Chester Zoo Chester Zoo 2017

So what about the off show Tamarin complex at the back of the Jaguars which can be seen from the top of RORA!Plenty of other semi-off show exhibits as well hidden about the zoo,just need to keep your eyes open.

 

Thank you so much Zoogiraffe! I will be sure to keep my eyes open the next time I visit.

 

One behind the spectacle bears as well, seen from the exit path from islands aswell

 

Don't forget about the view of a few aviaries on the sun bear platform as well.

 

Wow, in that case I'll definitely bring my binoculars with me next time! I know that the aviaries you can see from the platform hold macaws and conures, but what is in the one behind the spec bears and the one behind fruit bat forest?

 

Never mind about my last post, I went around the zoo on Google maps last night and found out that they were aviaries, presumably for the off-show birds.

 

Don't forget the Scottish wild cats off show enclosure.

 

That is the place.

 

I have been told that the Scottish Wild Cats are in the former hyena enclosure between Condor Cliffs and Butterfly Journey. I am not too bothered about seeing the Wild Cats though because I work with some.

 

So there are wildcats! Haha, lol.

 

No secret. There used to be a live video feed opposite Cafe Bembe. Now there are edited highlights in the video shown in the Jaguar Coffee Shop.

 

Let's just stop and think about all the free/temporary/going to be free enclosures that the zoo has at the moment:
First up is the former cassowary enclosure that seems to be made into an enclosure for a cat species.
The old bongo/banteng paddock was holding an onager stallion last I visited. It may remain there until we get a new ungulate.
Once the binturongs move to Islands, that enclosure will be free for a new species; hopefully a large carnivore.
The old anoa island is currently home to some babirusa but we don't know if this is permanent or not.
The serval enclosure is housing the female cheetahs but that could change when yurt is finished.
Condor cliffs is becoming a new Europe on the Edge so the old Europe on the Edge could become a major new enclosure (please don't make it a new picnic lawn or playground).
The sun bears will move to islands leaving an empty enclosure in SoJ but I think that they will make it into a jaguar enclosure again.
Also, when the Malayan tapirs move that will leave us an empty paddock in that old cattle house.
The giant anteaters will be moving to Bears of the Cloud Forest so that leaves yet another free enclosure (two if you count the round enclosure).
The old midwife toad enclosure is still empty. I am hoping that it will soon home a native reptile/amphibian.
The former warty pig paddock has been made into an expansion to the spotted deer paddock so I think that it is unlikely we will get anything new in there but you never know!
The aquarium in EoAF is still empty I hear. I hope we get some good fish in there! The former whip-tailed scorpion viv in the Fruit Bat forest is still empty as well.
The rainbow aviary (or the "forgotten aviary" as I call it) should be ready for stocking once this wretched bird flu is gone.
And finally (I think) is the old capuchin island, but would I be right in thinking that the gentle lemurs will be moved there?

So I think that's everything! If I have forgotten anything then please let me know.
All in all, the only thing that I can say is that we could be in for a very exciting year at Chester!

 

Depends on who you listen 2 but this will not happen until much later in the year I suspect now

Nope will be used to rehouse the male Onager once he has done his job in the main paddock!

Will house diggers for bongorob!

Should remain with Babirusa in it.

Maybe maybe not!

Again will house diggers for bongorob!

Maybe maybe not.

It could be used for a short term housing,but then it could be knocked down,as its been due to be knocked down for atleast the last 10 years!

Forgetting Bert then!!

I think you mean the old Tuatara exhibit for this,and it had new lighting fitted just before it was boarded up,so I suspect it has something in it!

Very possible you are correct with this.

Not a clue on these 2,but for the record the Scorpion exhibit used to be for Honey Bee.

Yep should soon be seeing some Peacock-pheasants could be wrong on that but you never know!

More than likely correct again.

You more than likely have forgotten something.Yes its going to be an interesting time ahead!

 

I thought Bert was going to move with the anteaters but I may be wrong.

That's interesting. If you ask me, if they spaced the little viv out a little bit, they should move the Caribbean hermit crabs in there so we can see their nocturnal behaviours and maybe actually see them for once.

Is the pouched rat enclosure still boarded up? If so then yes, I did forget something.

 

Sadly, I think some/many of those emptying enclosures will be demolished.

 

Not a problem if something better is built on the site(s)

 

We are losing a lot of stuff at the moment that is not just exhibits. There were other things at the zoo that weren't animals or enclosures that gave the zoo its special "Chester feel" which we are now losing or lost such as the fountain, the water bus, the fun ark (maybe) and even that old rhino sculpture that would urinate at unwary visitors!

 

I've just returned from a weekend at Chester Zoo. I'm a member, but living 200 miles away means I can't get there as often as I'd like (I'd be there everyday if I could!)

I overheard that there's plan's to bring in a new male Sumatran Tiger to breed with Kirana and Kasarna. I don't know how true this is, but it probably makes sense as they've been without the boys for a little while now.

Over the course of the 2 days, Iblis was spending all of his time with just 1 of the female lions. And from a couple of videos posted on youtube she's obviously in heat. But from what I saw she was having none of it. I felt sorry for the other female. She was asleep out of the way, even being ignored by the visitors. Then again she was obviously enjoying the peace and quite.

My favourite big cats though are the Jaguars. I tend to spend most of my time down there. And lucky enough got to see both of them feeding during the talk yesterday. Goshi was on the prawl a fair bit over both days. Pretty sure she was enjoying soaking up the sun. I just wish they'd breed. I'd love to see her become a mother. I've just never seen them spend too much tome together. He loves his rock but hates it when she tries to wake him up. I often wonder if he's got in in him. Once the Sun Bears move, I wonder if they'll bring in a new male for her.

Enough about my obsession with big cats, the real reason I came on here today was to ask your thoughts on the Zoo being a smoking Zoo (well in designated areas).
I'd like to see the Zoo become fully non-smoking. And my real reason for this isn't for actual cigarettes. The vapers seem to think they can have a puff whenever and wherever they see fit. Over the 2 days the only time I saw people smoking cigarettes was in the actually designated ares. But vaping seems to be a different story all together. People seem to think they can have a cheeky puff because no one will see the cloud that escapes them. I'm also pretty sure someone was smoking in the Bat House yesterday. It's a smell you can't confuse with anything else. Do people think because it's dark that they can get away with it.
I'm an ex smoker myself, but i'm often around people that smoke and it doesn't bother me. It's just people who think they can do what they like. And yes the Zoo might be an open space, but it's always highly populated.

Back to the cats, sort of. Their didn't seem to be many or any staff/volunteers around the SoJ over the weekend. The amount of people banging on the glass when Napo was on his rock was unbelievable. I've been to other zoos where they've always got people around at exhibits with glass to prevent this.

I feel like I'm being negative. I'm not. Far from it. It's my favourite UK Zoo. And I may be a big cat lover but there's so much more of the Zoo that I really enjoy. Seeing the short clawed Otters, the mother lying on her back playing with 2 stones made my day yesterday. Nandita pushing all the other Elephants out of the way on Saturday to get to the hose then running in the pool was fantastic to witness in person. And so much more. And yeah there might be some other things that bug me. But I won't push my luck to far

 

Tigers - Kirana won't be breeding again. Bloodline is too well represented in Europe now. Its unlikely Kasarna will get the chance to breed for the same reason

Jaguars - Napo and Goshi will be allowed to breed in the future (when the studbook gives them a recommendation)

 

It is not just at the zoo that this problem occurs. It happens basically anywhere that you go. You can be just walking through a shopping centre and someone will send a puff of vapour in your face. As for the zoo's standard on smoking, there are several designated smoking areas around the zoo for both regular cigs and e-cigs; but you still get disrespectful people who smoke both kinds all around the zoo and shove their discarded fags under plants. It annoys me too but sadly there is not much that we can do about it.