THE NEW COMPLEX FOR AFRICAN GREAT APES

Preliminary RemarksWith the opening of the new complex for gorillas and bonobos, an exciting time of preliminary considerations, planning and building has come to an end. It is with great pleasure and pride that we have experienced how its inhabitants, the great apes, have moved in and taken over their new home, and see that they really feel at home.

The people who work there and also the visitors should feel happy in the complex, too. Our chief consideration, however, was to fully cater for the needs and requirements of the animals and to create enclosures which guarantee, for the next three decades at least, an excellent species-appropriate husbandry for the Wilhelma apes. Our chief attention was focussed on this in every single phase of the project. The new complex is a quantum leap in dimension and in the quality of animal husbandry, which will also set the stan-dards for future Wilhelma building projects.

In addition to the pleasure and pride comes gratefulness to all those Wilhelma colleagues, zookeepers, biologists, veterinary sur-geons, technicians, gardeners and educationists who were in-volved in the project for their untiring dedication. Thanks go also to the architects, our partners in the state finance and building ad-ministration and many companies involved in the project, all of whom gave their best.

At a total cost of some 22 million Euros for the construction, instal-lations and the new information system, the new complex is by no means “low-priced”, but it is well worth the money. My special thanks, then, go to our partners in the Ministry for Finance and Economy Baden-Württemberg and the Society of Friends and Sup-porters of Wilhelma, who provided 9.5 million Euros for the com-plex. Without the citizens’ involvement of the present 28,000 members, without the promise of financial support from the Soci-ety and also its moral support, the project could not have been brought to an end. It is also a guarantee for the further develop-ment of our park. This fills us with confidence.

Yours,

Prof. Dr. Dieter Jauch, Wilhelma Director

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Areas and enclosed spaceUtilizable area, building: 2,024 m² Enclosed space 14,776 m³ Size of construction site 10,800 m²

Planning and construction periodDesign Competition March to September 2006 Construction commencement April 2010 Completion May 2013 Occupied by the animals from mid April onwards Open to visitors 15th May 2013

Partitioning outdoorsgorillas Concrete/wood walling 720 m² Safety glass 112 m² Water ditch 280 m2, 7 metres wide

BoNoBos aND HaND-rEarED aNiMals Stainless steel mesh area 3,500 m² Safety glass 40 m²

Persons ResponsibleCliENT  Land Baden-Württemberg, Vermögen und Bau Baden-Württemberg Amt Stuttgart

DEsigN  Hascher Jehle Architektur, Berlin

oUTDoor iNsTallaTioNs  Möhrle + Partner, Stuttgart

CostsTotal costs, building 20 million € Cost of installations 2 million € The Society of Friends and Supporters of Wilhelma participated with the sum of 9.5 million €

Data, Facts and Figures

Bonobo Compound

Approx. 350 m2

Indoor area, 3 enclosures + 14 privacy zones

Approx. 1,220 m2

Outdoor area, 2 enclosures with steel mesh roofing

Approx. 1,570 m2 Total area

Approx. 1,170 m3

Room volume, all 3 indoor enclosures (up to 6.7 m in height)

Approx. 9,170 m3

Room volume, 2 outdoor enclosures (up to 15.8 m in height)

Approx. 10,340 m3

Room volume indoors and out

10 x as much space (old complex: 157 m2)

19 x as much volume (old complex: 540 m3)

Gorilla CompoundApprox. 600 m2

Indoor family area, 2 enclosures + 14 privacy zones

Approx. 2,270 m2

Outdoor family area, 2 enclosures, open, unroofed

Approx. 2,870 m2

Total family area

1.960 m3

Room volume indoor enclosure (up to 5.7 m in height)

15 x as much space (old complex: 184 m2)

4 x as much volume indoors (old complex: 460 m3)

Gorilla Kindergarten CompoundApprox. 150 m2 1 outdoor enclosure, 2 indoor enclosures + privacy zone

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Much knowledge and many specifica-tions were taken into consideration in the planning of the new complex for African Apes: the ever increasing understanding, gained in the past several decades, of apes and their species-specific needs, the experi-ence collected in 55 years of ape-keeping at Wilhelma, together with the present rules of the European En-dangered Species Breeding and Con-servation Programme (EEP) for the keeping of apes.

One of the greatest benefits of the new complex: its generous amount of space. The gorillas and bonobos have at their disposition more than 4,400 square metres – that is a good 13 times as much as in their previous home! The gorillas, who live on the ground, can use the largest expanse: some 600 square metres indoors and just 2,270 square metres in the out-side compound (neither of these fig-ures includes the area for hand-rear-ing). The bonobos’ enclosure area is all in all only half as large, but these ardent climbers can use more room volume, namely around 19 times as much as in their old home. Their out-side area adjoins the roof of the building, thus having a kind of “hill-side location with excellent views”. Via wooden scaffolds and the steel meshwork roofing, the animals can here climb to heights of over 15 me-tres in some parts, and can practise gymnastics in the compound in every direction. Even the indoor areas are, in some parts, almost 7 metres high, allowing plenty of room for move-ment for both types of ape.

More Room for Living

The bonobos – like Chipita above, who likes to take up contact at the glass pane – and the gorillas, here Undi, sitting nonchalantly on the beam, have got far more space than in the old house. The whole dimen-sion of the complex, which spreads over a whole hectare (10,000 m2), can be seen on the bird’s-eye-view photo on the right.

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The inhabitants of the complexOn moving into the new com-plex at the beginning of May, the gorilla family was eight strong. Apart from them, 13 bonobos and the gorilla kin-dergarten with four hand-reared babies moved in. The animals are introduced sepa-rately and personally on three of the many informa-tion panels in the building – in addition, you can load the portraits directly onto your smart-phone using the source code below.

In order to offer the gorillas and bonobos as generous a living space as possible in the complex and conditions that best meet the demands of these species, Wilhelma gave up keeping the third species of African ape, the chimpanzees, in 2010. We intend to redevelop and modify the old Ape House for the orang-utans as the Asian species.

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More consideration of social needsGreat apes can only feel at home in zoos if their social needs are taken into consideration. Gorillas, for instance, live in harem groups: if sexually mature sons become ri-vals for the silverback, or if new animals are to be integrated, con-flicts can arise. It is then impor-tant to have alternative quarters. In the new complex there are therefore two indoor enclosures and a partitionable outdoor enclo-sure. Bonobos living in their natu-ral habitat, on the other hand, sometimes join up into large groups (“fusion”), only to split up into smaller groups again some-times (“fission”). To enable vary-ing groups to form at Wilhelma, too, their three indoor and two outdoor enclosures can be flexibly partitioned or joined together, as well as there being twelve small separate and quarantine enclo-sures behind the scenes.

„Grooming“ with a sensitive touch: with apes, mutual body care fosters above all the upkeep of social relationships.

Social cohesion: the silverback is the boss and focal point of every gorilla group. His womenfolk stick close to him especially in new situations.

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For gorilla children who are only temporarily being reared by hand, it is especially important that they are kept together with members of their own species and are prepared for life in a family. This is why the rearing station now directly adjoins the enclosure of the gorilla clan. In this way the clan members and the little ones can watch, smell or touch each other at contact windows which have either a glass pane or wire meshing, just as they wish. In this way even hand-reared babies can learn early how an intact gorilla family life works, including baby care, conflicts and reconciliation. This helps to pre-vent the babies becoming too human-orientated, thus making it eas-ier to integrate into a group later on. When open, the sliding window allows the ape children to slip through into the neighbouring enclo-sure. In this way the older hand-reared children can even visit the family next door, with the possibility to “flee” to the safe side when-ever they want to. And the gorilla children from the group can slip in the other direction to visit the hand-reared children in their refuge.

Better starting conditions for hand-reared babies

Kindergarten with family bonds: The lady keepers give the hand-reared ba-bies a feeling of security, nourishment and help for their start into life (top and right). Early contact to members of their own species is, however, of special importance. In the new building, the little ones can see the gorilla family next door, learn from them and make con-tact whenever they wish (above centre).

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More nature: the outside enclosures

The gorillas’ outdoor enclosure: large, richly structured and with lots of natural vegetation.

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In the new outdoor enclosures the animals can experience for the first time how lovely it is when the soles of their feet are tickled by grass and how high the sky is above them. If it is not too cold, they can even decide for them-selves in winter if they want to be indoors or out. The bonobos practise their gymnastics outside on an abundantly structured climbing trail and enjoy the lofty view over Wilhelma and the neighbouring Rosenstein Park from their hammocks. The gorillas in their ample outdoor enclosure search in the fresh air for herbs and seeds, paddle in the shallow stream, take a siesta in the shade of an oak tree or, enthroned on one of the oak tree trunks, keep every-thing under surveillance. In the background red-brown artificial rocks rise up, there is plenty of space to keep out of each other’s way if needs be.

Even on cold days, covered and heated seating areas offer comfort. They are directly in front of windows, through which visitors and gorillas or bonobos can get on close terms at eye-level. At one point the visitors can also have a glass-free view of gorilla-land – here, man and animals are separated by a water ditch seven-metres wide. This is doubly and trebly secured: so that the gorillas, non-swimmers, can neither cross it nor drown in it.

The water ditch in the gorillas’ enclosure is secured in several ways – for gorillas cannot swim (above).

The gorilla children in the hand-rearing sta-tion have also got an outdoor playground (below).

The bonobo outside enclosure is one huge climbers’ paradise

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More nature: the indoor enclosures

Tiled floors can certainly be kept clean and germ-free. But certain natural flooring, as one now knows, is almost self-cleaning. Like, for instance, the litter of pine-bark, 40 centime-tres thick, which serves as a soft forest floor in the new building – additionally uphol-stered with wood shavings and straw. The self-cleaning capaci-ty of the litter is due to micro-or-ganisms and humic acid in the wood. And, should it ever be necessary, it can be replaced with the help of wheelbarrows and wheel-loaders, for there are wide sliding doors with ramps.

All indoor enclosures now have a natural flooring of pine-park.

Jungle atmosphere with room for privacy: if an animal wants its peace and quiet, it can even retire behind green curtains.

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The vegetation – super climate, dec-oration and food

Whether in plant troughs above or in beds along the glass panes of the enclosure: some 75 tropical plants from the African home of the apes bring fresh, exuberant greenery into the house, providing for a good, moist indoor climate and offering the animals a privacy screen if need be. Most of the plants have been cultivated directly by Wilhelma gar-deners, and the keepers can even use some of them as healthy organic food for the animals, for instance the cola tree, types of ficus, ginger plants and Guinea pepper, which is supposed to help in the case of car-diovascular problems and gastro-in-testinal diseases. As well as the sunlight which comes through the skylights, ceiling lamps and a spe-cial watering system make sure that the plants feel at home here, and can grow and flourish.

Some of the decorative plants in the house are suitable as forage plants for the apes. But please do not harvest them or feed the animals!

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The wheel does not always have to be reinvented: what already stood the test in the old house can also be found in the new one. Beams to run along, for instance, and boards to sit on, made from good strong tropical timber with the FSC Seal of Approval, as well as paddling pools, ape showers, roundabouts – and wire mesh roofing. For wire netting is not only suitable for climbing; one can also hang ropes, swings and ham-mocks from it. In this way the animals can use the entire space, be it for doing gymnastics or taking a nap. And just as in the old building, the keepers have specially secured access to the net roofs, so that they can deposit food and toys there. The animals have to climb up and work with their brains and skill in order to get to the delicacies and, like in the wild, they are kept occupied for longer periods of time in foraging for food.

Some of the innovations in the building are, however, intended to pro-vide the animals with more fun and games and exciting moments. Like the “Bonobo Cinema”: at certain times of the day, the animals can, by pressing the knobs on a monitor, decide themselves what they want to watch – either an animated cartoon, a nature documentary or a zoo pro-gramme. What will be their favourite? And who will assert him/herself and be allowed to take the decision? Watching this live will not only be fun for the visitors, but will also give behavioural scientists valuable in-sights into the behaviour of the apes. The apes’ everyday life should be enriched by food labyrinths, too, which were also tried out successfully in the old building and now belong to the fixed inventory in the new one. These activity stations were conceived and built by pupils and teachers of Ringelbach School in Reutlingen. In every enclosure, indoors and out, there are brackets where the stations can easily be installed or replaced at any time by new ones. So there is no time for boredom.

More to keep them busy

The keepers did not only give advice on the installations; they also lent a hand themselves. They made hammocks from fire-hose and fitted them up, together with ropes, in all the enclosures (left and above). Just as in the old house, the accessible mesh roofs make it easier to distribute food to keep the apes busy (above centre).

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Each enclosure has automatic water dis-pensers and ape showers (above), as well as food labyrinths: the delicacies in these can only be reached by those who use brains and skill.

More safety and comfort Safety and comfort for man and animal go hand in hand. Good working condi-tions are essential if the keepers are to look after the animals optimally. We have taken this into consideration in many re-spects in the new building – there are showers, changing rooms, facilities for doing washing, a common-room, sleep-ing facilities and even a veterinary sur-geon’s room for both species, bonobos and gorillas, each completely equipped for giving anaesthetics and performing operations (see photo above).

Built-in scales can control the animals’ weight, in order not to subject them to too much stress when being examined, and the quarantine and individual enclo-sures have drainage channels to collect urine. This enables tests to be done to detect illnesses or pregnancies without having to anaesthetize the apes. Just as discretely and carefully, sick animals or those giving birth can be monitored – with the help of a camera which can be mounted flexibly in front of the enclo-sures and monitors in the rooms of the keepers. And food supplies can also be replenished without hindrance: via a separate depot with a wide access and loading dock.

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Apart from a barrier-free area for visitors, with ramps for wheelchairs and children’s prams, toilets and a baby-care room, the new building offers above all one thing: new and exciting insights into the lives of bonobos and gorillas. Thus the visitors cannot only see the animals here, but thanks to the open mesh roofing also smell and hear them. There are many things provided to help widen one’s knowledge of the behaviour, needs and situation of the animals both in the zoo and the wild, too. For example there are large information panels, inter-active display terminals and also a visitors’ cinema with video presentations. At a “poking labyrinth” the visitors can measure their skill with that of the apes, for there is an identical piece of equipment vis-a-vis in the gorillas’ enclosure.

Models of the apes’ hands, feet and skulls, which you can touch, are also to be found in the building – so you can marvel at how similar they are to us, despite the difference in size. At media stations you can hear how gorillas mumble in satisfaction or cough warningly, and can test your newly accu-mulated knowledge in a quiz. And if you like, you can deepen your knowledge at set times during guided tours, commented feeding sessions or at the Wilhelma escorts’ info-mobiles.

More for visitors to see

The bonobo cinema – the monitor in the background – and also the playing stations will give the visitor complete-ly new impressions of the animals’ behaviour

Plants and info-displays line the corridors along the enclosures. These have barrier-free access; benches invite you to take a seat and observe.

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Visitors can deepen and test their knowledge with the help of numerous information panels (below), at interactive display terminals, explaining for example how apes are en-dangered (left), at quiz sta-tions – or during video pre-sentations in the visitors’ cinema (centre, left).

Have you seen and learned enough? Children can let off steam when they have visited the building by climbing on a larger-than-life gorilla, or can relax in its hammock.

Technical details

New technology in front of and be-hind the scenes provides for the wellbeing of animals, visitors and keepers alike. In the building there is, for example, an internal water-processing unit, and under-floor heating makes sure that it is warm in winter. The air-conditioning and ven-tilation work almost technology-free, however: as a protection from the sun there is a shading system that works part manually, part automati-cally; ventilation flaps allow for fresh air - and are steered by room sensors – the room climate has a pleasant moist atmosphere due to the tropical plants and the watering system.

Covered in greenery, the roof helps to save heating costs. All these factors together ensure that the standards prescribed by the German Energy Saving Ordinance (EnEV) are under-cut by 50%.

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PublisherWilhelmaZoological-Botanical Gardens StuttgartProf. Dr. D. Jauch, DirectorP.O. Box 50 12 27, 70342 StuttgartGermanywww.wilhelma.de

Overall production SIGNUM communication Publicity Agency GmbH

Photo creditsH.-J. Andonovic-Wagner: 5Thali Bauer: 13 Ranger Design: 16 Marcel Schneider: 13 Luca Siermann: 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15 Wilhelma: 4, 11

Printed by ABC Druck, Heidelberg

Depot and technical centre, partially subterranean

Keepers’ passageways, partially subterranean

Rooms for the keepers, partially subterranean

Food preparation centres, partially subterranean

Quarantine areas

Veterinary surgeon’s rooms

Gardeners’ room

Passageways to the roof, for the keepers

Bonobo cinema

Playing stations for the apes

Enclosure area, partitionable if required

Plant troughs and beds along the indoor enclosures

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Gorilla outdoor enclosure

Stream and paddling pool

Water ditch

Gorillaindoor enclosure

Gorillaindoor enclosure

Cinema

Visitors entrance

Visitors entrance

Bonobooutdoor enclosure II

Bonoboindoor enclosure

WC

Bonobooutdoor enclosure I

Rearing station

Somali wild ass

Suricates/giraffe

Demonstration farm

Site plan of the new compound