Edinburgh Zoo To Open World’s Largest Chimpanzee Enclosure

Posted by Patrick Woolmer on Fri 25th April 2008 at 06:00 AM, Filed in Experiences

For those of us who love observing primates there is good news. Edinburgh Zoo has revealed that the largest chimpanzee enclosure in the world is set to open in May 2008.

The £5.65m state of the art building, the first part of a major £77.8m master plan at Edinburgh Zoo to create enclosures that simulate the animals’ natural environment, has three living ‘pods’ of varying humidity, light and temperature as well as the world’s largest climbing frame for apes.  Closely linked to a research programme in the Budongo Forest in Uganda, the Budongo Trail will give visitors the fully integrated story from the chimpanzees’ natural habitat and behaviour to science and conservation through fun, interactive exhibits, in addition to incredible up close views of the chimpanzees.

David Windmill, Chief Executive of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), which owns Edinburgh Zoo, said:

”The Budongo Trail has been carefully designed on two levels, firstly to provide an environment that will stimulate the primates, both indoors and out, and allow us to develop a successful breeding programme, and secondly to give visitors of all ages the opportunity to learn more about the chimpanzees and the global issues threatening their survival. We have been working towards this for some years, and are really looking forward to sharing it with the public.”

Sounds like a great place to take the kids for a birthday or such like.

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