New Great Ape House

A unique and the largest in Slovakia...

The construction of a new pavilion for apes was launched in September 2007 as the second priority after pavilion for big cats, in accordance with the approved concept development of Bratislava Zoo. The construction was under the wings of a building company Inžinierske Stavby Košice, a. s. and was finished March 31^st 2010. The total cost of construction including valorisation was 3.136 687, - € without VAT.

The pavilion was ceremonially opened to the special public on April 23^rd 2010 by Ing. Andrej Ďurkovský, the Mayor of Bratislava, the Capitol of Slovakia. An unusual atmosphere of the ceremony helped to create sounds of the drumming group Afrocampana. The pavilion was opened to the public the next day, on April 24^th 2010. At the opening, the beautiful book "With chimps by day and by night" from author Irena Gálová and our long-term chimpanzee keeper Anastázia Kolárová, issued by Brána Publisher a. s., Prague, was introduced to the public.

Historically, the ape house it is the largest-ever building built in Bratislava Zoo, as well as in all of Slovak Zoos. The new pavilion meets all the criteria for breeding primates in a Zoo. According to European standards, the emphasis is on physiological, ecological and ethological housing conditions to create an environment that simulates the original habitat of the bred species while motivating individuals to maximize their natural behavioural patterns.

Double-deck pavilion consists of two parts - inner and outer. The total size of the interior is 430 square meters and outdoor area is 1640 square meters large. The total height of the pavilion is 19 m. Pavilion is dominated by a light blue dome of lexan (plastic covering), which covers an area of 212 square meters. Visitors are separated from the animals by several together glued layers of special glass barriers, environment of the internal and external enclosures is made up of natural resources (vegetation, natural substrate, wooden elements to support the natural movement of animals) and artificial elements (artificial rocks, ropes). Unique air-conditioning system ensures constant temperature of 28° C, average humidity of 70 - 80%, as well as thorough air ventilation.

There is nearly 4 meters high waterfall of artificial rocks in the semi-circular entrance lobby. The rocks create a unique decor of the visiting areas as well as of the internal exposures. Artificial rocks with an area of 381 square meters were made by spraying concrete on the walls. On the ground floor of the pavilion they create an interesting cave in which there are placed windows to the animal exhibits. To reach the second floor, visitors can walk up the stairs or take the elevator directly from the cave. The interior is wonderfully decorated with bamboo and artificial palm trees, while window frames, ladders in the inside exhibits, resting places for the animals, covering elements of steel parts, as well as the facade of the service area is made of acacia wood. There are also stylish bamboo benches and educational elements (educational panels) that focus on evolutionary comparison of man and his closest relatives. Educational panels are located on the second floor and create an educational gallery where visitors can find many interesting information about great apes on the panels. The novelties of all panels are interactive features. Other interesting educational elements will be added over time.
In the new pavilion, two representatives of apes have found their home - Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii) and the Common Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes).

Apart from ladders, bamboo climbs, ropes and nets in the inside exposure of orangutans and chimpanzees, there can be also be found artificial rocks and in the chimpanzee enclosure also a huge artificial tree - baobab. The bedroom floors are heated by floor heating. The bedrooms themselves are covered with artificial rocks; the animals are let in through an engine controlled gate on wheels. Movement of animals in the higher zones is guided by an electric fence. Both internal exposures are covered at the top - by a net in the chimpanzee enclosure and by metal mesh in the orang-utan enclosure. The floor is covered with 30 - 40 cm thick layer of wood chippings. In addition, the great apes have plenty of wood wool from which they make their nests. Noteworthy are drinking pumps – they are built in the artificial rocks and during drinking the animal must step on the built-in weight – this way our keepers regularly acquire necessary information about the weight of the residents of the pavilion.

We also plan to relocate another species of primates to the pavilion – prosimian Northern Greater Galago, or bushaby (Otolemur garnettii). We have imported to our Zoo three males from Plzeň Zoo in April which are temporarily placed in the terrarium. After the completion of their exposure in the great apes house, they will be moved to the new premises.
In addition, after the completion of all necessary conditions we would like to move into the new pavilion our family of Golden-cheeked Gibbon (Hylobates gabriellae).