Chester Zoo Diffiycult Species Too See At Chester

I think this thread may have cursed me with the Bears because since i started this thread, i havent seen them once.
 
ZooMania said:
I think this thread may have cursed me with the Bears because since i started this thread, i havent seen them once.
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It really is hit and miss with the bears, majority of the time I don't see them. Then the other day I saw one trying to get a water mellon out of the water and was visible for a really long time
 
markun said:
I haven't seen the bears and all through my childhood never once saw the beavers.
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Beavers are notorious- in very many years visiting London and a few other zoos with Beavers I don't think I've ever seen one. In the wild(where I have seen them..)they are chiefly nocturnal.

Chester's bears interest me- Spectacled bears at places like Jersey (and London/Whipsnade in the past- I don't know about South Lakes/Belfast) aren't/weren't difficult to see, so why are Chester's so shy? Is it because the large enclosure allows them to retreat out of view? Again I think they are largely nocturnal in the wild.
 
Yes the bear enclosure is quite large and hilly with plenty of places for the bears to get out of sight. Also the dens are at the back and away from the viewing area. So overall not always easy to see them but an excellent place for them to live.

Re beavers, two beavers arrived at Martin Mere last year, but were not visible when I last went. There are videos playing in the viewing hide, and also a Q & A poster which (from memory) starts off with the question Why can't I see the beavers? The reply states that they are nocturnal and your best chance is towards closing time on a dull day.
 
Sorry for bringing this very old thread back from the dead; but I thought that since the zoo has changed so much it would be interesting to see which are the most difficult species to see at Chester now. These are the animals that I personally find hardest to spot:

Blue-Legged Mantellas (I thought I would start with the most obvious one)
Ecuadorian Amazon Parrots (I have only saw these once a few years ago)
Southern Pudu (I finally saw one for the first time this week, thanks to Komodo pointing it out)
Azara's Agouti (Hardly ever see these)
Lowland Anoa (I have only seen them once, though they are easier to spot in Islands)
Belanger's Tree Shrews (Haven't seen these for a long time)
Ring-Tailed Lemurs (I have always struggled to find these)
All of the primates on the canal islands (The foliage it too thick to see anything)
Dwarf Mongooses (I haven't seen these for a long while, and I don't want to risk looking daft going through the tunnels to spot one)
Giant Anteater (I only saw them in the old enclosure once)
Spectacled Bears (I have been getting better at seeing these)
Von Der Decken's Hornbill (Up till recently, I thought that they had left the zoo!)
Rock Dove (Not seen once)
Sunbittern (Not seen once)
Sand Lizard (Only in winter when they hibernate)
Salmon Pink Bird-Eating Spider (Couldn't see them on my last visit)
Mountain Chicken Frog (Didn't see them last time)
Caribbean Hermit Crab (Haven't seen them once)
Inca Jay (Not seen once)
Blue-Throated Macaw (Foliage is too thick to see anything)
 
Water Dragon said:
Sorry for bringing this very old thread back from the dead; but I thought that since the zoo has changed so much it would be interesting to see which are the most difficult species to see at Chester now. These are the animals that I personally find hardest to spot:
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My comments on your list.
Blue-Legged Mantellas sore point :(
Ecuadorian Amazon Parrots saw a pair today
Southern Pudu saw the old chap in the former anteater paddock today
Azara's Agouti not seen, only just back on show?
Lowland Anoa saw the pair in Islands today and the youngsters beside the Bats Bridge earlier this week
Belanger's Tree Shrews saw one today
Ring-Tailed Lemurs saw one today
All of the primates on the canal islands don't think they have been on the islands recently
Dwarf Mongooses (I haven't seen these for a long while, and I don't want to risk looking daft going through the tunnels to spot one) agreed
Giant Anteater saw one last month
Spectacled Bears saw all 3 today - try looking at 10.15 am
Von Der Decken's Hornbill saw one today
Rock Dove haven't looked recently
Sunbittern not seen on recent visits
Sand Lizard (Only in winter when they hibernate) of course
Salmon Pink Bird-Eating Spider haven't looked recently
Mountain Chicken Frog see them every visit - look harder
Caribbean Hermit Crab saw one this week
Inca Jay saw one this week
Blue-Throated Macaw (Foliage is too thick to see anything) agreed

What about the binturongs - I have never seen them yet. I hope to see them in Islands, eventually.
 
gentle lemur said:
Sunbittern not seen on recent visits

What about the binturongs - I have never seen them yet. I hope to see them in Islands, eventually.
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On my last 2 visits, the Sun Bitterns have been at the very top of Tropical Realm (Aye-Aye side). There always seems to be one on top of the nest box up there.
The binturongs are quite easy to see depending if you are looking in the nest boxes but they sometimes sleep on the nests. I have seen both the binturongs active on numerous occasions :) .
When talking to my friends about Chester Zoo, they always complain they never see the orangs, yet I see them on every single visit...
From the ones WaterDragon has listed I think I have seen all but the Mantella and Rock Dove in the past few months and only seen the island monkeys indoors.
 
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MagpieGoose said:
On my last 2 visits, the Sun Bitterns have been at the very top of Tropical Realm (Aye-Aye side). There always seems to be one on top of the nest box up there.
The binturongs are quite easy to see depending if you are looking in the nest boxes but they sometimes sleep on the nests. I have seen both the binturongs active on numerous occasions :) .
When talking to my friends about Chester Zoo, they always complain they never see the orangs, yet I see them on every single visit...
From the ones Komodo99 has listed I think I have seen all but the Mantella and Rock Dove in the past few months and only seen the island monkeys indoors.
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What list are you talking about?
 
How can you miss Orang utans? Asks the man who visited Dublin zoo twice within five days and failed to see an elephant on both visits.

Far as I know the howlers have never been out on the island. They have been seen either in the aviary or the indoor enclosure most times I have been.

Rock dove look a lot like feral pigeons, and can easily be misidentified.

There is only one male agouti, a recent arrival. he is in the pudu enclosure where the anteaters used to be
 
bongorob said:
How can you miss Orang utans? Asks the man who visited Dublin zoo twice within five days and failed to see an elephant on both visits.

Far as I know the howlers have never been out on the island. They have been seen either in the aviary or the indoor enclosure most times I have been.
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I'm sure I can remember seeing Howler Monkey on the island once and saw the females going out there. Missing one elephant is bad enough but missing A WHOLE HERD :p
 
gentle lemur said:
What about the binturongs - I have never seen them yet. I hope to see them in Islands, eventually.
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I knew I forgot something! :eek::D I haven't seen the binturongs at all yet but I agree with you that once they move to Islands they should be easier to spot.

Something else that I forgot was the tiger as they can be quite tricky to spot at the moment; but I guess that once the Islands expansion opens, they will be easier to spot again.
 
Sorry to bring this thread back but in the 15 years I have been visiting these are the animals I have found to be very elusive

Coquerels sifaka = only seen these once on my last visit

Cloud rats= only seen these once they are easier to see in the elephant house than in islands

Dusky padmelon= these have became very elusive recently for me I used to see them all the time especially when they were in the old anteater enclosure

Sumatran Laughingthrush = particularly the ones In the aviary by the entrance to tropical Realm

Acacia rats in the okapi House = only seen these once

Dik diks = only seen them once this year and that was on my visit in February

And finally the cotton top tamarins on the former capuchin/gentle lemur island = I haven't seen these once
 
hari Jones said:
Coquerels sifaka = only seen these once on my last visit

Cloud rats= only seen these once they are easier to see in the elephant house than in islands

Dusky padmelon= these have became very elusive recently for me I used to see them all the time especially when they were in the old anteater enclosure

Sumatran Laughingthrush = particularly the ones In the aviary by the entrance to tropical Realm

Acacia rats in the okapi House = only seen these once

Dik diks = only seen them once this year and that was on my visit in February

And finally the cotton top tamarins on the former capuchin/gentle lemur island = I haven't seen these once
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Acacia Rates are the only ones on that list I've not seen, and that's even included going into the back of the exhibit and having the door of the exhibit opened for me !!!!
 
hari Jones said:
Sorry to bring this thread back but in the 15 years I have been visiting these are the animals I have found to be very elusive

Coquerels sifaka = only seen these once on my last visit

Cloud rats= only seen these once they are easier to see in the elephant house than in islands

Dusky padmelon= these have became very elusive recently for me I used to see them all the time especially when they were in the old anteater enclosure

Sumatran Laughingthrush = particularly the ones In the aviary by the entrance to tropical Realm

Acacia rats in the okapi House = only seen these once

Dik diks = only seen them once this year and that was on my visit in February

And finally the cotton top tamarins on the former capuchin/gentle lemur island = I haven't seen these once
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Perhaps I just got lucky, but on my sole visit to the collection (across the course of two days), the pademelons, laughingthrushes, acacia rats and dik-diks were all extremely active. However I certainly agree with you on the cloud rats and tamarins; in both cases, I visited their enclosure four times during my two days and did not see them once. I didn't see the sifakas either, and am still furious at myself for not visiting their enclosure on more occasions to increase my chances!

As far as I am aware, acacia rats have never been displayed at Banham, so it would most likely be Africa Alive, bongorob.
 
I'll also add the giant anteater to my list because since they've arrive I've probably seen them around 5 times I feel like they are more active in the capybara paddock because I only saw them once and that was pedro the old male in the old round enclosure
 
Has anyone ever seen the cloud rats in the enclosures near the Islands entrance? I am yet to see them once there.
 
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