When does the orang house open? I was told the 26th of May and I plan to go within the next fortnight. Can anyone help?
Can you give us a bit more of a clue???? Maybe.... which orang house???? Here's an idea - why not call the zoo and ask them?
I already asked Chester Zoo, they don't know when the opening will be, only that it will be in May. Well, that leaves just 8 days. The lack of information makes me think they're not ready. I may know more tomorrow.
When you go, Could you ask about the Shrews and the babirusa and Duikers. They're puzzling me...............
I've been told the outside enclosures have metal barriers which are a bit ugly, but generally the whole structure is very good overall.
Yes, they have a form of netting over some of them. No idea what the inside will look like. The disabled ramp is very impressive.
Maybe if you were there at the opening cermony, they'd let you cut the ribbon(I expect there's a competition winner perhaps doing that....)
They have a famous person to do that. It is going to be a man who has done a lot of research of orangs. The official opening is on the 30th June.
Can't wait for the 'Realm of the red Ape' to open. I am visiting Chester Zoo in August. I haven't been for a few years so looking forward to seeing all the new developments.
It's been in planning for ages. Even the guides from 2003 mention it. I think it will be a big weight off Chester's mind. They updated the camel house (which was frankly awful), now the orang house and soon it will be the aquariums turn. I can't think of anything else major that needs updating. There are also new panels around the reptiles vivariums in the tropical realm.
I went to Chester Zoo today. Apparently the Realm of the Red Ape is supposed to open on 26th May. I could not discover anything regarding the shrews or duikers. Babirusa are staying at the zoo, don't know where they will be moved to though.
Yes!!!! Now all they need to do is breed them............It's not going to be easy. I checked on Isis about the duikers. There are many Blue duikers in captivity. What does the realm of the red ape look like? I went in January but I didn't get a proper look as I had to film a 5 minute sequence of the red bird of Paradise for geography. We were doing rainforests at the time.
Geography was not that intersting when I was at school. Though the bird of paradise collection was far better (10 species), I can only remember seeing Red and Wilson's though. It's hard to describe the Realm of the Red Ape, I think it's okay now that the planting and paths have been finished. Work was still going on in the south outside yard though. The only part I don't like are the huge wooden ramps.
It was at Chester. The Superb Bird of Paradise bred at Chester Zoo in 1968. They never bred any other species until the Reds a few years back. Here are the ones they have kept Ribbon-tailed Bird of Paradise (Astrapia mayeri) Eastern Princess Stephanie's Bird of Paradise (Astrapia stephaniae ducalis) Superb Bird of Paradise (Lophorina superba feminina) Wilson's Bird of Paradise (Cicinnurus respublica) Hunstein's Bird of Paradise (Cicinnurus magnificus hunsteini) Meyer's Sickle-billed Bird of Paradise (Epimachus meyeri meyeri) Margarita's Bird of Paradise (Paradisea rudolphi margaritae) Salvadori's Bird of Paradise (Paradisea raggiana salvadori) Red Bird of Paradise (Paradisea rubra) Central Lawes' Bird of Paradise (Parotia lawesii lawesii) Queen Carola's Bird of Paradise (Parotia carolae) Loria's Bird of Paradise (Cneophilus loria) In 1971 a former keeper went to prison for the theft of some BOPs, these were a pair each of Meyers' Sickle-bill and Hunstein's along with a pair each of Barraband Parakeets and Crimson-winged Parakeets plus a Queen of Bavaria Conure. When the thief was caught the conure and all four BOPs were dead.
Wow!! When you look at this you can see that basically none of these species are maintained in zoos now!! Did you see the male blue bird of Paradise (Paradisea rudolphi...) They are wonderful. I've only seen pictures. I'm also guessing that the majority of these species were kept in the old bird house?
I may have done but I don't remember. The original BOPs were first kept in the upper aviaires of the Tropical House. The intention was to have them free-flying but they were too destructive to the plants. The Superb bred in the bird House. In the 1970s the sickle-bills were moved to the Bird House. The Wilson's and the original Reds were in the bird house.
