Chester Zoo Chester Zoo 2017

Yes it was Boelen`s Python as it was in Realm of Red Ape, Must have been Napo then, he must have moved indoors, thanks for the clarifications. Thinking of becoming a member in the future as not enough hours in the day to see everything with a wheelchair

 

I visited Chester Zoo for the first time yesterday. What a fabulous place this is! Almost every enclosure is spacious and well developed, the animals all looked fantastic and we were very lucky to see almost everything, including the Golden Mantella! As an RZSS member and regular visitor of Edinburgh, visiting Chester also gave me fresh perspective on how good some area's of Edinburgh really are. Sometimes when you visit a place often you can lose the sense of wonder that it really deserves. Anyway, Chester was quite simply extraordinary, how lucky some of you are to have this as your local zoo

 

We are lucky and sometimes people forget it on here.

What was your favourite bit? enclosure?

What was the stand out surprise moment? (species you didn't know about or enclosure)

 

I think Monsoon Forest was probably my favourite area...this is an exceptionally difficult question by the way because the whole place is outstanding, but I think Monsoon Forest just pips everywhere else!

In regards to individual enclosures I liked the Giant Otters, although we didn't actually see the otters, the enclosure was impressive on it's own.

Stand out moment had to be seeing both Aye-Aye's being very active, a real treat just as we were making our way out of the zoo! My wife also particularly enjoyed watching Puluh swinging about on the ropes inside, was an impressive display I must say!

 

Shame you didn't see them, they are such an entertaining exhibit.

Doubt many miss the sea lions now.

 

The Cheetah Yurt has been demolished and (surprised nobody mentioned this yet) the Ploughshare Tortoises are finally on show in Dragons in Danger (the viv where the young Komodo Dragons were until recently)

 

Great to see such a rare species of tortoise on show! And a fascinating one at that. I hope the Yurt isn't gone for good It looked to be a nice area in the zoo to view the cheetah.

 

I was wondering why the Cheetah weren't in the enclosure they were supposed to be yesterday, they were in an enclosure just opposite the Bushdog's. Are Chester developing/revamping their enclosure then? I seen the Ploughshare Tortoises yesterday, I didn't realise they had only just gone on show or I would have mentioned it.

 

Did Chester go out of Sea lion's for the same reason as Edinburgh? The cost of keeping them in salt water?

 

Developments are being made to the viewing of the main Cheetah exhibit (hence the demolition of the yurt). However, that is not the reason why the two females are being kept opposite the Bush Dogs (there are still three males and a female in the main exhibits).

I believe this was a factor, yes, although they were not essential to the long-term collection plan and I suppose Giant Otters were too good an opportunity to miss.

 

Wow, it looked like they were re-doing the roof when I last visited.

 

That was plan A, but apparently other problems were later found and it was deemed unsafe

 

KT and her daughter were moved to the area by the bush dogs becasue the zoo wanted to breed from Adezee, she is bow too old to breed, as is KT, so no more cheetah births for a while at Chester.

 

Was at the zoo yesterday as well and noticed that in Monsoon Forest the six-lined grass lizards have been replaced by what appears to be a young individual(s) of a species of skink; perhaps the species in with the forest dragons and crested lizards? The sign is still up so perhaps they are still in there

 

There are two species of skink in Monsoon Forest. I think the grass lizards have been taken offshow, having not seen one for a while. The label is stillthere so if they are in the viv they are very adapt at hiding themselves. Also yesterday tadoples were seen in the Mao Son frog viv, I thought that the frogs placed in the exhibit on Christmas Eve were youngsters themselves. I wonder if tadpoles of another frog species have been introduced

 

I think the skink was a common sun skink (Eutropis multifasciata)

 

You would have impressed us all if you said you saw blue-legged mantellas instead of golden mantellas.

 

Where are these Mao Son frogs I've heard them brought up before but I can't remember where they are in the zoo?

 

Apologies, my intention was not to impress, I was simply delighted that I managed to spot this species as I've always wanted to see it.

 

My post was not meant to be critical Quincey, it's just that no one has ever seen a blue-legged mantella at Chester. Sorry if I caused any offence.

Charlie, the Mao son frogs are in the 3rd viv in Monsoon Forest. Good luck on seeing them