Chester Zoo Chester Zoo Discussion, Speculation & Questions 2018

Chester holds 1.2 Asian Lions.

 

Does anyone have an idea where their enclosure will be? I would love to visit him when he is on show.

 

Probably in one of the two new lemur enclosures that are being built on the site of the old tiger enclosure and the 'Europe on the Edge' aviary. They are due to be ready by the autumn.

 

Oh cool, what do we know about these enclosures will they both be walkthrough?

 

Lovely new species to see at the zoo!

 

The plans show a 2300 sq metre walk-through and another 927 sq m outdoor enclosure, plus houses with viewing windows and a fossa enclosure.

 

Totally unaware.

 

Well Marvin and the other 3 Black Lemurs at Sparsholt weren't very friendly so it will be intresting to see if he is in the walkthrough.

So happy Marvin is starting a new chapter cannot wait for little Marvins and Ambers to be leaping around! Hopefully this time he won't get too bullied.

 

This is very interesting. So it appears that there will be at least 3 species of lemurs at the walkthrough. Cotswold will have to watch out if they want to stay on top if this continues

 

Plus the aye aye and gentle lemur that takes it up to 5 species in all! A very nice mix indeed.

 

Will the aye aye and gentle lemur be in the new madagascar area?

Ringtail, black, aye aye and gentle lemur what is the 5th

 

white belted ruffed lemur

 

Not as of yet but they could be in the future

 

It would be very cool if Dragons in Danger was converted into a Madgagascar house. It could have half of it be a nocturnal section for the aye-ayes, jumping rats and tenrecs. And the rest could be used for smaller animals like chameleons and golden mantellas, plus the ploughshare tortoises are already in there. Mongoose Mania could be changed to house some of the off show Madagascan mongooses (can't remember species) to fit the theme.

 

I asked a keeper about the Narrow-striped mongoose a couple of months ago and was told they are unlikely to go on show.
I don't know if they are visible at Berlin or London, but there is a photo of one in the gallery from Newquay

 

London's are on show in the first set of side enclosures in the rainforest part of the Clore. Berlin's should still be on show in the carnivore house as far as I'm aware.

 

Jersey was the first place I saw this species - and very active too. Newquay's were a no-show. Absolutely surprised that no zoo in this country has gone all-out on a Madagascar-themed exhibit (beyond the ubiquitous lemur-walkthrough). Agreed that Cotswold has been the closest attempt.

 

Have to put my correcting hat on here

The walkthrough at Cotswold only has 3 species of Lemur with full access to what is a small enclosure. These are Crowned Lemur, Ring Tailed and Red Bellied.
The Greater Bamboo Lemur are elsewhere in the Walled Garden as are the Sifaka. The Belted Black & White Lemur, whilst in the walkthrough have no access to the walkthrough section and are confined to their own exhibit, as they have been known to attack the other Lemurs, so Cotswold only have 3 actual Lemurs in the walkthrough.

South Lakes Safari, also have 6 species of Lemur, 4 with access to the Walkthrough. Belted and Ruffled Black & White Lemur, Red Ruffled Lemurs, Ring Tailed Lemurs, White Fronted Brown Lemur, and a Hybrid cross between a White Fronted & Mongoose Lemur.

Then you can consider Woburn which also has 4 Lemur Species with access to the walkthrough, with Red Fronted, Red Bellied, Black & White Ruffled and Ring Tail.

Another exhibit with 4 in the walkthrough is Marwell, where they have Gentle Lemurs, Black & White Ruffled, Crowned & Ring Tail.

As well as Chester the Walkthrough's at Drusilla's hold Ring Tailed Lemurs & Black Lemurs.

Blackpool have three species in their walkthrough, and also have the Dwarf Mouse Lemur in the Monkey House.

However the award for the most Species of Lemur in a Walkthrough Exhibit goes to the Wild Place Project in Bristol. In the first walkthrough exhibit you will find Ring Tailed, Red Bellied and Mongoose Lemur, whilst in the second exhibit you will find Gentle (They aren't allowed access to the walkthrough section at the same time as the White & Black Belted Lemur's so they have an alternative outdoor as well) and White & Black Belted Lemur. This means you can get up close to 5 species of Lemur, the most in any walkthrough.

So with only 3 species of Lemur in it's walkthrough, Cotswold is already behind, South Lakes, Woburn, Marwell and Wild Place which all have 4 or more, meaning Cotswold are not on top when it comes to Walkthrough's but in holding 6 species they are still joint top with South Lakes albeit one of South Lake's is a hybrid.

This is only the places I've been to, so there could be a walk through with more than 5 somewhere I'm yet to come across.

 

It may have changed since my last visit a couple of years ago, but Sifaka have had access to the walkthrough in the past.

 

Definitely don't anymore. They are outside the walkthrough section, and there's a brick wall separating them from the whole Madagascar walkthrough. They have a large enclosure, opposite the Mongoose but they are not part of the walk through section anymore.

Last went in October when this was the case.