Suggest species for an African Forest complex

gentle lemur

gentle lemur

Well-Known Member
15+ year member
Discussion in the Chester Zoo forum has established that consideration of a new African Forest complex is just starting. Construction might start in several years time, once the current 'Heart of Africa' project is completed and fully established. For the purposes of this thread, I am giving it the nickname of 'The Soul of Africa'.
A few points are already clear: the western chimpanzees and the okapi need more space and the zoo has confirmed that gorillas will not be part of the plans. The only other large mammals that are currently at the zoo, and so could be featured, are forest buffalo and eastern bongo. I expect that the site will be to the north of the lion enclosure and that it will house many bird species, plus reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates and smaller mammals - plus lots and lots of fishes (as the Aquarium is closing). Otherwise I guess that the process starts with a blank sheet of paper.
So what would you suggest should be in 'The Soul of Africa'? We could all list dozens of possibilities, but I think it would be more fun to limit ourselves, so please stick to one choice in each of these 4 categories.
  1. Crowd pleaser
  2. Colourful beauty
  3. Conservation priority
  4. Wishful thinking - highly unlikely (but not totally impossible)
 
gentle lemur said:
Discussion in the Chester Zoo forum has established that consideration of a new African Forest complex is just starting. Construction might start in several years time, once the current 'Heart of Africa' project is completed and fully established. For the purposes of this thread, I am giving it the nickname of 'The Soul of Africa'.
A few points are already clear: the western chimpanzees and the okapi need more space and the zoo has confirmed that gorillas will not be part of the plans. The only other large mammals that are currently at the zoo, and so could be featured, are forest buffalo and eastern bongo. I expect that the site will be to the north of the lion enclosure and that it will house many bird species, plus reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates and smaller mammals - plus lots and lots of fishes (as the Aquarium is closing). Otherwise I guess that the process starts with a blank sheet of paper.
So what would you suggest should be in 'The Soul of Africa'? We could all list dozens of possibilities, but I think it would be more fun to limit ourselves, so please stick to one choice in each of these 4 categories.
  1. Crowd pleaser
  2. Colourful beauty
  3. Conservation priority
  4. Wishful thinking - highly unlikely (but not totally impossible)
Click to expand...
1. Pygmy Hippopotamus
2. Variable Sunbird*
3. Slender-snouted Crocodile
4. Cape Batis

*Admittedly this may be a better fit for the 'wishful thinking' category.
 
gentle lemur said:
Discussion in the Chester Zoo forum has established that consideration of a new African Forest complex is just starting. Construction might start in several years time, once the current 'Heart of Africa' project is completed and fully established. For the purposes of this thread, I am giving it the nickname of 'The Soul of Africa'.
A few points are already clear: the western chimpanzees and the okapi need more space and the zoo has confirmed that gorillas will not be part of the plans. The only other large mammals that are currently at the zoo, and so could be featured, are forest buffalo and eastern bongo. I expect that the site will be to the north of the lion enclosure and that it will house many bird species, plus reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates and smaller mammals - plus lots and lots of fishes (as the Aquarium is closing). Otherwise I guess that the process starts with a blank sheet of paper.
So what would you suggest should be in 'The Soul of Africa'? We could all list dozens of possibilities, but I think it would be more fun to limit ourselves, so please stick to one choice in each of these 4 categories.
  1. Crowd pleaser
  2. Colourful beauty
  3. Conservation priority
  4. Wishful thinking - highly unlikely (but not totally impossible)
Click to expand...

1) Crowd pleaser: Mandrill
2) Colourful beauty: Great blue turaco
3) Conservation priority: Congo African grey parrot
4) Wishful thinking: Western blue duiker
 
1) Crowd pleaser: large group of Diana monkeys with access to live trees
2) Colourful beauty: African pygmy goose
3) Conservation priority: pygmy hippo
4) Wishful thinking: giant pangolin (or western giant eland)
 
  1. Crowd pleaser: Pygmy hippopotamus
  2. Colourful beauty: The cockroach Eustegasta buprestoides; as an invertebrate enjoyer, this Cameroonian species of brightly-coloured cockroach that is now available in the UK private trade would be a dream inclusion
  3. Conservation priority: The killifish Aphyosemion dargei, specifically the Mbam locality; a small conservation unit for the many colourful yet threatened species of Central African killifish would be a lovely inclusion
  4. Wishful thinking: Demidoff's bushbaby
 
Crowd pleaser: Mandrill
Colorful beauty: Congo peafowl
Conservation priority: Pygmy hippopotamus
Wishful thinking: African bullfrog
 
  1. Crowd pleaser: any non-ape monkey be it already in the collection or a new/returning species.
  2. Colourful beauty: palm nut vulture (not as colorful but still a beauty)
  3. Conservation priority: any obtainable frog or fish of conservation concern.
  4. Wishful thinking - highly unlikely (but not totally impossible): western tree hyrax
 
Similar answers to a few suggestions above but:

Crowd pleaser - Northern talapoin
Colourful beauty - Goliath heron
Conservation priority - Slender snouted crocodile
Wishful thinking - Hairy frog, as I believe it's kicking around the private trade a fair bit.
 
1. Crowd pleaser: Giant otter-shrew. Who wouldn't love a weirdo animal that started out as a tenrec and evolved into an otter lifestyle?

2. Colorful beauty: Giant otter-shrew. Sure, they may be drab brown, but if you consider their weirdness, they are as psychedelic as mammals get. Groovy!

3. Conservation priority: Giant otter-shrew. They are particularly sensitive animals in their wetland habitats, which are endangered components or endangered forests. Otter-shrews can tell the story of an important habitat within the forest.

4. Wishful thinking: Giant otter-shrew. Gerald Durrell started a giant-otter shrew captivity project 70 years ago, but unfortunately didn't get far. There is a project to resume that has conservation value, and could be developed by an ambitious zoo...the thinking isn't that wishful...
 
Great thread


  1. Crowd pleaser: Vervet monkeys - I know they are less endangered, but they are wonderful and a whole troop of these among real trees would be amazing to watch
  2. Colourful beauty - Turacos - I am honestly not picky on which they are all stunning birds or the (beauty in the eye of the beholder) Saddlebilled stork
  3. Conservation priority - Pygmy hippo
  4. Wishful thinking - highly unlikely (but not totally impossible) - verging on the impossible but all the same, Ader's Duiker. Failing that the Shoebill.
 
  1. Crowd pleaser: pygmy hippopotamus - to fill a major gap in the zoo's mammal collection.
  2. Colourful beauty: another vote for the stunning great blue turaco here!
  3. Conservation priority: Togo slippery frog. Possibly better suited to the 'wishful thinking' group, but I think the AZA considered expanding the captive population to European zoos at one stage.
  4. Wishful thinking: while I can't argue with any suggestions from the above posts, I note that no-one has mentioned the wonderful white-necked picathartes yet...
 
  1. Crowd pleaser:- Hamlyn's owl-faced monkey
  2. Colourful beauty:- African water chevrotain
  3. Conservation priority:- pygmy hippopotamus
  4. Wishful thinking:- Jentink's duiker
I particularly like the suggestion of white-necked picathartes ( @Gavialis ) although, personally, I prefer grey-neck picathartes. However it would be marvellous to have picathartes, of either species, back on display again.
 
Tim May said:
  1. Crowd pleaser:- Hamlyn's owl-faced monkey
  2. Colourful beauty:- African water chevrotain
  3. Conservation priority:- pygmy hippopotamus
  4. Wishful thinking:- Jentink's duiker
I particularly like the suggestion of white-necked picathartes ( @Gavialis ) although, personally, I prefer grey-neck picathartes. However it would be marvellous to have picathartes, of either species, back on display again.
Click to expand...
Not a serious suggestion but I wish I'd selected African forest elephant for the "Wishful Thinking" category.
 
Crowd Pleaser: Crowned eagle (Stephanoaetus cornotatus
Colourful Beauty: Spot-breasted ibis (Boystrychia rara)
Conservation Priority: Dryas monkey (Chlorocebus dryas)
Wishful Thinking: African Golden Cat (Caracal aurata)
 
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