The Primate House
Chimps, gorillas, orangutans; our closest relatives. No, not family as in aunts and uncles, but in terms of evolution. You may know that 98 % of human genes are identical to those of chimps. Watching the great apes for a while, you may find many behavioural patterns in common with man, such as dining.
You will come across several exhibits dedicated to primates. Just next to the main entrance, there is the ring-tailed lemur island. To access their outdoor exhibit, the animals move above visitors from their housing located inside the Lemur Restaurant. In the Primate House, you will find the largest ape collection in the Czech Republic. The orangutan and chimpanzee breeding groups live here alongside a third ape group of three gorillas (the male is Tadao and females Messy and Minouche). In addition, the house is home to the largest breeding group of African tree primates - the black and white colobus monkeys. If small primates appeal to you, just drop in to the Lion Tamarin House or Water World. Currently, 10 primate species are held at the zoo.
Farewell Dona
Date: 30.04.2009
Dona the female orang-utan, perhaps the best-loved ape at Dvůr Králové Zoo, left to meet a new boyfriend in Chester, Great Britain. This short film shows her getting ready to go and everyone wishing her a fond farewell.
Greeting a new gorilla
Date: 30.04.2009
Finally, she has arrived - the beautiful Shinda. Not only has our female Messy have been looking forward to some new company, but namely our handsome gorilla male, Tadao. Perhaps there’ll be patter of tiny feet in the future.
Gorilla School 1
Date: 30.04.2009
Our zookeepers decided to challenge the gorillas by arranging special classes for them. One of their tasks was to find a carrot in their pencil cases instead of pencils.
Dona the party girl
Date: 30.04.2009
Dona the orang-utan has been a zoo dweller since 1991. Before she left for Britain to give birth, we put on a farewell party for her.
List of species
- Angolan colobus
- Javan langur - The group to be moved into the Bird World upon completion of the current redevelopment (autumn 2008)
- Chimpanzee
- Lowland gorilla
- Bornean orangutan - The group to be moved into the Bird World upon completion of the current redevelopment (autumn 2008)
A brief history
The first primate house was set up back in 1950, and was an adaptation of the palm greenhouse, where the Lemur Restaurant is now located. Its first inhabitants included macaques and baboons, and even the first lion at Dvůr Králové. By the end of '50s, it had also become home to some chimps. Following a complete renovation in order to make it exclusively for primates in 1960, it housed mandrills, geladas, guenons, mangabeys, macaques and other fascinating species. Many of them even had babies on several occasions. However, the premises were not entirely suitable for apes. Therefore, a new exhibit had to be built for the chimps. The building - now Water World - was completed in the early '60s, allowing visitors to observe the primates through glass for the first time.
After this, work on another new facility got underway, a building very much ahead of its time. Sadly, it took an unbelievable 12 years to complete due to complications under socialism. So, it is little wonder that it was already outdated as regards space and function at time of its ceremonial opening in spring 1984. Consequently, new facilities for apes are currently being prepared. The Primate House will then be redesigned especially for lesser primate species.
