Budongo Primate Experience at the Edinburgh Zoo

The new 1400m2 facility will allow the public to get as close as possible to the chimps within a naturalistic environment and will provide three chimpanzees houses or 'pods'(for up to 50 chimpanzees) internally linked by bridges and tunnels as well as to an external enclosure. The public route will weave between these pods, with visual connections in each, as well as having an interpretation space which will describe and highlight the Budongo chimpanzee conservation program which the RZSS is sponsoring in Uganda.

A flexible 200 seat auditorium space will provide AV footage of the conservation project and is designed as such that at the end of the presentation the screen will open up to reveal Edinburgh Zoo's chimpanzees. There will also be a retail offer and a small corporate facility. Back of house facilities will have restricted access to keepers and researchers (from St Andrews University), and will provide secure access to each pod, as well as 5 off show bedrooms, keeper's office, store room and food preparation area.

Each of the three pods will have a different spatial configuration and lighting level, being primarily top lit. One pod will have provision for full three dimensional spatial exploration with the roof space having climbing bars.




This is the facility that famed Dr. Jane Goodall graciously endorsed in the article below. Sure looks like an unbelievable place.

Article below courtesy of Mark Rosenthal.