Chester Zoo More news at Chester

Another 'News at Chester' thread:

Just been on Chester zoo's new website, and I've found this:

This explains why the giraffe house was closed for Jimmy on Monday.

What was Margaret's mother called?

Also, there has been a baby penguin at Chester, Aero, whose parents are Warty and Hislop. This is great news, but it as Chester does this regularly I am quite surprised that it has been put on the site, Although I think it is the
first of the season...

 

Fey is the mother of Margaret.

 

There is a new reptile curator at Chester Zoo

Conservation key for zoo's new curator - Chester standard

 

I hope this means more rare herptiles!

 

I hope this means more rare herptiles that we can actually see

 

Well the Caiman lizards are on show, and soon the Philippine crocodiles...

 

I hope all goes well with the baby giraffes.

That poor guy that looks after them, not had much luck lately.

 

Well the giraffe house was open today.

Margaret looked very well and was out in the paddock with the rest of the herd.

The new baby was inside right at the back of the bed area, just about see the baby, tho it was gloomy and she/he was right against the back wall curled up asleep !

 

I would of thought it was margaret would of been indoors still, are you sure you havn't got it the wrong way round?

 

For those of us who are not so in the know on Chester's giraffes .... Who is Margaret? Is not Kelly supposed to be the mother of the newborn calf?
Can you give the names and dates of birth of the giraffe group members?

Rothschildt's giraffe
1.3+1

M ?
F Kelly
F ?
F ?
calf ? (b. 31/3/2008)

hybrid giraffe
...
?

Finally, welfarewise any news whether the calf has now pulled through the difficult period?

 

Jelle, Margaret was the first calf born at Chester this year, Kelly is the mother of the 2nd

Chester Zoo - Smallest Giraffe Makes Debut

so...
Fay is Margaret's mother
Kelly is the new calf's mother
not sure of the bull's name

 

Isn't the male called Thorn?

Other giraffes at Chester are:

Pure:

F Fey
F Kelly
F Margaret (Born premature and could not reach to Suckle, so is being hand reared)

And then there is the Hybrid female...

 

That is correct

The other female is called samaras (Not sure on spelling) she is a hybrid and is a very good mother, and is therefore staying for the time being to show the pure breds how to raise there calfs. Faye baby Margaret was her first, and a belive this is Kellys second calf, so they are both inexperienced.

 

Am also hoping that the news that the giraffe are out and about means that the new baby is healthy and feeding well from mum

 

Yes, I think perhaps so too... as Margaret is being handraised she would not be 'connected' with the group (perhaps even being segregated for her safety?). It sounds like this was the newer calf with the group- unless it is being handraised too- in that case its more likely this younger one would have been inside- if you get my drift...

Anyone got news on its sex and whether the mother bonded with it or not?

 

The question of what sex the baby is, popped into my head just after posting I dont think it has been mentioned anywhere

I gather if its out and about with the herd they would be quietly confident that the mother and calf had bonded and where doing well before letting them out.

 

Margaret was out with the rest of the herd last week before the new baby was born.

I thought the head of reptiles was Isolde McGeorge - that's the impression I got from Zoo Days anyway

 

Thats interesting because she was tiny, must go next weekend and she the new baby.

 

Yes isolde is the head of Reptiles, but the new curator is taking Kevin Buley's position, as curator of Lower vertebrates. This means that he will take charge of Reptiles, Amphibians, and I presume he will work with fish and Invertebrates too....