Chester Zoo Timeline » Chester Zoo

Chester Zoo Timeline
30-07-2008

Whilst I was bored today, I was thinking how much Chester has developed in recent years. So I quickly knocked up a timeline which shows the animal-related developments (not including species simply swapping enclosures e.g lechwe) as far back as I can remember.

Note: Some dates may be wrong and I may have left some stuff out, so please fill in the gaps!

2008:
- Butterfly House
- Cheetah Enclosure
- Bridge (Anoa viewing)
- African Aviary and Ground Hornbill aviary
- Philippine Crocodile pool

2007:
- Realm of the Red Ape
- Indian Rhinos (redevelopment of Asian Plains)
- Flamingo House
- Renovation of Owl aviaries

2006:
- Elephants of the Asian Forest (development of elephant quarters)
- Secret World of the Okapi (renovation of camel house)
- Asian Steppe (Onager and Camel)
- Warthog/Mongoose enclosure
- Tiger Viewing window

2005:
- Rare Parrot Breeding Centre
- Improvement of Bush Dog enclosure
- Improvement of tanks and aviaries in Tropical Realm

2004:
- Miniature Monkeys
- Spectacled Bear enclosure (development of cloud forest area)
- Mythical Macaws (and surrounding aviaries)

2003:
- Tsavo (Black Rhino redevelopment, including meerkats)
- Dragons in Danger (indoor and outdoor extension to Islands in Danger for Komodo Dragons)

2002:
- Red Panda enclosure
- Marmot Mania
- Red River Hog enclosure #1 (sandy area in current asian steppe, essentially a temporary enclosure)
- Red River Hog enclosure #2 (current location, hogs moved here later the same year)
- Buffy Headed Capuchin Island
- Tapir and Capybara enclosure

2001:
- Spirit of the Jaguar
- Hyacinth Macaw aviary
- Sealion Beach (renovation of sealion pool)

2000:
- Islands in Danger
- Chimpanzee Forest (improvements to the island)

1999:
- Asian Elephant Bull Quarters
- Elephant herd paddock extension

1998:
- Twilight zone
- Renovated Penguin Pool

1997:
- Monkey Islands

1996:
- Sand Lizard vivarium

01-08-2008

That is fantastic Jimmy.

01-08-2008

Good work, one thing though, I think the Red River Hogs moved to their current enclosure later than 2002. I first visited the zoo in 2003 and the hogs were still near the onagers (and the cheetah area held lechwe).

02-08-2008

hmm, I must've got the hogs one wrong then. I could've sworn they moved soon after the capuchin island was created.

and yes, the lechwe were on the current cheetah site, but I was leaving out the enclosure swaps and focussing on new constructions or renovations.

02-08-2008

The hogs bred in 2003 in the original enclosure, I would guess the new enclosure was completed in 2004 and they moved in 2005. I'll try to find out.

It was left un-occupied for a long time so that the concrete and plaster in the shelter could dry out properly.

02-08-2008

The hog enclosure was constructed in 2003 and the pigs were moved to it in the Spring of 2004.

02-08-2008

Makes sense. I never realised the capuchin Island was as new as that. I've never visited and it not been there. What previously occupied the site?

Also, what lived where the Red River Hogs do now, immediately before they did?

02-08-2008

I think the capuchin island site was just the canal (that's why there's not much land mass on the island).

Before the river hogs, the capuchins lived in that enclosure (it was a pair of little islands rather than a low walled enclosure though). Black and White Ruffed Lemurs also lived on that area in the recent past and gorillas did until the early nineties.

02-08-2008

Ah right, thanks Jimmy. I knew about the gorillas, but not the lemurs or capuchins.

03-08-2008

Before the capuchins it held Aldabran tortoises and chickens. I have also heard it contained pygmy hippos, but I'm not sure how accurate that is.

03-08-2008

Pygmy hippos were in that location (Bongorob has a good photo in the gallery showing this) but I assumed that the tortoise/pygmy hippo area was where the capuchin indoor quarters are now and the island was built into the canal.

03-08-2008

The indoor Capuchin area is where the indoor picnic area was. Perhaps the area housing the tortoises came onto part of what is now the path, but I am sure I have photos of them basking along the side of the picnic area wall. I have a feeling that the part of moat by the path between the macaws and island is a new(ish) dug out section to form the island, but of course I could be wrong.

03-08-2008

Ah yeah, I had forgotten about the picnic area being there. You're probably right then about a moat being dug-out.

03-08-2008

The pygmy hippo house was the first part of the tropical house to be opened, I think. Where the capuchin indoor enclosure is there used to be Nile Crocodiles and indoor accomodation for the pygmy hippos..

Link to pygmy hippo picture

Pygmy Hippos Chester Zoo 25 August 1975 » ZooBeat Photo Gallery

This photo was published in a book about hippos in the UK by a Chester keeper.

03-08-2008

Very interesting photo, thanks for the link, Rob.

Where was the nocturnal house in the tropical realm? I have read about the nocturnal section, but always wondered exactly where it was.