when the collection received the species in the 1980’s it was the first European collection to receive Kaka of any description in close to a century. However, much to the displeasure of many zoo enthusiasts it seems rather likely that – despite having a proven breeding record for the species – Wilhelma will also be the last collection outside New Zealand to hold North Island Kaka; after the breeding male passed away in 2011, Wilhelma attempted to obtain another male but were stonewalled by the New Zealand authorities. Further attempts and requests for new stock, or even surplus eggs from the thriving captive population within New Zealand, have continued to be refused; something which strikes me as a deep pity when one considers that – last I heard – the taxon was deemed to be “at capacity” within native collections and as such, to prevent surplus birds which cannot be housed, any eggs laid in native collections are routinely pinned. To our considerable disappointment, when we viewed the parrot aviaries on the Subtropenterrassen the North Island Kaka were among those taxa which were sheltering from the heat of the morning sun within their offshow indoor-housing. As such, we worked out several points during our route through Wilhelma where we would be able to make detours to view this area again, in the hope of viewing the Kaka and those other taxa which were not immediately visible. The aviaries largely followed the same general design; a variety of trees and branches, with variable levels of vegetation and a tendency towards ropes, tires and other such items to be provided as enrichment for the inhabitants, and substrates varying between grass and sand depending on the taxon held within. All aviaries contained relatively large indoor housing areas where the inhabitants could escape view and shelter from the heat of the sun; as, indeed, the vast majority were doing at the time we initially viewed this area. The size of the aviaries was also roughly constant; as a rough estimate I would say the area spanned by each aviary – not including the footplan of indoor housing – was around three or four metres square. However, a few of the exhibits within this area detracted from this general trend – some, for the smaller species, were subdivided to create a complex of smaller aviaries, whilst other aviaries spanned rather larger areas. Three such exhibits for whom the latter was the case were those for the Northern Bald Ibis and Marbled Teal, the Bolivian Squirrel Monkeys and the Kea. The exhibit for the Bolivian Squirrel Monkeys, unsurprisingly considering the inhabitants, was the one which most strayed from the general design noted above. In feel, it was much more akin to the callitrichid exhibits which we had viewed in the Rearing House; large spans of ropes and other artificial climbing aids, with trees and branches providing further opportunity for the inhabitants to move around. This was also the exhibit which displayed the greatest level of greenery within, with much of the floor covered by thick, lush grass – obviously thriving in the warm but sheltered position of the Subtropenterrassen. On the whole, the aviaries and exhibits in this area were pretty good; due to the heat of the sun rather a lot of the inhabitants were not visible at this point in time, and as such we could only guess at how well the aviaries suited the inhabitants in terms of the space allotted, but I felt that the aviaries seemed large enough for the taxa in question. In any case, we hoped to view these aviaries again later in the day, at which point we would hopefully manage to view more of the inhabitants than we had thus far. After viewing these exhibits and reaching the summit of the Subtropenterrassen, we had reached the outer limit of the original site of Wilhelma and the gardens commissioned by Wilhelm I; from here, the route-plan we were meant we would be making our way through more recently-constructed areas of the collection, which expanded Wilhelma into the surrounding Rosenstein Park.
I'm about two-thirds through the next post, but will have patchy internet access for the next day or two; as such I am going to upload what I have now, including the attachments for the finished post, so that I only have to edit in the remaining text without worrying about having to attach files to the post.
Part IV: From Geladas To Domestics The first exhibit we reached was a large and spacious enclosure containing a very large and - judging by the varying ages and sexes of the animals in question - breeding group of Gelada (Theropithecus gelada), along with several Barbary Sheep (Ammotragus levia) and non-subspecific Rock Hyrax (Procavia capensis). Although not precisely accurate in biogeographic terms - the Gelada being restricted to Ethiopia whilst the Barbary Sheep is located in pockets throughout North Africa, but does not range as far south as Ethiopia - I thought that this mixture was an appealing and interesting one, with the inhabitants seemingly co-existing well and intermingling without any sign of conflict. In point of fact, many of the younger Gelada were climbing on top of the Barbary Sheep as we observed the exhibit! The exhibit was well-designed and quite attractive, comprising a large and deep concrete pit with numerous outcroppings and piles of boulders and a number of large logs providing ample climbing opportunities for the inhabitants; due to the heat of the day the taxa found within were less active than would usually be the case, but I thought it very likely that all three taxa would be able to make full use of the exhibit on several levels. Next to this exhibit was a slightly smaller one, but designed along very similar lines, which contained a mid-size group of Japanese Macaque (Macaca fuscata); again I rather liked this exhibit, and thought that it was well-suited to the needs of the taxa which were found within. The next exhibit we reached was a large and relatively well-vegetated enclosure containing a pair of South African Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus jubatus). As the exhibit contained only two individuals, I felt that the amount of space available was suitable; however, if the collection were to increase the number of individuals in the future, it is possible that this would become a concern. The exhibit looked rather pleasant, comprising open grassy areas dotted with fallen logs, and a handful of mature trees which were likely present at the time the footplan of Wilhelma expanded into the surrounding park. Opposite here, we came to the Big Cat House; before entering the house itself, the routeplan we were following would take us past the various external enclosures for the house. The first such exhibit was a relatively large and well-vegetated cage containing Persian Leopard (Panthera pardus saxicolor); as this subspecies is one which I have not seen all that often, I was quite pleased to have the opportunity to view it once again. However, although the exhibit seemed spacious enough and provided the inhabitants with plenty of climbing opportunities, thanks to the provision of various logs and wooden platforms, it seemed to have been somewhat neglected, with the vegetation looking a little "wild" and unkempt in patches, and dying back in other areas. The next exhibit was very similar in general design and contents, but was apparently vacant at the time of our visit. As such, the sense of abandonment and neglect was somewhat more apparent when viewing this enclosure. The third and final cage in the row comprised an exhibit for Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia); this exhibit was again rather similar to those which had preceded it, but was perhaps slightly less well-vegetated and contained slightly more climbing opportunities than the previous two exhibits. The next external exhibit we reached - and the last exhibit before we entered the Big Cat House itself - was an extremely large and well-vegetated island-style enclosure for Sumatran Tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae). I rather liked this exhibit; it was perhaps twice the size of the cages which we had just viewed, and being an open exhibit rather than a cage it possessed a much more airy feel. The exhibit struck me as a good size for the taxon which it contained, with plenty of mature trees and thick vegetation, and space for the inhabitants to move around. Entering the Big Cat House itself, we found that there were a series of indoor enclosures; two for each of the exterior exhibits which we had already viewed. These all followed the same basic design, comprising woodchip substrate with a variety of logs and branches scattered around the floor of the exhibit, with shelves and ledges at varying levels providing places for the inhabitants to climb and get away from one another. As such they were pretty standard enclosures, being well-suited to the needs of the inhabitants, if perhaps a little small. Overall, I thought that this area of Wilhelma, though obviously somewhat out-of-date and in need of significant refurbishment, was still reasonably good and as such - although replacement with a more up-to-date and suitable structure is desirable - the Big Cat House presents much less of a problem than does the old Ape House of which I have already spoken. Leaving the Big Cat House, we reached a reasonably large but somewhat neglected-looking exhibit for Bush Dog (Speothos venaticus) - an unusual and appealing-looking species which I always enjoy having the opportunity to view. This particular exhibit was almost bare of vegetation, although the dry, bare earth and the scrubby vegetation that remained tended to suggest that the exhibit is usually more well-vegetated than it was at the time we viewed the enclosure. The size of the exhibit, however, cannot be criticised - although nowhere near as large as other enclosures I have seen for this species in the past, it seemed large enough for the small group present at Wilhelma. The next area which we reached following the route suggested on the map was the Elephant House and surrounding enclosures. At the present time, only two elderly and non-subspecific Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus) are held at Wilhelma, although I am given to understand that there are plans to eventually build a new Elephant House elsewhere on the site; presumably when this occurs, the collection will hopefully obtain a younger and larger group. The outdoor paddock for the elephants was rather small, but has been renovated in recent years to provide a more sandy substrate and a pool for the inhabitants to bathe in; when one considers the age of the remaining inhabitants along with the fact only two elephants are now present, it must be said that this exhibit is by no means the worst outdoor elephant exhibit I have seen in terms of the welfare of the inhabitants, meeting their needs whilst not actually excelling in any way. The indoor exhibits were, however, rather more poor - although still larger and more suitable for the inhabitants than was the indoor elephant exhibit which I had seen at Zoo Magdeburg a year prior. The interior of the house also contained indoor enclosures for Indian Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis); these were significantly smaller and more dingy-looking than those for the Elephants, it must be said, being of a similar size and design to those I had seen the day before at Tierpark Hellabrunn. However, the informational signage within the Elephant House was rather good, truth be told; a large and detailed posted gave information about the differences between the various species of rhinoceros found in Africa and Asia, along with their historical range and their range as of 2006, population estimates and information about the threats facing them. In nearby glass cases there was a range of skeletal material and informational messages discussing the morphology of elephants and rhinoceros, including an Asian Elephant skull and a comparison between the hind legs of a domestic horse and a Javan Rhinoceros; I have a suspicion that this may have been the first time I had seen skeletal material from the latter taxon, in point of fact. The Indian Rhinoceros had a pair of outdoor exhibits, which we viewed on leaving the Elephant House; one for the breeding male and one for the female, which had given birth to a calf some months previously. Each paddock was a similar size to the exterior exhibit for the Asian Elephants which I have already discussed, but due to the smaller size of the inhabitants and the fact each adult had a paddock to itself, these exhibits were much better suited for the taxa within than the elephant paddock had been. When, as already noted, a new Elephant House is eventually constructed, I believe that the long-term intention is that the aforementioned elephant paddock will also be made available to the Indian Rhinoceros held at Wilhelma; this, I feel, will be a very positive move, and one which will improve the welfare of the inhabitants a great deal. We next came to the external exhibit for Sulawesi Babirusa (Babyrousa celebensis); one of my favourite species of wild pig and one which is currently undergoing something of a revival within European collections, with successful breeding within a number of collections. The exhibit struck me as being a little on the small side, but was otherwise quite a good-looking enclosure for the species in question; a sandy substrate covered the entirety of the paddock, doubtless as a measure to prevent the natural wallowing tendencies of wild pigs from churning up the soil within the enclosure, with logs and branches dotted at a number of points within. The interior enclosure for the taxon - not visible to the visiting public - was located within the next building we were to enter; a structure referred to as the "Tapir House" due to the historical presence of Malayan Tapir within, although the structure no longer holds any species of tapir. For all intents and purposes, then, the building would be better termed the "Hippo House", for it is here that both species of Hippopotamus are housed at Wilhelma. Within the house were a series of functional, if not particularly attractive, enclosures for both Western Pygmy Hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis liberiensis) and Common Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius), each comprising concrete-floored holding cages, with steps leading down into indoor pools; the clear, clean nature of the water within the pools indicated that neither species held within the house had made use of them that morning. This point, along with the fact that the doors leading to the exterior paddocks were closed and there was no sign of either taxon within the house, tended to suggest that the inhabitants of the house had been shut outside. As such, we made our way out of the "Tapir House" and continued on the routeplan which we had been conscientiously following thus far. As expected, the next area we came to comprised the exterior enclosures for both species of Hippopotamus; we first viewed a large and functionally-designed exhibit for the Common Hippopotamus, comprising a large expanse of land covered in sand, surrounded on multiple sides by steps leading into a wide and deep pool, which the public viewing point overlooked from an elevated position. The pair of hippopotamus held within this exhibit seemed to be making full use of this pool in order to escape from the heat of the sun; something which rather added something to the overall appeal of the exhibit as a whole! The neighbouring exhibit for Pygmy Hippopotamus was very much similar in general design, albeit slightly smaller and with the addition of a few shrubs and trees within the land area of the exhibit; I was very much pleased to view the inhabitant of this particular exhibit, which was dozing in one corner of the enclosure, as I knew that the male Pygmy Hippopotamus at Wilhelma was the oldest individual of his taxon in captivity at a grand total of 49 years old. Overall, although the interior of the house was somewhat small and dingy, and by no means attractive, I rather liked these two external exhibits; although basic and functional in design, they suited the needs of their inhabitants relatively well - certainly doing so better than the interior exhibits at Wilhelma did, and also comprising better enclosures for both taxa than the Hippo House at ZSL Whipsnade provides! Just opposite these exhibits, we were able to see the new Ape House which had opened a little less than two years previously, and which - as already mentioned - was now the home of the Western Lowland Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) and Bonobo groups which had formerly been held within the old house which I have already discussed at length. The route-plan which we were following would take us through this house properly a little later; however we nonetheless thought it prudent to take the opportunity to view the exterior portion closest to us - the "Gorilla Kindergarten" - whilst we were able. This area - as a very in-depth and informative sign next to the viewing windows into the Kindergarten detailed - acts as a rearing area on behalf of the Western Lowland Gorilla EEP, taking in young individuals from across Europe which have been rejected by their mother and looking after them until they are ready to move to other collections; the interior enclosures for this area were spacious and provided plentiful climbing opportunities on several levels due to the presence of ropes, swings and ledges, with various items of differing sizes scattered around the exhibit in order to further provide enrichment for the inhabitants. I was rather pleased with what little I had seen of the new Ape House thus far, and as such looked forward to viewing it properly in an hour or so. Continuing on our planned route, we came to a mid-size exhibit for Mishmi Takin (Budorcas taxicolor); one of my favourite caprine taxa, I am always very pleased to view this species - the enclosure, although not as large as others for Takin which I have been fortunate enough to view, struck me as very well-designed for the needs of the inhabitants. Although some portions of the exhibit comprised flat grassy paddock, the bulk of the exhibit was scattered with rocks, boulders and logs, interspersed with vegetation and scrub. This kind of exhibit is particularly well-suited to caprine taxa such as the Mishmi Takin, considering how apt to climb and move around on several levels such species tend to be. However, at the time of our visit the hot, sunny weather seemed to be overwhelming the inhabitants somewhat; the Takin were lying on their sides, in the shade provided by a particularly large pile of boulders, and as such we were unable to properly gauge how well they usually make use of their enclosure. Next to this exhibit was a very large paddock containing a non-breeding group of Plains Bison (Bison bison bison); having seen the related Wood Bison the previous day, it was interesting to be able to view this taxon and note the subtle differences between the two. The exhibit itself was extremely well-suited to the inhabitants, comprising a very large grass-covered paddock dotted with large mature trees; in point of fact I rather suspect that very little has been done to alter this area from the state in which it existed whilst still part of the Rosenstein Park, barring the construction of interior barns for the inhabitants and the enclosure of the paddock by a fence. As we were starting to get rather hungry, we were glad to note that our route would now take us past the "Restaurant am Schaubauernhof"; however, before pausing for food we decided that as the suggested route looped through a domestic animal area before once again passing the restaurant, it would make most sense for us to view this area before eating in order to minimise doubling-back and hence improve our time management, given that we had been told we might find it hard to view the entire collection in the time we had. The first exhibit within this area - which the map suggested usually contained Bezoar Ibex - was empty as a result of the ongoing "Stuttgart 21" project which I have mentioned previously, and which was performing construction work under this area of Wilhelma and Rosenstein Park. Beyond here, the domestic animal area was divided into two distinct segments; a series of barns and paddocks to the right, with an extensive petting zoo area to the right. The route by which we had reached this area meant it was most prudent to view the Barnyard area first; here we found paddocks for the following taxa: Swabian-Hall Saddleback (Sus scrofa domestica) Kune-Kune (Sus scrofa domestica) Hinterwälder-Rind (Bos primigenius taurus) Limpurg Cattle (Bos primigenius taurus) European Wisent (Bison bonasus) and Przewalski’s Horse (Equus ferus przewalskii) Poitou Donkey (Equus africanus asinus) and Shetland Pony (Equus ferus caballus) I rather liked this selection of taxa; I had never seen the Saddleback or the Hinterwälder-Rind before, and thought that both were quite interesting looking breeds, and felt that the presence of Wisent in such close proximity to the Plains Bison which we had just viewed provided an interesting comparison of two closely related species. The paddocks and barns within this area were well-designed and provided plenty of space for their inhabitants; something which was rather fortunate given that it was apparent most of the breeds present within this area were regularly breeding. The Saddleback pigs seemed particularly fecund, with multiple broods of piglets - quite obviously only a few weeks old - constantly running around the paddocks for this breed. Within the Petting Zoo area, we viewed the following taxa: West African Pygmy Goat (Capra aegagrus hircus) Schwarzwald Landrace Goat (Capra aegagrus hircus) Cameroon Sheep (Ovis orientalis aries) Skudde (Ovis orientalis aries) Altsteirer (Gallus gallus domestica) Bergischer Long Crower (Gallus gallus domestica) Dwarf Silkie (Gallus gallus domestica) Faverolles (Gallus gallus domestica) Sundheimer (Gallus gallus domestica) Westfalische Totleger (Gallus gallus domestica) Bronze Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo domestica) Non-subspecific Domestic Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus domestica) As with the previous area, the "Petting Zoo" contained several domestic breeds which I had not previously had the good luck to view; although, as one would imagine, my interests when it comes to zoological collections are heavily skewed towards exotic taxa, I nonetheless have a strong appreciation for unusual and rare domestic breeds. I was particularly taken with the Skudde sheep - although this is one of the taxa which I had viewed the year before at Tierpark Berlin - along with the Schwarzwald Landrace Goat and several of the domestic chicken breeds. Having viewed this area of Wilhelma, we now felt thoroughly ready to rest awhile and find something to eat for lunch at the nearby "Restaurant am Schaubauernhof".
I have now updated the Wilhelma post I uploaded last night, to include the remainder of what I intended to cover in that segment of the report
I wonder how you can deem the hippo enclosures adequate in any way..... They are among the worst that are around in western Europe, and I hope the new enclosure next to the river will be finished in the not too distant future.... The last 2 hand-reared gorillas have just left and their enclosure should become the home of an African primate species, which will be combined with the gorillas.
Well, I've not seen all that many Common Hippopotamus enclosures seen rather more Pygmy Hippopotamus enclosures, however. I'd agree that the interior exhibits are among the worst, being the smallest I have seen anywhere - the only worse interior exhibit I have seen is the one at South Lakes, which at the time I saw it was larger but pretty much just comprised a bare concrete floor with a pile of straw in one corner. However, the fact I did not see the Wilhelma animals within their internal exhibits meant I was only able to judge it on appearance and aesthetics - and my feelings were that they were small and designed on very functional lines, and rather out-of-date, but the fact the inhabitants seemed to spend most of their time outside meant this didn't produce as visceral a reaction within me as others I have seen. For instance, the interior exhibits at ZSL Whipsnade are about twice the size of the Wilhelma ones, and provide rather more pool space - however, as the bulk of the floorplan within the house is devoted to the public, and the inhabitants seldom access their outdoor paddocks, it "seems" worse even if it is not. Similarly, although the stark and functional design of the exterior exhibits is very different from the style one would desire of a modern hippopotamus exhibit, and they are smaller than most - but not all - other exterior exhibits I have seen, I felt that even if they were among the "least-good" I have seen this did not necessarily mean they were actively bad. As already noted, I thought they served the needs of the inhabitants much more than did the interior exhibits at ZSL Whipsnade; although the exterior paddocks there are somewhat larger, the fact the inhabitants seldom have access to them renders this something of a moot point. In short - something can be adequate for the purpose whilst still being among the worst of its kind, if the majority of others are *better* than adequate. Certainly when compared to the extremely good exhibit at Zoo Berlin, these exhibits are surpassed by leaps and bounds and shown to be things of the past. I would also note that I only thought the exterior exhibits at Wilhelma were adequate, and had a much more dim view of the interior exhibits. (By the by, this is the kind of discussion and debate I want from these threads - if anyone else disagrees with me on a point, or wants further insight into my opinions on a matter, please do chip in!)
Part V: Hoofstock, Ape House and Sequoia Woodland After a very pleasant lunch at the restaurant, we made our way to the next exhibit indicated on our route-plan; a large and relatively plain paddock containing Bactrian Camel (Camelus bactrianus), with very little vegetation present within barring the scrubby grass which - along with patches of sand - formed the overall substrate of the enclosure. That said, the paddock was perfectly well-suited to the inhabitants; it merely did not offer anything above and beyond the necessary. The neighbouring enclosure contained Persian Fallow Deer (Dama mesopotamica), a taxon which I have already discussed at some length elsewhere and which I was pleased to have yet another opportunity to view at length. Unlike the previous enclosure, this one was rather more well-vegetated, with a number of mature trees dotted throughout the paddock, and the majority of the paddock covered in thick grass barring a small sandy area close to the interior housing for the deer. As such, I felt this was a rather good exhibit for the species. The next exhibit which we reached was a paddock very much akin in design to the Mesopotamian Fallow exhibit we had just viewed, containing South African Ostrich (Struthio camelus australis). As the most common ostrich taxon in captivity, barring non-subspecific individuals, this was an appealing-looking but not exceptional choice for the exhibit; however, the enclosure was perfectly well-suited for the taxon, and seemed to meet the needs of its inhabitants quite well. We next reached a very large and well-designed paddock for Somali Wild Ass (Equus africanus somaliensis); this is a taxon which I rather like, and which in my opinion is not displayed in captive collections nearly enough. As such, I was pleased to see a breeding group of the species was displayed at Wilhelma. The paddock itself was not too dissimilar to the nearby ones which I have just discussed, albeit slightly larger and with a generally sandier substrate throughout as opposed to the scrubby grass found in its neighbours, and containing a shallow pool at one end of the paddock. Overall I rather liked this exhibit for the taxon in question, feeling it met the needs of the inhabitants well and looked reasonably attractive. Just opposite the Somali Wild Ass paddock, we were able to see a portion of the main exterior exhibit for Bonobo (Pan paniscus) built as part of the new Ape House; this was extremely good, comprising a well-vegetated enclosure containing bushes and trees, patches of boulders and other such items for the inhabitants to climb, including wooden climbing frames and platforms, and a variety of ropes connecting various points within the enclosure. The entire area was covered by netting suspended from a series of metal support-poles; quite similar in overall design to those found within the exterior exhibit for Sumatran Orangutan at Tierpark Hellabrunn and which I have already discussed. Although we did not see the inhabitants making use of their outdoor enclosure at the time of our visit, the scale and quality of enrichment provided within the exterior Bonobo exhibit was - in my opinion - excellent, meeting the needs of the inhabitants extremely well and representing a massive improvement on the accommodation within which this species had been displayed at Wilhelma not all that long ago. At this point, our suggested route-plan took us through the new Ape House itself; the area just prior to the entrance was decorated by a mural showing two rows of photographs - the top row comprising a selection of images of Western Lowland Gorilla faces, with the lower row achieving something similar with images of Bonobo faces. The interior of the house was very attractive, as far as the areas for the visiting public went; the path through the house led through wide open, airy hallways containing thick vegetation growing in plant beds both beside the path and above the viewing windows into the interior exhibits for the inhabitants of the house. However, the aforementioned exhibits were rather less attractive; although well-suited to the inhabitants in terms of the space provided and the level of climbing opportunities available to the taxa in question, the general design of these interior exhibits was extremely akin to those found within the old Ape House on which I have already commented. Rather than a naturalistic exhibit design, as one might have expected given the lush vegetation found throughout the public areas of the house, the design motif was very much based along functional lines, with concrete flooring and a combination of wooden and metal climbing frames and platforms, along with copious ropes, hammocks and swings. It must, of course, be emphasized that in terms of appearance, size and design these exhibits *are* a massive improvement on those found within the old Ape House - however, the pivotal term is "improvement", as the exhibits within the new Ape House looked very much like good versions of those within the old. Anyone hoping that the opportunity may have been taken to design something completely different from that which had come before would be disappointed; as I had known little about the old Ape House before my visit, barring the fact that it was held in low esteem by many and had recently been superseded by a new build, I had few preconceptions in the matter. As such, I found myself able to enjoy the new Ape House for those facets where it excelled; the space and level of enrichment provided to the inhabitants, along with the standard of educational signage within the public areas of the house, whilst openly admitting that the house does not "feel" like a structure completed a few short years before, but rather more like something from decades past. This assessment, of course, is restricted to the internal exhibits within the new Ape House; as one may have gathered, I felt the exterior exhibits for the taxa held within the house were excellent. Having exited the Ape House, the next exhibit we reached was a rather good mixed exhibit for Grevy's Zebra (Equus grevyi) and Kordofan Dorcas (Gazella dorcas osiris); the former taxon, of course, is one which I have seen many times in the past. However, the latter is a species which I had only been fortunate enough to view once before, at Marwell Zoo, and I had never been entirely satisfied with the photographs I had taken at said collection. As such, I was rather pleased to have the opportunity to view the taxon once again at Wilhelma - especially as it rather appeared the collection held a breeding group of the species. The exhibit comprised a relatively long, wide paddock with a sandy substrate, with boulders and logs scattered across the ground and the general gradient of the exhibit sloping downward, such that at one end of the paddock the public footpath looked down into the exhibit whilst at the other end the footpath was more or less level with the exhibit. The species mixture appeared to work reasonably well, with both taxa having plenty of space to get away from one another if need be, whilst still having sufficient space for their overall needs. Overall, I felt that this was perhaps one of the best hoofstock exhibits which I had seen at Wilhelma thus far. At one end of the exhibit, the mock-rock back wall of the paddock had been used to form part of another smaller exhibi containing a mid-size group of Meerkat (Suricata suricatta); this retained the general sandy substrate and desert motif of the parent enclosure, but was significantly smaller and fronted by glass panels. A little further along, we reached the external exhibit for the breeding group of Reticulated Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata) held within the collection. This was, by some margin, the largest hoofstock exhibit we had seen at Wilhelma thus far, being perhaps the combined size of the exterior Asian Elephant and Indian Rhinoceros exhibits discussed previously. In general design the enclosure was relatively functional and basic, comprising a cobbled external area, surrounding the bulk of the paddock which was covered in a thick woodchip substrate, with a pool in the centre of the enclosure and a series of imitation-rock crags and cliffs at the rear; this latter feature is, I believe, a relic of an exhibit for Klipspringer which was located within this paddock until recent years. Overall I felt this paddock was both large enough for the inhabitants and met their general needs, although the use of woodchip as a substrate gave me some pause as I believe this can cause hoof problems in giraffes. At the rear of the paddock, the inhabitants had access to their indoor housing; the suggested route-plan which we were following on the map took us into the Giraffe House, as luck would have it, and as such this was the next point on our travels. Within the Giraffe House - a relatively dark structure with exhibits to either side of the building, along with a central row containing further exhibits and a variety of cultivated scrubland vegetation - the first exhibit we saw to our right was the interior enclosure for the Reticulated Giraffe. As with the vast majority of exhibits which we had seen thus far at Wilhelma - especially those intended to house hoofstock - the enclosure was designed very much along functional lines without any attempt towards replicating a more natural environment, more or less comprising little more than a tall cage with hay feeding points suspending from the ceiling, and straw scattered on the ground, and as such met the needs of the inhabitants without actually excelling or being particularly good in any way. However, it was apparent that the inhabitants of the enclosure did not have access to the Giraffe House during the day, and were locked outside in their external paddock - which as I have already noted was significantly better than the interior exhibit. Just opposite, among the plants and vegetation present in the central row of the Giraffe House, we came across a mid-size glass case comprising an exhibit for Short-eared Elephant Shrew (Macroscelides proboscideus) – a taxon which, as I have noted on several occasions in the past, I am rather fond of; this may well be partially due to the fact that until my trip to Berlin a year previously, I had never seen any members of this unusual group of small mammals, and as such they still represent something novel. The exhibit itself was nothing particularly unusual as far as enclosures for this species go, resembling the one I had seen at Tierpark Hellabrunn a day prior in many ways; a sandy substrate was broken up by a variety of rocks, branches and stone shelves under which the inhabitants could hide. The next exhibit we reached within the House was a large and well-vegetated enclosure containing Congo Peafowl (Afropavo congensis) and Snowy-crowned Robin-chat (Cossypha niveicapilla), with a variety of bushes and trees providing cover and perching opportunities for the inhabitants; although both are taxa which I have seen many times before at Chester, I always rather enjoy viewing these species, and as such I was quite pleased at the quality of this exhibit. In the case of the Peafowl this is likely due to the fact they represent something a little different from the domesticated Blue Peafowl which are near-ubiquitous in captivity, whilst in the case of the Robin-chat my interest in the species can be assigned to a wider fondness for the Muscicapidae family of passerines, encompassing both the Old World Flycatchers and the Chats. This fondness is certainly borne of having seen many members of this attractive and appealing group within the wild during my day-to-day life. The next exhibit which we reached, on the opposite side of the Giraffe House to the interior housing for the Reticulated Giraffes, was a series of indoor holding paddocks for Okapi (Okapia johnstoni); as I believe I have discussed at length in the past, the Okapi is among my favourite species of hoofstock. I believe this is largely due to the fact that as a child - much like the Tuatara and Aye-aye - the Okapi was a species which I recognised as something unusual, something hearkening back to a bygone age, and most of all a species I never dreamed I would have the opportunity to see one day, let alone see on a regular basis. As such I always enjoy the opportunity to view the species in another collection, not wishing to take it for granted in the slightest. However, the inhabitants of this exhibit were not visible at this point in time. Much like the interior housing for their larger cousins, the Okapi enclosures were built very much along functional lines, comprising interconnected stalls in which those Okapi held at Wilhelma could be separated from one another if need be. Although by no means attractive, nor naturalistic in any way, these exhibits were very akin to many other onshow and offshow holding stalls for hoofstock which I have seen at many collections; they serve a purpose and perform this purpose very well, but are not designed to be attractive or appealing to look at. Again, my feelings on these exhibits were somewhat influenced by the fact that it was apparent that - like the Reticulated Giraffe - the Okapi at Wilhelma did not have access to their interior exhibits during the day. Having viewed these enclosures, we then reached a mid-size exhibit for Sociable Weaver (Philetairus socius); this represented a lifetick species, and moreover one which I had not actually realised was held at Wilhelma. As such, the sight of this aviary and the realisation that it held something new was a very pleasant surprise; in many ways, such surprises are one of the particular pleasures of discovering a new collection – one generally does know what major attractions and oddities a collection may hold, but it is always good to have an element of the unexpected! The exhibit itself was once again designed along simple and functional lines, with a mass of vegetation slung from the ceiling in order to provide the inhabitants both a place to nest, and a source of nesting material, with only a small shrub-like tree and a wooden perching platform otherwise present within. As such, much like so many of the exhibits we had seen thus far in the "newer" areas of Wilhelma, this enclosure met the needs of the inhabitants whilst maintaining a somewhat sterile and functional feel. The final exhibit which we encountered within the Giraffe House was an enclosure for Fennec Fox (Vulpes zerda) – one of the most appealing-looking and popular members of the Canidae, I always enjoy seeing this species – even if, as a rule, my preferences lie more toward the Corsac and Arctic Fox where members of this genus are concerned. The enclosure was relatively large and dimly-lit, with those lamps present within the exhibit illuminating a central area of boulders, logs and rocky shelves, surrounded by a sandy substrate. As such, in many ways this was the best exhibit within the Giraffe House along with the aforementioned exhibit for the Congo Peafowl and Robin-Chat, as both met the needs of the inhabitants whilst also looking pleasant and attractive as enclosures in their own right. Having been somewhat ambivalent about the interior exhibits for the Okapi, I was rather interested on departing the Giraffe House to note that the next enclosure we reached on leaving the building was the exterior exhibit for the species. As with the outside paddock for the Reticulated Giraffe, it was immediately obvious that the outdoor enclosure for the Okapi was the superior of the interior housing for the species, comprising a large and well-vegetated grassy enclosure dotted with shrubs, bushes and mid-size trees. Although not the best exhibit for the species which I had seen by any stretch of the imagination, it was nonetheless a good enclosure for the species and met the needs of the taxon very well, giving the inhabitants plenty of space whilst also providing them with a pleasant-looking enclosure with more to offer than a mere bare paddock would. On seeing one of the Okapi resident within the collection walking through the paddock, I took the opportunity to indulge in one of my more unusual foibles; knowing that the pattern of stripes on the rear of an Okapi is diagnostic to individual level, with every Okapi alive today having a slightly different set of markings, whenever I see an individual which is new to me I always attempt to take photographs of its rear end! Our route taking us past the far side of the South African Cheetah exhibit which we had viewed an hour or so prior, we then took the opportunity to take a closer look at the Belvedere. As already discussed when I was relating the history of the Subtropenterrassen, at the summit of the terraces Wilhelm I of Württemberg ordered the construction of an ornate belvedere built – as so much of the historical gardens and buildings of Wilhelma were – in a Moorish fashion, providing a viewpoint over the entire site as it stood during his lifetime. Although no access within the structure itself is available to members of the public, it is possible to stand in front of the belvedere and look down across the gardens and historical buildings in much the same way as Wilhelm and the other members of German aristocracy and royalty once did. At the time of our visit, with the gardens coming into full bloom with the onset of spring and the sun shining across Stuttgart, I have to admit it was a wonderful sight. We next came to a slightly neglected-looking mixed exhibit for Eastern Bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus isaaci), Marabou Stork (Leptoptilos crumenifer) and Southern Ground Hornbill (Bucorvus leadbeateri); the combination of species struck me as quite a good one, and certainly one which I had not seen employed at a zoological collection in the past, and the inhabitants of the exhibit seemed to interact without any negative impact on one another. As already noted, the exhibit itself looked a little neglected looking, with the grass of the paddock appearing a little scrappy and worn, and the general feel of the enclosure giving an impression that it had somewhat been forgotten; however, in general design it was actually rather good, with very large tree trunks laid across the exhibit and log-fencing providing areas of cover where the inhabitants could escape public view, with the offshow interior housing at the rear of the exhibit and a large pool at the front. Beyond here, the route which we were following on the map took us through a peaceful and very attractive stretch of woodland with no animal exhibits to speak of; however, this area is worthy of discussion in its own right. The woodland through which we were walking was, in point of fact, a plantation of Giant Sequoia; the survivors from thousands of seeds planted on the orders of Wilhelm I of Württemberg in 1865, and which have achieved heights of up to 30 metres during the intervening 150 years or so. There were, naturally, substantial amounts of informational signage in the same style as that found within the historical gardens and greenhouses which we had viewed that morning; something which I thought was a distinct point in the favour of the collection, and which reflects the fact that Wilhelma was a botanical garden before it was ever a zoological collection. All in all, I am very pleased that this side of the collection has not been neglected, but is still an intrinsic part of the whole.
Part VI: South America and Mountainside The next area we reached as the path led us away from the Sequoia woodland was a pair of interconnected exhibit complexes; a set of exhibits centred around the theme of species native to mountainous and temperate biomes, and a set of exhibits centred around a general "South American" theme. The former area comprised a series of exhibits constructed on the sides of an artificial mountain slope, whilst the latter primarily comprised a series of paddocks. However, two of the exhibits which fit into the latter theme were - in point of fact - incorporated into the mountainous framework of the former theme. The first "Mountainous" exhibit we reached was a large and very well-designed enclosure for Alpine Ibex (Capra ibex ibex); as will be extremely apparent by this point in proceedings, I have a strong soft spot for members of the Caprinae, and as such I was pleased to have the opportunity to view another exhibit for a member of this group. It is, I feel, always interesting to see a range of exhibits designed with the specialised needs of a species such as this, as the differing ways in which a collection may attempt to tackle these needs often gives a feel for the "style" and ethos of the collection itself. Unfortunately, the extreme heat of the midday sun had not yet passed; as such, the inhabitants of the exhibit were hidden away in their offshow dens, sheltering out of view and as such preventing a full assessment of how well the enclosure was suited to them. However, some level of evaluation can still be attempted. The enclosure comprised a steep grassy slope, very much akin to a mountain hillside, which gave way to scattered scree and boulder-fields as the altitude of the exhibit increased, with the summit of the exhibit comprising sheer rock walls which both formed a boundary between this enclosure and the next, and doubtless also contained access into the indoor areas for this species. The level of climbing opportunity provided by the sloping enclosure and the boulders found within, along with the sheer size of the enclosure, rather suggested that this was a particularly good exhibit for the species - certainly very much better than the exhibit for this taxon which I had viewed the previous day at Tierpark Hellabrunn. Our attention now turned to the paddocks opposite, where the first of the "South American" exhibits were located. This comprised a medium-sized and relatively plain grassy paddock interspersed with fallen logs, which contained a group of Greater Rhea (Rhea americana); some of the inhabitants of this exhibit, as is relatively common in captive collections, were leucistic individuals. Although I rather like this species, I have to admit that I would have much preferred to have seen the slightly less-common Darwin's Rhea; although I have seen said taxon on many occasions, it appeals to me in a way that the Greater Rhea does not, and which I cannot quite explain. However, the exhibit was perfectly well-suited to the species which it contained, and met the needs of its inhabitants well, so my personal preferences in species must not be taken as a criticism of the enclosure. On the other side of the interior housing for the Rhea, a second exhibit was visible; this contained a mixture of Patagonian Mara (Dolichotis patagonum) and Giant Anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla). The latter of these is one of those species which, no matter how often one views the taxon, always retains a certain appeal, no doubt due to the unusual appearance and slightly off-kilter gait of the animal in the flesh. They are also remarkably active animals in my experience, and those contained within this exhibit were no exception. The enclosure itself was relatively good, albeit a little bare and small for the species in question, comprising a sandy paddock gradually giving way to scrubby grass. The final exhibit in this row of paddocks was a relatively large enclosure for Alpaca (Vicugna pacos), which in general feel and design was very much akin to the exhibit for Greater Rhea already discussed. The final two exhibits within the "South American" theme were, as already noted, part of the overall hillside structure which I started discussing above. The first of these was a large and well-designed exhibit for Spectacled Bear (Tremarctos ornatus), with thick bushes and mature trees present throughout, along with a mixture of natural boulders, logs and artificial rock faces dividing the exhibit into multiple levels. Somewhat surprisingly, fish were present within the pools and moats of this exhibit; I was not entirely sure if this was a deliberate choice or the result of accidental introduction of fish eggs and larva on the legs of wild birds and the like. It is likely that their presence was indeed deliberate, however, as we watched the inhabitants of the exhibit hunting these fish; this rather suggested that the fish are restocked! Either way, this provided valuable enrichment for the inhabitants. Overall, I felt that this exhibit was very well-suited to the needs of the species, and was one of the better Spectacled Bear enclosures I have been fortunate enough to view. Next to the Spectacled Bear exhibit, there was a spacious and well-vegetated exhibit for Maned Wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) – a species which, as I have already discussed at length during my review of Tierpark Hellabrunn, I am very fond of. I was pleased to note that the inhabitants of this exhibit were very active and making full use of the space provided; the exhibit in question provided plenty of open space for the inhabitants to move around within, with the rear of the enclosure containing large numbers of thick bushes and shrubs providing cover from public view - all factors which would tend to suggest the enclosure was well-suited to their needs. We then reached a pair of enclosures for Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus); each was designed along relatively functional lines, comprising various concrete and imitation-rock platforms and boulders surrounded by sheer concrete walls at the rear – within which were the offshow sleeping quarters for the inhabitants of the exhibit – and with the front of the platforms surrounded by wide, deep pools. Although neither enclosure was the largest I have seen for the species in question, they were nonetheless pretty good in my opinion; some level of enrichment was provided in the form of floating barrels, and the size and depth of the pools within the exhibit struck me as more than sufficient for the needs of the inhabitants. The greatest failing of this exhibit, in point of fact, was the fact it was very obviously built to the same standard “imitation rock mimicking ice” style which so many Polar Bear exhibits attempt, rather than aiming towards something more naturalistic as can be seen at collections such as Highland Wildlife Park. However, it was a good example of this style, and one which did not seem to compromise the needs of the inhabitants as so many do; when compared to the similar exhibit I had seen at Tierpark Hellabrunn the previous day I felt that although Hellabrunn was superior overall due to the presence of an area of natural grass and vegetation in addition to a pair of enclosures akin to this one, the exhibit at Wilhelma was of higher quality than the specific portion of the Hellabrunn exhibit to which it could be directly compared. Descending some steps between exhibits, we reached an area where we were able to view the interior sleeping quarters for two very appealing species; Eurasian Otter (Lutra lutra lutra) and North American Beaver (Castor canadensis). Although I had seen European Beaver in the wild and captivity previously, until this point in time I had never been fortunate enough to view the North American equivalent, and considering the nocturnal nature of beavers as a rule I was not entirely sure I would be able to see one at Wilhelma. As such I was quite pleased that interior viewing into the sleeping quarters of this species was provided; although the view achieved was not particularly good, comprising a bundle of dark fur curled up in the corner of a dimly-lit exhibit, it was nonetheless good enough for me! The interior exhibits were relatively nondescript, more or less comprising glass-fronted boxes with access points which appeared to lead to further off-display interior housing. It is likely that the only reason this interior housing was on-display at all was due to how low the odds would be of seeing the North American Beaver in particular otherwise. Ascending the steps once again, we reached the external exhibits for Eurasian Otter and North American Beaver; considering the fact we had just viewed the inhabitants of these enclosures sound asleep, we knew it was unlikely we would see either taxon making use of their exhibits. These enclosures were not bad, per se, although a little small for my liking – especially where the exhibit for Eurasian Otter was concerned, considering how highly active the species can be when awake. Both followed the same basic design – small areas of bare rock and vegetation, with the bulk of the enclosure space comprising pools of water. At this point, the path started to curve around and take us downhill; immediately in front of us just prior to the curve in the path, we reached the next exhibit. This comprised a pair of relatively large enclosures for Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia); each of these was entirely enclosed within strong mesh cages, including across the ceiling of the enclosures - no doubt a measure taken due to the climbing and jumping ability of the species in question. The first of these enclosures comprised a large grassy area dotted with boulders, rocks and logs - on the largest of these, we could actually see one of the inhabitants basking in the warm afternoon sun. Considering the prodigious climbing ability of the species, it struck me as somewhat odd that these boulders were the only visible climbing material provided - however, as we continued along this omission was somewhat explained. At one end of the enclosure, an opening in the wire-mesh of the cage led into the upper portions of the second exhibit for the Snow Leopard held at Wilhelma; as a result of the sloping ground within this area, this second exhibit was significantly higher than the preceding one had been. Again there were several boulders and rocks dotted around the exhibit; however these were rather larger than those in the previous exhibit, and were supplemented by barrels and swings suspended from the roof of the enclosure, and wooden platforms at several levels built into one corner of the enclosure. The floor of this second enclosure was rather more well-vegetated than the last, which had been open and grassy; this one contained a number of shrubs and small trees. Overall, I rather liked this exhibit as a whole - each enclosure within the exhibit supplemented the other, and provided for a different facet of the welfare needs of the taxa concerned. The next exhibit we reached, set into the sheer rock face to our left, was a very attractive aviary for Eurasian Merganser (Mergus merganser merganser); as a species which I have seen in the wild many times, it was interesting to see them held in a captive capacity here. The exhibit comprised a pool of rapidly-flowing water, surrounded by the imitation-rock and concrete crags which formed the foundation of the exhibits above which I have already discussed, along with a handful of shrubs and bushes at one end. The roof of the exhibit was covered by fine mesh netting, whilst a slightly more robust mesh was used for the fencing around the enclosure. I rather liked this exhibit, feeling that it provided something a little different to those I had seen thus far within this area, and in terms of presenting a more low-key species in an appealing fashion did so rather more effectively than had been achieved in the beaver and otter exhibits. It is worth noting here that the public footpath was gently leading us further down the hillside; ahead, a handful of exhibits rose above us to our left, whilst on the opposite side of the path another exhibit gently sloped away from us to our right. The latter of these comprised an enclosure for Turkomen Markhor (Capra falconeri heptneri); this species has to be one of my favourite members of the caprinae, and is a taxon which I have been fortunate enough to view on several occasions - moreover, I would suggest that it is also one of the most visually appealing species within the family. In many ways, this exhibit was quite akin in design and appearance to the enclosure for Alpine Ibex which I have already discussed, comprising a mixture of boulders and rocky platforms, interspersed with areas of pasture and vegetation; however, the gradient within this exhibit was significantly less extreme, and the ratio of vegetation to rock rather more tilted towards vegetation than it had been within the aforementioned exhibit. This was, I felt, a rather attractive enclosure and one which met the needs of the taxon within very well. To our left, we could see the exhibit for Rocky Mountain Goat (Oreamnos americanus) – despite the name, this unusual-looking species is much more closely affiliated with serows, gorals and chamois than it is to the true goats. It took us some time to spot the inhabitants of this exhibit perched on a high ledge several metres above us, which I feel is something of a testament to the sheer size and scale of the enclosure; this comprised a series of rock ledges and boulders, dotted among a steep grass slope rising away from us, with offshow interior housing carefully hidden among the crags in order to blend in with the overall surroundings. This gave the inhabitants a great deal of room to move and climb around their environs, and moreover the ability to hide away from the visiting public if need be; both points which very much speak in the favour of this exhibit where the welfare and needs of the inhabitants is concerned. Next to the Mountain Goat exhibit, we reached another exhibit following a very similar design; in point of fact were it not for informational signage alerting us to the fact that this was the exhibit for Syrian Brown Bear (Ursus arctos syriacus), and thus causing us to pay slightly closer notice to the fact that one of the rock crags was dividing this area off from the previous exhibit, it is quite possible we would have assumed this was a continuation of the Mountain Goat enclosure. As was the case for the previous exhibit, this enclosure provided a great deal of space and scope for the inhabitants to move around, climb at various levels and escape the view of the public. I was particularly pleased to see the elderly pair of Syrian Brown Bear within this enclosure; as has already been mentioned elsewhere, until this point in time I had only been fortunate enough to see non-subspecific Brown Bear and European Brown Bear, and as such I found it very interesting to note the marked difference in both size and pelage between these individuals and those Brown Bear I had seen previously. Where the non-subspecific individual I had seen the previous day at Tierpark Hellabrunn was robust in build and a deep chocolate brown, these individuals were much more gracile, significantly smaller and a sandy-blonde colour. Beyond here, the path took us past the base of the Alpine Ibex exhibit which we had viewed from above on entering this area of Wilhelma and which I have already discussed at length, and towards a set of exhibits which – according to the map which we were following – contained a range of aviaries for birds of prey. Although these aviaries more or less formed the lowest levels of the hillside area of Wilhelma, it seems prudent to discuss them as a distinct entity. As such, it follows that here it would be appropriate to relay a few quick thoughts on the area we had just viewed as a whole. Although some of the exhibits – most notably those for the Polar Bear, North American Beaver and Eurasian Otter, along with the South American paddocks – followed the same general pattern of function over design and aesthetics as the majority of the zoological exhibits at Wilhelma which we had viewed so far, the bulk of the exhibits within this area (including those South American exhibits which were located within the overall structure of the mountainous hillside) successfully managed to both meet the needs of their inhabitants and look good as exhibits in their own right. I was also very taken with the idea of constructing a series of exhibits around the theme of taxa native to mountainous and temperate climes, and centring them on what was – for all intents and purposes – a massive artificial hillside with crags and boulders, interspersed with areas of vegetation. This, I feel, is the kind of immersive theming which works well without feeling forced, or drowning out the charms of the exhibits as individual features. As we were to view an entire collection based along similar lines both zoologically and architecturally – Alpenzoo Innsbruck – the following day, I felt it would be extremely interesting to compare this area to those I viewed there in retrospect; especially when I considered the fact that whilst this area was based around an artificial mountainside, at Alpenzoo the exhibits would be located on a real mountainside.
Part VII: Birds of Prey, Moorish Villa and Native Terraria As we walked past the Alpine Ibex exhibit and made our way towards the complex of aviaries for birds of prey, we could see the first aviary just to the left of the path, partially set into the surrounding hillside. It was rapidly apparent that this aviary contained Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus), with the inhabitants perched high up within one corner of the aviary. On the right-hand side of the aviary, the floor was littered with boulders and rocks interspersed with several dead trees which remained in position - presumably to provide perching opportunities for the inhabitants - whilst the left-hand side of the aviary was much more open, with a woodchip and soil substrate broken only by a handful of low-slung bushes. Overall, I felt that this aviary was rather good, providing the inhabitants plenty of space whilst also looked quite pleasant to the eye. Opposite this aviary, there was a significantly larger one for Western Eurasian Griffon (Gyps fulvus fulvus); much as the preceding aviary had been partially built into the slope which led towards the hillside area and Sequoia woodland, the ground within this aviary sloped away from us, down towards the Moorish Garden. The ground within largely consisted of grassy pasture, broken up by boulders, logs and the skeletons of large, dead trees. Several swings and perches for the inhabitants of this aviary were suspended from the roof of the structure. The size and height of this aviary, along with the ample perching opportunities and other means of enrichment provided to the inhabitants, meant that I felt this was a very good exhibit for the species in question; it met the welfare needs of the inhabitants, and also displayed them rather well. It must, of course, be admitted that this aviary did not match the standards of the best I have seen at specialised falconry centres - however it was nonetheless one of the better exhibits for the taxon in question which I have seen in a "mainstream" captive collection. A little further along, the path took us into increasingly-thick woodland, with further aviaries dotted along the hillside to our left. The first of these, perhaps a little smaller than the nearby aviary for Snowy Owl, contained Eurasian Long-eared Owl (Asio otus otus); in many regards it resembled the aforementioned aviary in design, albeit containing rather more vegetation, including a handful of living trees. I was quite pleased to see an exhibit for this taxon; although it is native to the United Kingdom, it is significantly more difficult to spot than other wild owl taxa in my experience. As such, it is always good to have the opportunity to view the species at some length. The next aviary, perhaps the largest of all the bird of prey exhibits within this area, contained White-tailed Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla); although the aviary was, as noted, rather large and certainly provided plenty of perching opportunities for the inhabitants, it seemed to lack a certain something, striking me as slightly dishevelled and neglected. As with the previous exhibits, the aviary was well-vegetated and contained a mixture of boulders, rocks and woodchip-flooring. However, on the balance of the matter I thought this was a reasonably good exhibit for the species at hand; certainly not the best I had seen but also significantly better than many aviaries for this particular species tend to be. We next reached a large aviary for Eurasian Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo bubo); this particular aviary struck me as a little brighter and more airy in feel than the preceding two exhibits, no doubt due in part to the fact that it was situated in a clearing within the woodland, allowing much more sunlight to reach the aviary itself. Moreover, although not lacking in trees and other perching material, the vegetation cover and number of rocks and boulders on the ground was significantly lower than in other aviaries within this area, something which also contributed to the airy feel of this exhibit. In terms of size and appearance I felt this exhibit was well-suited to the taxon in question; in my experience this species is often displayed in smaller aviaries than would be desirable for as large a bird as the Eurasian Eagle Owl, an error which this exhibit avoided. The final exhibit, which in size, design and general feel most closely resembled the aviary for Eurasian Long-eared Owl which I have already discussed, contained Eurasian Great Grey Owl (Strix nebulosa lapponica); an attractive and interesting species which, I must admit, I now find somewhat prosaic considering how popular it is within both dedicated falconry centres and more mainstream collections! The route we were following down the hill, back into what I have previously described as the "historic" Wilhelma, led us towards the Moorish Villa of which I have spoken in passing already; however, before entering the Villa and the associated greenhouses located on either side of the main structure, we took a moment to check what time it was in order to assess whether we were maintaining sufficient pace to view the entire collection. To our pleasant surprise, we found that we were slightly ahead of schedule, having arrived at the Moorish Villa perhaps 15 minutes earlier than we had anticipated; as such, given the close proximity of the Subtropenterrassen, we thought it worthwhile to revisit this area in case the North Island Kaka were visible. Although several other taxa which we had failed to glimpse on our first visit to this area were indeed now active and visible, our main goal eluded us yet; however, we resolved to check once again once we had finished viewing the contents of the Moorish Villa and environs. Although initially envisioned by the architect who built and designed the historical structures and gardens of Wilhelma as a bathhouse for the royal family and nobility, due to the nearby presence of mineral springs within Rosenstein Park, on construction the Moorish Villa was put into use as living quarters, with associated glasshouses for the maintenance of more delicate species of plant. Although constructed in the Moorish style like so much of Wilhelma, it is worth noting that this structure is in point of fact a facsimile; the original Moorish Villa - both the central villa and the glasshouses on either side - was destroyed during the bombings of the Second World War. However, in 1971 the building was rebuilt in a style faithful to the original form, with further renovations taking place in 2002; the modern Moorish Villa comprises five distinct plant houses, with the central structure also containing a variety of tropical birds and access into the Nocturnal House within the basement, with the complex as a whole containing more than 1,000 tropical and sub tropical plants belonging to over 350 different species. Entering the Villa, the first glasshouse we encountered was the "Oberes Kakteenhaus"; whereas those species of cactus which we had encountered within the greenhouse near the entrance to Wilhelma had been largely African and Malagasy in origin, those taxa within this arid and brightly-lit exhibit were derived from the Sonora Desert of North America. I was particularly impressed once again with the level of detail present within the informational signage provided as a supplement to the botanical collection at Wilhelma; as i have already discussed I feel that it is a particular point in the favour of the collection that it is still very much a botanical garden as well as a zoological collection, and that the former aspect is in no way neglected in favour of the latter. The path within this glasshouse wound its way between a vast variety of cactus taxa, some of which stretched many metres above our heads, with a wide range of other succulents and other hardy plants native to the Sonora Desert dotted here and there; as had been the case within the previous cactus exhibit, glass showcases contained a variety of smaller and more delicate plants. The next glasshouse we entered was the "Nutzpflanzenhaus"; an exhibit representing a vast array of tropical crop plants which are pivotal to the everyday life of people around the world. Here, the air was much more humid than had been the case in the previous glasshouse, with lush and verdant plants stretching to the roof of the structure; once again, informational signage ensured that every single species of plant present within was labelled with a common name and taxonomic name - and in many cases, the uses to which the plant in question may be employed by mankind were also discussed. This area of the Moorish Villa was filled with tropical fruit trees such as pineapple, mango and banana, along with the sources of spices such as vanilla, black pepper and nutmeg, coffee and tea bushes and even trees laden with cocoa-beans. We then entered the central structure of the Moorish Villa, which was filled with a vast range of tropical plants from across the world; among the highlights were further rows of banana plants, vast numbers of bromeliads and - perhaps most noteworthy of all - the Giant Titan (Amorphophallus titanum); this particular plant last flowered in October 2005 and set a world record for the size and extent of the resulting inflorescence at a total of 2.94 metres above ground level. However, this area is also the location from where the Nocturnal House of Wilhelma is accessed; however, at the time of our visit the Nocturnal House - much like the Small Bird and Mammal House discussed previously - was closed to the public for extensive refurbishment. This was, however, not quite as disappointing as the closure of the aforementioned area had been; to my knowledge, the vast majority of taxa located within this area had been dispersed to other areas of the collection and were still on-display, and few represented anything unusual. However, the central structure of the Moorish Villa was not entirely without zoological charms; throughout this area - especially on the second floor of the Villa - there were various aviaries and exhibits for the following species of tropical bird: Victoria Crowned-pigeon (Goura victoria) and Scissor-billed Starling (Scissirostrum dubium) White-eared Catbird (Ailuroedus buccoides buccoides) Brown-hooded Kingfisher (Halcyon albiventris) Blue-faced Honeyeater (Entomyzon cyanotis) Bali Mynah (Leucopsar rothschildi) Red-flanked Lorikeet (Charmosyna placentis placentis) Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot (Loriculus galgulus) Barred Parakeet (Bolborhynchus lineola) Fischer's Lovebird (Agapornis fischeri) Given the high standard of the parrot collection present on the Subtropenterrassen, I was particularly pleased to discover further diversity in this regard within the aviaries of the Moorish Villa; as the Red-flanked Lorikeet and Barred Parakeet represented lifetick species, my pleasure was understandably increased. It is likely, in my opinion, that Wilhelma possesses one of the biggest representations of parrot diversity within a zoological collection outside of specialist collections such as Walsrode and Loro Parque. I was also extremely pleased by the range of other taxa displayed within this area; although all were species which I have been fortunate enough to view on several occasions, many of them were among my favourite bird species. My pleasure at having yet another opportunity to view White-eared Catbird is worthy of specific note; as one of the very few species of Bowerbird now present within European collections, the presence of this taxon within any zoological collection represents an unusual group of birds which I feel are somewhat underappreciated, and worthy of more attention than is usually the case. The aviaries within this area were all lushly vegetated and provided more than enough space for the taxa which they contained; however, I rather felt that it was a shame that no species were permitted to fly freely within this area, as I believe that the Moorish Villa would have been very much suited to such a purpose - moreover, this would have both allowed the inhabitants significantly more space to fly and escape public view, and permitted the public the pleasure of searching for - and locating - as many taxa as possible. This, I always feel, is one of the greatest pleasures of a tropical house which contains free-flying birds. We next entered a glasshouse even more hot and humid than the one we had just left, the "Farnwarmhaus" dedicated to the display of a wide range of tropical ferns, clubmosses and cycads; here too there was copious informational signage discussing those taxa present within, along with the botanical relationships between these ancient groups of plant. Although the information provided was extremely interesting, I must admit that my interest was less piqued by the contents of this particular area than it had been by previous glasshouses; possibly this is due to the fact that ferns have never been a particular interest of mine. However, the final glasshouse within the overall Moorish Villa provoked rather more interest; this was the "Baumfarnhaus" or Tree-Fern House. The contents of this area were rather more impressive than those in the preceding greenhouse, soaring many metres above us with their fronds stretching across much of the roof, with a wide variety of other unusual and primitive plants present within. Particularly impressive were the examples of Monkey-Puzzle and Wollemi present within the house; the informational signage alongside the latter discussed the unusual position of this taxon as a "living fossil" of sorts, and one only discovered to be extant in 1994. Overall, I was extremely impressed with the Moorish Villa; although as already discussed, the structure is a mere facsimile of the original, it nonetheless is an extremely attractive building which fits very well with the overal aesthetic of the historical botanical gardens and structures of Wilhelma. Moreover, the contents of the Villa complement the botanical and zoological collections found elsewhere at Wilhelma excellently, continuing to display the wide range of fauna and flora present throughout the world. As we left the Moorish Villa, we once again turned left and made our way back to the Subtropenterrassen; although it was still extremely warm and sunny, the worst of the heat and glare had finally passed and many of the inhabitants of the aviaries dotted along the terraces were emerging and displaying very well. As we approached the aviaries containing the North Island Kaka, we immediately realised that we could see movement ahead. With an increasing sense of pleasure we watched as the elderly female hopping from branch to branch, occasionally moving onto the floor and picking up twigs and branches to play with, was joined by first one of her daughters, and then another. As one can imagine, given how rare and unique the individuals in question are, we were extremely pleased that we had not missed the chance to see this species. As we were still making extremely good time, we decided that we could afford to spend some time watching the Kaka interacting with one another, repeatedly calling out and making extremely good use of their aviaries - climbing from branch to branch, even walking around upside-down on the roof of the aviary. The sunlight brought out the more subtle colours within the plumage of these individuals, showing that this species is rather more brightly-coloured than either of its cousins, the Kea and Kakapo, whilst continued observation of the three individuals left us with the distinct impression our visit had come just in time; although the elderly female was almost as active as her two significantly-younger companions, it was obvious that she was frailer than she seemed, and that she was blind in one eye. After taking many photographs, and several videos of this wonderful species - including the following video depicting one of the two younger females - we decided it was time to continue on the route-plan suggested on the map. Leaving the Subtropenterrassen with a feeling of extreme happiness, we made our way towards the Aquarium and Vivarium, which stood opposite the Moorish Villa on the site where the Moorish Banqueting Hall once stood before it was destroyed during the Second World War. Before entering the Aquarium itself, we turned our attention to four very interesting exhibits which were opposite the entrance to the building; these were the "Free-living Terrariums", a complex of exhibits containing a range of reptiles and amphibians native to Europe, and as such capable of surviving in open-air enclosures. The position of these exhibits had very obviously been carefully arranged such that they received as much sunlight as possible, allowing the inhabitants to bask and warm themselves on even a relatively cool day. As one would imagine, during the winter months the inhabitants of these enclosures go into hibernation, but our visit was well-timed; not only were the inhabitants no longer hibernating, but as already noted it was a particularly hot and sunny day for early April. As such, the inhabitants were visible and active within each exhibit - although spotting all the taxa displayed within each exhibit still required some level of patience and careful observation. This, however, was something I rather enjoyed; as one may have gathered, I have a particular liking for displays of native wildlife within a collection, and moreover enjoy it when patience and luck is required to fully appreciate an exhibit. As such, these enclosures were perfectly suited to my tastes, along with - as I shall relate - the welfare needs of the taxa within! The four exhibits contained the following taxa respectively: Slow Worm (Anguis fragilis), European Yellow-bellied Toad (Bombina variegata), Sand Lizard (Lacerta agilis) and Fire Salamander (Salamandra salamandra) --- Common Spadefoot (Pelobates fuscus fuscus), Common Toad (Bufo bufo) and Four-lined Ratsnake (Elaphe quatuorlineata) --- Dice Snake (Natrix tessellata), Aesculapian Snake (Zamenis longissimus), Western Green Lizard (Lacerta bilineata) and Marsh Frog (Pelophylax ridibundus) --- Ocellated Lizard (Timon lepidus), European Grass Snake (Natrix natrix) and European Pond Turtle (Emys orbicularis) Although the precise configuration and ratio of these elements varied from exhibit to exhibit, there were a handful of common design points found within all of the open-air terrarium enclosures; the substrate of the exhibits comprised sandy soil, with scrubby vegetation and bushes dotted around within, with piles of logs, exposed rocky areas partially masked by longer grass and other areas where sheltered basking could take place provided throughout. Each exhibit contained pools of water; in the exhibit for Common Spadefoot, Common Toad and Four-lined Ratsnake this was relatively small and restricted to one portion of the enclosure, whilst in the exhibit for Ocellated Lizard, Grass Snake and European Pond Turtle the pool covered nearly half of the entire enclosure. Each exhibit provided a very good replica of the scrubby lowland heaths and coastal sand-dune habitats where many of these taxa would be located in the wild; this, along with the careful positioning of the exhibits to ensure they recieved as much warmth and light as possible, meant that they were perhaps among the very best zoological exhibits which we had seen at Wilhelma thus far, equal on a small scale to the Subtropenterrassen and the "Hillside" complex. Having viewed this area at length, we made our way into the Aquarium.
Part VIII: Aquarium, Terrarium and Environs The Aquarium and Terrarium at Wilhelma, although constructed in a style as faithful to the Moorish aesthetic found elsewhere within the historical gardens and buildings of the collection, was constructed relatively recently; it stands on the site of what was once the Moorish Banqueting Hall, built in 1851 as a venue for social occasions, banquets and balls held by the von Württemberg family. As with so much of Wilhelma, the Banqueting Hall was severely damaged during the Second World War and ultimately, in 1961, the decision was taken to demolish the remaining fragments of the structure. However, portions of the original facade facing the central lily pond within the Moorish Garden were retained, and incorporated into the new Aquarium building which was subsequently constructed on the site, opening in 1967. The first portion of the Aquarium contained a wide variety of taxa native to temperate habitats, with very well-labelled exhibits discussing a number of key habitats falling within this general remit; this included displays of taxa native to the northeast Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, the various development stages of Central European rivers from the fast-flowing upper reaches to the estuarine habitat, taxa native to the Mediterranean and - my particular favourite - a display discussing North American taxa with a particular focus on more "primitive species". This particular exhibit contained the following taxa: Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) Alligator Gar (Atractosteus spatula) Cuban Gar (Atractosteus tristoechus) Spotted Gar (Lepisosteus oculatus) Pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus) Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) Greater Siren (Siren lacertina) The exhibit comprised a recreation of a North American riverbank, with the rear of the enclosure given over to a thickly-vegetated land area, dotted with rocks and boulders at the edge of the water and with the bushes and trees of the exhibit lit by a series of skylights allowing natural light into the otherwise dimly-lit Aquarium. This portion of the exhibit contained the Northern Cardinals, and as noted above provided plenty of vegetation within which they could perch and nest. Conversely, the front of the exhibit comprised a deep pool emulating a slow-moving bend in a river, with around half of the viewing window situated below water level. Vegetation, rocks and dead wood provided cover and shelter for the smaller inhabitants of the exhibit, with expanses of more open-water where the larger inhabitants were clearly visible. Along with these themed exhibits, there were also smaller display tanks for additional taxa, along with various information boards and posters discussing the variety of form found within the native fish of Baden-Württemberg, along with the wide variety of habitats and ecological niches to which these species belong, and the taxonomic relationships between the various groups of bony and cartilaginous fish. Along with the fish collection, this area also contained a wide variety of crustaceans, molluscs, echinoderms and corals, as one would expect. Although this area of the Aquarium contained far too many species - both labelled and unlabelled - to list comprehensively, it is nonetheless worth mentioning a general overview of some of the taxa displayed within the "temperate" exhibits in addition to those already mentioned: Sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus) Spotted Wolf-fish (Anarhichas minor) European Eel (Anguilla anguilla) Goldfish (Carassius auratus domestica) Prussian Carp (Carassius gibelio) Tub Gurnard (Chelidonichthys lucerna) Mediterranean Rainbow Wrasse (Coris julis) European Carp (Cyprinus carpio carpio) Japanese Koi Carp (Cyprinus carpio domestica) Northern Pike (Esox lucius) Atlantic Cod (Gadus morhua) California Horned Shark (Heterodontus francisci) Garibaldi Damselfish (Hypsypops rubicundus) Japanese Pineapplefish (Monocentris japonica) Mediterranean Moray (Muraena helena) European Perch (Perca fluviatilis) Eurasian Minnow (Phoxinus phoxinus) European Plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) European Zander (Sander lucioperca) Turbot (Scophthalmus maxima) Large-scaled Scorpionfish (Scorpaena scrofa) Small-spotted Catshark (Scyliorhinus canicula) Nursehound (Scyliorhinus stellaris) Wels Catfish (Silurus glanis) European Chub (Squalius cephalus) Western Vairone (Telestes souffia) Ornate Wrasse (Thalassoma pavo) Leopard Shark (Triakis semifasciata) Viviparous Blenny (Zoarces viviparus) We then made our way into the Terrarium portion of the house; this comprised a hallway lined with exhibits displaying a wide range of reptile and amphibian taxa from around the world, along with various information displays discussing the variety and diversity found within these groups. This hallway was roughly divided into two halves by the presence, more or less exactly at the midpoint of the building as a whole, of a small side annexe containing further exhibits. As such, it seems prudent to discuss the Terrarium - along with the taxa contained within - in three segments; the first stretch of hallway, the annexe, and the second stretch of hallway. In each segment, I will list the species held within, and then discuss a selection of the exhibits within in order to give an impression of the enclosure quality and design within the Terrarium as a whole. Each species list will be presented in the order encountered, with mixed exhibits noted where appropriate. The first portion of the Terrarium contained the following taxa: Mexican Beaded Lizard (Heloderma horridum horridum) Common Chuckwalla (Sauromalus ater), Gila Monster (Heloderma suspectum), Baja Blue Rock Lizard (Petrosaurus thalassinus), Blue Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus cyanogenys) and Desert Iguana (Dipsosaurus dorsalis) Sinaloan Milksnake (Lampropeltis triangulum sinaloae) Pygmy Mulga Monitor (Varanus gilleni) Horned Desert Viper (Cerastes cerastes) South Tyrolean Nose-Horned Viper (Vipera ammodytes ruffoi) Basilisk Rattlesnake (Crotalus basiliscus) Giant Girdled Lizard (Smaug giganteus) Rhinoceros Iguana (Cyclura cornuta) African Egg-eating Snake (Dasypeltis scabra) Kuhl's Flying Gecko (Ptychozoon kuhli) Blue Poison Dart Frog (Dendrobates tinctorius) Green-and-Black Poison Dart Frog (Dendrobates auratus) Golden Tree Frog (Polypedates leucomystax) Australian Water Dragon (Intellagama lesueurii) and Peacock Monitor (Varanus auffenbergi) The exhibit for Chuckwalla, Gila Monster, Baja Blue Rock Lizard and Blue Spiny Lizard was particularly good, comprising a mixture of imitation and genuine rockwork scattered throughout and providing places for the inhabitants to hide and shelter, with the base of the exhibit covered in a thick sandy substrate and a small amount of succulent vegetation dotted here and there; overall, the exhibit provided a rather good representation of the arid habitats of the southern USA and northern Mexico where the species present within can be found, with the various inhabitants of the exhibit seemingly co-existing rather well. The nearby exhibits for Sinaloan Milksnake and Desert Horned Viper were quite similar in general design, as one would imagine considering the fact that both species are native to similar habitats to those represented within the aforementioned exhibit. I also rather liked the exhibit for the South Tyrolean Nose-Horned Viper; this enclosure clearly attempted to represent a more Mediterranean habitat, with sandy soil acting as the substrate for the exhibit, and a mixture of dead wood and rocks broken up by scrubby vegetation providing the shelter and cover for the inhabitants. I was quite pleased to see the taxon within this exhibit; as may already be apparent, I have a particular liking for the native reptiles and amphibians of Europe, and having seen the related European Adder on a number of occasions find it very interesting to have the opportunity to see other European vipers. Along with these larger exhibits, many of the terraria within this area were smaller; among the best of these was the exhibit for African Egg-eating Snake. This comprised a tall, narrow exhibit containing various branches and twigs, dotted with thick tangles of straw and dry grass; this was obviously intended to emulate a tree-top nest, and did a very good job of presenting an appealing-looking exhibit which made the most of the space available and suited the inhabitants well. The central annexe within the Terrarium - which I will refer to as the "Crocodile Hall" from now on - was comprehensively renovated in 2006, and contained the following taxa: Saltwater Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) Red-bellied Short-necked Turtle (Emydura subglobosa) and Giant Snake-necked Turtle (Chelodina expansa) Within this area, the path looped around through a greenhouse; the outer edge of this annexe was lined by a mixture of imitation rockwork and thick areas of vegetation, which provided the rear boundary of the exhibits within, whilst the public path itself was surrounded by deep pools. The natural sunlight entering this area gave it a bright and airy feel, and the exhibits within struck me as reasonably large given the taxa which they contained. The most noteworthy feature of this area was certainly the exhibit for Saltwater Crocodile on our left-hand side as we entered the annexe; one of the individuals held at Wilhelma was not only particularly large compared to other specimens I have seen, but also partially leucistic. As such, we took some time taking photographs of this particularly impressive-looking individual before moving on. We next continued making our way through the main corridor of the Terrarium, where we encountered exhibits for the following taxa: Frilled Lizard (Chlamydosaurus kingii), Central Bearded Dragon (Pogona vitticeps), Gidgee Skink (Egernia stokesii), Western Shingleback (Tiliqua rugosa rugosa) and Eastern Shingleback (Tiliqua rugosa asper) Prehensile-tailed Skink (Corucia zebrata) William's Electric Blue Gecko (Lygodactylus williamsi) Yellow-headed Day Gecko (Phelsuma klemmeri) Crocodile Skink (Tribolonotus gracilis) Pygmy Mulga Monitor (Varanus gilleni) Spectacled Cobra (Naja naja) Red-tailed Racer (Gonyosoma oxycephalum) Brazilian Rainbow Boa (Epicrates cenchria) East African Gaboon Viper (Bitis gabonica) Red-tailed Boa (Boa constrictor constrictor) Green Tree Python (Morelia viridis) and White's Tree Frog (Litoria caerulea) Knight Anole (Deiroptyx equestris) Eyelash Viper (Bothriechis schlegelii) Ball Python (Python regius) Thai Bamboo Ratsnake (Oreocryptophis porphyraceus coxi) Burmese Rock Python (Python bivittatus) Chinese Crocodile Lizard (Shinisaurus crocodilurus) Chapa Bug-eyed Frog (Theloderma bicolor) Mata Mata (Chelus fimbriata) Yellow-blotched Map Turtle (Graptemys flavimaculata) Within this area, the general design ethic of the exhibits followed the same basic theme as these preceding; simple mixtures of vegetation, rockwork and - where appropriate - use of sandy or scrubby substrates in order to simulate more arid or extreme habitats. Perhaps one of the best exhibits within this area was the very large display for Spectacled Cobra; within this exhibit, the right hand side represented a more arid desert habitat, containing sandy substrate dotted with dead wood and imitation rockwork, whilst on the left hand side of the enclosure the substrate was a little scrubbier, and interspersed with thick green vegetation. Nearby, there was a particularly good display discussing the taxonomy of snakes, including the differences between the various groups of venomous snakes and information on their relationship with other reptiles. Overall, I was very impressed with the Terrarium - it contained a vast array of taxa, many of which were lifeticks for both Helly and myself, and I felt the quality of the exhibits within was generally at a high standard. As with much of Wilhelma, the exhibit design largely followed functional lines rather than attempting any real level of "theming", but I felt that this was no bad thing; each exhibit was well-suited to the taxa for which it had been designed, giving them plenty of space where appropriate, whilst also providing scope for the inhabitants to escape from view if neccesary. In terms of the taxa on display, I was particularly pleased by the number of venomous snake species present within the Terrarium; in my experience few collections back in the United Kingdom display anywhere near as many species. The Terrarium was also particularly good where species native to arid or desert habitats was concerned, with a great deal of the diversity of reptilian form present within these habitats represented here. Before exiting the Aquarium building, we had one last area to view; much as the first portion of the Aquarium had focused on species native to temperate habitats, this area focused on those species which can be found in tropical habitats - both in freshwater and marine environments. As with the preceding area of the Aquarium, a wide range of species were displayed within, including many varieties of invertebrate and coral along with a vast and diverse collection of fish. As such, the list that follows is only a taste of some of the highlights found within this area: Black-spotted Puffer (Arothron nigropunctatus) Clown Loach (Chromobotia macracanthus) Long-spine Porcupinefish (Diodon holocanthus) Black-blotched Porcupinefish (Diodon liturosus) Electric Eel (Electrophorus electricus) Peters' Elephantnose Fish (Gnathonemus petersii) Australian Lungfish (Neoceratodus forsteri) Elephant Ear Gourami (Osphronemus exodon) Giant Gourami (Osphronemus goramy) Giant Redfin Gourami (Osphronemus laticlavius) Sutchi Catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) Yellowtail Catfish (Pangasius pangasius) Thailand Giant Catfish (Pangasius sanitwongsei) Cardinal Tetra (Paracheirodon axelrodi) Arabian Angelfish (Pomacanthus asfur) Emperor Angelfish (Pomacanthus imperator) Yellowband Angelfish (Pomacanthus maculosus) Bluegirdled Angelfish (Pomacanthus navarchus) West-African Lungfish (Protopterus annectens) Spotfin Lionfish (Pterois antennata) Clearfin Lionfish (Pterois radiata) Red Lionfish (Pterois volitans) Red-bellied Piranha (Pygocentrus nattereri) Estuarine Stonefish (Synanceia horrida) Common Stonefish (Synanceia verrucosa) It would be prudent to take a moment to talk more generally here about the Aquarium; as was the case for the Terrarium also located within this building, I felt that the quality of this portion of Wilhelma was extremely good. Not only was an exceptionally rich and diverse selection of species presented within, but all were displayed in very well-designed and attractive exhibits which were well-suited to the welfare needs of the inhabitants. Moreover, the quality of the signposting and information provided within this area was very high; as I have already reflected when discussing the botanical areas of Wilhelma, this seemed to be a particular strength of the collection as a whole. As I reflected on the area as a cohesive whole before we left the building, I felt that the Aquarium and Terrarium complex at Wilhelma was one of the greatest strengths of the collection, along with the botanical exhibits found throughout the historical gardens and greenhouses, the Subtropenterrassen and the "Hillside Complex". However, before leaving this area entirely there were a handful more exhibits which remained for us to view nearby, and which the routeplan we were following would lead us past on the way towards the Amazon House. The first of these was a large, sandy exhibit for Banded Mongoose (Mungos mungo), dotted with large boulders and logs; as enclosures for this species go, it was reasonably good, giving the inhabitants plenty of space whilst also looking quite pleasing to the eye as far as the visitor is concerned. However, given how fecund mongoose species tend to be, it is possible that this exhibit will eventually be outgrown by the number of individuals inhabiting it; given how commonplace Meerkats are in captivity, and the likelihood that the general visiting public may well confuse the two species in any case, I feel it would not be a great shame if the exhibit for the aforementioned species near the new Ape House was occupied by a second group of the much-more appealing Banded Mongoose. Nearby, against the outside wall of the Crocodile Hall, we came to a large and very pleasant exhibit for Sheltopusik (Pseudopus apodus), Marginated Tortoise (Testudo marginata), Eastern Hermann's Tortoise (Testudo hermanni boettgeri) and Ocellated Lizard (Timon lepidus); in many ways, this exhibit was sister to the four outdoor terraria containing native European reptiles and amphibians, being intended for roughly the same purpose and comprising much the same general design writ large; large expanses of scrubby, sandy soil were broken up by ponds, imitation rockwork, bushes and shrubs appropriate to a Mediterranean habitat, much like the aforementioned terraria had attempted to replicate a Central and Southern European lowland heath habitat. As with the aforementioned exhibits, I felt this was an extremely good enclosure for the taxa in question, meeting the welfare needs of the inhabitants very well. Moreover, the position of this exhibit seemed specifically intended to capture as much heat and sunlight as possible; a consideration which only increased my liking for this enclosure. Opposite this enclosure, we could see the exhibit for California Sealion (Zalophus californianus);roughly speaking, this comprised a crescent-shaped pool surrounding a large rocky platform. Although significantly better than many such exhibits I have seen - the enclosure for this species at ZSL Whipsnade being particularly poor - I felt this enclosure was nonetheless a little small for the inhabitants. Given that this exhibit in its present form once held the significantly larger Elephant Seal, it must be admitted that the exhibit is rather better-suited for the inhabitants within than has been the case in the past! Much as I enjoy viewing pinniped taxa in captive collections, I feel this exhibit could be put to much better use if redeveloped to contain a taxon such as Giant Otter; this species is possibly just as charismatic and appealing to the public as the California Sealion, but is in significant need of new captive holders within Europe. Moreover, as I have seen from my regular visits to Chester Zoo, substandard exhibits for the latter taxon can be readily converted to hold Giant Otter. Nearby, just along from the exhibit for native reptiles from the Mediterranean, we came to an exhibit comprising a complex of concrete platforms, steps and pools - this, I am given to understand, once held King Penguin. However, it now contains a large group of Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus); a very appealing taxon, and one which I feel is rather more well-suited to this exhibit than the previous inhabitants would have been. Certainly the inhabitants seemed to have plenty of space within; the enclosure was, it must be admitted, somewhat ugly and very obviously a product of the same "function over form" design ethic which produced many of the older and lower-quality exhibits within Wilhelma. In point of fact, in many ways it resembled the exhibit for Spider Monkeys located near the old Ape House, naturally barring the inclusion of climbing frames and ropes. If this exhibit were to be entirely abandoned, I would hope that the Northern Gannets would remain within the collection; as a very attractive and unusual native seabird, and one I tend only to see at some distance in the wild, I always enjoy having the opportunity to view this taxon in captivity. One possible location for an alternative exhibit for this taxon would be the smaller of the two Polar Bear exhibits within the "Hillside Complex", were the collection to reduce the number of Polar Bear individuals held. We then made our way towards the Amazon House.
Are all the North American "primitives" in the same enclosure? Are there any predation issues there? Sounds like a great exhibit though. Surely the Northern Gannet exhibit would better suit King Penguins, assuming there is a decent water area, given that the penguins wouldn;t require wing-clipping?
They are indeed all found within the same enclosure I didn't observe any negative interaction between any of the inhabitants but obviously that doesn't mean there is none. That said, as noted in my writeup there were plenty of well-vegetated shallow areas where the smaller species could escape from the larger inhabitants. Although the exhibit *would* have provided King Penguin with plenty of space both on land and within the water, I am given to understand that it is now deemed prudent for welfare reasons for this species to be displayed within indoor and air-conditioned exhibits, unless the collection in question is located within an area with a relatively cool climate. As far as I am aware, the two exhibits for this species within the UK - at Edinburgh and Birdland - are among the very few within Europe that do display the species outside. As such, considering the fact that the temperature at Wilhelma - even in early April - was extremely hot at the time of our visit, I feel that this exhibit would be better suited to a species within such a delicate temperament.
Part IX: Amazon House, Insectarium and Aviary Complex Before entering the Amazon House, we decided to quickly visit the interior of the Rearing House once again, curious to see whether either of the two eggs we had viewed within the incubator display there had hatched; to our marked pleasure, we noted that where there had been a pair of eggs, there was now a pair of newly-hatched chicks. One was significantly drier and more fluffy-looking than the other; this was quite obviously the chick which had emerged from the egg in the process of hatching when we visited the Rearing House that morning. The Amazon House, as the name would tend to suggest, is a tropical exhibit intended to represent a South American rainforest; one of the most recently-built areas of Wilhelma, the house comprises a long greenhouse not all that much smaller than the new Ape House which we had viewed earlier, with a handful of exterior exhibits at either end of the structure. Observing the house from afar, I felt it had a rather more aesthetically-pleasing external appearance than that of the greenhouses present elsewhere in the historical botanical gardens of Wilhelma of which I have already spoken, built on functional lines and looking much like any other large greenhouse. The Amazon House featured a smoothly-curving front, sweeping up towards the rear of the house, with a much more organic effect than the traditional angular greenhouses found elsewhere on-site. As we made our way to the entrance of the House, we reached a pair of exterior exhibits for White-faced Saki (Pithecia pithecia) and Black-and-Gold Howler Monkey (Alouatta caraya). These were rather spacious and well-planted with bushes and mature trees, with the floor of the exhibits covered in a thick woodchip and soil substrate. As both taxa tend to be rather active, and are on the larger side as far as New World primates go, the provision of both adequate space and plenty of climbing opportunities is a particularly important factor; however, although the exhibits seemed large enough for the needs of the taxa in question, the inhabitants were nowhere to be seen and as such this could not be fully confirmed to our satisfaction. On entering the house itself, we were hit by a wave of heat and humidity; the bright and warm weather outside had no doubt contributed to this, but it was clear that this would always be one of the hottest areas of Wilhelma. The path through the Amazon House disappeared amid thick tropical vegetation and trees stretching to the ceiling of the structure, as it weaved a route through the building. In many ways, as already noted, it seemed that this portion of Wilhelma had been designed with the intention of presenting something closer to the themed immersion exhibits found at collections such as Leipzig and Zurich, with the zoological side of the exhibit fully incorporated into the initial design, rather than the more-functional exhibits we had already viewed within the greenhouses and Moorish Villa, where zoological exhibits had been dotted around a botanical display. As such, whereas the path in these exhibits had remained level, within the Amazon House it covered multiple levels, at some points looking up to high points and at others looking down into other portions of the house. Moreover, waterfalls and pools were dotted throughout; something which one would very seldom encounter within a dedicated botanical exhibit. Close to the entrance, the first zoological exhibit which we encountered was the interior enclosure for the White-faced Saki, which were displayed here alongside Golden-headed Lion Tamarin (Leontopithecus chrysomelas). Although once again we were unable to spot the inhabitants, we nonetheless were rather pleased with the quality of this exhibit; the enclosure provided a great deal of climbing material for the inhabitants in the form of logs, branches and ropes, along with substantial amounts of imitation rock forming platforms and ledges at several levels. As such, the inhabitants were seemingly given plenty of space and enrichment; this led us to the overall conclusion that this exhibit was well-suited to the taxa in question and their needs. Immediately next to this exhibit, we came to the interior exhibit for the Black-and-Gold Howler; this was largely similar in size and design to the prior exhibit, and as such was equally well-suited to the taxon within. Dotted throughout the house as we made our way along the public footpath, there was a series of vivariums and exhibits for a range of reptiles and amphibians, and which - very much like those found within the Vivarium - were largely designed on simple and functional lines, albeit being somewhat more richly vegetated than those within the Vivarium had been. These exhibits contained the following taxa: Green Anaconda (Eunectes murinus) Golden Poison Frog (Phyllobates terribilis) and Three-striped Poison Frog (Ameerega trivittata) Amazon Tree Boa (Corallus hortulanus), Giant Leaf Frog (Phyllomedusa bicolor) and Green Basilisk (Basiliscus plumifrons) Mission Golden-eyed Tree Frog (Trachycephalus resinifictrix) and Riobamba Marsupial Frog (Gastrotheca riobambae) I was rather pleased by the range of species displayed within these exhibits; the Three-striped Poison Frog and Riobamba Marsupial Frog were particular highlights, both representing lifetick taxa held in very few European collections. However, possibly the centrepiece of the house as a whole was a sizable exhibit for Broad-snouted Caiman (Caiman latirostris) and Hilaire’s Side-necked Turtle (Phrynops hilarii), along with several species of catfish, tetra and cichlid. I was particularly pleased to see the Caiman; until this point in time, I had only seen a single rather stunted individual of this taxon. As such, it was quite gratifying to view the pair of well-developed individuals held at Wilhelma, albeit at some distance; at the time of our visit the Broad-snouted Caiman were resting on a ledge at the far end of the exhibit, situated below an overhang which somewhat impeded our view. The exhibit as a whole was extremely good, with a large number of fish taxa present within the main pool of the enclosure as already noted, with the exhibit clearly intended to somewhat blend into the surrounding vegetation and imitation rock and further the overall immersion of the Amazon House. Within the Amazon House, along with the aforementioned exhibits there were a large number of taxa which were allowed to range freely throughout the house; although there was informational signposting detailing some of the species which - with patience and luck - one could spot within the house, we had been given to understand in the run-up to our visit that a handful of the species which had been present within the House for Small Mammals and Birds prior to its closure were now temporarily on-display within the Amazon House. These taxa were unlabelled, and as such added an additional challenge when attempting to spot the inhabitants of this exhibit. However, with a little patience and time we ultimately found that we were able to spot the majority of the taxa within the Amazon House - although positive identifications for the unlabelled taxa eluded us, and the thick vegetation meant that we were unable to get photographs for many of the species which we did spot. Those free-roaming taxa which were labelled within the Amazon House were as follows: Seba's Short-tailed Bat (Carollia perspicillata) Blue-backed Grassquit (Volatinia jacarina) Common Green Iguana (Iguana iguana) Turquoise Tanager (Tangara mexicana) Brazilian Tanager (Ramphocelus bresilius) Mexican Grassquit (Tiaris olivaceus) Blue-throated Piping-guan (Pipile cumanensis cumanensis) Sunbittern (Eurypyga helias) Ruddy Quail-dove (Geotrygon montana) Blue Ground-dove (Claravis pretiosa) Smooth-sided Toad (Rhaebo guttatus) Anthonys Poison-arrow Frog (Epipedobates anthonyi) Immediately after exiting the Amazon House, we reached an outdoor exhibit for Brown-nosed Coati (Nasua nasua); this was relatively large, with large logs, boulders and ropes dotted throughout giving the inhabitants a variety of climbing opportunities and places to escape the view of the public. As such, it was a pretty good exhibit for the taxon in question, although by no means the largest nor best which we had been fortunate enough to view. We then made our way into the Insectarium; this comprised two older-looking houses, at either end of a central greenhouse, a design which actually looked rather appealing overall, if I am completely honest. As I have a sneaking fondness for a good invertebrate exhibit, having seen particularly good examples at Bristol, ZSL London and Zoo Berlin in the past, I was curious to see how this exhibit would compare. As one would imagine, many of the standard mainstays of such exhibits were present; leafcutter ants, a variety of bird-eating spiders, cockroaches and stick insects. However, I was pleased to see more unusual taxa, such as horseshoe crab, Colorado beetles and giant centipede displayed within the Insectarium among the more common species. All the tanks and exhibits within the house were very well-designed, with copious amounts of signage discussing the various groups of invertebrate, their relationships with one another and with humanity; the latter of these particularly relevant where the Colorado Beetle is concerned, considering its status as a serious crop pest spreading throughout Europe. Within the central greenhouse of the Insectarium, we found the Butterfly Hall; this contained a vast number of different butterfly and moth taxa, as the name would indicate, but also - appropriately enough, considering the botanical underpinnings of Wilhelma - a wide range of tropical and temperate plants giving the hall a feel not dissimilar to the Moorish Garden of which I have spoken already, with flowers and vines intermingling with thick bushes and palm trees. However, one of the particular highlights of this area was a group of Red-necked Fruitbat (Pteropus vampyrus); these were once held within the Nocturnal House present within the Moorish Villa prior to the closure of this exhibit as already discussed, and represented a lifetick species for both of us. The fruitbats were readily visible, roosting just above eye level along a rope connecting a pair of trees close to the centre of the hall - as such we took the opportunity to take several photographs of this taxon before departing the Insectarium. Although the route-plan which we were following suggested we now loop around to view a number of exhibits present on the lawns in front of the California Sealion enclosure, we elected to delay viewing these until later; as we had perhaps only an hour or so until the time at which we had decided we would have to leave for Stuttgart Hbf, this would allow us to view the last large-scale portion of the zoological exhibits present within Wilhelma with the pressure of time somewhat reduced. As such, we made our way to a complex of aviaries not far from the main entrance to Wilhelma; judging by the map, the bulk of this aviary complex comprised a set of walkthrough aviaries, but we thought it prudent to first view the outer perimeter of the complex where a number of smaller exhibits were present: Black-headed Caique (Pionites melanocephala) Boat-billed Heron (Cochlearius cochlearius) and Roseate Spoonbill (Ajaia ajaja) Northern Helmeted Curassow (Pauxi pauxi pauxi) Western Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis ibis), Scarlet Ibis (Eudocimus ruber) and Ring-necked Teal (Callonetta leucophrys) Great Indian Hornbill (Buceros bicornis) Temminck's Tragopan (Tragopan temminckii) and Red-billed Blue Magpie (Urocissa erythroryncha) These aviaries were all rather pleasing to the eye - not only did they contain an interesting range of species, but each was designed along simple but aesthetically attractive lines, with plenty of space and perching opportunities provided for the inhabitants, along with copious amounts of vegetation where appropriate. Before entering the walkthrough portion of the aviary complex, we took a moment to view a pair of exhibits near the entrance to these aviaries. The first of these was a large, but rather plain exhibit for Red Kangaroo (Osphranter rufus) and Cape Barren Goose (Cereopsis novaehollandiae); this comprised a spacious grassy paddock, broken up by a handful of scrubby trees and patches of sand. In many ways, it rather resembled the paddocks which we had viewed within the "South America" region of the collection, and like many of the enclosures found throughout Wilhelma was very much a functionally-designed exhibit, meeting the needs of the inhabitants whilst not providing anything more, nor attempting to look particularly appealing to the eye. Just opposite the entrance to the walkthrough aviary complex, there was a large but quite uninspiring exhibit for Black-footed Penguin (Spheniscus demersus); in general design it more or less comprised a series of imitation-rock boulders and platforms surrounding an expansive but rather shallow pool. In point of fact, at the time of our visit the pool contained very little water; as such, although the exhibit holds potential if measures were taken to increase the water level and build-up the land portion of the enclosure, as it stands it is pretty mediocre - the best I can say for this exhibit is that it met the needs of the inhabitants, but only just about. However, the walkthrough aviary complex was rather more pleasing; this comprised five distinct aviaries, each intended to represent a particular biogeographic zone and containing a selection of taxa from this region. In order, these comprised a South-East Asian aviary, an Australasian aviary, an African aviary and a pair of aviaries intended to represent Eurasian wetlands; the taxa displayed within each aviary were as follows: Palawan Peacock-pheasant (Polyplectron napoleonis) Brahminy Starling (Sturnia pagodarum) Nicobar Pigeon (Caloenas nicobarica) Fulvous Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna bicolor) --------------------------- Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus) Galah (Eolophus roseicapilla) Cockatiel (Nymphicus hollandicus) Bush Thick-knee (Burhinus grallarius) Crested Dove (Ocyphaps lophotes) ----------------------------------- Wattled Starling (Creatophora cinerea) White-faced Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna viduata) African Olive-pigeon (Columba arquatrix) Vulturine Guineafowl (Acryllium vulturinum) Laughing Dove (Streptopelia senegalensis) Lilac-breasted Roller (Coracias caudatus caudatus) Superb Starling (Lamprotornis superbus) Magpie Shrike (Urolestes melanoleucus) Layard's Black-headed Weaver (Ploceus cucullatus nigriceps) ------------------------------- Black Stork (Ciconia nigra) ------------------------------- Rosy Starling (Pastor roseus) Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca) Common Redshank (Tringa totanus) Pied Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta) Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus) Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) Spotted Thick-knee (Burhinus capensis) Hamerkop (Scopus umbretta) As can be readily seen from the above list of taxa displayed, the division into biogeographic zones was not entirely perfect; the inclusion of Spotted Thick-knee and Hamerkop in the final aviary which was otherwise devoted to Eurasian taxa, rather than the African aviary which would have been more appropriate, was a distinct oddity. However, the aviaries were very well-designed, containing variable levels of vegetation tailored to the taxa displayed within and with particular design details differing from exhibit to exhibit; for instance, the Australasian aviary contained relatively little vegetation, with a scrubby substrate and numerous dead trees giving the impression of an arid grassland. Conversely, the Eurasian wetland aviaries were much-more lushly vegetated, with large areas of the footplan of these aviaries comprising areas of muddy ground, ponds and sub-aquatic vegetation. I was also particularly pleased with the range of species chosen to inhabit these exhibits; although some of the taxa present were commonplace and indeed species I have seen within the wild and in captivity on many occasions, there were also several taxa which represented lifeticks - for instance the African Olive-Pigeon and the Bush Thick-knee. As such, these aviaries did a very good job of displaying some degree of the diversity present within birds extant today. With little more than a half-hour before we would have to leave Wilhelma, we decided we had just about enough time to view those final areas of the collection which we were yet to encounter, including those we had skipped in order to give priority to the Aviary Complex, along with a final visit to the Subtropenterrassen and the Terraria for native species.
"red-necked fruit bat", I have honestly never seen that common name used outside of 19th century natural history books! Is that another one of the Zootierliste names?
Zootierliste uses two common names; the above, and "Large Fruitbat". I went with the one which sounded less boring!
Large Fruit Bat (or Large Flying Fox) would be the standard English name, dull as it may be. (neither are particularly appropriate, really!) EDIT: In September 2015, there was a Black-necked Grebe in the 'European' bit of the walkthrough - rather a nice addition that I'd not seen captive before.
