Work begins on our new colobus enclosure

_{PUBLISHED 11/01/24}

Our Colobus monkeys are moving home! Look out for their new enclosure, coming Spring 2024

Work has begun on Drusillas most ambitious zoo project to date, a state-of-the-art new enclosure for our Colobus monkeys - with a powerful message on the importance of collaboration and conservation.The new habitat will be our biggest yet, and was inspired by the RHS Chelsea Flower Show Fauna and Flora Garden.

The enclosure will provide an enriching, exciting new home for our cheeky colobus monkey troop, but that's not all. The main aim of the design of the enclosure is to educate visitors on the power of ecotourism and how it can help local charities support native wildlife.

We will be partnering with a Kenyan-based charity: Colobus Conservation who provide eco-tours to visitors and locals to support the Angloan Colobus monkeys in the Diani region. Established in 1997, the charity was created in response to the high number of deaths of colobus monkeys on the Diani Beach road. Over the last 25 years, Colobus Conservation have done some incredible work promoting the conservation, preservation, and protection of Colobus monkeys and their coastal forest habitat. 

Our hope is that alongside creating a wonderful new environment for our Colobus monkeys to live in, we can also raise funds and increase awareness about the essential work charities do to help conserve wildlife. We also hope to provide human resources out in Kenya, so our keepers get the chance to see Colobus Conservation's amazing work in person. The new enclosure is currently being constructed next to Lemurland. Be sure to take a look and see how work is progressing the next time you visit! 

Construction Update

Work has progressed at a good pace despite heavy rain in November and December.

The two previous enclsoures have now been demolished, opened up and the area has been levelled out.

Enormous steel posts have been erected and the tree top netting is starting to be constructed, which will provide our monkeys with swinging space up to 5 metres high.

The two large existing trees have been preserved, with the netting designed to work around the trunks, and two further theming trees will be built around two of the steel structures in the coming months.