Old marsh mongoose pond

Part of the area that used to house marsh mongooses Atilax paludinosus. Outside the entrance to Playa Patagonia.

How long ago did the colchester Zoo have Marsh mongoose ?

The Marsh Mongoose have got have left sometime around the late 90's.

Thank you Zoogiraffe, i have another question though if you dont mind me asking, were the marsh mongoose kept indoors or outdoors ?, and also besides marsh mongoose what else was in that general area before playa patagonia was there ?

The marsh mongoose were (to the best of my knowledge) outdoors.

Since I started visiting Colchester (1992) I can remember the Playa Patagonia site housing African elephants and Bactrian camels.

Yep. That was where Colchester's original. and VERY bad elephant house was.

I started visiting Colchester as an adult in 1989, having not visited since 1974 when I was 10. I suspect it was on the way up by that time, but there were some truly appalling exhibits.

If anyone had told me at that time it would have beem keeping Komodo Dragons, Slende-nosed Crocodiles, Red-backed Bearded Sakis, Amur Leopards, Giant Anteaters and Prince Alfred's Deer within twenty years I would have been very sceptical indeed.

Colchester's present status shows what can be achieved through hard work, combining having the wit to give families a good day out without compromising a passion for running a zoo, based upon a real enthusiasm for animals.