News at Chester » Chester Zoo

31-07-2008

It seems that the designers of gorilla enclosures decide to ignore the concept that lowland gorillas in the wild live mostly in very dense vegetation hence "the inpenetrable forest" where many lowland gorillas live.

Yes the public must be able to view gorillas l do understan that point very clearly. Exhibits that are often refered to as amazing like Lincoln Parks gorilla house. With its indoor viewing area and full viewing windows that afford NO privacy for gorillas. Really may look great butt are sooo not! In line with a gorillas needs.

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Stuart R Webster
A small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.
Margaret Mead

31-07-2008

Anyone seen the news about mating kingfishers halting work at Chester? It's on the BBC. Do they mean the path by the butterfly house?
Thanks
Susan

31-07-2008

I'd imagine so, there is a lake just to the north of the construction site.

01-08-2008

They don't say exactly where to protect the birds but around the butterfly house seems likely.

Chester Zoo - Kingfishers at Chester Zoo

There's also a new picture of Tejas on the website

01-08-2008

In 1971 a pair of kingfishers reared 3 young in the zoo. The nest was believed to have been on the gibbon island, now the lemur island.

01-08-2008

Unfortunately you wouldn't see muntjac either as they like to hide behind the smallest bit of cover they can find. Both muntjac and hog deer are very flighty and think nothing about ploughing head-first into fences etc when alarmed. From memory that would mean into moats at Chester. Pigs/tapirs tend to work better with monkeys as they aren't so intimidated or flighty. Maybe I'm wrong but aren't babirusa alot easier on substrates compared to pigs?

01-08-2008

You could well be right- although under zoo conditions all species can become very tame. Babirusa paddocks don't seem so badly ploughed up as pigs would do.

01-08-2008

ISIS have listed 0.0.1 puma at Chester, this is not true is it?

01-08-2008

THat would be new to me

01-08-2008

Its report says it was born in 1960 so i think its a small glitch in the system!

01-08-2008

Ah good old ISIS! Only a good source of information if all parties keep it upto date.

02-08-2008

The Black-cheeked Lovebird is back on show, after an absence of about 11 years. It is in the aviary by the otters with Diamond Doves, Java Sparrows and Village Weavers.

04-08-2008

Visited yesterday just a few things of note the young Taritic Hornbills are out of the nest and doing well they both look like been males.The female Rhinoceros Hornbill was having a very seriou,,s inspection of one of the nest boxes in the enclosure so fingers crossed they bred again soon,the old Pere Davids Deer paddock has at the moment got a Emu in it but this will be moved so they Lechwe can move into here.As far as i could find out the Przewalski Horses are not moving from where they are at the moment,everything is ready in Tasavo for the young Black Rhino to be born.The Buttterfly House is still on course for opening round October November.The Chilean Flamingos have laid eggs in the last few weeks but as of yet none from the Caribbean Flamingos,and lastly but by no means least the long awaited Giraffe swap with Blair Drummond happened last week so all of Chester Giraffes are Rothschilds now.

04-08-2008

Sorry forgot to say a big HELLO to all the staff in the Education Department at Chester Zoo and keep guessing as to who some of us are!!!!!!!!!

07-08-2008

had a quick visit to the zoo today.

- Chester has a new 85 page guide book which can be bought in the visitor service hut near the entrance for £5.00. It is a quality book and has information about the zoo's history, conservation projects, the major exhibits and other notable species. It's not child-orientated either (unlike the maps). It's one of the best guidebooks that I own.

- There was a crate at the doorway to Quinto's paddock in Tsavo 2. I think it was Qunito's paddock anyway (the first one you see as you drive to the zoo).

- Realm of the Red Ape looks to have been replanted.

- In the Tropical realm, the section of pathway from the writhed hornbills to the Indian hornbills had been fenced off for maintenance.

- The philippine crocodiles are good climbers! One had climbed up to a point just below the "aztec" sculpture.

- Either the bengal tigers are still at the zoo or a mate has arrived for Kepala as there were two tigers in the enclosure, I didn't stay long enough to see if they were Sumatran or Bengal though...

- The Indian hornbill in the elephant house was visible to me for the first time in a few months.

- The cheetahs seem to enjoy staying by the new glass windows.

- Some construction workers were on the butterfly house site.