Chester Zoo 2017- A look back at Chester zoo

Hello all, with 2017 quickly coming to an end I thought to start up something I did last year. A recap where we all get together and talk about Chester this year.

This year has been another fabulous and groundbreaking year for Chester, and with still a while until January, it could become greater still.

As last year my thread missed 3 births (the giraffe and Spotted dear born on Boxing Day and indahli the baby elephant) I won't start with the question of births in case anymore happen in the next 20 days or so.

Anyway onto the first question:

Best building development of the year.

This has to be a building be it exhibit, play ground or area of the zoo that opened to the public this year. It can be a redevelopment of an old area or a new thing all together.

Let's keep the debate kind and light hearted as always and let's have some fun as we see an end to 2017.

 

Easily the new area in Islands; best sun bear enclosure I have ever seen, plus incredible tapir viewing compared to the Cattle House and, above all, Javan green magpies!

 

I would have to agree with you jake, 3 beautiful new enclosures, great themeing and it perfectly mixes with the first part of islands. While there are some issues with it, and they can't be denied, it is still a brilliant area for me.

 

Without a doubt, the new area of Islands is the best development of 2017. A fantastic enclosure that gives the Malayan tapirs justice even though I am yet to see them outside. The new walkthrough aviary is nice too, and the Javan green magpie are an amazingly beautiful species. The sun bear and binturong enclosure is also really good even though the binturongs are hard to spot.

 

I was trying to think of a way to be different but I just can’t the new sun bears enclosure is absolutely brilliant and the new aviary.

 

I suppose I chose a hard question to begin. It's very difficult not to just give the new islands extension a white wash because it is brilliant and my favourite development, but there are some other developments that opened this year that should be mentioned non the less.

• The new rainbow aviaries. Far nicer and larger than the original aviaries these are a vast improvement. And yes while for my like there were too many pheasants there is a nice mix of birds with several that came back on show and before it died the reeves pheasant made a return to the collection.
• Play! While not for zoochatters and more for little children, this zone was done in far better taste than lots of us expected, plus a lot of you had fun on those chalkboards while it was being built don't deny it!
• The outdoor sloth exhibit. A lovely expansion which made use of some of the pre existing flora. It's great to see the sloths outside and if the agouti do move there it'll make the enclosure a little better.
• The plant project. While I've not been in there myself it does seem nice, it's good to the greenhouses reopen allowing people to take note of horticulture.
• Europe on the edge 2.0. Now I only saw this with the vultures in but the exhibit is nice with a variety of species though it can't beat the original in my view.

If I have missed any you think should be brought up feel free to talk about it!

 

I miss the old Europeon the edge, but it has gone. I've only seen the new Europe on the edge twice and I haven't made my mind up about it yet.

 

In my opinion looking at the new Europe on the Edge from the bottom is so much nicer especially with all the waterfowl. I'm hoping that in the future a new aviary can be built somewhere.

 

Not really any different than the original aviary then.

 

Yea, I meant to say compared to looking at it from the top when crossing the bridge.

 

Right then time for the next section. Sorry this has taken some time to come to pass I just wanted to be sure the old talking point had died out which it has.

So next up: best acquisition.

This is any new species / subspecies to join the zoos collection that have not been held before. I'm sure zoochat members such as @bongorob @TeaLovingDave @zoogiraffe and others can help.

 

Dusky Pademelon

 

Lovely pick Rob

 

Me personally, I have to go with the tree kangaroo, I've wanted to see one for a long time and soon I'll finally have a chance to!

 

What could be better than a newly discovered Betta?

New Betta by gentle lemur posted 4 Sep 2017 at 4:13 PM

 

Not sure many fish species could be Betta than that

 

I would also just give a little mention to the lowland streaked tenrec. Very cool and unique species that one day I dream will be on show.

 

Alrighty then, it seems that the pademelon is by far peoples favourite new species. Now for a similar question:

Favourite species to return to the collection.

Only ground rule for this is there has to be evidence it was once held by the zoo in the past.

My two cents are going to go with the red duiker. A lovely little species that I enjoy seeing at Chester, after seeing some ungulates leave the collection this year it was nice to see one return.

 

Red duiker for me also charlie

 

Not sure which species are returns but the red duiker are lovely. Like you said after a recent loss in many ungulates (gemsbok, scimitar oryx, lesser kudu, blackbuck, przewalski's horse, Pere David's deer...) We need more ungulates to return!!