Chester Zoo Chester Zoo 2017 Review
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Water Dragon
Well-Known Member
Part 5: Komodo's Dragons
Asiatic Lions
Komodo is not too fond of this enclosure but I quit like it. According to Komodo it is too small and lacking in space. However, I remember being told by a keeper that lions don’t need too much space because they just sleep 23 hours of the day. Then again it was at Southport that they told me that and we all know what happened to that old place. I think that the zoo is doing the best thing for the lions and I hope that they will breed soon. The big cat enclosures do look quite aged though.
Dragons in Danger
Islands in Danger (yes, I still call it that) was without doubt the highlight of the trip for Komodo. The very moment we walked in, he was sucked onto the male Jantan and stayed there without leaving for about five minutes. I meanwhile saw a sign for a new lizard species and I got all excited but then realised that it was on about a fake lizard on the waterfall. I got fooled by a fake lizard on a waterfall twice in one day!!!
The Ploughshare tortoises were fascinating. I have never seen such a strangely shaped tortoise shell before. As for the spiny-tailed iguanas, they were a lot smaller than I had expected but nonetheless amazing.
I finally saw the Montserrat Tarantula! I was so happy. I think that the spider viv is nicely set up but the random bits of research equipment lying around in there really bugged me.
The bird was quite an experience. I saw the Montserrat Orioles for the first time which I was glad about. But what really got me though was that as I walked around the room with all of the amazing bird species in it, I got a bit emotional because I realised how rare many of the animals in this building are due to selfish hunters, and careless loggers. There were no tears but just a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach.
The new turtle complex was alright. I managed to see all of the turtle species and they look very settled in their new enclosures. As for the Mountain Chicken Frog enclosure, I searched and I searched and I searched but those pesky frogs are too good at camouflage for me. I didn’t believe the sign that said that there were hermit crabs in there; but MagpieGoose proved it to me with a photo challenge that I set for him. I have to take my hat off to that goose because I cannot spot half of the seemingly invisible animals like him. I used to keep hermit crabs and even in the tiny viv that they had, they still manage to hide from view.
And yes, Komodo, I expect that you are waiting for me to write a review on the Komodo Dragon exhibits now. Well here you go: I think that Chester’s exhibit for the Komodo Dragons is very unique. It displays the Indonesian habitat better than some the exhibits in Islands in my opinion. There is also a random elevated hut in the middle of the enclosure with the basking lamp beneath it which is very clever. Jantan shares his enclosure with a flock of Java Sparrows but most of these have departed because the cheeky dragon ate one of them.
The outdoor Komodo Dragon enclosure is also very unique. It is one of the only outdoor exotic reptile enclosures I have ever seen, that is not just for tortoises. Yet it is still able to grab that Indonesian theme. We saw the female dragon outside and Komodo made us go back to it about three times.
Asiatic Lions
Komodo is not too fond of this enclosure but I quit like it. According to Komodo it is too small and lacking in space. However, I remember being told by a keeper that lions don’t need too much space because they just sleep 23 hours of the day. Then again it was at Southport that they told me that and we all know what happened to that old place. I think that the zoo is doing the best thing for the lions and I hope that they will breed soon. The big cat enclosures do look quite aged though.
Dragons in Danger
Islands in Danger (yes, I still call it that) was without doubt the highlight of the trip for Komodo. The very moment we walked in, he was sucked onto the male Jantan and stayed there without leaving for about five minutes. I meanwhile saw a sign for a new lizard species and I got all excited but then realised that it was on about a fake lizard on the waterfall. I got fooled by a fake lizard on a waterfall twice in one day!!!
The Ploughshare tortoises were fascinating. I have never seen such a strangely shaped tortoise shell before. As for the spiny-tailed iguanas, they were a lot smaller than I had expected but nonetheless amazing.
I finally saw the Montserrat Tarantula! I was so happy. I think that the spider viv is nicely set up but the random bits of research equipment lying around in there really bugged me.
The bird was quite an experience. I saw the Montserrat Orioles for the first time which I was glad about. But what really got me though was that as I walked around the room with all of the amazing bird species in it, I got a bit emotional because I realised how rare many of the animals in this building are due to selfish hunters, and careless loggers. There were no tears but just a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach.
The new turtle complex was alright. I managed to see all of the turtle species and they look very settled in their new enclosures. As for the Mountain Chicken Frog enclosure, I searched and I searched and I searched but those pesky frogs are too good at camouflage for me. I didn’t believe the sign that said that there were hermit crabs in there; but MagpieGoose proved it to me with a photo challenge that I set for him. I have to take my hat off to that goose because I cannot spot half of the seemingly invisible animals like him. I used to keep hermit crabs and even in the tiny viv that they had, they still manage to hide from view.
And yes, Komodo, I expect that you are waiting for me to write a review on the Komodo Dragon exhibits now. Well here you go: I think that Chester’s exhibit for the Komodo Dragons is very unique. It displays the Indonesian habitat better than some the exhibits in Islands in my opinion. There is also a random elevated hut in the middle of the enclosure with the basking lamp beneath it which is very clever. Jantan shares his enclosure with a flock of Java Sparrows but most of these have departed because the cheeky dragon ate one of them.
The outdoor Komodo Dragon enclosure is also very unique. It is one of the only outdoor exotic reptile enclosures I have ever seen, that is not just for tortoises. Yet it is still able to grab that Indonesian theme. We saw the female dragon outside and Komodo made us go back to it about three times.
Komodo99
Well-Known Member
I think we passed Mezcal more than three times and to me personally,Dragons in Danger is the best enclosure in Chester.Plus with a little luck in the coming years the zoo is planning to hopefully put Mezcal in with Jantan to produce offspring which would be very exciting as Mezcal could shake up the gene pool in the European Komodo breeding program.Part 5: Komodo's Dragons
Asiatic Lions
Komodo is not too fond of this enclosure but I quit like it. According to Komodo it is too small and lacking in space. However, I remember being told by a keeper that lions don’t need too much space because they just sleep 23 hours of the day. Then again it was at Southport that they told me that and we all know what happened to that old place. I think that the zoo is doing the best thing for the lions and I hope that they will breed soon. The big cat enclosures do look quite aged though.
Dragons in Danger
Islands in Danger (yes, I still call it that) was without doubt the highlight of the trip for Komodo. The very moment we walked in, he was sucked onto the male Jantan and stayed there without leaving for about five minutes. I meanwhile saw a sign for a new lizard species and I got all excited but then realised that it was on about a fake lizard on the waterfall. I got fooled by a fake lizard on a waterfall twice in one day!!!
The Ploughshare tortoises were fascinating. I have never seen such a strangely shaped tortoise shell before. As for the spiny-tailed iguanas, they were a lot smaller than I had expected but nonetheless amazing.
I finally saw the Montserrat Tarantula! I was so happy. I think that the spider viv is nicely set up but the random bits of research equipment lying around in there really bugged me.
The bird was quite an experience. I saw the Montserrat Orioles for the first time which I was glad about. But what really got me though was that as I walked around the room with all of the amazing bird species in it, I got a bit emotional because I realised how rare many of the animals in this building are due to selfish hunters, and careless loggers. There were no tears but just a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach.
The new turtle complex was alright. I managed to see all of the turtle species and they look very settled in their new enclosures. As for the Mountain Chicken Frog enclosure, I searched and I searched and I searched but those pesky frogs are too good at camouflage for me. I didn’t believe the sign that said that there were hermit crabs in there; but MagpieGoose proved it to me with a photo challenge that I set for him. I have to take my hat off to that goose because I cannot spot half of the seemingly invisible animals like him. I used to keep hermit crabs and even in the tiny viv that they had, they still manage to hide from view.
And yes, Komodo, I expect that you are waiting for me to write a review on the Komodo Dragon exhibits now. Well here you go: I think that Chester’s exhibit for the Komodo Dragons is very unique. It displays the Indonesian habitat better than some the exhibits in Islands in my opinion. There is also a random elevated hut in the middle of the enclosure with the basking lamp beneath it which is very clever. Jantan shares his enclosure with a flock of Java Sparrows but most of these have departed because the cheeky dragon ate one of them.
The outdoor Komodo Dragon enclosure is also very unique. It is one of the only outdoor exotic reptile enclosures I have ever seen, that is not just for tortoises. Yet it is still able to grab that Indonesian theme. We saw the female dragon outside and Komodo made us go back to it about three times.
That statement could equally go for the zoo as a whole. Don't forget all those foolish humans who either accidentally or deliberately dragged a Pandora's box of invasives to every island they found.
Thank you! I don't find invertebrates that hard really, the ones I get most frustrated with are the birds in the Tropical Realm. Too many Pekin Robins and Java Sparrows!! It took me about 6 visits to the zoo to actually spot the Black-necked Weaver and about 3 visits to see the White-eyes. As far as I am aware, I have seen every bird in the Tropical Realm (Both caged and free-flying) this year apart from the lone female Brazilian Tanager.
I'm curious about when you had that conversation
you must be quite a bit older than I had pegged you for!I spent three hours in there during my last visit having set myself precisely that challenge, as it was a very busy day and much of the zoo was hell
took a while but I managed it in the end to the best of my knowledge!PEDANT ALERT:
Can I gently point out that nothing can be "very unique". It's either unique (the only one of its type) or it's not. And "one of the only" has no meaning. Does it mean the only one; one of a few; or one of only five (or some other specific number)?
In the context of describing a collection I think it is important to describe correctly.
That aside I'm certainly enjoying your review of Chester!
FunkyGibbon
Well-Known Member
I'm all in favour of pedantry, but surely everybody understands this phrase to mean one of a few?
Water Dragon
Well-Known Member
As a side note, thanks for all of the kind feed-back. I will try my best to use proper English but I am a northerner, so I often tend to write in my dialect. Anyway, time for part 6, me thinks:
Part 6: Mongooses and Fish
Mongoose Mania
This enclosure is a nice little set-up for children, which allows them to go through a series of tunnels, just like a mongoose would, and pop out of little domes to try and spot the dwarf mongooses. The enclosure has a nice deserty set-up and filled with rocks and stuff for the mongooses to hide in. We didn’t see the dwarf mongooses on our visit because I wasn’t willing to look stupid going through one of the children’s tunnels to try and spot one. Not too long ago this was an enclosure for Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs and was called “Marmot Mania” and it was part of the Children’s Farm set-up. Though the children’s farm was demolished, I am quite glad that they kept this enclosure, though they remade it into Mongoose Mania; but I am guessing that it is because they didn’t want any more North American animals.
Palawan Binturongs
Before I start on this enclosure, can I just ask when the binturongs were put on-show? Anyway, I was very keen to see the binturongs because they would be another life-tick for me. Sadly though, we didn’t see them. They were let out into the whole of the old tiger enclosure and we couldn’t spot them at all. The indoor area for the Binturongs looked very nice but as for the outdoor area, it looked very tired. This is the old tiger enclosure and it looks like it has had its days. It was really overgrown and the water pool was all murky. It would be very sad to see it go; but if they gave it a good refurbishing, I think that it would work for a new carnivore species.
Whilst we were going over to the indoor area, we saw one of the Twilight keepers going into the building, but she wasn’t going to the binturongs, so they must be keeping an off-show species in there. I wonder what it could be… Streaked Tenrecs? Naked Mole Rats? Or maybe the keep the tree Kangaroo in there. There was what looked like an off-show outdoor area, so maybe it could be the tree-kangaroo.
When we went on the elevated viewing area, I tried to spot the off-show parrots. I saw their aviaries but it was just too far for me to spot anything. I have terrible eye-sight so I needed a telescope or something to be able to see it.
Giant River Otters
It was feeding time for the otters when we arrived. The keeper was throwing loads of fish over the fencing to the otters. But as an otter exhibit, it is a fantastic set-up. Because it was once a sealion exhibit, the water space is huge and the otters are always active in it. The indoor set-up is fantastic as well, with an indoor underwater viewing area, and little domes for children to see into it as well.
Javan Green Magpies
This was my first time visiting the magpie aviaries. It was also my first time visiting the Chinese Aviaries. Back when they were open, I knew that they existed but I struggled to find my way there, and I didn’t realise how rare Mauritius Kestrels were so I am filled with deep regret that I did not visit these aviaries before. I tried to look for some magpies but I was unable to spot any so that was a bit gutting. But I am going to try extra hard next time, I also didn’t want to get caught by a staff-member, so I quickly hurried on.
Sunken Garden
This is the only garden in the zoo that I actually bother with. Even before I found out that there were fish in the pond, it was a special place to me. Sometimes I have my lunch here in this nice concealed area but we had it just before Fruit Bat Forest. I looked into the water to see some fish and I saw a HUGE (and very old looking) Sterlet in the water. I think this is the largest fish species that the zoo has (if the Arapaima has left) and yet they still fail to put it onto their stock lists. Anyway a big thanks to @Swampy for telling me about this.
Aquarium
This is one of the oldest buildings at the zoo (and it isn’t even the first aquarium). The aquarium building was recently refurbished and now you go in where the exit was and out where the entrance was, so it was a bit discombobulating. The zoo has a lot of fish species but most of them are off-show. At the new entrance, there was a cool coral display, but as you go on there are several aquariums for both freshwater and marine fish. We saw the Lake Pátzcuaro salamander (another life-tick), the Pearse’s Mudskippers, coral reef tanks (Komodo was very eager to see ‘The Doctor’ (butterfly surgeon), and all the freshwater tanks. I think the highlight in the aquarium for me was the Pinstripe Dambas. It used to be the Epaulette Sharks, but the zoo got rid of them because they just hid all of the time. All I can say is that they were a lot more active than the Blue-Legged Mantellas but the zoo still keeps them on display!
I will try my best to use proper English but I am a northerner, so I often tend to write in my dialect. Anyway, time for part 6, me thinks:Part 6: Mongooses and Fish
Mongoose Mania
This enclosure is a nice little set-up for children, which allows them to go through a series of tunnels, just like a mongoose would, and pop out of little domes to try and spot the dwarf mongooses. The enclosure has a nice deserty set-up and filled with rocks and stuff for the mongooses to hide in. We didn’t see the dwarf mongooses on our visit because I wasn’t willing to look stupid going through one of the children’s tunnels to try and spot one. Not too long ago this was an enclosure for Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs and was called “Marmot Mania” and it was part of the Children’s Farm set-up. Though the children’s farm was demolished, I am quite glad that they kept this enclosure, though they remade it into Mongoose Mania; but I am guessing that it is because they didn’t want any more North American animals.
Palawan Binturongs
Before I start on this enclosure, can I just ask when the binturongs were put on-show? Anyway, I was very keen to see the binturongs because they would be another life-tick for me. Sadly though, we didn’t see them. They were let out into the whole of the old tiger enclosure and we couldn’t spot them at all. The indoor area for the Binturongs looked very nice but as for the outdoor area, it looked very tired. This is the old tiger enclosure and it looks like it has had its days. It was really overgrown and the water pool was all murky. It would be very sad to see it go; but if they gave it a good refurbishing, I think that it would work for a new carnivore species.
Whilst we were going over to the indoor area, we saw one of the Twilight keepers going into the building, but she wasn’t going to the binturongs, so they must be keeping an off-show species in there. I wonder what it could be… Streaked Tenrecs? Naked Mole Rats? Or maybe the keep the tree Kangaroo in there. There was what looked like an off-show outdoor area, so maybe it could be the tree-kangaroo.
When we went on the elevated viewing area, I tried to spot the off-show parrots. I saw their aviaries but it was just too far for me to spot anything. I have terrible eye-sight so I needed a telescope or something to be able to see it.
Giant River Otters
It was feeding time for the otters when we arrived. The keeper was throwing loads of fish over the fencing to the otters. But as an otter exhibit, it is a fantastic set-up. Because it was once a sealion exhibit, the water space is huge and the otters are always active in it. The indoor set-up is fantastic as well, with an indoor underwater viewing area, and little domes for children to see into it as well.
Javan Green Magpies
This was my first time visiting the magpie aviaries. It was also my first time visiting the Chinese Aviaries. Back when they were open, I knew that they existed but I struggled to find my way there, and I didn’t realise how rare Mauritius Kestrels were so I am filled with deep regret that I did not visit these aviaries before. I tried to look for some magpies but I was unable to spot any so that was a bit gutting. But I am going to try extra hard next time, I also didn’t want to get caught by a staff-member, so I quickly hurried on.
Sunken Garden
This is the only garden in the zoo that I actually bother with. Even before I found out that there were fish in the pond, it was a special place to me. Sometimes I have my lunch here in this nice concealed area but we had it just before Fruit Bat Forest. I looked into the water to see some fish and I saw a HUGE (and very old looking) Sterlet in the water. I think this is the largest fish species that the zoo has (if the Arapaima has left) and yet they still fail to put it onto their stock lists. Anyway a big thanks to @Swampy for telling me about this.
Aquarium
This is one of the oldest buildings at the zoo (and it isn’t even the first aquarium). The aquarium building was recently refurbished and now you go in where the exit was and out where the entrance was, so it was a bit discombobulating. The zoo has a lot of fish species but most of them are off-show. At the new entrance, there was a cool coral display, but as you go on there are several aquariums for both freshwater and marine fish. We saw the Lake Pátzcuaro salamander (another life-tick), the Pearse’s Mudskippers, coral reef tanks (Komodo was very eager to see ‘The Doctor’ (butterfly surgeon), and all the freshwater tanks. I think the highlight in the aquarium for me was the Pinstripe Dambas. It used to be the Epaulette Sharks, but the zoo got rid of them because they just hid all of the time. All I can say is that they were a lot more active than the Blue-Legged Mantellas but the zoo still keeps them on display!
what if the sentence is "one of the only species of its kind in the world"? I heard that on a documentary about South America, in reference to a species of hummingbird. I still don't really know what it was supposed to mean.
I have been through the mongoose tunnel, but I am child sized 
The old tiger enclosure will be demolished. The binturongs went on show at the end of 2016.
The house where you saw the keeper enter is too small for a tree kangaroo.
Sometimes parrots can be seen from the viewing platform. I saw my first blue-headed macaws from there. I got a better view at Shorelands, it is nice to go to places where they put parrots on show.
In my opinion the giant otter enclosure is the best exhibit in the zoo. Great for the otters and great for the visitors with not being obscured by untidy vegetation.
Why bother looking for Javan green magpies in the offshow aviaries when you visit next year? By that time some will be on show.
I love the aquarium. I have lived through two refurbishments of this building and it is still going strong.
Gentle Lemur and I obtained great views of the epauletted sharks one day. A keeper was feeding them. Right place, right time.
The old tiger enclosure will be demolished. The binturongs went on show at the end of 2016.
The house where you saw the keeper enter is too small for a tree kangaroo.
Sometimes parrots can be seen from the viewing platform. I saw my first blue-headed macaws from there. I got a better view at Shorelands, it is nice to go to places where they put parrots on show.
In my opinion the giant otter enclosure is the best exhibit in the zoo. Great for the otters and great for the visitors with not being obscured by untidy vegetation.
Why bother looking for Javan green magpies in the offshow aviaries when you visit next year? By that time some will be on show.
I love the aquarium. I have lived through two refurbishments of this building and it is still going strong.
Gentle Lemur and I obtained great views of the epauletted sharks one day. A keeper was feeding them. Right place, right time.
FunkyGibbon
Well-Known Member
That's a more general problem with the sentence though. You could have said "one of the few species of its kind in the world", and still been none the wiser.
Water Dragon
Well-Known Member
I am guessing that is why they put it in Islands on the Interactive Map on their website. I wonder if they will go into the new songbird aviary they are building.
Water Dragon
Well-Known Member
Part 7: Flamingos and Forest Zone
Humboldt Penguins
I don’t know how, but every time that I get round to the penguins at the zoo, it is always feeding time. I don’t know how old the penguin exhibit is but it doesn’t look too new. It is still a fairly attractive exhibit though. The enclosure is divided into two parts: the main pool and the rearing area. We saw the penguin chicks in the rearing area, so I am guessing that they are going to be featured on the next series of Secret Life of the Zoo. The main adult pool is one that I am rather fond of, as there is a fair amount of water space, and also a lot of land space which really represents the Humboldt Islands in my opinion.
Europe on the Edge
This has got to be one of the most spectacular aviaries in the zoo, if not the UK. It is so gutting that it will be going soon; but at least the birds will be moving to a new aviary within the zoo. The exhibit is built over the zoo’s former polar bear exhibit and I think it is the largest aviary in the zoo. It is a wide grassy aviary with a large pool, a waterfall and a cliffy area which I guess gives the exhibit its name. When we visited, we tried to see as many birds as possible but we only managed to see Waldrapps, Eurasian Spoonbills, Red-Breasted Geese, White-Headed Ducks and a female Smew. The exhibit is home to a lot more birds; but some I have never seen before such as the Rock Doves and the Red-Billed Chough. The Black Storks, European Black Vultures, and the Eurasian Griffin Vultures have all been moved out for various reasons.
Flamingo Lagoon
The flamingo lakes that the zoo has are one of the best flamingo exhibits I have seen. They have a lot of flamingos at Chester. They have two species of flamingo (Chilean and Caribbean, plus one hybrid) and they have like over a hundred in each colony. Because of this, the flamingos have been given an entire lake that has been divided into two to separate the species. The lake doesn’t look too deep but it is very wide and spacious, and it seems to meet all of the needs of the birds. Again, I am not sure how old the exhibit is but I do know that it was modified not too long ago.
Lemur Island
This Island lies at the bottom of the Flamingo lakes and it is home to a group of Ring-Tailed Lemurs and recently a pair of Belted Black-and-White Lemurs. While it is a good exhibit, it does look very overgrown and it is not often that I see anything there on every trip. We didn’t see them this time round, either. The zoo has four species of lemur. The other two species can be found elsewhere. An old-fashioned ferry is used for keepers to get to the island.
Congo Buffalo
The cattle house was closed today because of the horse-box training that the tapirs are currently having. We still saw the buffalo outside, though. The outdoor paddock is wide and grassy and has a lot of roaming space for the buffalo. The cattle house itself looks very old. I am not too sure what the oldest building still is use is at the zoo but the cattle house definitely looks like a contender for it.
Malayan Tapirs
The zoo is home to two species of tapir and the Malayan tapirs currently reside in the other section of the Cattle and Antelope House, until they move to Islands. We saw all three Malayan Tapirs today, basking in the sun on their backs. The male was separated from the female and juvenile. I wonder what will go into this paddock when the tapirs depart. I am hoping that it will be a new Hoofstock species for the zoo.
Okapis & Dik-Diks
When I was younger, this paddock was home to the Bactrian Camels but they were moved to Asian Steppe. Now this paddock has been made into the outdoor okapi enclosure. The enclosure is separated into two, to give the okapis some privacy, and is thick with foliage. This is either to give the okapis some privacy, or the paddocks might just be overgrown. We saw the okapi as it came right up close to the fencing, but we didn’t see any dik-diks (which replaced the duikers).
Giraffes
The giraffe house looks like another contender for the oldest active building at the zoo. Despite this, it is still a fantastic giraffe enclosure. By the time that we arrived here, the giraffes were all indoors. We saw the two calves, which were staying close to their mothers. The zoo browse feeds their giraffes and the house is heated to keep it suitable for them.
Secret World of the Okapi
This is the indoor viewing area for the okapis. It is also home to a few other African species.
The pouched rat enclosure is still empty. I think it may be a while, still, before we see anything in there. Personally, I am hoping that they could make it into an enclosure for the Naked Mole Rats. This is unlikely though.
We saw nothing in the Elephant Shrew exhibits except for a dead locust. A nice exhibit but the hamsters in the Pet Shop I used to work in have more space than them.
Upon my last visit, there were elephantnose fish, trunkfish and butterfly barbs in the fish tank. They have been moved to the aquarium now. The tank is once again home to cichlids.
Komodo’s favourite part of the exhibit was the Gaboon Viper vivarium towards the exit. This is home to two female vipers, and one of the few venomous snake species that the zoo still has left.
Humboldt Penguins
I don’t know how, but every time that I get round to the penguins at the zoo, it is always feeding time. I don’t know how old the penguin exhibit is but it doesn’t look too new. It is still a fairly attractive exhibit though. The enclosure is divided into two parts: the main pool and the rearing area. We saw the penguin chicks in the rearing area, so I am guessing that they are going to be featured on the next series of Secret Life of the Zoo. The main adult pool is one that I am rather fond of, as there is a fair amount of water space, and also a lot of land space which really represents the Humboldt Islands in my opinion.
Europe on the Edge
This has got to be one of the most spectacular aviaries in the zoo, if not the UK. It is so gutting that it will be going soon; but at least the birds will be moving to a new aviary within the zoo. The exhibit is built over the zoo’s former polar bear exhibit and I think it is the largest aviary in the zoo. It is a wide grassy aviary with a large pool, a waterfall and a cliffy area which I guess gives the exhibit its name. When we visited, we tried to see as many birds as possible but we only managed to see Waldrapps, Eurasian Spoonbills, Red-Breasted Geese, White-Headed Ducks and a female Smew. The exhibit is home to a lot more birds; but some I have never seen before such as the Rock Doves and the Red-Billed Chough. The Black Storks, European Black Vultures, and the Eurasian Griffin Vultures have all been moved out for various reasons.
Flamingo Lagoon
The flamingo lakes that the zoo has are one of the best flamingo exhibits I have seen. They have a lot of flamingos at Chester. They have two species of flamingo (Chilean and Caribbean, plus one hybrid) and they have like over a hundred in each colony. Because of this, the flamingos have been given an entire lake that has been divided into two to separate the species. The lake doesn’t look too deep but it is very wide and spacious, and it seems to meet all of the needs of the birds. Again, I am not sure how old the exhibit is but I do know that it was modified not too long ago.
Lemur Island
This Island lies at the bottom of the Flamingo lakes and it is home to a group of Ring-Tailed Lemurs and recently a pair of Belted Black-and-White Lemurs. While it is a good exhibit, it does look very overgrown and it is not often that I see anything there on every trip. We didn’t see them this time round, either. The zoo has four species of lemur. The other two species can be found elsewhere. An old-fashioned ferry is used for keepers to get to the island.
Congo Buffalo
The cattle house was closed today because of the horse-box training that the tapirs are currently having. We still saw the buffalo outside, though. The outdoor paddock is wide and grassy and has a lot of roaming space for the buffalo. The cattle house itself looks very old. I am not too sure what the oldest building still is use is at the zoo but the cattle house definitely looks like a contender for it.
Malayan Tapirs
The zoo is home to two species of tapir and the Malayan tapirs currently reside in the other section of the Cattle and Antelope House, until they move to Islands. We saw all three Malayan Tapirs today, basking in the sun on their backs. The male was separated from the female and juvenile. I wonder what will go into this paddock when the tapirs depart. I am hoping that it will be a new Hoofstock species for the zoo.
Okapis & Dik-Diks
When I was younger, this paddock was home to the Bactrian Camels but they were moved to Asian Steppe. Now this paddock has been made into the outdoor okapi enclosure. The enclosure is separated into two, to give the okapis some privacy, and is thick with foliage. This is either to give the okapis some privacy, or the paddocks might just be overgrown. We saw the okapi as it came right up close to the fencing, but we didn’t see any dik-diks (which replaced the duikers).
Giraffes
The giraffe house looks like another contender for the oldest active building at the zoo. Despite this, it is still a fantastic giraffe enclosure. By the time that we arrived here, the giraffes were all indoors. We saw the two calves, which were staying close to their mothers. The zoo browse feeds their giraffes and the house is heated to keep it suitable for them.
Secret World of the Okapi
This is the indoor viewing area for the okapis. It is also home to a few other African species.
The pouched rat enclosure is still empty. I think it may be a while, still, before we see anything in there. Personally, I am hoping that they could make it into an enclosure for the Naked Mole Rats. This is unlikely though.
We saw nothing in the Elephant Shrew exhibits except for a dead locust. A nice exhibit but the hamsters in the Pet Shop I used to work in have more space than them.
Upon my last visit, there were elephantnose fish, trunkfish and butterfly barbs in the fish tank. They have been moved to the aquarium now. The tank is once again home to cichlids.
Komodo’s favourite part of the exhibit was the Gaboon Viper vivarium towards the exit. This is home to two female vipers, and one of the few venomous snake species that the zoo still has left.
Water Dragon
Well-Known Member
Have you tried going at feeding time?
Water Dragon
Well-Known Member
Part 8: The Two Realms (I'll just warn you that this is a rather lengthy one)
Red River Hogs
The red river hog exhibit is actually the zoo’s old gorilla exhibit. But that was a long time ago, and the zoo has changed a lot since then. The Red River Hogs have a long sandy exhibit. I like the style of the indoor viewing area as it is designed to look like a cave that you walk through to see the hogs. We also saw the little hoglets which were staying close to their mother.
Himalayan Monal & Blackbirds
This is the aviary just outside Tropical Realm. I think that it used to be an old tuatara exhibit but it got remade into an aviary. On my last visit, the aviary held Sumatran Laughingthrushes and Salvadori’s Pheasants. Nowadays it holds Himalayan Monals and Grey-Winged Blackbirds. Unfortunately I didn’t get to see anything in here because the moment I started looking, Komodo just dragged me off into the Tropical Realm so he could see his reptiles.
Tropical Realm
This is the zoo’s main tropical realm and it is the heart of the tropical bird and (formerly) reptile collection. Due to an incident that occurred in 2009, the reptile collection in this building suffered a major decline. Since then the zoo has had very few reptiles on show in this building with the only remaining reptiles being a pair of caimans, two tortoise enclosures, the tuatara, and a couple of other small reptile exhibits. Komodo and I even counted more amphibian species than reptiles. But despite the reptile decline, the Tropical Realm is still amazing. The building is alive with large trees, thick foliage, a towering waterfall, jungle pools and free-flying birds. Since the building is so big, I will have to break it down into several different sections:
· Reptile Corridor: Well, I have already explained the situation with the reptiles so I will just talk about the enclosures instead. There were multiple tuataras, as opposed to my last visit when it was just the male ‘Pixie’ in the enclosure. The tortoise exhibits have changed little. We didn’t see the Grahams anoles but we did see a few dart frog species, and the Golden Mantellas. As most of you are aware, we thought that we saw the Blue-Legged Mantellas but it later turned out that it was just a stick insect pulling our legs. The only snake left in the building is a Emerald Tree Boa. The Parson’s Chameleon has now gotten a new viv. We saw the Caiman lizards as well. Each vivarium is nicely decorated with foliage, rocks and the appropriate substrate, Despite being very old, the remaining vivariums are still functioning properly and seem to work like they should.
· Amphibian Pod: I am quite sure that this is the same pod that used to be in Spirit of the Jaguar. The amphibian pod is now designed to look like some sort of wooden hut, to blend in with the Tropical Realm. It has three vivariums in. The pod has held various different amphibians over the course of the years but last year it held a Rio Cauca Caecilian, Emperor Tetra (the Tropical Realm’s only remaining fish species), False Tomato Frogs, and Golden-Eyed Tree Frogs. This year the caecilian and the fish are still around, but it now holds Borneo Eared Frogs in the second viv and I cannot remember what was in the third one.
· Crocodile Pools: Originally designed for Philippine Crocodiles, these pools now hold Spectacled Caimans in the left pool; and White-Winged Wood Ducks and a Yellow-Faced Myna in the right pool. Each pool has a large viewing window which is stained with a tropical setting (which makes it terrible for taking pictures) and has a smaller viewing window to see into the land area. The pools are built in the same place where the old crocodile pools were which held American Alligators and West African Dwarf Crocs. The myna bird had to be moved in after it got a bit “over-friendly” towards visitors.
· Lower Aviaries: As well as reptiles, the Tropical Realm is also the heart of the tropical bird species in the zoo. One thing that the Tropical Realm is notorious for is its hornbill species. The old indoor gorilla pens have been remade into enormous aviaries for Great Indian Hornbills and more Javan Rhinoceros Hornbills. The lower aviaries are home to more hornbill species including Visayan Tarictic Hornbills, Wrinkled Hornbills and Mindanao Wreathed Hornbills, as well as a few more bird species which I cannot recall right now; but I definitely remember seeing a Schalow’s Turaco.
· Upper Aviaries: I visited the upper aviaries for the first time in years on our trip. Only I went up because Komodo was too fixed on his reptiles, but it brought back a warm feeling of nostalgia and there were many fantastic bird species up there including: Congo Peafowl, Green Aracari Luzon and Mindanao Bleeding-Heart Doves, Asian Fairy Bluebirds (they’re everywhere at the zoo at the moment), and right at the end a nice little aviary for Lowland Luzon Scops Owls. I also got an amazing overview of the Tropical Realm whilst I was up there. The Socorro Doves have long-since departed, though I think they have just been taken off-show.
· Free-Flight Area: I didn’t really stop to take a look at the free-flying birds bit I definitely saw Madagascar Fodies, Victoria Crowned Pigeons and Pekin Robins.
· Philippine Mouse-Deer: This is a brand new exhibit in the Tropical Realm and it is home to just a single Philippine Mouse-Deer. When we arrived, it was feeding-time for the mouse-deer but I missed it because it happened whilst I was on the upper aviaries. Komodo saw the whole thing in action.
Aye-Ayes and Malagasy Jumping Rats
Towards the exit of the Tropical Realm is where the old Buffy-Headed Capuchin indoor enclosure was. Now it has been converted into a nocturnal house for Aye-Ayes and Malagasy Jumping Rats. We saw the Aye-Ayes being very active and climbing all over the place. It is a very well done exhibit with lots of apparatus for the Aye-Ayes to climb on. The enclosures were split into two, so I am guessing that it is the male in one side and the female in the other. We didn’t see the jumping rats but we did see a few cheeky wild mice that had found their way into the enclosure.
Alaotran Gentle Lemurs
The former outdoor enclosure of the Buffy-Headed Capuchins has been given to the Gentle Lemurs which were formerly on one of the canal islands. We didn’t see anything on this visit, so I am still unsure if they have been put on show.
Western Sand Lizards
The Sand Lizard enclosure is one of the most naturalistic enclosures I have seen at the zoo. It greatly depicts their natural habitat. On our visit we saw two lizards. The best place to look is write down at the glass were they like to bask. A very clever exhibit.
As a side note, the old tuatara/midwife toad enclosure is still boarded up. Will anything ever go in there anytime soon? I sure hope so.
Curassows & Jays
This was once a macaw aviary but it is now home to some Red-Billed Curassows. We saw one right near the glass. It is a very pretty exhibit with a nice jungle feel to it. The aviary is also home to an Inca Jay but I have never seen it before.
Hyacinth Macaws
This is the first of the Mythical/Magnificent Macaw Aviaries. I used to struggle to see the macaws but one day it occurred to me that I should just look up. So I looked up and saw the macaws. I still use the same principle on many aviaries today. This aviary is quite a tall and spacious aviary and has a small waterfall and a stream running through it.
Blue-Throated Macaws
This was the first time that I visited this aviary. I didn’t even know that it existed until I joined Zoochat. But now I do so I went straight there. Even though the foliage was too thick to see anything, it instantly became my favourite of the macaw aviaries. It is very foliaged to a rainforest standard and has a large waterfall in it to control the humidity levels. I was very impressed.
Rainbow Aviaries
This was my first time visiting these aviaries since they had been refurbished. All I can say is that I was very impressed, even though the only thing that I saw was a Lady Amherst’s Pheasant. This is probably because I visited later on in the day, when everything was settling down. What I like most about them though, is the fact that you don’t have to walk all the way across the picnic lawn to see them.
Chimpanzees
The only thing that I can say about the Chimpanzees is that we heard them but didn’t see them. I only passed the outdoor enclosure because I hate the tight indoor viewing area. The chimps really scare me as well. The outdoor enclosure is still very nice. It is grassy, foliaged and has tall climbing apparatus (though I rarely ever see any of the chimps use it). There is also a moat that goes around the enclosure which is home to some Ghost Carp.
Bornean Orangutans & Gibbons
The orangutan enclosure was once a small moated island, but now it has been changed into a spectacular exhibit (much better than Blackpool’s) and the apes have a lot of space to roam about in. The indoor areas are very high, as is the climbing apparatus, giving the orangutans a nice tree-top feel. The orangutans share their enclosures with Lar Gibbons and sometimes Asian Small-Clawed Otters, though they don’t get on very well.
Realm of the Red Ape
This is the indoor part of the orangutan house. Here you can view the orangs and gibbons in their indoor and outdoor enclosures but it is also home to various other animals. I think there is a total of 16 indoor enclosures that can be viewed, three of which are aviaries and the rest are all terrariums. All of the enclosures were nicely foliaged and have a decent amount of space for the reptiles.
Of the three aviaries, there are Chestnut-Backed Thrushes in one, Blue-Crowned Hanging-Parrots in the second and the third is a mixed aviary for Timor Sparrows, Timor Zebra Finches, Superb Fruit Doves, Fairy Bluebirds, Roul-Rouls and maybe a couple more.
The Realm of the Red Ape really makes up for the Tropical Realm’s lack of reptiles. The terrariums hold a vast array of animals including: Green Tree Monitors, Red-Tailed Racers, Bell’s Anglehead Lizards Golden Orb-Weaver Spider, Sumatran Rhinoceros Beetles, Leaf Insects, Reticulated Pythons, Common Crows, White-Lipped Tree Vipers, Black-Breasted Leaf Turtles, Chinese Water Dragons, Jungle Nymphs, Crocodile Monitors and Boelen’s Pythons. The retics are clearly the favourites among the reptiles, and it was basking right in front of the glass which was amazing to see. Of all the reptiles, the only thing that we didn’t see were the white-lipped tree vipers (much to Komodo’s dismay) and the water dragons (much to my dismay).
Red River Hogs
The red river hog exhibit is actually the zoo’s old gorilla exhibit. But that was a long time ago, and the zoo has changed a lot since then. The Red River Hogs have a long sandy exhibit. I like the style of the indoor viewing area as it is designed to look like a cave that you walk through to see the hogs. We also saw the little hoglets which were staying close to their mother.
Himalayan Monal & Blackbirds
This is the aviary just outside Tropical Realm. I think that it used to be an old tuatara exhibit but it got remade into an aviary. On my last visit, the aviary held Sumatran Laughingthrushes and Salvadori’s Pheasants. Nowadays it holds Himalayan Monals and Grey-Winged Blackbirds. Unfortunately I didn’t get to see anything in here because the moment I started looking, Komodo just dragged me off into the Tropical Realm so he could see his reptiles.
Tropical Realm
This is the zoo’s main tropical realm and it is the heart of the tropical bird and (formerly) reptile collection. Due to an incident that occurred in 2009, the reptile collection in this building suffered a major decline. Since then the zoo has had very few reptiles on show in this building with the only remaining reptiles being a pair of caimans, two tortoise enclosures, the tuatara, and a couple of other small reptile exhibits. Komodo and I even counted more amphibian species than reptiles. But despite the reptile decline, the Tropical Realm is still amazing. The building is alive with large trees, thick foliage, a towering waterfall, jungle pools and free-flying birds. Since the building is so big, I will have to break it down into several different sections:
· Reptile Corridor: Well, I have already explained the situation with the reptiles so I will just talk about the enclosures instead. There were multiple tuataras, as opposed to my last visit when it was just the male ‘Pixie’ in the enclosure. The tortoise exhibits have changed little. We didn’t see the Grahams anoles but we did see a few dart frog species, and the Golden Mantellas. As most of you are aware, we thought that we saw the Blue-Legged Mantellas but it later turned out that it was just a stick insect pulling our legs. The only snake left in the building is a Emerald Tree Boa. The Parson’s Chameleon has now gotten a new viv. We saw the Caiman lizards as well. Each vivarium is nicely decorated with foliage, rocks and the appropriate substrate, Despite being very old, the remaining vivariums are still functioning properly and seem to work like they should.
· Amphibian Pod: I am quite sure that this is the same pod that used to be in Spirit of the Jaguar. The amphibian pod is now designed to look like some sort of wooden hut, to blend in with the Tropical Realm. It has three vivariums in. The pod has held various different amphibians over the course of the years but last year it held a Rio Cauca Caecilian, Emperor Tetra (the Tropical Realm’s only remaining fish species), False Tomato Frogs, and Golden-Eyed Tree Frogs. This year the caecilian and the fish are still around, but it now holds Borneo Eared Frogs in the second viv and I cannot remember what was in the third one.
· Crocodile Pools: Originally designed for Philippine Crocodiles, these pools now hold Spectacled Caimans in the left pool; and White-Winged Wood Ducks and a Yellow-Faced Myna in the right pool. Each pool has a large viewing window which is stained with a tropical setting (which makes it terrible for taking pictures) and has a smaller viewing window to see into the land area. The pools are built in the same place where the old crocodile pools were which held American Alligators and West African Dwarf Crocs. The myna bird had to be moved in after it got a bit “over-friendly” towards visitors.
· Lower Aviaries: As well as reptiles, the Tropical Realm is also the heart of the tropical bird species in the zoo. One thing that the Tropical Realm is notorious for is its hornbill species. The old indoor gorilla pens have been remade into enormous aviaries for Great Indian Hornbills and more Javan Rhinoceros Hornbills. The lower aviaries are home to more hornbill species including Visayan Tarictic Hornbills, Wrinkled Hornbills and Mindanao Wreathed Hornbills, as well as a few more bird species which I cannot recall right now; but I definitely remember seeing a Schalow’s Turaco.
· Upper Aviaries: I visited the upper aviaries for the first time in years on our trip. Only I went up because Komodo was too fixed on his reptiles, but it brought back a warm feeling of nostalgia and there were many fantastic bird species up there including: Congo Peafowl, Green Aracari Luzon and Mindanao Bleeding-Heart Doves, Asian Fairy Bluebirds (they’re everywhere at the zoo at the moment), and right at the end a nice little aviary for Lowland Luzon Scops Owls. I also got an amazing overview of the Tropical Realm whilst I was up there. The Socorro Doves have long-since departed, though I think they have just been taken off-show.
· Free-Flight Area: I didn’t really stop to take a look at the free-flying birds bit I definitely saw Madagascar Fodies, Victoria Crowned Pigeons and Pekin Robins.
· Philippine Mouse-Deer: This is a brand new exhibit in the Tropical Realm and it is home to just a single Philippine Mouse-Deer. When we arrived, it was feeding-time for the mouse-deer but I missed it because it happened whilst I was on the upper aviaries. Komodo saw the whole thing in action.
Aye-Ayes and Malagasy Jumping Rats
Towards the exit of the Tropical Realm is where the old Buffy-Headed Capuchin indoor enclosure was. Now it has been converted into a nocturnal house for Aye-Ayes and Malagasy Jumping Rats. We saw the Aye-Ayes being very active and climbing all over the place. It is a very well done exhibit with lots of apparatus for the Aye-Ayes to climb on. The enclosures were split into two, so I am guessing that it is the male in one side and the female in the other. We didn’t see the jumping rats but we did see a few cheeky wild mice that had found their way into the enclosure.
Alaotran Gentle Lemurs
The former outdoor enclosure of the Buffy-Headed Capuchins has been given to the Gentle Lemurs which were formerly on one of the canal islands. We didn’t see anything on this visit, so I am still unsure if they have been put on show.
Western Sand Lizards
The Sand Lizard enclosure is one of the most naturalistic enclosures I have seen at the zoo. It greatly depicts their natural habitat. On our visit we saw two lizards. The best place to look is write down at the glass were they like to bask. A very clever exhibit.
As a side note, the old tuatara/midwife toad enclosure is still boarded up. Will anything ever go in there anytime soon? I sure hope so.
Curassows & Jays
This was once a macaw aviary but it is now home to some Red-Billed Curassows. We saw one right near the glass. It is a very pretty exhibit with a nice jungle feel to it. The aviary is also home to an Inca Jay but I have never seen it before.
Hyacinth Macaws
This is the first of the Mythical/Magnificent Macaw Aviaries. I used to struggle to see the macaws but one day it occurred to me that I should just look up. So I looked up and saw the macaws. I still use the same principle on many aviaries today. This aviary is quite a tall and spacious aviary and has a small waterfall and a stream running through it.
Blue-Throated Macaws
This was the first time that I visited this aviary. I didn’t even know that it existed until I joined Zoochat. But now I do so I went straight there. Even though the foliage was too thick to see anything, it instantly became my favourite of the macaw aviaries. It is very foliaged to a rainforest standard and has a large waterfall in it to control the humidity levels. I was very impressed.
Rainbow Aviaries
This was my first time visiting these aviaries since they had been refurbished. All I can say is that I was very impressed, even though the only thing that I saw was a Lady Amherst’s Pheasant. This is probably because I visited later on in the day, when everything was settling down. What I like most about them though, is the fact that you don’t have to walk all the way across the picnic lawn to see them.
Chimpanzees
The only thing that I can say about the Chimpanzees is that we heard them but didn’t see them. I only passed the outdoor enclosure because I hate the tight indoor viewing area. The chimps really scare me as well. The outdoor enclosure is still very nice. It is grassy, foliaged and has tall climbing apparatus (though I rarely ever see any of the chimps use it). There is also a moat that goes around the enclosure which is home to some Ghost Carp.
Bornean Orangutans & Gibbons
The orangutan enclosure was once a small moated island, but now it has been changed into a spectacular exhibit (much better than Blackpool’s) and the apes have a lot of space to roam about in. The indoor areas are very high, as is the climbing apparatus, giving the orangutans a nice tree-top feel. The orangutans share their enclosures with Lar Gibbons and sometimes Asian Small-Clawed Otters, though they don’t get on very well.
Realm of the Red Ape
This is the indoor part of the orangutan house. Here you can view the orangs and gibbons in their indoor and outdoor enclosures but it is also home to various other animals. I think there is a total of 16 indoor enclosures that can be viewed, three of which are aviaries and the rest are all terrariums. All of the enclosures were nicely foliaged and have a decent amount of space for the reptiles.
Of the three aviaries, there are Chestnut-Backed Thrushes in one, Blue-Crowned Hanging-Parrots in the second and the third is a mixed aviary for Timor Sparrows, Timor Zebra Finches, Superb Fruit Doves, Fairy Bluebirds, Roul-Rouls and maybe a couple more.
The Realm of the Red Ape really makes up for the Tropical Realm’s lack of reptiles. The terrariums hold a vast array of animals including: Green Tree Monitors, Red-Tailed Racers, Bell’s Anglehead Lizards Golden Orb-Weaver Spider, Sumatran Rhinoceros Beetles, Leaf Insects, Reticulated Pythons, Common Crows, White-Lipped Tree Vipers, Black-Breasted Leaf Turtles, Chinese Water Dragons, Jungle Nymphs, Crocodile Monitors and Boelen’s Pythons. The retics are clearly the favourites among the reptiles, and it was basking right in front of the glass which was amazing to see. Of all the reptiles, the only thing that we didn’t see were the white-lipped tree vipers (much to Komodo’s dismay) and the water dragons (much to my dismay).
Last edited:
Komodo99
Well-Known Member
Green tree python in the Tropical Realm?I think you mean Emerald tree boa.Part 8: The Two Realms (I'll just warn you that this is a rather lengthy one)
Red River Hogs
The red river hog exhibit is actually the zoo’s old gorilla exhibit. But that was a long time ago, and the zoo has changed a lot since then. The Red River Hogs have a long sandy exhibit. I like the style of the indoor viewing area as it is designed to look like a cave that you walk through to see the hogs. We also saw the little hoglets which were staying close to their mother.
Himalayan Monal & Blackbirds
This is the aviary just outside Tropical Realm. I think that it used to be an old tuatara exhibit but it got remade into an aviary. On my last visit, the aviary held Sumatran Laughingthrushes and Salvadori’s Pheasants. Nowadays it holds Himalayan Monals and Grey-Winged Blackbirds. Unfortunately I didn’t get to see anything in here because the moment I started looking, Komodo just dragged me off into the Tropical Realm so he could see his reptiles.
Tropical Realm
This is the zoo’s main tropical realm and it is the heart of the tropical bird and (formerly) reptile collection. Due to an incident that occurred in 2009, the reptile collection in this building suffered a major decline. Since then the zoo has had very few reptiles on show in this building with the only remaining reptiles being a pair of caimans, two tortoise enclosures, the tuatara, and a couple of other small reptile exhibits. Komodo and I even counted more amphibian species than reptiles. But despite the reptile decline, the Tropical Realm is still amazing. The building is alive with large trees, thick foliage, a towering waterfall, jungle pools and free-flying birds. Since the building is so big, I will have to break it down into several different sections:
· Reptile Corridor: Well, I have already explained the situation with the reptiles so I will just talk about the enclosures instead. There were multiple tuataras, as opposed to my last visit when it was just the male ‘Pixie’ in the enclosure. The tortoise exhibits have changed little. We didn’t see the Grahams anoles but we did see a few dart frog species, and the Golden Mantellas. As most of you are aware, we thought that we saw the Blue-Legged Mantellas but it later turned out that it was just a stick insect pulling our legs. The only snake left in the building is a Green Tree Python. The Parson’s Chameleon has now gotten a new viv. We saw the Caiman lizards as well. Each vivarium is nicely decorated with foliage, rocks and the appropriate substrate, Despite being very old, the remaining vivariums are still functioning properly and seem to work like they should.
· Amphibian Pod: I am quite sure that this is the same pod that used to be in Spirit of the Jaguar. The amphibian pod is now designed to look like some sort of wooden hut, to blend in with the Tropical Realm. It has three vivariums in. The pod has held various different amphibians over the course of the years but last year it held a Rio Cauca Caecilian, Emperor Tetra (the Tropical Realm’s only remaining fish species), False Tomato Frogs, and Golden-Eyed Tree Frogs. This year the caecilian and the fish are still around, but it now holds Borneo Eared Frogs in the second viv and I cannot remember what was in the third one.
· Crocodile Pools: Originally designed for Philippine Crocodiles, these pools now hold Spectacled Caimans in the left pool; and White-Winged Wood Ducks and a Yellow-Faced Myna in the right pool. Each pool has a large viewing window which is stained with a tropical setting (which makes it terrible for taking pictures) and has a smaller viewing window to see into the land area. The pools are built in the same place where the old crocodile pools were which held American Alligators and West African Dwarf Crocs. The myna bird had to be moved in after it got a bit “over-friendly” towards visitors.
· Lower Aviaries: As well as reptiles, the Tropical Realm is also the heart of the tropical bird species in the zoo. One thing that the Tropical Realm is notorious for is its hornbill species. The old indoor gorilla pens have been remade into enormous aviaries for Great Indian Hornbills and more Javan Rhinoceros Hornbills. The lower aviaries are home to more hornbill species including Visayan Tarictic Hornbills, Wrinkled Hornbills and Mindanao Wreathed Hornbills, as well as a few more bird species which I cannot recall right now; but I definitely remember seeing a Schalow’s Turaco.
· Upper Aviaries: I visited the upper aviaries for the first time in years on our trip. Only I went up because Komodo was too fixed on his reptiles, but it brought back a warm feeling of nostalgia and there were many fantastic bird species up there including: Congo Peafowl, Green Aracari Luzon and Mindanao Bleeding-Heart Doves, Asian Fairy Bluebirds (they’re everywhere at the zoo at the moment), and right at the end a nice little aviary for Lowland Luzon Scops Owls. I also got an amazing overview of the Tropical Realm whilst I was up there. The Socorro Doves have long-since departed, though I think they have just been taken off-show.
· Free-Flight Area: I didn’t really stop to take a look at the free-flying birds bit I definitely saw Madagascar Fodies, Victoria Crowned Pigeons and Pekin Robins.
· Philippine Mouse-Deer: This is a brand new exhibit in the Tropical Realm and it is home to just a single Philippine Mouse-Deer. When we arrived, it was feeding-time for the mouse-deer but I missed it because it happened whilst I was on the upper aviaries. Komodo saw the whole thing in action.
Aye-Ayes and Malagasy Jumping Rats
Towards the exit of the Tropical Realm is where the old Buffy-Headed Capuchin indoor enclosure was. Now it has been converted into a nocturnal house for Aye-Ayes and Malagasy Jumping Rats. We saw the Aye-Ayes being very active and climbing all over the place. It is a very well done exhibit with lots of apparatus for the Aye-Ayes to climb on. The enclosures were split into two, so I am guessing that it is the male in one side and the female in the other. We didn’t see the jumping rats but we did see a few cheeky wild mice that had found their way into the enclosure.
Alaotran Gentle Lemurs
The former outdoor enclosure of the Buffy-Headed Capuchins has been given to the Gentle Lemurs which were formerly on one of the canal islands. We didn’t see anything on this visit, so I am still unsure if they have been put on show.
Western Sand Lizards
The Sand Lizard enclosure is one of the most naturalistic enclosures I have seen at the zoo. It greatly depicts their natural habitat. On our visit we saw two lizards. The best place to look is write down at the glass were they like to bask. A very clever exhibit.
As a side note, the old tuatara/midwife toad enclosure is still boarded up. Will anything ever go in there anytime soon? I sure hope so.
Curassows & Jays
This was once a macaw aviary but it is now home to some Red-Billed Curassows. We saw one right near the glass. It is a very pretty exhibit with a nice jungle feel to it. The aviary is also home to an Inca Jay but I have never seen it before.
Hyacinth Macaws
This is the first of the Mythical/Magnificent Macaw Aviaries. I used to struggle to see the macaws but one day it occurred to me that I should just look up. So I looked up and saw the macaws. I still use the same principle on many aviaries today. This aviary is quite a tall and spacious aviary and has a small waterfall and a stream running through it.
Blue-Throated Macaws
This was the first time that I visited this aviary. I didn’t even know that it existed until I joined Zoochat. But now I do so I went straight there. Even though the foliage was too thick to see anything, it instantly became my favourite of the macaw aviaries. It is very foliaged to a rainforest standard and has a large waterfall in it to control the humidity levels. I was very impressed.
Rainbow Aviaries
This was my first time visiting these aviaries since they had been refurbished. All I can say is that I was very impressed, even though the only thing that I saw was a Lady Amherst’s Pheasant. This is probably because I visited later on in the day, when everything was settling down. What I like most about them though, is the fact that you don’t have to walk all the way across the picnic lawn to see them.
Chimpanzees
The only thing that I can say about the Chimpanzees is that we heard them but didn’t see them. I only passed the outdoor enclosure because I hate the tight indoor viewing area. The chimps really scare me as well. The outdoor enclosure is still very nice. It is grassy, foliaged and has tall climbing apparatus (though I rarely ever see any of the chimps use it). There is also a moat that goes around the enclosure which is home to some Ghost Carp.
Bornean Orangutans & Gibbons
The orangutan enclosure was once a small moated island, but now it has been changed into a spectacular exhibit (much better than Blackpool’s) and the apes have a lot of space to roam about in. The indoor areas are very high, as is the climbing apparatus, giving the orangutans a nice tree-top feel. The orangutans share their enclosures with Lar Gibbons and sometimes Asian Small-Clawed Otters, though they don’t get on very well.
Realm of the Red Ape
This is the indoor part of the orangutan house. Here you can view the orangs and gibbons in their indoor and outdoor enclosures but it is also home to various other animals. I think there is a total of 16 indoor enclosures that can be viewed, three of which are aviaries and the rest are all terrariums. All of the enclosures were nicely foliaged and have a decent amount of space for the reptiles.
Of the three aviaries, there are Chestnut-Backed Thrushes in one, Blue-Crowned Hanging-Parrots in the second and the third is a mixed aviary for Timor Sparrows, Timor Zebra Finches, Superb Fruit Doves, Fairy Bluebirds, Roul-Rouls and maybe a couple more.
The Realm of the Red Ape really makes up for the Tropical Realm’s lack of reptiles. The terrariums hold a vast array of animals including: Green Tree Monitors, Red-Tailed Racers, Bell’s Anglehead Lizards Golden Orb-Weaver Spider, Sumatran Rhinoceros Beetles, Leaf Insects, Reticulated Pythons, Common Crows, White-Lipped Tree Vipers, Black-Breasted Leaf Turtles, Chinese Water Dragons, Jungle Nymphs, Crocodile Monitors and Boelen’s Pythons. The retics are clearly the favourites among the reptiles, and it was basking right in front of the glass which was amazing to see. Of all the reptiles, the only thing that we didn’t see were the white-lipped tree vipers (much to Komodo’s dismay) and the water dragons (much to my dismay).