The plans for the Lion enclosure is on the planning website for the council, looks are very large size, also the zoo is placing new perimeter fence around A much large area around the lions for future developments.
No, I mean on the plan. Mongoose is part of the plan. They are shown in an indoor enclosure adjoining the lion indoor viewing and keeper area but I'm not sure how they are viewed. They won't be any mongoose currently at the zoo, Chester has no Asian species.
Does anyone know how the area that will be produced with the New perimeter fence compares to the size of islands?
Well, Chester is pretty good with their geographic theming. So I'm going to hope they are Asian mongoose.
The mongoose area is shown with animal access through into the lion indoor area, suggesting they will be mixed or rotate. Good to see the Chester longer-term plans coming through (and an apparent commitment to Asian Lions for the forseeable future).
I only had a quick look at the plans, but "40000m2" for the lion paddock is a typo (both practically and following the scale). The correct figure, given in the Planning Statement, must be "4000m2" (0.42ha), which is still sizeable.
Islands is currently 6 hectares, the new area is 7.2 hectares. Incidentally, the new lion paddock is approximately 1.07 hectares, the existing one is around 0.5 hectares. Discussion on the existing lion enclosure Chester Zoo - Lion enclosure
Hi bongorob. According to the figures you gave in that thread (post #4), the existing enclosure is roughly 0.2ha (which seems about right). The Planning Statement gives the size of the new enclosure as 0.42ha.
Wouldn't it be brilliant if the Zoo produced a visitor map of this detail / clarity for visitors over the age of 8 or for adults who don't live in 'Cartoon Land'? Would certainly help visitors to find their way around more easily, especially as Chester Zoo has removed most of its fingerpost signage!
Click on the planning application map and zoom out. You'll be able to see the size in comparison to the rest of the zoo including Islands.
You would hope they do the rotate option. They would not be the first to try to mix great cats with other animals. Antwerp and Schwerin also tried it with mongoose and the mongoose were very tasty. The parakeet in Zurich's Lion enclosure were also not very happy, nor were the Rock pigeons in with the Leopards in Bern.
Here's a 1947 photo of the existing Lion enclosure when it was bigger, before the pathway was added alongside the stable block. Shows the original dens and, for younger Chester Zoochatters you can see how those stable block walls got 'clawed' away. Three anti-tank road blocks clearly visible in the construction too......
