Three previous Cup entrants, three previous Cup first round losers. One zoo is about to break their duck on... primates. Fairly evenly matched on Zootierliste, so personal trip accounts will go a long way to deciding this one.
Duisburg has the nicest collection by far, but it also has one of the worst primate houses I have seen so it will have to be between the other two, although I am not sure which.
My memory on Zagreb’s primate exhibits is hazy, but I think the housing was decent without being truly outstanding (though better than I expected in a southeastern European zoo). Chimps was on the small side. Urgh, I wish my brain was less foggy at the moment.
I suppose that for certain individuals it will come down to how well they like the new orangutan/gibbon exhibit at Dublin Zoo. That enclosure has divided some zoo nerds.
Interesting, the first match-up this round in which I've visited all three zoos! My vote's with Dublin. The new orangutan islands are a little bit disappointing, but all other primate enclosures there are all (in my opinion) very interesting, both for the animals and for the visitors; well-planted islands for the large species that look great and seem to have a lot of climbing/hiding opportunities, and a very interesting small house for the small South American monkeys. I'd say Dublin is definitely a lot better than Duisburg's very underwhelming primate house, and probably better than Zagreb's very variable, but less consistently good line-up of primate enclosures...
Mouse lemurs Zagreb: Grey mouse lemur True lemurs Dublin: Red ruffed lemur Duisburg: Black lemur Zagreb: White-fronted lemur Marmosets Dublin: Callimico Zagreb: Emperor tamarin, red-bellied tamarin Capuchins Zagreb: Black-capped capuchin Night monkeys Zagreb: Lemurine night monkey Prehensile-tailed monkeys Zagreb: Black-and-gold howler Old World monkeys Dublin: Crested black macaque, collared mangabey Duisburg: Lion-tailed macaque, mandrill, De Brazza’s monkey, roloway monkey, putty-nosed monkey, king colobus Zagreb: Mantled colobus, grey langur Gibbons Duisburg: Northern white-cheeked gibbon Zagreb: Lar gibbon Zagreb has unique species in 8 families, while Dublin and Duisburg has unique species in 3 families each - an easy win for Zagreb.
Wow a landslide, that's a surprise. Primates (14 species) and good enclosures are Dublin's strength, so this category was always the best chance of progress. To my eyes the other zoos have more interesting species but with generally inferior housing, so I would have expected a closer vote.
I would change "good enclosures" to "good-looking" enclosures and this is by far Dublins best category and not so much of the competitors. If for example Gaiazoo would have been in this group, Dublin would have clearly lost....
It's shame Duisburg is out so quickly. On other categories it would at least stand a chance. Duisburg is a not a bad zoo overall, but it hardly stand a chance against almost any candidate on primates.
