Zoo's new chimp enclosure is champ

Published on Monday 1 December 2008 09:06

A NEW chimpanzee enclosure at Edinburgh Zoo has scooped two prestigious awards.

The state-of-the-art Budongo Trail, which opened this year, was named Best New Zoo Enclosure and Best Education Project.

It was honoured by the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquaria, which recognises outstanding contributions and achievements in wildlife conservation, animal welfare and husbandry, research and education.

The specialised enclosure can house up to 40 chimpanzees, with three "living pods" of varying temperature and layout, as well as an extensive outdoor climbing frame. It is also a major centre of chimpanzee research.

The zoo is working with the Budongo Conservation Field Station in Uganda to study endangered chimpanzees.

Chief executive David Windmill said: "We believe it is a ground-breaking enclosure that takes chimpanzee welfare to another level, and allows us to give visitors of all ages the opportunity to learn more about our closest relatives and the global issues threatening their survival.

"We hope that visitors recognise that, by visiting the Budongo Trail at the Zoo, they are not only visiting a wildlife attraction, but they are in effect supporting the conservation and research of chimpanzees in the wild."