LWC Construction 2003

January - June

The new education centre building continues to change every month in appearance. The centre is now painted and most doors have been installed. Electricity is now available and we have started to use the new building for presentations and a staff-training workshop. But work
still needs to be done to complete
the building and we are currently looking for donations in kind to equip the facility and finish the building.

We have broken ground for the building of our new chimp
nursery. Chimp Nursery You can already see the outline of their new night
house and where the outdoor area will soon be.

The photo on the right shows the current chimpanzee nursery building (white) with the current gorilla night quarters in the foreground.The night house of our new Chimp Nursery is nearing completion and the new outdoor area is going to be over three times bigger than the current area provided for them. The indoor sleeping area will have two large independent sleeping rooms that are connected via an overhead passage. To complete the new facility we are waiting on some badly needed electric fencing equipment. As soon as the material will be available for us, the work on the outdoor section will be started. The present group of young chimpanzees are observing the construction work that is underway from their outside area and they are interested in the progress they can see every day.

July - September

LWC plans for the new Gorilla Enclosure. Thank you Arcus

Plans to create a new holding facility for our resident Gorilla group has been discussed for the last few years. We have been watching the gorillas mature and grow over the years. The need for a safe and updated gorilla handling facility as well as an enlarged outdoor area, to adequately house the future silverbacks of LWC and the others in the family, has become an urgent matter.

These plans have now become possible with the generous grant from the Arcus Foundation, USA. This grant will help to improve the living conditions of the Gorillas at LWC and give the centre a whole new face.

The gorilla's outdoor area will expand from 5500 square feet to 24000! A new night house and handling facility with 4 connected sleeping rooms as well as a spacious dayroom will also be constructed. Also in the planning is a smaller outside playground
for infant animals or animals that need special care.

For these changes to occur other existing facilities need to be relocated

First the new chimp nursery enclosure had to be constructed to allow for the expansion of the gorilla facility. The night house is completed and Peter Jenkins, the Director and Founder of LWC, was able to bring the needed fencing material to complete the outdoor area. Before moving our infant chimps to their new home the climbing structure in the outdoor area needs to be put up and other details completed. But we are confident that we will see the chimps playing in their new outdoor area in the second half of October. We want
to send special thanks to Pro Wildlife of Germany and St Martin Zoo in France for their generous donations that made the new enclosure possible.

The duikers that were previously housed in the new nursery area have been moved
into a new enclosure behind the crocodile pools.

Currently the LWC food room/kitchen facility is connected to the old chimp nursery
night house building. Since the old night house will soon be removed, a new kitchen facility is being constructed adjacent to the education centre building, this building
will also include facilities for staff changing quarters.

The next few months will definitely see much change in the appearance of LWC.

The new education centre building continues to be used by school and local youth groups as well as for presentations and and training workshops. All the doors are now installed and functional. But work still needs to be done to complete the building and we are currently looking for donations in kind to equip the facility and finish the building.

October - December

The construction team has been working on several projects. One of which is the new food preparation building that includes the banana storage room and new staff
changing quarters. All the staff, especially our food prep personnel, are thrilled about the new kitchen facilities. The new area is bigger, brighter, and constructed so that food preparation and general hygiene will be easily carried out.

Work has also begun in between the two rivers going through the Centre on what we call "The Island". The first task was to complete the foundation for the new Mangabey enclosure and to construct a retention wall to help support and protect the new enclosure.

Gorilla House Most exciting is the construction of the gorilla night house, which is advancing quickly. After digging the foundation and pouring the floor, the outline of the new house can be seen. Many of the 92 mesh panels needed for the building have been welded. The frames made of 2 7/8" solid steal piping are very impressive. This new gorilla enclosure is designed to have the strength to allow us to properly house adult male gorillas, which can weigh up to 200 kg and exhibit enormous power.

The new education centre building continues to be used by school and local youth groups as well as for presentations and and training workshops. All the doors are now installed and functional. But work still needs to be done to complete the building and
we are currently looking for donations in kind to equip the facility and finish the
building.

WELCOME
LWC Construction 2003





		January - June The new education centre building continues to change every month in appearance. The centre is now painted and most doors have been installed. Electricity is now available and we have started to use the new building for presentations and a staff-training workshop. But work still needs to be done to complete the building and we are currently looking for donations in kind to equip the facility and finish the building. We have broken ground for the building of our new chimp nursery. You can already see the outline of their new night house and where the outdoor area will soon be. The photo on the right shows the current chimpanzee nursery building (white) with the current gorilla night quarters in the foreground.The night house of our new Chimp Nursery is nearing completion and the new outdoor area is going to be over three times bigger than the current area provided for them. The indoor sleeping area will have two large independent sleeping rooms that are connected via an overhead passage. To complete the new facility we are waiting on some badly needed electric fencing equipment. As soon as the material will be available for us, the work on the outdoor section will be started. The present group of young chimpanzees are observing the construction work that is underway from their outside area and they are interested in the progress they can see every day. July - September LWC plans for the new Gorilla Enclosure. Thank you Arcus Plans to create a new holding facility for our resident Gorilla group has been discussed for the last few years. We have been watching the gorillas mature and grow over the years. The need for a safe and updated gorilla handling facility as well as an enlarged outdoor area, to adequately house the future silverbacks of LWC and the others in the family, has become an urgent matter. These plans have now become possible with the generous grant from the Arcus Foundation, USA. This grant will help to improve the living conditions of the Gorillas at LWC and give the centre a whole new face. The gorilla's outdoor area will expand from 5500 square feet to 24000! A new night house and handling facility with 4 connected sleeping rooms as well as a spacious dayroom will also be constructed. Also in the planning is a smaller outside playground for infant animals or animals that need special care. For these changes to occur other existing facilities need to be relocated First the new chimp nursery enclosure had to be constructed to allow for the expansion of the gorilla facility. The night house is completed and Peter Jenkins, the Director and Founder of LWC, was able to bring the needed fencing material to complete the outdoor area. Before moving our infant chimps to their new home the climbing structure in the outdoor area needs to be put up and other details completed. But we are confident that we will see the chimps playing in their new outdoor area in the second half of October. We want to send special thanks to Pro Wildlife of Germany and St Martin Zoo in France for their generous donations that made the new enclosure possible. The duikers that were previously housed in the new nursery area have been moved into a new enclosure behind the crocodile pools. Currently the LWC food room/kitchen facility is connected to the old chimp nursery night house building. Since the old night house will soon be removed, a new kitchen facility is being constructed adjacent to the education centre building, this building will also include facilities for staff changing quarters. The next few months will definitely see much change in the appearance of LWC. The new education centre building continues to be used by school and local youth groups as well as for presentations and and training workshops. All the doors are now installed and functional. But work still needs to be done to complete the building and we are currently looking for donations in kind to equip the facility and finish the building. October - December The construction team has been working on several projects. One of which is the new food preparation building that includes the banana storage room and new staff changing quarters. All the staff, especially our food prep personnel, are thrilled about the new kitchen facilities. The new area is bigger, brighter, and constructed so that food preparation and general hygiene will be easily carried out. Work has also begun in between the two rivers going through the Centre on what we call "The Island". The first task was to complete the foundation for the new Mangabey enclosure and to construct a retention wall to help support and protect the new enclosure. Most exciting is the construction of the gorilla night house, which is advancing quickly. After digging the foundation and pouring the floor, the outline of the new house can be seen. Many of the 92 mesh panels needed for the building have been welded. The frames made of 2 7/8" solid steal piping are very impressive. This new gorilla enclosure is designed to have the strength to allow us to properly house adult male gorillas, which can weigh up to 200 kg and exhibit enormous power. The new education centre building continues to be used by school and local youth groups as well as for presentations and and training workshops. All the doors are now installed and functional. But work still needs to be done to complete the building and we are currently looking for donations in kind to equip the facility and finish the building.