This is the Chester Zoo thread for news, both minor and major. If you have any questions please direct them to the Discussion thread.
Visited today 14/01/2020 what a wet day had the zoo to myself except for a few others and 3 groups of school children getting soaked like me. Tropical Realm closed today due to routine checks according to the notice outside. Anyone know what they are going to do with the old lion enclosure (was told today but want to see if it's common knowledge first) Komodo Dragon still being treated by vet Male Sun Bear still isolated from Female and cub.
I was told that the old Lion enclosure will be knocked down and turned into a picnic area. I think some or all of the trees will stay.
Well if you told anything that includes animals it's not true as they are slowly moving all animals, out of the area near the oakfield so it can be opened in the evening without any animals been put at risk.
Also noticed today that some of the smaller exhibits in Realm of the Red Ape were empty but still had the signs for the previous species by them. Was told it was going to be a restaurant and small playing area. Both Jaguars were very mobile in the rain in the outside area today. Also 2 of the Cheatah's were very mobile again in the rain. Hardly any of the mammals were out (who can blame them) Not many birds on show except for the wild ones here follows a list of what we saw today - Robin, Blackbird, Starling, Dunnock, Jackdaw, Magpie, Carrion crow, Mallard, Coot, Moorhen, Black headed gull, Lesser black backed gull, Herring gull, Green woodpecker, Lesser spotted woodpecker, Song thrush, Fieldfare, Redwing, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Wood pigeon, Stock dove, Feral pigeon, Grey wagtail, Pied wagtail, Long tailed tit, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard & Kestrel
The other day I was told - and how much of this is policy and how is staffroom gossip I don't know - that the former Lion enclosure is to become an open air dining/play area, the old stable block is to become a retail facility, and the 1970s shop/cafe adjacent to Dragons is to be demolished. I was also told that when the Coquerel's Sifakas arrive, the Black Lemurs will be moved to another enclosure elsewhere in the zoo. Again, all this could be a case of Chinese whispers.
All true, just as grasslands is a restaurant and a giraffe paddock and not much else. Not that people believe that
How is the monorail demolition going by the way? I've not heard much said about it, perhaps understandably. Removing all of the track must be a big job!
Some news from Chester’s FB page: - Subis’s baby boy has been named ‘Arga’. Security Check - A male Tree Kangaroo named ‘Kayjo’ (2017) has arrived. I believe he came from the Belfast Zoo. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=
Sadly yes, demolition is planned for the iconic Fountain Restaurant, another bit of Chester Zoo history to bite the dust. Built 1959 into 1960, this remains a fabulous example of British 1950s Post-war end of austerity modern architecture. As you'd expect for Chester Zoo at this time, it was made from whatever Mr Mottershead could lay his hands on. It was designed and built to accommodate a large number of armour plate windows acquired for free from Nearby Pilkington Glass due to a measuring error on their part, they formed part of a cancelled order. So the Fountain restaurant was built around the window sizes rather than as is normal, the other way round. This really is a very sturdy building, the balcony for example is made from war-time concrete road setts, from the same batch as used for the Polar Bear walkway. When it opened, downstairs was a cafeteria, whilst upstairs was a fully licensed restaurant, complete with outdoor balcony overlooking the gardens. This building closed to the public in 1982 when the Gazelle > Jubilee > Junes Pavilion opened. At that time the upstairs became the staff canteen, smoking in the room nearest the bird house > Islands in danger. Non smoking nearest to the tigers. Downstairs lay empty and semi-derelict until converted into a souvenir shop in 1984. Plans are for this building to be demolished and replaced with a new build catering facility in a pseudo Madagascan-style. The stable block is to be renovated to it's former glory, to include classroom and conference facilities and, I understand a mini-museum celebrating the history of the zoo. All the mature trees are to be retained, if you look closely you'll see that they're actually planted in two parallel lines and once formed a tree lined avenue between Oakfield and it's stable block. This will be reinstated as the approach to the new conference centre.
This happened almost a year ago and has been discussed on Zoochat a few times since also, your link is broken.
Whoops. I’m not sure why the link broke though....it was working when I posted my earlier post. Here’s the link to that FB post: (this ones working for me) Security Check The post was posted on Jan 10, and says ‘Say hello to our new arrival, Kayjo’ - with a photo of him below. It doesn’t make sense to me why he would be called a new arrival, if he arrived a year ago!
Yeah, it's a reflection of how slow the PR department has been to mention him rather than any error by yourself even in terms of how long he has been physically on-display, I saw him onshow at Chester nearly two months ago.
Bearded pygmy chameleons have hatched at Chester Zoo: 'Fingertip-sized' pygmy chameleons hatch at zoo Three "fingertip-sized" Bearded pygmy chameleons have hatched at Chester Zoo. The Bearded pygmy chameleons, born after a 70-day incubation period, are being cared for in a special, behind-the-scenes rearing facility at the zoo. Update on Asian small-clawed otter pups: Five Baby Otters Get Their Tiny Toes Wet, Enjoy First Swimming Lesson at Chester Zoo The litter born to Wallace and Annie in November 2019 have been sexed as 2.3.
A couple of observations today: a Brazilian Tapir has been born, and male giraffes Sanyu and Murchison are no longer at the zoo.
Have they definitely left or were they just not on show? Just wondering if they may have been moved to the new off-show area ahead of the Grasslands development. Its pretty hard to hide a giraffe admittedly but they do seem to have some off-show paddocks!
They have left and are not been hidden in the off show zoo. Which despite having paddocks in it has none suitable for housing giraffe.
