European (Tea)Cup - League A - Chester vs Zurich

[TeaLovingDave]

Miscellaneous exhibits:

• This exhibit contains a large colony of Western Sand Lizard - a species which is critically-endangered in the UK, and which Chester regularly breeds for reintroduction into the dune habitats of Lancashire, Merseyside and northern Wales; the extreme right of the exhibit is separated-off and contains a smaller open-air terrarium for European Adder:

• There aren't terribly-many photographs of the Butterfly House within the gallery, but it is a sizeable building which not only contains around a dozen species of butterfly, but also free-roaming species such as Trinidad Stream Frog, Tanzanian Red-legged Millipede, Graham's Anole and (I think?) Panther Chameleon. I'll look for better photographs amongst my own shots, but for now:

• Again, we don't have many shots of the Reticulated Python exhibit within the Realm of the Red Ape house, but it is by far the biggest exhibit for the species I have seen - appropriately so, given the fact the zoo holds a particularly large individual. The exhibit provides a lot of vegetation cover and other means by which the inhabitant can escape view, including climbing material on several levels and angles. Interestingly, one entire side of the exhibit comprises a window to the outside - meaning the inhabitant is able to get a large amount of daylight and external view. I shall try to find further (and better) photographs showing the length of the exhibit (about 5 or 6 metres I reckon) as these shots are rather foreshortened:

• Realm of the Red Ape contains about another half-dozen exhibits for category taxa - both vertebrate and invertebrate - which are rather pleasant and well-designed; for instance this exhibit for Forest Dragon and Asian Giant Toad:

• The Jaguar House contains several category-relevant displays, including a large tank for Titicaca Water Frog, and an extremely good aquarium tank for around 30 species of Amazonian fish which is integrated into the base of the sloth exhibit within the house. It is worth noting here that the establishment of the European breeding programme for Titicaca Water Frog (which has spread to 20 European collections in a very short span of time) was the responsibility of Chester, which imported stock from Denver Zoo in 2019.

---

I'll cover the Dragons In Danger house in my next post, after I finish work, as it will likely cover more photographs than can be uploaded to a single post. After this point, I intend to cover Monsoon Forest, the Aquarium, and any smaller exhibits which have currently slipped my mind, and then discuss the conservation and captive-breeding record of Chester.

While the breeding work that Chester is doing with Bermuda Skinks and Montsenny Brook Salamanders is very impressive, especially if eventual reintroduction is the long-term goal, I think it is hard to praise their rarity status in captive collections when they are offshow, personally.

I'll cover this point again later, but it's not "eventual" reintroduction - its ongoing and current reintroduction, much as is the case for the Sand Lizard captive breeding project I already mentioned.

 

[Kalaw]

I don't recall seeing any exhibits of this nature - do you have any photographs?

The native-species aquarium is nothing remarkable, a single tank housing European Eel, European Perch, and I believe third species that I cannot remember at the moment. I don't have any photos, sadly, nor are there any in the gallery, but it is fairly large for a coldwater display and very nicely landscaped to offer ample retreats for the eels. It isn't the most impressive display, but with its relatively unique focus and the charm of the whole otter area made it one of the more pleasant hidden gems at Zürich for me, and definitely counters your argument that nothing at Zürich outside of Masoala or the Exotarium is Chester-level, in my opinion.

As it turns out, I do have a photo of this tank, although sadly it isn't a great one due to the very reflective glass and not quite showing the full thing, but the size and design of this tank should be appreciable all the same, I hope.

 

[Lafone]

I've only visited Chester of the two, so watching the discussion more before casting my vote. Both collections look very strong and I must admit to really liking the positioning at Chester of bringing the 'environment' to life by including these elements in a setting with animals and plants (in Realm of the Red Ape for example) which encourages visitors to engage with some of these exhibits which might otherwise be less visited. I have to say I also really enjoy looking for the little frogs in the Butterfly house, which is hardly a scientific view, but there you go.

 

[twilighter]

This is the closest battle so far, imho. I haven't seen the Monsoon Forest (because of the fire) and I am not familiar with the new research station at Zurich. The Swiss quality of the Exotarium and Masoala is unquestionable, but many of the Chester displays are also of serious quality and they have 50 % more taxa. Both zoos are heavily involved in relevant ex-situ and in-situ projects and working with many endangered Ectotherms. The only option for draw is not to vote, but I will take the responsibility and give my vote for Chester 3:2.

Chester vs Zurich
Amphibians 23 vs 13 (ZTL)
Reptiles 58 vs 34 (ZTL)
Fishes 101 vs 68 (ZTL)
invertebrates 93 vs 67 ( Zoo Yearbook 2020)
Critically Endangered 23 vs 15 (ZTL)
Endangered 25 vs 20 (ZTL)

 

[amur leopard]

But it seems Zurich goes one step further by bringing the research into the public area with it's interactive design. That is something I haven't seen elsewhere (haven't been to Loro Parque, so no clue how that looks there).

I'm not sure I agree - London's window into the spider lab in BUGS has plenty of educational material and actually functions as a research facility. I'm going entirely off the pics that you posted but it really doesn't look there will be any actual research work going on in those rooms specifically, although I don't doubt there is loads going on behind the scenes. This is in contrast with Loro Parque and even COEX as mentioned before, where there was actual visible lab work going on - whether this was more for visitor viewing or actually constructive doesn't really matter because either way there is educational value to it. Again, not a criticism of Zurich, but it isn't the first to do it, and I think there's places that likely do it better.

Correct me if taking wildlife into account goes against the rules of the cup in some way, but I feel as though it is fair enough so long as the animals in question are category-relevant, given that they can greatly enrich the zoo-going experience and often are rather difficult to find elsewhere.

I don't agree with this if I'm honest - wildlife in the zoo has never been a criterion taken into consideration and sets a bit of a weird precedent. On that basis the Aesculapian snakes in London count, or the colugos etc. in Singapore. Bit of a slippery slope.

While the breeding work that Chester is doing with Bermuda Skinks and Montsenny Brook Salamanders is very impressive, especially if eventual reintroduction is the long-term goal, I think it is hard to praise their rarity status in captive collections when they are offshow, personally.

I also strongly disagree with this. Involvement with any highly endangered species, particularly if there has been breeding success, is praiseworthy. I don't understand why whether the species is on or off-show would have any bearing on that.

 

[Kalaw]

I don't agree with this if I'm honest - wildlife in the zoo has never been a criterion taken into consideration and sets a bit of a weird precedent. On that basis the Aesculapian snakes in London count, or the colugos etc. in Singapore. Bit of a slippery slope.

I don't see why either of those two examples you provide shouldn't count, but of course TLD as the host of this tournament gets the final say in the matter as to whether I am clinching at straws too much. Sorry for taking us all on a tangent about what does and doesn't count, which I find detracts from the actual debate - I shall drop the wildlife narrative here.

I also strongly disagree with this. Involvement with any highly endangered species, particularly if there has been breeding success, is praiseworthy. I don't understand why whether the species is on or off-show would have any bearing on that.

If you re-read the portion of my post you quoted, you will note that I said 'it is hard to praise their rarity status in captive collections' when they were offshow - I said this because TLD sited the two species in question as examples of rarities at Chester in response to my mentioning of some of the rarities at Zürich. I didn't think this was fair because the reason us enthusiasts love zoos with rarities (and here I am using the term to refer solely to how common they are in captivity) is because we don't get many chances to see them otherwise; how can we see them at Chester if they are offshow? I am fully aware of the fact that endangered animals being bred offshow for reintroduction purposes is worthy of praise.

 

[amur leopard]

If you re-read the portion of my post you quoted, you will note that I said 'it is hard to praise their rarity status in captive collections' when they were offshow - I said this because TLD sited the two species in question as examples of rarities at Chester in response to my mentioning of some of the rarities at Zürich. I didn't think this was fair because the reason us enthusiasts love zoos with rarities (and here I am using the term to refer solely to how common they are in captivity) is because we don't get many chances to see them otherwise; how can we see them at Chester if they are offshow? I am fully aware of the fact that endangered animals being bred offshow for reintroduction purposes is worthy of praise.

That's fair, I misinterpreted how the post was meant - having said that, I still think it's worth mentioning their rarity purely in the context of conservation efforts.

 

[lintworm]

I'm going entirely off the pics that you posted but it really doesn't look there will be any actual research work going on in those rooms specifically,

Wrong, those rooms are specifically designed for research, they are not just for show and there is no big behind the scenes lab. That was the whole idea of the set-up.

 

[pipaluk]

This is the closest battle so far, imho. I haven't seen the Monsoon Forest (because of the fire) and I am not familiar with the new research station at Zurich. The Swiss quality of the Exotarium and Masoala is unquestionable, but many of the Chester displays are also of serious quality and they have 50 % more taxa. Both zoos are heavily involved in relevant ex-situ and in-situ projects and working with many endangered Ectotherms. The only option for draw is not to vote, but I will take the responsibility and give my vote for Chester 3:2.

Chester vs Zurich
Amphibians 23 vs 13 (ZTL)
Reptiles 58 vs 34 (ZTL)
Fishes 101 vs 68 (ZTL)
invertebrates 93 vs 67 ( Zoo Yearbook 2020)
Critically Endangered 23 vs 15 (ZTL)
Endangered 25 vs 20 (ZTL)

Those figures indicate a comfortable win for Chester , given both have good exhibits and for me the Tuatara tip it significantly further to Chester.

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Dragons In Danger

Although the centrepiece of this house is most certainly the Komodo Dragon exhibits, there are a fair few other noteworthy aspects relevant to this category. The species has bred at Chester a few times, mostly via parthenogenesis - although I have a vague feeling that there *may* also have been a "traditional" breeding a few years ago.

• The main indoor exhibit for Komodo Dragon:

• The outdoor exhibit for Komodo Dragon, which I *think* they only have access to during the warmer months of the year for obvious reasons:

• Opposite the main indoor exhibit for Komodo Dragon, there is a smaller exhibit which has variously held Malagasy iguanas and skinks, juvenile Ploughshare Tortoise and - most recently and currently - a group of juvenile Komodo Dragon. Interestingly, these were the subject of a research study last year! The first photograph is the best image in the gallery showing the foot of the exhibit and the overall size, although it was taken during a timespan when Ploughshare were in residence rather than the current occupants; the second image shows the upper levels of the exhibit at the present time, and the third provides information about the aforementioned research study.

• After the Ploughshare Tortoises originally held in the above exhibit grew larger, they were moved into their current exhibit - this photograph shows about half of the overall space, but is the best quality image I was able to find:

• Immediately next to this exhibit, there is a large exhibit for Mountain Chicken, which I think may still be mixed with Haitian Galliwasp and Blue Land Crab:

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Monsoon Forest

Although the fire several years ago caused severe damage to this building, including the complete loss of the "original" Tripa Research Station exhibit complex, the rebuilding process has led to several noteworthy improvements to the quality of ectotherm exhibitry within Monsoon Forest as a whole - including a significantly better incarnation of the Research Station. It should *also* be noted that Monsoon Forest contains a number of free-roaming reptile species - at the very least, Sun Skink and Emerald Tree Skink.

• The "Tripa Research Station", located just beyond the entrance to Monsoon Forest, comprises a collection of tanks and terraria containing a wide range of invertebrates, fish, amphibians and reptiles intended to give the impression of a field research station in Indonesia, with a few being more permanent in design; the precise assortment of species present is somewhat flexible, with maybe 20-25 taxa present at any given time, but the exhibits I've selected below as general representations of the whole tend to be constants:

• Beyond the Tripa Research Station, the next noteworthy set of exhibits are a collection of large mixed-species tanks built into the structure of the house, which have contained a number of taxa over the last few years, including Sulawesi Sailfin Lizard, Quince Monitor, Green Crested Lizard, Fea's Treefrog and Mao-Son Frog:

• The next major enclosure which should be highlighted is the large Sunda Gharial exhibit; something which these photographs struggle to convey is the depth of the pool, which extends for around two or three metres under the floor level of the visitor area. As can be seen, the Gharial are mixed with Bornean Batagur and several species of small fish, and have multiple hauling-out points:

• The final major exhibit relevant to this category within Monsoon Forest is a large paddock-style exhibit for Asian Giant Tortoise; there aren't many photographs in the gallery for this enclosure, but I've managed to find some which demonstrate size and design as best as possible:

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Aquarium

Although relatively small and due to close this year due to the rising cost in electricity and maintenance of the tanks and behind-the-scenes machinery required for any such house, the aquarium at Chester Zoo is a solid little exhibit complex - a wide range of species are displayed within, in well-designed and rather pleasant tanks, and the off-show tanks located within the aquarium represent a significant portion of the EEP population of critically-endangered goodeids. Unfortunately due to the dark conditions within the aquarium, how busy it tends to be, and the tendency of Zoochatters to focus on photographing the inhabitants rather than the tanks, there aren't too many decent shots of the aquarium itself - but I've tried to find some of the best:

Miscellaneous

• Gaboon Viper exhibit within the Okapi House:

• Mixed exhibit for a variety of African fish within the Elephant House:

Mixed Exhibit overview

I've covered this subject somewhat throughout the last few posts, but whilst looking for information and photographs I found a useful post by @Swampy from 2023 detailing the mixed-species reptile exhibits at Chester Zoo - some of these are no longer current, and obviously due to the nature of the thread from which it originates (focusing on mixed reptile exhibits throughout zoological collections) it only covers invertebrate, fish and amphibian taxa where these occur in the same exhibit as a reptile, but it nonetheless provides a good overview. As such I reproduce it below:

Presently at Chester:
- Western Gaboon Viper (Bitis rhinoceros) + fruit beetles (Mecynorhina ugandensis)

-Reticulated python (Malayopython reticulatus) + tokay geckos (Gekko gecko)

-Parson's chameleon (Calumma parsonii) + southeastern girdled lizard (Zonosaurus maximus)+ Henkel's leaftailed gecko (Uroplatus henkeli)

-Parson's chameleon (Calumma parsonii) + southeastern girdled lizard (Zonosaurus maximus) +giant day gecko (Phelsuma grandis) + Cuvier's Madagascar swift (Oplurus cuvieri)

-Green crested lizard (Bronchocela cristatella) + Fea's flying frog (Zhangixalus feae)

-Sunda gharial (Tomistoma schlegelli) + painted batagur (Batagur borneoensis) + various small fish

-Hispaniolan giant galliwasp (Caribicus warreni) + mountain chicken (Leptodactylus fallax)

-Western girdled lizard (Zonosaurus laticaudatus)+ Cuvier's Madagascar swift (Oplurus cuvieri)

-gold dust day gecko (Phelsuma laticauda) + whitespotted reed frog (Heterixalus alboguttatus) + golden mantella (Mantella aurantiaca)

-Amazon basin emerald tree boa (Corallus batesii) + dyeing poison dart frog (Dendrobates tinctorius 'azureus') + imitator dart frog (Ranitomeya imitator)

-casqueheaded iguana (Laemanctus longipes) + golden poison dart frog (Phyllobates terribilis)

-emerald tree skink (Lamprolepis smaragdina) + cinnamon frog (Nyctixalus pictus) + Bornean rock frog (Staurois parvus) + vampire crab (Geosesarma hagen)

-free-roaming sun skinks (Eutropis multifasciata) and emerald tree skinks (Lamprolepis smaragdina) in Monsoon Forest, including access to the Tomistoma mix mentioned above

-free-roaming Jamaican anoles (Anolis grahami) in the butterfly house, along with Trinidad stream frogs (Mannophryne trinitatis)

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Tuatara

Although Chester Zoo has achieved several noteworthy captive breedings within this category, including (as I will detail shortly) involvement in a wide range of reintroduction projects, I think that the fact that the collection has now successfully bred Tuatara on several occasions - something which no other zoological collection outside of New Zealand has ever managed - cannot be overstated, and puts the captive breeding of hybrid Galapagos Tortoise at Zurich (cited as a particular feather in the Swiss collection's cap) rather into the shade. As such, I think it merits its own sub-section within this post


Captive Breeding: Reintroduction Projects

As I've mentioned several times already, a significant amount of category-specific captive breeding at Chester Zoo - both at the present time and in the recent past - has directly contributed to ongoing reintroduction projects both within the UK and overseas. To the best of my knowledge, these include the following:

• Partula varia and Partula rosea - thousands of snails bred at Chester Zoo were among those which were reintroduced to French Polynesia from 2015 onwards (further information)
• Fen Raft Spider (Dolomedes plantarius) - this wetland species, which is critically-endangered within the UK and was believed to be on the brink of local extinction at the start of the 2010s, was the focus of a captive-breeding and reintroduction programme throughout the first half of said decade, with Chester breeding several hundred individuals for this purpose (further information)
• Greater Bermuda Landsnail (Poecilozonites bermudensi) - this island endemic species was believed to have become extinct in the 1970s, but after it was rediscovered in 2014 individuals were exported to Chester Zoo and London Zoo for the purposes of building a captive population. Subsequently, both zoos have sent snails back to Bermuda for reintroduction, with one article in 2019 stating that Chester had been responsible for the reintroduction of thousands of individuals that year alone (further information)
• Lesser Bermuda Landsnail (Poecilozonites circumfirmatus) - this island endemic species is believed to be extinct in the wild, with the last sighting having occurred in 2004, but small numbers had been taken into captivity by London Zoo a few years previously, with Chester subsequently also receiving stock. Chester started reintroduction of captive-bred stock in 2020, with further captive breeding and reintroductions having followed (further information)
• Desertas Landsnail (Discula lyelliana, Geomitra coronula, Geomitra grabhami, Atlantica calathoides) - all four of these Madeiran endemic species were believed extinct until rediscovery of tiny numbers in the late 2000s and early 2010s, with Chester Zoo being responsible for the import of wild stock and establishment of a captive breeding programme; the first reintroductions of Chester-bred lyelliana and coronula took place in late 2024, with reintroductions of the remaining two taxa planned (further information)
• Large Heath Butterfly (Coenonympha tullia) - this species used to be commonplace throughout the lowland bogs and peatlands of Lancashire, Merseyside and Greater Manchester, but significant population decline and local extirpations took place throughout the 19th and 20th centuries; Chester Zoo has been involved throughout the 2010s and early 2020s in the collection of individuals from surviving populations, their captive breeding and reintroduction to former breeding sites (further information)
• Bermuda Skink (Plestiodon longirostris) - this critically-endangered species is the only extant terrestrial vertebrate endemic to Bermuda, with a captive-breeding programme for the taxon established by Chester in the early 2010s and a first breeding of the species taking place in 2017; I believe that the breeding population has continued to grow and that reintroductions have now commenced, but cannot find any news articles confirming the latter.
• Tequila Splitfin (Zoogoneticus tequila) - this goodeid is endemic to a single pool in the Ameca River basin of northwest Mexico, and was ultimately extirpated in the wild in the late 1990s; however it is now fairly commonplace in captivity as a result of stock imported by Chester Zoo in 1995 shortly before its extinction in the wild, and the subsequent successful captive breeding of the species. Reintroductions of the species have taken place in recent years, with the individuals in question being descended from the original Chester import (further information)
• Montseny Brook Newt (Calotriton arnoldi) - this Critically Endangered species is endemic to a small handful of mountain streams on the slopes of the Montseny Massif in northern Catalonia, with a wild population estimated at around 1000 individuals; Chester Zoo became involved in the captive-breeding programme for the species managed by Barcelona Zoo in 2017, and now regularly breeds the species and returns adults and larvae to Spain for reintroduction - with reintroductions of Chester-bred stock having taken place as recently as May 2024 (further information)
• Sand Lizard (Lacerta agilis) - already discussed upthread, with captive breeding and reintroductions having taken place at Chester since the 1990s.

I'd be interested to hear from anyone who knows of any I have missed!

EEP Programmes

Chester Zoo is the EEP/ESB coordinator for the following category species/groups:

Goodeidae
Mountain Chicken (Leptodactylus fallax)
Lake Patzcuaro Salamander (Ambystoma dumerilii)
Palawan Forest Turtle (Siebenrockiella leytensis)
Henkel’s Leaf-tailed Gecko (Uroplatus henkeli)
Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis)

----

I think I have made my case fairly solidly - although it does amuse me that after my initial posts led @Lafone to vote for Chester, it rather appears that my post regarding Dragons In Danger led them to switch to a Zurich vote! perhaps *this* post might convince them, along with a few others, that Chester is indeed the deserving victor.

 

[Lafone]

Tuatara

Although Chester Zoo has achieved several noteworthy captive breedings within this category, including (as I will detail shortly) involvement in a wide range of reintroduction projects, I think that the fact that the collection has now successfully bred Tuatara on several occasions - something which no other zoological collection outside of New Zealand has ever managed - cannot be overstated, and puts the captive breeding of hybrid Galapagos Tortoise at Zurich (cited as a particular feather in the Swiss collection's cap) rather into the shade. As such, I think it merits its own sub-section within this post


Captive Breeding: Reintroduction Projects

As I've mentioned several times already, a significant amount of category-specific captive breeding at Chester Zoo - both at the present time and in the recent past - has directly contributed to ongoing reintroduction projects both within the UK and overseas. To the best of my knowledge, these include the following:

• Partula varia and Partula rosea - thousands of snails bred at Chester Zoo were among those which were reintroduced to French Polynesia from 2015 onwards (further information)
• Fen Raft Spider (Dolomedes plantarius) - this wetland species, which is critically-endangered within the UK and was believed to be on the brink of local extinction at the start of the 2010s, was the focus of a captive-breeding and reintroduction programme throughout the first half of said decade, with Chester breeding several hundred individuals for this purpose (further information)
• Greater Bermuda Landsnail (Poecilozonites bermudensi) - this island endemic species was believed to have become extinct in the 1970s, but after it was rediscovered in 2014 individuals were exported to Chester Zoo and London Zoo for the purposes of building a captive population. Subsequently, both zoos have sent snails back to Bermuda for reintroduction, with one article in 2019 stating that Chester had been responsible for the reintroduction of thousands of individuals that year alone (further information)
• Lesser Bermuda Landsnail (Poecilozonites circumfirmatus) - this island endemic species is believed to be extinct in the wild, with the last sighting having occurred in 2004, but small numbers had been taken into captivity by London Zoo a few years previously, with Chester subsequently also receiving stock. Chester started reintroduction of captive-bred stock in 2020, with further captive breeding and reintroductions having followed (further information)
• Desertas Landsnail (Discula lyelliana, Geomitra coronula, Geomitra grabhami, Atlantica calathoides) - all four of these Madeiran endemic species were believed extinct until rediscovery of tiny numbers in the late 2000s and early 2010s, with Chester Zoo being responsible for the import of wild stock and establishment of a captive breeding programme; the first reintroductions of Chester-bred lyelliana and coronula took place in late 2024, with reintroductions of the remaining two taxa planned (further information)
• Large Heath Butterfly (Coenonympha tullia) - this species used to be commonplace throughout the lowland bogs and peatlands of Lancashire, Merseyside and Greater Manchester, but significant population decline and local extirpations took place throughout the 19th and 20th centuries; Chester Zoo has been involved throughout the 2010s and early 2020s in the collection of individuals from surviving populations, their captive breeding and reintroduction to former breeding sites (further information)
• Bermuda Skink (Plestiodon longirostris) - this critically-endangered species is the only extant terrestrial vertebrate endemic to Bermuda, with a captive-breeding programme for the taxon established by Chester in the early 2010s and a first breeding of the species taking place in 2017; I believe that the breeding population has continued to grow and that reintroductions have now commenced, but cannot find any news articles confirming the latter.
• Tequila Splitfin (Zoogoneticus tequila) - this goodeid is endemic to a single pool in the Ameca River basin of northwest Mexico, and was ultimately extirpated in the wild in the late 1990s; however it is now fairly commonplace in captivity as a result of stock imported by Chester Zoo in 1995 shortly before its extinction in the wild, and the subsequent successful captive breeding of the species. Reintroductions of the species have taken place in recent years, with the individuals in question being descended from the original Chester import (further information)
• Montseny Brook Newt (Calotriton arnoldi) - this Critically Endangered species is endemic to a small handful of mountain streams on the slopes of the Montseny Massif in northern Catalonia, with a wild population estimated at around 1000 individuals; Chester Zoo became involved in the captive-breeding programme for the species managed by Barcelona Zoo in 2017, and now regularly breeds the species and returns adults and larvae to Spain for reintroduction - with reintroductions of Chester-bred stock having taken place as recently as May 2024 (further information)
• Sand Lizard (Lacerta agilis) - already discussed upthread, with captive breeding and reintroductions having taken place at Chester since the 1990s.

I'd be interested to hear from anyone who knows of any I have missed!

EEP Programmes

Chester Zoo is the EEP/ESB coordinator for the following category species/groups:

Goodeidae
Mountain Chicken (Leptodactylus fallax)
Lake Patzcuaro Salamander (Ambystoma dumerilii)
Palawan Forest Turtle (Siebenrockiella leytensis)
Henkel’s Leaf-tailed Gecko (Uroplatus henkeli)
Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis)

----

I think I have made my case fairly solidly - although it does amuse me that after my initial posts led @Lafone to vote for Chester, it rather appears that my post regarding Dragons In Danger led them to switch to a Zurich vote! perhaps *this* post might convince them, along with a few others, that Chester is indeed the deserving victor.

I did indeed switch! I was looking at the research stations and new displays and thought them worth while, interesting and a great way to display animals on the Zurich side. It’s how I enjoy this sort of thing.

This isn’t really an area of the zoo I spend time researching or know a great deal about tbh its ’wander about interested’ for me vs hours spent gazing at books about them so it’s not a particularly educated judgement on my part. Compared to say the bird spaces, the spaces for tuatara are a curiosity. The conservation element works more for me than just the animals so I’d spend more time on snails than Komodo dragons. I did in fact think Hamerton were getting all terrain vehicles as my first thought!

I’m sure this is Zoochat heresy in some way.

This thread is enjoyable for that reason for me as lots of interesting information to be had. Learning new stuff never gets old.

I think I’d switch back the other way because it does seem quite even but I do like Chester and enjoy these particular exhibits when I visit. And I do enjoy the sand lizards very much.

Reflects the close nature of things. I could be persuaded to switch again I have to say.

 

[lintworm]

Thanks for the extensive overview @TeaLovingDave and the species numbers @twilighter.

In a way it confirms some of my thoughts. Both zoos have a choice collection of ectotherms in mostly solid exhibits and both put emphasis on conservation. Despite having a smaller collection I still opt for Zurich, though I would settle for a draw when possible,

The reason for me is that number of species ceases to be much of a factor if both zoos show that they have a solid collection. 300 vs 200 species is then not relevant for me as I don't think size makes a zoo better beyond a certain point. More important for me is what it offers in terms of enclosure quality and while both are at a high level, Zurich eaks out for 2 reasons. While I am sure the Chester aquarium does lots of good work and the individual tanks are fine, when I want to see a coral reef, I would rather not see this:

but this (no people for scale, the panel is close to 2 metres high)

Add Masoala in the mix, where it is great fun to look for geckoes, chameleons and turtles anywhere from ground level tot the canopy and that seals it for me

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Add Masoala in the mix, where it is great fun to look for geckoes, chameleons and turtles anywhere from ground level tot the canopy and that seals it for me

Somehow I doubt you'll be finding any turtles in the canopy

 

[lintworm]

Somehow I doubt you'll be finding any turtles in the canopy

It is past time for you go to bed

 

[Philipine eagle]

Since this is a duel between 2 zoos one of which I have never visited (Chester), I cast my vote with some reservation.

I found the exhibitry in Zurich to be of an incredibly high standard, both for the visitor area and the enclosures in itself. This is particularly true within the new Lewa savannah with its stunning terrarium for Pancake tortoise and Giant plated lizard.



And to Australis, where there are 3 excellent reptile enclosures: Western hinge-back tortoise in an outdoor enclosure, and Savu python and Exuma Island iguana.


Outdoor enclosure for Western Hinge-back Tortoise (Kinixys nogueyi)

In the Masoala Hall, there are no separate enclosures but the chameleons and geckos are relatively easy to find (with some luck).


Greater Madagascar Day Gecko (Phelsuma grandis)

Lintworm already fully described the top floor of the exotarium.

Ectotherms can also be found elsewhere in the garden. The great ape house has a terrarium for Blue spotted tree monitors and the Krahan Kaeng elephant house also has Black-breasted leaf turtle. Both, however, are not of the same quality as the others.


Blue Spotted Tree Monitor (Varanus macraei) near the gorilla exhibit

I'm leaning towards 3:2 in flavor of Zurich because I thoroughly enjoyed my visit and because of the extremely high level of finish of the terrariums and the way they are embedded in the bigger picture.

It does seem fair to say that the collections in Chester are better (a shortcoming that Zurich also suffers from for mammals), not only in numbers but also in rare species.
So my vote could still be finally flipped in Chester's favour.

 

[Haasje]

Ectotherms are not necessarily my favorite animals. However, a zoo that can present these species in a fascinating and impressive way truly stands out to me. It’s not just about the number of species or their rarity, but about the experience and how they are showcased.

Both Chester and Zurich have diverse collections and contributions to research and conservation. That said, for me, the difference lies in how these animals are presented. Zurich, in particular, excels in creating an immersive and creative experience, which makes all the difference for someone like me who is more drawn to the wow factor than to a species list.

My appreciation for architecture and design only strengthens this impression. Zurich’s approach is remarkable, with projects like the beautifully transformed old rhino house and the sleek, modern Exotarum standing out as examples of how design can elevate the animal experience. One particular highlight was the Masoala Hall, which completely captivated me. While I wasn’t overly impressed with the bird and mammal in this hall, the reptile were extraordinary. Geckos were everywhere the environment, and the moment a chameleon slowly passed right in front of me in such a beautifully designed setting was unforgettable. I stood there for at least fiveteen minutes, completely absorbed in the moment.

If a zoo can give someone like me—who doesn’t naturally gravitate toward ectotherms—such a unique and memorable experience with a species like a chameleon, that’s truly exceptional. Zurich has shown me how powerful and engaging a presentation can be, and for that reason, it earns my vote.

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Well, this match was everything I hoped-for from the Zoochat Cup revival and all things considered, the fact we very nearly hit the 200-point mark makes it all the more impressive that things remained so very close right until the very end:

Chester - 99/195 points - 50.769%
Zurich - 96/195 points - 49.231%

I think that a close result like this was always the most deserving outcome - no matter which collection had ultimately come out on top.