Despite being marginally bigger, it wouldn't have really offered the penguins anything different and probably would have needed some landscaping changes at the back. But the visitor experience on the other hand would have been impacted negatively with no underwater viewing. I suspect that played a part in that decision overall.
On Facebook, Twycross are saying the new chimpanzee habitat will open very soon, and put up a 3D virtual reality tour showing the inside before it was completed (you can zoom right into it).
Its all steel very clinical there is only 4 wooden beams in the 2 places, I thought it was supposed to be natural, it is all steal work and how are the older generation supposed to get up to the tunnels to get to the outside, I mean there is a lot of webbing but no actual tree like structure for them to grab on to eg if there was a fight like in the wild.
I would speculate that Twycross were hoping to have the new chimp house open for the Easter holiday period, however it is not quite ready yet. Perhaps that is why the transfer of elephants Noor Jahan and her daughter Esha to Blackpool has been delayed, they are still at Twycross to keep the Easter visitors, at half price entry, entertained. I would have thought all four elephants would have been at Blackpool for the official opening of the new elephant house and all four together as they should be. Obviously looking at these images of the new Twycross chimp facility it would be better to see it in the actual flesh when open, my initial opinion of it judged by viewing the images only is rather disappointing, it does not look a patch on the chimp house at Edinburgh Zoo.
I would have visited Twycross this past Easter time if the Chimp House was open, but it isn't, so I didn't. Probably saved myself a rubbish visit with the bad/wet weather as well. I'm hoping it will be open by May when I'm again in the area. I said similar earlier on about them probably hoping to have it ready by Easter but not making it in time. I suspect completing the Elephant move may be tied in with that too. Regarding the sterile appearance of the interior- perhaps not completely finished when that animation was done?
Ermmm... they do, saying exactly this, on the Facebook post from which the link for the "virtual reality tour" is taken. I know Twycross is an easy zoo to criticise, and it is very often deserving of such criticism, but it does seem as if you take delight in offering negativity about the place - when, without doubt, there is real improvement being undertaken (even if it will take a long while to turn the place into a top level zoo).
So do I but I think there will be at least some big treetrunks or climbing equipment etc in there to fill up the big empty space.. They do say, in response to similar FB queries, that the whole area( implying both inside and out) will 'mirror a wild environment' so I would expect at least some naturalistic equipment in the indoor area. From memory the Gibbon indoor areas have natural tree stumps etc.
As I said earlier, (IMO) the two most outstanding/longstanding issues at Twycross- the substandard Chimp housing and females-only Elephants, are finally being rectified- quite by chance I think- almost simultaneously. I find it really good to finally see all this happening. They have definately made some big improvements in recent years.
I agree, since joining just over three years ago it appears that the slightly more than a dozen posts you have done are all criticising Twycross. Whilst it is in need of improvements (which, despite what you may say, it is carrying out), please remember that not only are there positive things about Twycross, but also that a lot of zoo staff read this forum, so you may well be painting others who use this site in a negative manner by constantly criticising them. They're trying at least.
The zoo has made some serious improvements in recent years. They seem really committed to their massive redevelopment plan, delivering so far on everything - albeit some of it different to how it was first visualised but that’s pretty normal with long term development plans. If they stay committed until for the remainder of the 15 years we have some pretty awesome stuff to look forward to. Rhinos and tigers that we know about but expect to see more big ape redevelopments, continued renovation and replacement of old housing stock. New main entrance from the road, and main zoo entrance with indications that Himalaya would move “inside” the gate and form part of a new tropical forest area. Exciting times!
Remember that this is unfinished. I would expect that more climbing structures will be added to the indoor areas, perhaps with netting too. If/when a fight breaks out, there will be multiple escape routes to the outside enclosure and to the other indoor one, which will help. I don't think a 'natural' design would work for the indoor accommodation of a group of apes in the British climate (think of Budongo at Edinburgh, RotRA at Chester or Gorilla Kingdom at Regent's Park). On the other hand, I hope the outdoor compound will have more than the lawn plus dead tree(s) set in concrete, which has been traditional at Twycross.
Well if it is unfinished and you would expect them to put in climbing structures, why have they put the bark in ? Anything that is not CONCRETED down will go through the glass surely.Things need to be concreted in place remember a chimpanzee is strong and when they get angry their strength doubles, how are thing supposed to be held in place unless they are concreted in, which is seen in many zoos, and as for the outside perhaps it is going to be a brought in forest.
