Chester Zoo Chester Zoo News 2022

Jennings said:
Ta. I also noticed that the Kotsovato Cichlids had been moved to the aquarium and that the tank in the Okapi house is now occupied by two species of Lake Chilingali Cichlid.
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I visited yesterday & saw an African setup in the aquarium which I hadn't seen before - African butterfly fish, reedfish & green kribensis. They also added a few more species to the seahorse tank, including greater pipefish. Elsewhere, the red-tailed racers have been replaced in ROTRA by Gariau forest dragon (Hypsilurus magnus).
 
Thanks for that Benobo88, I always like to read about other things than mammals. The reedfish have been there for a while now. I think Maguari mentioned them. Not seen the pipefish at Chester yet. In May a young boy aged arond 9-10 showed me the reedfish and told me they were not eels like most peole thought. I think he may be a future Zoochatter.
 
Congrats to the mammal department this year for breeding these animals haven't seen a baby anoa since 2017 so it's been a while and with the belted lemurs I had my suspicions loky was pregnant because she was looking quite big and also on my last visit I noticed that beni and asha the Indian rhinos were separated asha was in the main paddock and beni was in the back paddock and asha's belly was quite deep could there be another baby soon
 
Does anyone know when or if the Chester zoo grasslands are going to happen, i remember them saying it was delayed due to Covid but they haven't said anything since
 
Charles said:
Does anyone know when or if the Chester zoo grasslands are going to happen, i remember them saying it was delayed due to Covid but they haven't said anything since
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Construction hasn't even started yet so I'd imagine 2024 or 2025
 
Construction of Grasslands is due to start in September and will take around two years.

I cannot see what effect closing the zoo in hot weather has to do with the animals and staff. Both will still be there (well animal staff anyway). However I would hate to work in a catering facility near to hot ovens in 40 degrees C.
 
bongorob said:
Construction of Grasslands is due to start in September and will take around two years.
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I was going to ask about this actually, I was planning another visit some time in 2023 to cover the areas I didn't get around to last time (the entirety of Islands and a lot of stuff south of Dragons in Danger), I don't know whether to wait until Grasslands is fully open or go while construction is still ongoing.
 
Jambi said:
I was going to ask about this actually, I was planning another visit some time in 2023 to cover the areas I didn't get around to last time (the entirety of Islands and a lot of stuff south of Dragons in Danger), I don't know whether to wait until Grasslands is fully open or go while construction is still ongoing.
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If I were you I would go again before Grasslands is open. There will still be plenty to see.

South of Dragons in Danger there is Dusky Pademelon, Spectacled Owl, Red Panda, the wetland bird nursery (hamerkop, Guinea Fowl, white-backed duck, black-bellied whistling duck as far as I remember), Blesbok, Lilacine Amazon Parrots, and the new Asian bird area (formerly owl aviaries)
 
Jambi said:
I was going to ask about this actually, I was planning another visit some time in 2023 to cover the areas I didn't get around to last time (the entirety of Islands and a lot of stuff south of Dragons in Danger), I don't know whether to wait until Grasslands is fully open or go while construction is still ongoing.
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bongorob said:
If I were you I would go again before Grasslands is open. There will still be plenty to see.
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I would definitely agree. Grasslands takes over a fairly large area I think it will actually take relatively few species off show, because it's mainly the big paddocks.
 
I’m visiting Chester this Friday (my first proper zoo visit in about ten months, and to Chester specifically since December 2017), so is there anything specifically to look out for such as rare species or new developments? I ask because I’ve been unable to keep up with news over the last half-year or so. Since my previous visit I’ve gained much appreciation for animals kept at few other institutions or simply those that are highly endangered, and I’d like to plan this visit properly.
Also feel free to let me know if there’s anything specifically anyone wants photos of (assuming my camera skills are sufficient).
 
Paleoarchontas said:
I’m visiting Chester this Friday (my first proper zoo visit in about ten months, and to Chester specifically since December 2017), so is there anything specifically to look out for such as rare species or new developments? I ask because I’ve been unable to keep up with news over the last half-year or so. Since my previous visit I’ve gained much appreciation for animals kept at few other institutions or simply those that are highly endangered, and I’d like to plan this visit properly.
Also feel free to let me know if there’s anything specifically anyone wants photos of (assuming my camera skills are sufficient).
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I enjoyed seeing the Sifakas, as I had never seen them before, and the Fossa was active last time I visited (first time I've seen one move!). The young chimpanzees and orangutans are nice to see too. There's also the new lion enclosure.
 
Natalia's pricklenape (labelled as horn-headed Lizard) and Fea;s Flying Frog are in Monsoon Forest. Wetar Island Pit Vipers (the label is long-winded, soething like Komodo Island White-lipped Pit Viper), they are interesting because the colouration is blue.

Recent babies are Anoa and Belted Ruffed Lemur.
Babies from earlier in the year aor Mandrill, Babirusa, Warty Pig and Okapi.

Javan Green Magpies and Ploughshare Tortoises are in Dagons in Danger. Both are rare species.

Blesbok are in the 'offshow paddock' between the Amazon Parrots and duck nursery. They can often be seen if you look through the gaps in the shrubs.

The new lion enclosure, including goats and peafowl is open. It can be accessed from the north canal bank path.

The Adder vivarium is now open, you'll be lucky to see them.

Lake Titicaca Frogs are in Spirit of the Jaguar, which is also where you will find the Bush Dogs.

Warthogs have moved to the old bingo enclosure by the entrance to Islands.

You may be lucky and see the baby Aardvark, They are usually curled up fast asleep.

Enjoy your visit
 
Panthera1981 said:
Im assuming this is a mis-type, or are Chester now utilising Colchester’s playbook for exhibit names?

Personally I’m all for a game of Bongo Bingo!:p
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Careful now - when Twycross repeated the name 'Bongo' used by a Danish soft-toy manufacturer for a range of their toys, earlier this year; there was a social media back-lash accusing them of racism and they had to take down the sales material.
 
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I visited last Sunday (before the heat-related closures) & spotted 2 very small red-billed curassow chicks which I don't think has been mentioned yet on their socials.

bongorob said:
The Adder vivarium is now open, you'll be lucky to see them.
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The zoo has quite helpfully added a sign in the exhibit indicating the snakes' favourite basking spots. I saw 2 individuals on my last visit & then 1 on the visit before that. Both times they've been dark black instead of light brown/green which makes them tricky to spot, plus the fact that they are smaller than you expect.
 
That is a good move by the zoo.

I've seen adders, they are small. Where I used to live adders were quite common, especially on the golf course. I never saw a wild one, some of my friends did.

People used to just leave them alone, execpt for my uncle. One day he went for an early morning walk and found an adder basking on the path. so being a kind hearted man he moved it back into the grass so that no one would tread on it. He also thought it was a grass snake.
 
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