Twycross Zoo Twycross zoo

When i was there a while ago there where some talks (an planning with hole digging as well to check the foundations) of a new entrance, with two exbits snow leopards and wading birrds, anyway have any more information ???

 

Yeah it was confirmed a while ago that it would be going ahead.
BBC NEWS | England | Leicestershire | Zoo secures £11m visitor centre

 

do you know what species of birds they will be?

 

No, I only know what that article states, sorry.

 

I, should, be going in February. I've only been once before, in 1999, so I'm looking forward to it. I'll se what I can find out...........

 

Not going on the Chester Zoo junior members visit are yuo won`t have that long their if you are?

 

It's the only way I'll ever get to go again probably!

I'm not sure whether I'll see the whole zoo, but I have been to Martin Mere and Knowsley on these trips and they were really good!

 

twycross zoo is a zoo to wacth as they could be a number of new projects ahead

 

Twyross does have a huge number of primates which is very impressive, i went last year and the enclosures are good but they arent perfect.

 

I will be their that day as well but i should be getting their at opening time and leaving when they kick me out,as i`ve got to see a person about a Giraffe while i`m their.

 

I would go as far as saying their ape enclsoures are downright dated!! Smaller primate enclosures not back but are very basic and lack imagination.

That said you will struggle to find a larger spread of primate species anywhere in the country, not to mention other choice mammals.

 

I live about 20mins away so go every so often quite a good zoo i think, an yes i think some off the encoulse need an update

 

I often say this so I do run the risk of becoming like a broken record, but the thing that I find quite annoying is that some of the dated enclosures are actually quite new. They seemed outdated even when they were first built.

Hopefully this will not be the case with the new entrance exhibits

 

I heard that a large sum of money was raised publicly to either extend the Orangutan house or enclosure(or both) but all that's happened is some new climbing equipment has been provided in the outside- certainly that can't have cost all that was raised for that purpose..

What has happened to the rest of the money?

 

Yes, I agree Chris.

The enclosure DESIGN is outdated......

Since Twycross are now advertising themselves as a 'World Primate Centre' I would suggest that they need to live up to that name with the design of their enclosure.

I am not criticising their husbandry or quality of care as they have very good records in this regard, and possibly much of my issue is to do with the way they look rather than anything else, but many of the enclosures just have that 1960/70s feel.

While the orang, bonobo & gorilla enclosures are not the worst I have seen, the chimp block reminds me of a prison building. Given the spacious enclosures for chimps at many smaller UK zoos, it dosn't seem acceptable to me to keep chimps in this way in the UK in this day and age.

 

I second the above. They need to sack their old architect, and probably change builders as well. The newer chimp/gorilla blocks that are just red brick walls with little windows in them are horrible. While the overall feel of the place is quite nice you really get the impression of a lack of imagination

 

I imagine you're talking about the original chimpanzee cages near the House? There is also a chimp'colony' building which isn't any worse(or better) than the other Ape houses- which are all remarkably similar and very unimaginative in design... also some chimps nowadays live in the original gorilla house(near the zoo entrance) too.

But the original chimp cages are a real eyesore- possibly the worst in the Uk- I'm amazed they are still in evidence at the zoo.

Does anyone having any news on;

1. The Elephant 'AI' programme.

2. What's going to be done about a new male for the 2nd gorilla group after Sekondi's death last year.

 

Yes, sorry should have been more specific......meant the original chimp block.

Newer ape enclosures are definitely an improvement but, as you stay, still lack imagination compared to other institutions.

 

These designs are no doubt traceable in part to the two old dears who ran the zoo for so long- they were not professional zookeepers in the true sense, but rather had a 'pet shop' mentality, even as their animal collection grew larger. Consequently they deployed builders and architects to build simple exhibits which are functional(?) rather than 'attractive' or aesthetically pleasing, hence the large amount of red-brick walling- ugh....

 

I thought it was just me that thought the place had a lot of red walls lol, anyway is it me or is there leopard enclosure a tad on the small side, or is that the same most place's ??? Anyone know the company or designers etc who made it ???