Do some cats have to move from a collection because they challenge their father or to prevent inbreeding? The timeline must be difficult to manage? Hope they can sort the enclosure and get cats in line with their projected finish time. Paignton have a young male who needs to leave soon.
I also noticed they have moved the boa from the night quarters in old enclosure so it all appears ready for demolition to begin the new build.
Paignton are also still on TB lockdown. So couldn't move Lucu even if Twycross wanted him and had an enclosure ready.. Unless plans have changed - Twycross will receive a male Sumatran Tiger next year. But at present their is no (huge) hurry to move him from his existing home.
On another note the new 2018 / 2019 park map shows something big coming soon in the elephant grass paddock, now I know it has been documented about rhino planning permission, but does any body thing this area with the extension also given in the planning be a little large an enclosure for twycross standards. Bearing in mind the enclosure as is held five elephants nicely outside if not inside and it's not likely they would get a heard of rhino, two at most three on a good day. I was thinking then maybe they plan to use the grass paddock for something else entirely, an easy development to my mind would be lions. A simple night quarters and fence would cover it, o and a rock to sleep on all day. Given it has walk ways and viewing areas exsisting from the elephants days and could tie in nicely with the giraffes and if the rhinos where to arrive turn the area into an African theam. What do you think
JC. Possibly, I would expect the house and the grass/dirt outside it before the bridge to be Rhino's if that goes ahead. I would not be surprised to see something like Pygmy Hippo's on the other side, or something hooved, to fit into the African Theme. I doubt it would be any form of big cats, with them building Sumatran Tigers down the other end of the Zoo. When the Tigers come, they will have three species of big cats, which is more than most parks, all species of Ape, a large collection of primates, but aside of Giraffe and Zebra, their hooved animals is on the small side, so I wouldn't be surprised if it was some form of Hooved animal, like Blesbok or Addax, to tie in with the Africa theme. But I would still not be surprised if it ends up Pygmy Hippo.
Does anyone know why they haven't re-netted the old aviary behind the toilet block as this is an area that is wasted at the moment and such a cheap fix?
I see what you are saying, but they say something big comeing and can't decide if that would physical size i.e. Rhino or large development with some of there investment money on crowed pullers like your big cats or large mammals i.e. Lions or possibly common hippos. If you look at the sites aerial map the grass paddock as is looks larger than the dirt paddock so would think Pygmy hippos would look lost in such a large area and would probably be more suited to something like the tapir or kangaroo enclosure size or even a redevelopment of one of the chimp houses. Maybe it's just me or ever time I type twycross and tigers in to google I get pictures of the lions, they used to have with cubs and just think this would just be an easy build for them with max public appeal to gloss over the elephant departure and give the place a surprising boost.
Don't think it is online yet, got a hard copy from a visit at the weekend will try to find it and see if I can pic upload it
An idea on a cheep fix for the old empty chimp enclosure the last to be move over to the new exhibit, the oval standard design. If they where to knock the out side walls down in to the moat / lower ground below to be used as base hardcore, soiled over and put up now perimeter fencing size depending on species to be housed. Then did standard log cladding on the night house outer walls and and inside improvements as required would this work as a cheep renovations and update of the exhibit if so could this then be carried over the the old gorilla house and orangutans house of the same older designs ?
I think it's the aviary by the entrance to Himalaya, there is a window to it from the gents toilet, I remember seeing a black Stork in there on my first visit after Himalaya was opened
Ok I know where you mean am not sure what goes on in that area now often when I go there is sign saying private function no admittance opposite that window on the out side on the entrance to the center if you like. Looking through the open door there is a path to some where but don’t know if it’s a function area or room but would understand why there wouldn’t house any animals there now as for if they own it as far as I know they do remember speaking to keepers when they where building it saying they where completely focused on it
I've attended a family wedding there and there is a small pond with a bridge across leading to a small function/chapel type room. There were no birds or animals but it appeared it was originally supposed to be a walk through from Himalaya main area.
Will be going Twycross today with the kids if anybody has any questions thing they wish to know will try to find out
Visited last Sunday most notable change we saw was that they have done a good tidy up of most if not all the exhibits clearing away over grow foliage allowing us to have good views of the animals braving the weather, particularly the Amur leopards and bush dogs even the snow leopards look thinned out. Even the penguins pool has been cleaned, you can actually see through to the other side under water . The lego sculptures they have got now for the winter where also very interesting the amount of time and effort gone into them is quite amazing and nice they are there free of charge to see. The only other notable thing we saw was the gorillas mateing don't know if this was intended or they are on contraception but oumbi was defiantly doing his thing. High lighted by my five year old asking at full volume, " daddy, why is the daddy gorilla distroying the mummy gorilla " much to the amusement of every one in the gorilla house at the time, but my god he was
