Does anyone have any information On Tajiri , The new Chester Zoo Breeding Stallion, where he has come from and is he a proven Stallion.
The Grevy's zebra studbook is maintained by Marwell Zoo and is available on the Marwell Zoo website. See link below: Marwell Wildlife According to this "Tajiri" was born at Whipsnade in 2014 and sent to Chessington in 2016
What’s the situation regarding avian flu at the moment because I was thinking of booking a trip but might wait off for a bit if monsoon forest and tropical realm will both be closed
Won't be over till probably spring to be honest. I have not kept as much as an eye on it as before but then I keep my poultry in covered runs all the time now. But from the bits I have caught in local groups is that the been a quite a few local cases leading to the local council trying to contact all poultry keepers to inform them of the measures they need to put in place. Short answer is the indoor aviaries are still shut.
The whole of England is included in a Bird-Flu prevention zone. Whilst some of the measures cannot be applied in some zoos, and there appears some confusion over what is classed as 'poultry', which MAFF and now DEFRA have always considered separate to 'birds'; what is clear is that access to all walk-through areas is prohibited, be they aviaries or open enclosures + paddocks. There is no mention of when or under what criteria the restrictions will be eased or rescinded.
Made a visit today, was a very quiet day as expected but I noticed a few interesting things in particular. As always I apologise if these have already been reported. Monsoon Forest sadly closed I assume either because of COVID or avian flu, a big shame considering it just reopened. Mandrills are now in the end monkey island and their former one is now empty, wondering if the capuchins will be returning at some point. The owl aviary in ROTRA is no longer there, red pandas are in the last orangutan enclosure, the monitors have gone and their vivarium is now empty, there is now a vivarium with Chinese crocodile lizard and mackerel barb. The aquarium in Secret World of the Okapi is empty and drained. Miniature Monkeys closed off, quite a lot of maintenance happening there. The new South American aviary is basically done it seems with the walkway intact and all. Bush dogs no longer have access to the outdoor enclosure in SOTJ. Maintenance in the Tropical Realm around the tuataras and former giant tortoise enclosure. Some birds have been pulled off-show including the cranes and blue-throated macaws.
were the Oraguntans/Gibbons out? The Red pandas are the youngsters from last year and there is a younger one with the parents in the other enclosure.
I saw some orangs out on Islands. Also about the red pandas, I should mention their main enclosure was all boarded off with signposts removed.
Looking at Google earth there is some building work on the land between Caughall and Wervin roads which looks like paddocks of some sort. does anyone know if this is to do with the zoo?
Had a visit last night for Lanterns and today for the zoo. Sumatran Orangs and Silvery Gibbons both outside at Islands. Unfortunately one of the female orangs was carrying what at first glance looked like a bundle of rags - but on closer inspection I fear was the corpse of a baby. Difficult to say for certain as pretty far away - but the way she was attending to it suggested the same. I did take a photo which may be more conclusive when viewed on a PC monitor - will check once we are home.
That is the new off-show Animal Holding Area, which has been under construction for some time. The planning application was made in January 2018. The details, including a map, are available at 18/00202/FUL | Expansion of existing holding area to accommodate animals as part of the Zoo's conservation and breeding activities | Chester Zoo Caughall Road Upton Chester CH2 1LH
I was also at Chester this afternoon and the main Sumatran Orang outdoor area (nearest the Sun Bears) was closed off as well as Monsoon Forest itself, which may indicate that you are, sadly, right.
Yes - there were standoff barriers along the fence at the outside enclosure on the right as you come up to the entrance to Monsoon Forest and obv the building itself was closed. They were out in the other outside enclosure further round the corner. No standoff barriers there but I think guests are further away anyway.
Zoo Jihlava will pick up a 4,0 group of Bush Dogs at Chester later this week. Apparently, continental zoos are rushing to realize all planned animal transports to/from the UK before brexit date.