The Gorilla Haven
Facility Plans
Here are the plans for the facility of the
Gorilla Haven Project (click
on thumbnail photos for a larger version of the photos):
Phase 1:
The entire (currently
324 acre) property of Gorilla
Haven has been posted with "Criminal Trespass" signs and
delineated with a 4 to 5 strand barbed wire fence, clearly
illustrating where our property boundaries are. Well within the
middle of the 324 acres is a 60 acre area in which Phase I, 2 and
3 will be built. This 60 acres is enclosed by a 10 foot high
barbed wire, electrified fence, which is monitored by
surveillance methods we're not disclosing. Access to this 60 acre
restricted-access area will be limited. The service roads and
infrastructure are in place for Phase I, which includes the
following facilities for gorillas and their caregivers. Aerial photo left was
taken in early 2000 prior to construction of the primary containment wall
(completed in September 2000).
The gorilla habitat
(diagram right) includes an 8.5 acre area
surrounded by a 15 to 17 foot high concrete wall (we lovingly
refer to as The Great Wall of Morganton), with entry gates for
large equipment for future building or modification of the
habitat as well as glass viewing panels strategically placed
around the Wall. Photo right shows the south end of the habitat with the
Keeper/Researcher Building and the HVAC/machine room (for the future group
building.
Four
Villas, each able to hold 2 silverbacks separately, or more animals if they get
along together, are placed around the habitat, which can then be subdivided by
hot wires to allow gorillas access to portions or the entire area, depending on
need. On the top of each villa there will be a researcher observation room. Each
villa has 2 inside cages (each 17 x 13 x 11 feet) with their own adjoining
outside cage (each 23 x 17 x 18 feet). The villas are designed to accommodate
emergency medical procedures and to quarantine individuals, per state and
federal regulations. The steel cage work for Silverback villa was started in
April of 2001 and completed in 2002.
Keeper/Researcher
Building (photo right): A two-story building with the keeper kitchen,
food storage and preparation, etc. on the lower level and
a large room for visitors and/or researchers on the
second floor, with a large viewing window overlooking the
8.5 acre habitat is nearing completion. A
"catwalk" on the top of the Group Building
enables researchers to observe the
gorillas. This building will be
next to the Administration/Food prep building.
Maintenance Building
and Headquarters. The main entrance to the GH facility is
where our Headquarters building is, and where all
construction crews and visitors must sign in. In
addition, a maintenance building has been completed.
Veterinary
Office/Hospital and Locker Rooms (photo left). A facility for our
veterinarian as well as male/female locker rooms with
showers was completed in 2002. Veterinary office includes a
fully-equipped surgery facility with X-ray, pharmacy
and vet administrative office. An adjacent building houses a recovery
facility and a necropsy unit.
Phase 2:
The Group Building, designed to
hold seven silverbacks separately or larger family groups, is
at the bottom of the 8.5 acre habitat. A large (50 x 50 x 20 feet)
indoor play room is in the center of the 7 night dens, for
cold or inclement weather. There will also be a Researcher Cage
extending into the large habitat, where researchers can sit in a
tunnel-cage, allowing the gorillas to come up to see the humans
in their enclosure! Construction of Phase 2 started at the end of 2003 and
should be ready for a group of gorillas by mid 2009.
Note: Phases 3 & 4 are part of
the master plan, but would only be built if needed and if outside funding
becomes available.
Phase 3:
A smaller version of the first walled habitat of Phase 1 could be built, with
perhaps only 1 or 2 villas and a smaller Group Building. This would be
appropriate for temporary housing of zoo family groups with approximately 3
acres. Construction for phase 3 could commence as early as the fall of 2008 and
be complete by 2010.
Phase 4: A larger version of the original habitat of
12-14+
acres expressly for all male groups could be built, up-wind of Phases 1, 2 and
3, so no sights, sounds or smells of females could be detected by the males housed in this area, known
as the DebLen Bai. Construction of phase 4 could start in
2010.
In addition, we could build a CDC Quarantine Facility (Phase
5) in an area we call The Grotto (named
after two gorillas at Mae Noell's, Otto and Gori). This would be for
long-term quarantine care or for animals preferring to be on
their own, away from other gorillas, who like humans, aren't
always as social as we like to think!
Our present plans call for a
major review at the completion of phase 1 & 2 to determine just how much
capacity is required at Gorilla Haven.
The entire (currently
324 acre) property of Gorilla
Haven has been posted with "Criminal Trespass" signs and
delineated with a 4 to 5 strand barbed wire fence, clearly
illustrating where our property boundaries are. Well within the
middle of the 324 acres is a 60 acre area in which Phase I, 2 and
3 will be built. This 60 acres is enclosed by a 10 foot high
barbed wire, electrified fence, which is monitored by
surveillance methods we're not disclosing. Access to this 60 acre
restricted-access area will be limited. The service roads and
infrastructure are in place for Phase I, which includes the
following facilities for gorillas and their caregivers. Aerial photo left was
taken in early 2000 prior to construction of the primary containment wall
(completed in September 2000).
