It has been announced that Chimp Eden will open this Saturday. Only 5 Chimps currently reside in the new building according to Twycross' Facebook page.
According to some messages on social media there was an 'incident' involving a chimp this morning. Apparently the zoo opened 20 minutes late and visitors waiting in line were told to go back to their cars and to keep their doors and windows shut. Most likely just a precautionary measure until security confirmed what was going on. No evidence it was an escape or anything serious or that the public were in any danger. Anyway, also found this photo circulating online (photo credit: Nancy Cole (@nancycoleITV) | Twitter)... Funnily enough the grey walls blend in quite nicely with grey skies.
Just a little hint of what's inside Twycross Zoo brings all chimpanzees together in £3.5 million jungle-like enclosure With regards to the previous "natural" comments This is whole area has been designed with chimps in mind, and using that science-based research to say this is how you should build things. Although not everything within the chimp habitat looks like a tree, it acts like a tree for the chimps. It wobbles in the right way. It's fragile in the same way, and they will have to move and balance in exactly the same way as they would in the forest habitat. – DR SHARON REDROBE, CEO, TWYCROSS ZOO
Have they rushed the opening? The planting looks very sparse. For sure, it's much better, but 'jungle like' - come on?
Many new primate exhibits look like this when they first open- e.g. ZSL Gorilla Kingdom looked very similar but has become more 'jungle-like' over the years since. I believe there are 18 Chimps, not 14 as the ITV report states? (but only 5 have transferred so far).
I think what they are getting at is how the facilities, especially indoors are perceived by the chimps with regards to moving around - wobbling frames resembling tree movement etc.
These exhibits need time to mature but you are not going to keep it closed for 6months to a couple of years for the planting to mature. From a construction point it is easier to plant last than have to work around planting.
The only way to get around this is to plant out an exhibit a year or two before it is used by the animals. Woodland Park Seattle did that with a gorilla exhibit years ago, it was an existing old Bear pit though. They planted it a year before the gorillas were moved in, so it looked very natural when it opened. Impossible with a new build of course.
More chaos at the Zoo yesterday, with big traffic queues and jams on the A444, and long waiting times to get in, many fed-up would-be visitors complaining on their FB. The zoo even 'closed' for a while... Some people have failed to get in or experienced similar delays every time they've tried to visit this year. The Zoo are no doubt working on trying to address this problem which must create a lot of negative publicity for them. I don't know another UK zoo with such bad access problems. A combination of cheap tickets+ fine weather + chimpanzee building opening seems to have exacerbated the situation this time around but I would never try to visit during holiday or weekend days from now on...
I was keeping tabs on the FB feed yesterday, itching to see the chimp development, but can luckily go during the week coming (good weather forecast too) Have things been so bad in years gone by that they have to drop their prices during holiday periods?
I'm not clear why they make these cheaper offers at Peak holiday times if they can't then accomodate the expected rush. I think part of the current problem may be some of the parking area is or has been closed due to recent wet weather, but it seems a recurring theme there at present.
It will no doubt be very quiet again then...don't forget only a few chimps are in it so far though. Some photos would be good if you can, too.
I think I'll struggle to get indoor photos of the visitor areas, but i'll post something if no-one else does first.
Is there an issue with small maximum capacity in the zoo so there's a safe limit? Why would they turn people away when they are at the gates? I'm not well researched on Twycross though!
It does seem strange that they allow people to drive in after queuing for so long, only to tell them after they have parked that they can't actually get into the zoo.
Anyone got any good ideas about how the situation could be improved? I think it is excellent that they offer deals on reduced price entrance during the school holidays when it really matters and when families can actually take advantage of it. But how can parking be improved?
Under their development plan, the zoo have earmarked a huge parcel of land for car parking expansion. Plus an improved road entrance which should hopefully allow traffic to come off the main road much quicker. When this will actually happen though is anyone’s guess.
