Chester Zoo Chester Zoo Discussion and Questions 2024

[Baringogiraffe12]

Does anyone know whether gaston the banteng bull is still around because the last few times I've been I've only seen the cows out

Looking through my records as well as the zoo's animal inventory listed on their website, it would suggest Chester Zoo have not held a male banteng since 2022. Two passed away in 2022, suggesting Gaston being one of these.

 

[Pandaboi]

Does anyone have any information on the pair? Of Aye-Ayes at Chester?

 

[Olek]

Looking through my records as well as the zoo's animal inventory listed on their website, it would suggest Chester Zoo have not held a male banteng since 2022. Two passed away in 2022, suggesting Gaston being one of these.

where does it say the inventory on the website

 

[Fallax]

Does anyone have any information on the pair? Of Aye-Ayes at Chester?

What information? I can confirm there is still two present as of my visit on Thursday, I believe it is 1.1 too but someone will have to confirm.

 

[Pandaboi]

What information? I can confirm there is still two present as of my visit on Thursday, I believe it is 1.1 too but someone will have to confirm.

I’m looking for any names and other information such as where they were born, DOB, parents etc. I’m interested in the Aye-Aye population in the UK so I was wondering if anyone had any information on the Aye-Ayes at Chester.

 

[bongorob]

where does it say the inventory on the website

The animal inventories are on the corporate information page. Click Annual Reports and at the bottom on the right is a link to the inventories.

 

[jtrbmvcq]

I’m looking for any names and other information such as where they were born, DOB, parents etc. I’m interested in the Aye-Aye population in the UK so I was wondering if anyone had any information on the Aye-Ayes at Chester.

On the Chester Zoo mammal inventory, as mentioned above, it states that they had 2.1.0 aye-ayes at the end of 2023. They acquired a second male and lost a female last year.

I visited recently and I saw 2 individuals mixed with the giant jumping rats. Can’t be sure whether they have 3 still. But could be possible they brought in a new male to breed with the female and the other male could be offshow perhaps?

The press release from when they first acquired a pair of aye-ayes in 2016 states an 8yo male Raz and a 29yo female Mamy (I wonder if this is the female that passed away last year?).

 

[JVM]

Did the current aye-aye exhibit always hold aye-aye?

 

[jtrbmvcq]

No, the capuchins were in there before with access to the cotton top tamarin island.

 

[jde7582]

If anyone wants a bit of nostalgia, if you use Bing maps, and choose birds eye view and move over the zoo, the images are from pre hunting dogs, sea lions are still there and the Aviarys around the back of dragons in danger are still present

 

[Laboratory 7]

No, the capuchins were in there before with access to the cotton top tamarin island.

If you go back further in the zoo history it used to be crocodiles,some of us are old enough to remember them and the nocturnal house that was in the tropical house. In that area of the zoo.

 

[derek]

On the Chester Zoo mammal inventory, as mentioned above, it states that they had 2.1.0 aye-ayes at the end of 2023. They acquired a second male and lost a female last year.

I visited recently and I saw 2 individuals mixed with the giant jumping rats. Can’t be sure whether they have 3 still. But could be possible they brought in a new male to breed with the female and the other male could be offshow perhaps?

The press release from when they first acquired a pair of aye-ayes in 2016 states an 8yo male Raz and a 29yo female Mamy (I wonder if this is the female that passed away last year?).

There are 3 aye-ayes; they are Raz(M), Kambana (F) and Matoky (M). Kambana and Matoky are the two mixed with the jumping rats. Mamy did indeed die last year.

 

[03cosmos]

Does anyone know what the plans are (if any) to provide the elephants with a larger paddock? The parcel of land adjacent to the lions seems ideal, would allow for the existing house to be retained, but would require a crossing of some description over Flag Lane.

 

[Ed123]

Does anyone know what the plans are (if any) to provide the elephants with a larger paddock? The parcel of land adjacent to the lions seems ideal, would allow for the existing house to be retained, but would require a crossing of some description over Flag Lane.

There is definitely a desire to expand the paddock. There has been talk over the years of using a large area of the car park north of the zoo. I agree the area next to lions would also be a good use of the land. Interestingly, the original master plan of the zoo would have seen the entire GOH rhino paddock (and some additional land) to expand the elephant paddock. I guess it depends on how much money the zoo makes as to when and how soon any expansion happens. Although the costs would, I imagine, be relatively low in comparison to other developments as I assume the elephant house would stay in-situ and the main work would be building a retaining fence / ha-ha / walls. Watch this space I guess ….

 

[03cosmos]

There is definitely a desire to expand the paddock. There has been talk over the years of using a large area of the car park north of the zoo. I agree the area next to lions would also be a good use of the land. Interestingly, the original master plan of the zoo would have seen the entire GOH rhino paddock (and some additional land) to expand the elephant paddock. I guess it depends on how much money the zoo makes as to when and how soon any expansion happens. Although the costs would, I imagine, be relatively low in comparison to other developments as I assume the elephant house would stay in-situ and the main work would be building a retaining fence / ha-ha / walls. Watch this space I guess ….

If they do go with the plan to use the car park north of the house it will be interesting to see how they pull off integrating it into the rest of the zoo so it doesn’t just look like a out of the way bolt on. Perhaps viewed from a raised viewing area accessed from the lion area.

Big space to then fill if the existing paddock is vacated. Ideal for Gorillas (A joke)

 

[Charles]

If they do go with the plan to use the car park north of the house it will be interesting to see how they pull off integrating it into the rest of the zoo so it doesn’t just look like a out of the way bolt on. Perhaps viewed from a raised viewing area accessed from the lion area.

Big space to then fill if the existing paddock is vacated. Ideal for Gorillas (A joke)

They’ll probably use both paddocks but I assume the current one may be for bulls or for the GOH rhino and deer

 

[ZooNut23]

Does anybody know what happened with all the male giraffes born over the last ten years? Have any moved to other collections? I recall one went to Marwell to become their breeding bull

 

[Olek]

Does anybody know what happened with all the male giraffes born over the last ten years? Have any moved to other collections? I recall one went to Marwell to become their breeding bull

i'm pretty sure 1 went to a french zoo (saw it on Secret life of the zoo)

 

[Ryley]

Does anybody know what happened with all the male giraffes born over the last ten years? Have any moved to other collections? I recall one went to Marwell to become their breeding bull

Narus who was born to mum Orla In 2017 went to Gaia Zoo and recently transferred to Burgers Zoo.

 

[bongorob]

Offhand I don't know, but I think they were all sent to other zoos.