Twycross Zoo Twycross Zoo news 2014 #1

The butterfly house is new for this summer. I get the impression that it's to be a permanent thing, the landscaping, planting and generally structure seem like it's there for more than just the summer.

 

I think....these are the first antelope Twycross have ever had.

 

Nope - they currently keep Kirk's Dik-dik and held Mhorr Gazelle for a few years as well. May be more than that. Very nice addition though!

 

I am sure I saw mention of some kind of hartebeest being kept at Twycross many years ago. Anybody else seen this?

 

Zootiereliste show that the only other antelope kept were Cape hartebeest, but i remember in the book chimps with everything mention of a nilgai, but that may have been at Hints.

 

Just checked Zootierliste and that has Twycross listed as a former holder of both Cape and Coke's Hartebeest. If I ever knew that I'd entirely forgotten it. No details given, sadly - and no other former antelope species listed that I can see, besides the Mhorr Gazelles (and the current two species).

 

First Nyala then..

 

Yes, IMO, a good choice. A 'non-mistake' by Twycross for a change.

 

I think you're safe on that one. First Tragelaphini, in fact!

 

The News Section of the Twycross website reports the following recent births - bush dogs , red ruffed lemurs , capybara , spider monkey , De Brazza's monkey , agile gibbon . Not certain if these are all new 2014 births or some previously reported last year e.g. bush dogs and De Brazza ?

 

Great to see the improved enclosure for the chimps. Long, long overdue, well done to the current management. At last these chimps are getting improved living conditions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ics1OVT4NMo

 

This looks much better than anything any of the Chimps have had before at Twycross.

The video raises a couple of questions for me though;

1. This is the 2nd 'old' Gorilla/Joe's house'- nearest the Elephants? Correct?

2. How many Chimps in here are living in one group now?
Same as before? I counted about eight on the video but there could have been more.

3. Didn't they roof this enclosure to prevent escapes, or was that only the smaller half?

Answers please...

 

Yes it is Joe's old house.

There are three (and a half) groups. In this group are Flynn, Genet, Tojo, Lottie, Jomar, Tuli, maybe a couple of others.

There are a few including Peter, Jolly, Victoria (?) and William in the old chimp house where they've been as long as I've visited and Danny, Tommy and Kip are also in there but separated and alternating outside.

Benji, Coco I think, and someone(s) else who I should remember is down in the other house near what was the green mile.

Not sure about no 4 but poss Joe's bit is convered, this is the other bit and they are still seperate.

 

yeah it was only the other half of the house that was roofed

 

Yes I agree these new outdoor facilities do look good, it will not however be possible to do like wise in the other half of this house due to it being narrower, hence it being roofed over, this was Joe's part of the house which was built in 1998, so is still quite a modern building, albeit originally built for gorillas. It would be good if likewise could be done at the outside enclosures of the chimp complex and at the old gorilla house next to Norton Grange, if finances permit.

 

I note Tuli, daughter of Benji is now living in the main larger group in Joe's house, so are Benji and CoCo living in the old gorilla house with Rosie, also where abouts is Jambo currently residing, last time I was there he was in the main group in Joe's house?. Never heard from Maz on zoochat for a while, who was always on the ball when it came to the Twycross chimps.

 

On the video at one stage you can see two paler rather bald looking chimps amongst the others- I think these may both be adult 'chocolates'? I presumed one was Coco.

Its probably asking too much they kit out all the chimp enclosures like this (one can but hope) but it shows what can be done on a limited budget even with the shortcomings of the current housing. Of course the smaller half of this enclosure will always be cage-like with its roof on, but the main group have this to access now. Its great to see them using the high poles as vantage points though I hope none of them decide to try to jump from them onto the walls...

It also shows what could be done if a new Chimp complex is ever built, and by the staff themselves no less.