Chester Zoo Chester Zoo 2016 #2

0.0.4 White Winged Wood Ducks have hatched

Chester Zoo welcomes world's rarest Ducklings | Granada - ITV News

 

Don't know how long they wait before they put out news like this but I admired these 4 ducklings with their mother in the Tropical House two weeks ago now- presuming its the same lot.

 

If I were the legal representative of a Madagascar pochard, I'd sue Granada

Alan

 

Another Sulawesi Macaque has been born this time to mum Camilla.

 

Received the Annual Report. Very impressive commercially but where's the species inventory? Not even on CD as far as I can see.

 

Which reminds me. Last time we were at Chester the troop of Macaque trooped across to the main viewing window ... and started licking the glass.

Anybody know why?

 

2015 inventories are available here: Annual Reports | Chester Zoo UK

 

I didn't get a CD with mine. I'm waiting for a reply from the Membership department.

 

Thaks Maguari,

I looked there but the top paragraph says it is the data form 2014.

 

I didn't get a CD either. My copy of the Zoo Review was fine, but the Financial Report had a second unbound copy stuck inside. Should there have been anything else apart from the covering letter and the AGM Agenda & proxy forms?

Alan

 

One little nugget in the annual report is (I think the first) official confirmation that the intention is to develop further new animal enclosures in Islands 'in 2016' (which presumably would mean in the autumn/winter at this stage). These are described by the zoo as 'for more of our current collection to be relocated to new, state of the art enclosures'.

Sounds good for the tapirs..!


EDIT: It's only now, reading it, that I've realised how the field conservation and zoo news have been completely combined by region (Latin America, Africa, Mascarenes & Madagascar, South Asia, South-east Asia, UK & Europe). I actually quite like that - it feels like the emphasis on those areas at the expense of others (North America, Australia) makes a bit more sense that way - but it means no mention of the few species that don't fit, like the Tuataras!

 

As a further note, I find it surprising that the monorail accounts for 11% of the zoo's total income. The percentage figures exclude grants and legacies if I'm interpreting it correctly, but even so that's a big old chunk - nearly a quarter of the value of income from the standard admission, or about a fifth when the voluntary donation and gift aid are included.

 

Where are you finding the annual report?

 

I've had my printed copy in the post - otherwise you can get it from the link as above: Annual Reports | Chester Zoo UK

(ignore the top bit saying 2014, the links are the 2015 information!)

 

My original post seems to have caused some confusion. There is no CD with the Report this year.

 

The monorail and boats income at £430,000 is less than 2% of Total incoming resources of £22.459 million ( taken from Accounts ) . I assume it is lower than 2014 because paid-for boat rides stopped .

 

Visited today, just a few things I noticed. The zoo was really busy today with young families, most went straight to the dinosaurs and they seem very well done although there are quite a few bottlenecks but they give great views of the Komodo dragon in the outside enclosure.

The Aye-aye's were closed off for "essential maintenance", the storks look lost in the old condor enclosure. I really hope they make better use of it, maybe with primates like edinburghs sea eagle enclosure.

The boat ride in islands seems to get longer with less to see every time I visit. There were hardly anything on show today and lots of families were complaining.

Does anybody know why the sunbears have been separated? They were being filmed today along with a lot of the other enclosures for the secret lives programme.

The mongoose enclosure and the left jaguar enclosure were also under maintenance. There seemed to be quite a few smaller enclosures that were empty.

Got some really great views of the sandlizards, i were disappointed how many people just walk past and even pulled kids away saying there was nothing to see even though I was pointing out the the lizards were basking right in front of them.

 

Thanks Bele - I though that looked high!

It's complete pot luck - on my last ride (14th May) we saw everything out and about - pigs, cassowary, banteng, starlings, tigers, orangs, macaques and anoa - full house!

I suppose that may be a factor in why it's free!

 

I understand that, maybe they should have some signs up though, if families decide not to ride anymore because they don't see anything then I don't really see a future for it which is a shame as it can offer some great views when everything is up and about.