Chester Zoo Chester Zoo News 2024

11 Humboldt penguin chicks have hatched this season:

Chester Zoo welcomes 11 baby penguins – the most in more than a decade

This year has been a really good year for the penguins with the arrival of 11 new chicks – the most we’ve welcomed during hatching season here at the zoo for more than a decade.

The zoo keeps track of all new chicks by naming each penguin with a theme – and this year the baby animals are named after plants including Nettle, Thistle, Dandelion, Tulip and Daffodil.
 
Visited Chester zoo yesterday for the first time in about 5 years.

Managed to see the Tuatura - photo in media.

The Roloway monkeys were interesting.

Sumatran orangutan very active. Saw both snow leopards.

Does anyone know if there any plans to upgrade the chimp house?

Only thing I didn't see was the new (probably not so new now) lion enclosure. Lions were previously by Oakfield house.

I took my eldest daughter who has complex additional needs and getting the carers ticket was super easy, despite me being stressed as you can't pre book carers tickets online when buying the normal tickets.

A really good day out.
 
alfiethetortois said:
Does anyone know if there any plans to upgrade the chimp house?
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This will presumably happen when the African Forests area is built - this has recently been confirmed as the next 'big' project but is a way off yet - according to the latest annual report it's expected to start from late 2028.
 
2 Pieces of May 2024 News Not Mentioned:

On May 2nd, it was announced that the zoo transferred (1.1) grey-faced liocichlas to the Battersea Park Children's Zoo in London.

Battersea Park Children's Zoo

On May 29th, the zoo announced that (2.0) Northern Luzon giant cloud rats were born.

Chester Zoo

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On June 1st, the zoo announced that (0.0.3) black-necked stilts hatched.

These teeny black-necked stilts have JUST hatched. | A proud mama and her tiny new chicks! These teeny black-necked stilts have JUST hatched. Welcome to the world little ones | By Chester ZooFacebook
 
Smaggledagle said:
On May 2nd, it was announced that the zoo transferred (1.1) grey-faced liocichlas to the Battersea Park Children's Zoo in London.
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Interesting. Chester only keep this species in one aviary at the zoo, and despite my best efforts I've only ever been able to see 1.0 of them, never a female or two birds at the same time. Does this mean they're gone from the zoo entirely or just won't be onshow anymore? Or (more hopefully) they'll repopulate that aviary with some more? They're a very difficult bird to see and it's always a privilege to spot them, but given that that aviary also houses Fairy Bluebirds, Red Whiskered Bulbuls, and Mountain Peacock Pheasant, I fear they won't bother adding anymore liocichlas to the aviary at all.
 
olhl.animal.photography said:
Interesting. Chester only keep this species in one aviary at the zoo, and despite my best efforts I've only ever been able to see 1.0 of them, never a female or two birds at the same time. Does this mean they're gone from the zoo entirely or just won't be onshow anymore? Or (more hopefully) they'll repopulate that aviary with some more? They're a very difficult bird to see and it's always a privilege to spot them, but given that that aviary also houses Fairy Bluebirds, Red Whiskered Bulbuls, and Mountain Peacock Pheasant, I fear they won't bother adding anymore liocichlas to the aviary at all.
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The zoo kept 5.5 of this speciesat the end of 2023 so I can imagine this is a pair which was kept off-show. The zoo still keep this species.
 
olhl.animal.photography said:
Interesting. Chester only keep this species in one aviary at the zoo, and despite my best efforts I've only ever been able to see 1.0 of them, never a female or two birds at the same time. Does this mean they're gone from the zoo entirely or just won't be onshow anymore? Or (more hopefully) they'll repopulate that aviary with some more? They're a very difficult bird to see and it's always a privilege to spot them, but given that that aviary also houses Fairy Bluebirds, Red Whiskered Bulbuls, and Mountain Peacock Pheasant, I fear they won't bother adding anymore liocichlas to the aviary at all.
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Is the aviary you refer to here the one outside the elephant house?
 
Kalaw said:
Is the aviary you refer to here the one outside the elephant house?
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Ah no, that houses Cabot's Tragopans, Collared Grosbeaks, Spotted Laughingthrushes, and Silver Eared Mesias.
The aviary I'm referring to is one of a row of smaller aviaries outside between the exit from the Aye-Ayes in the Tropical Realm and the Chimps outdoor space.
If you turn right when coming out of the Aye-Aye area, go past the Great Green Macaws, and along the path towards the Realm of the Red Ape, you should come across them on your left-hand-side.
Hope that helps, @Kalaw
 
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olhl.animal.photography, those aviaries are known as the Rainbow Aviaires, named for the former cafeteria on the east side of the lawn, called the Rainbow Cafe. In the storms of January 1976 the entire buiding was blown over the perimiter fence and ended up on the zoo car park. I have seen this aviary block demolised and rebuilt twice since I became a regular visitor.

ZTL lists new arrivals at Chester.

Daisy's Ricefish Oryzias woworae (never kept at Chester before.)
Harlequin Poison Frog Oophaga histrionica, last kept in 1984
Black-eared Waxbill Brunhilda erythronotos, last kept in 1964

Back to the elephants I was lucky enough to see both Jubilee and Motty at four days old.

My photo of the hybrid elephant calf is here. hybrid elephant calf Chester Zoo 16 July 1978 - ZooChat

It's not very good, but it is the only one I have.
 
Maguari said:
This will presumably happen when the African Forests area is built - this has recently been confirmed as the next 'big' project but is a way off yet - according to the latest annual report it's expected to start from late 2028.
Click to expand...

At the end of the Memebrs meeting earlier this year it was announced that the chimps will be getting new housing. No more details were provided, they probably don't have any yet.
 
bongorob said:
olhl.animal.photography, those aviaries are known as the Rainbow Aviaires, named for the former cafeteria on the east side of the lawn, called the Rainbow Cafe. In the storms of January 1976 the entire buiding was blown over the perimiter fence and ended up on the zoo car park. I have seen this aviary block demolised and rebuilt twice since I became a regular visitor.

ZTL lists new arrivals at Chester.

Daisy's Ricefish Oryzias woworae (never kept at Chester before.)
Harlequin Poison Frog Oophaga histrionica, last kept in 1984
Black-eared Waxbill Brunhilda erythronotos, last kept in 1964

Back to the elephants I was lucky enough to see both Jubilee and Motty at four days old.

My photo of the hybrid elephant calf is here. hybrid elephant calf Chester Zoo 16 July 1978 - ZooChat

It's not very good, but it is the only one I have.
Click to expand...

Oh cool. Good to know.
Presumable the waxbills (if not an error) are for Heart of Africa?
 
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