As I recall we were told the mix of pure-bred chimps is something unfortunate like the old females are and the fertile males aren't, can't quite remember the details. Aren't Edinburgh's maintained as single group with the 'right' animals allowed to breed and the others prevented. Does it have to be a 'new' group/old group set-up.
Yes they are. The main difference is Twycross have 23(or is it 24) Chimps already, about the same size as Edinburgh's two groups( pure and generic) combined, maybe bigger. So housing all that lot may still use up all the available space in the new enclosure, at least until the number diminishes a bit from natural mortality. If they have done tests already and have known purebreds at Twycross as you say, then maybe they will reshuffle them into pure and generic groupings, or do as Edinburgh do and keep them mixed but allow only breeding from the purebreds. But I don't know exactly what the purebred component at Twycross is- if there is one, that is. Of course, its possible they may be just planning to exhibit the existing Chimps with no encouragement of further breeding.
From Twitter: @TwycrossZoo We are full!!! If you haven't already set off please delay your visit until tomorrow!! And thank you so much to those that are here 41mins ago
This doesn't surprise me, as when I visited on Saturday the zoo was very busy and large areas of the car park were unusable due to heavy rain the previous 2 or 3 days It seems the protesters that were outside the other day aren't doing much of a job!!
They really need to sort that out. They must be losing visitors if they can't use all the carpark space at times after rain, as there is no other mode of travel for most people to get there. Today's 'full-up' though sounds more like a traditional bank holiday crush- good for them but glad I wasn't there....
http://m.leicestermercury.co.uk/Ani...Twycross-Zoo/story-26286892-detail/story.html Animal rights....
Of course animals running wild would be much better, but whilst were having to provide armed body guards to wild Rhinos in Africa, there clearly is a needed for high quality, well equipped zoos - if not to learn, to protect the animals.
I don't think you can park safely anywhere nearby along the A444 can you? People walking along the road from their cars to the Zoo entrance would be hazardous too. I note the current plans also show provision of overflow car parking in the future.
Visited Twycross today for the first time in at least 4 years. Mostly I would say it was as good as it was and in some ways better. There is a general trend that I found disturbing, there were lots of signs saying the management know the paths need attention (potholed, muddy and waterlogged) but at the same time lots of people working on the new water based playground (which will only be useful in a few of the hottest weeks of the year).
Car Parking and state of pathways in the Zoo there both need immediate attention. But the playground will be expected to draw in more visitors so probably (wrongly) takes precedence.
I think they've done a good job on the pathways, most have been relaid and are in good working order. The car park though is dreadful. It needs redoing from scratch. I think the ground is just too boggy to sustain grass car parks even with the plastic covers they've tried. It'll cost a fortune to get them done.
Good grief - that photograph brings back some bad memories of the Southport Zoo protestors. Twycross is a better Zoo than Southport was, but they should still be very careful with these people targeting them, Twycross doesn't exactly have money to throw away and anybody who they successfully manage to turn away is obviously resulting in a bit more lost revenue. I hope the Zoo set up some kind of display putting across the opposite point of view or have members of the education team out explaining to the public the Zoo's message?
Animal rights protesters also had a demo outside Edinburgh Zoo on the same day- apparently because the Easter Holiday Monday is such a popular day for Zoo visiting. Were there demos at other zoos too?
Well the weekend they were there the zoo was practically turning people away they were so busy so doesn't seem to of made too much difference there.
