Nile Hippo Expert
Well-Known Member
Amaazing news, the fossa pups' sire was imported from the San Diego Zoo only last year, glad it worked out.
Chester Zoo Chester Zoo news 2025
- Thread starter Strathmorezoo
- Start date
When I visited Chester Zoo in 1980, it had an interesting collection of small cats, including Central Chilean pampas cat, jaguarundi and Geoffroy's cat
They used to have a house for small cats just north of the monkey house, but it was demolished some time in the late '90s I think. Going back to the mid '90s, I did a "day with a keeper" thing there (do they still offer that for junior members?) and it housed Persian leopard, caracal, lynx, ocelot, jungle cat, Geoffrey's cat, margay and Scottish wildcat that I can distinctly remember. They held serval in what is now the bush dog enclosure (cheetah were in the same area back then) after the cat house was demolished, but I can't remember if they had previously been housed in the cat house or not.
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The Cat house was south of the Monkey House, where Miniature Monkeys and the rope side are. It was one of my favourite buildings and I was sad to see it go.
I made a threar about it and the nearby Baboon Enclosures.
Chester Zoo cats and baboon pens [Chester Zoo]
Where the Bush Dogs now are has also held Arctic Foxes and Dingos.
I made a threar about it and the nearby Baboon Enclosures.
Chester Zoo cats and baboon pens [Chester Zoo]
Where the Bush Dogs now are has also held Arctic Foxes and Dingos.
You're absolutely right. I was thinking about the location in terms of how it appears from the zoo map, which places the main entrance at the bottom when it's actually at the north end of the zoo.
Strathmorezoo
Well-Known Member
I remember the cat house, particularly the inside service corridor which was very narrow. It ran between the interior cages. Health and safety would have something to say about it these days.
Generationgav
New Member
Just wondering - for anybody who knows.
The bachelor giraffes are kept away from the females. So they're now kept in an enclosure behind the main enclosure, only visible from The Reserve, where were they before though? The giraffe enclosure was just one section.
The bachelor giraffes are kept away from the females. So they're now kept in an enclosure behind the main enclosure, only visible from The Reserve, where were they before though? The giraffe enclosure was just one section.
Generationgav
New Member
That’s the one.
It was definitely very dated, especially that interior corridor. I did their "Day with a Keeper" thing in there when I was around 13 or 14, so around 1993/1994. There was a leopard in there which had been hand reared and liked to be stroked through the bars (just remembering that her name was Shiraz). Two cages down there were a pair of leopards which would've ripped your hand off if you tried the same. There was also only one zookeeper taking care of the whole thing (along with the guanaco/rhea enclosure next to it) while also supervising a teenager "working" with some very dangerous animals. Different times for sure.
zoogoth
Member
Obviously this is taken from a comment I saw on Facebook so I'm more than willing to accept being wrong on this:
- Apparently Chester has taken on the jaguars from the South Lakes closure. I had never been to that zoo before it closed, but I thought it had leopards instead.
- The cheetahs will hopefully be arriving soon, and it was apparently confirmed by a zookeeper that it was two males. Most likely from YWP as others have previously stated / theorised.
- The new lions were supposed to arrive in the next few weeks but it's been pushed back to late November / December. The female is coming from Germany(?) and the male from London Zoo
- Apparently Chester has taken on the jaguars from the South Lakes closure. I had never been to that zoo before it closed, but I thought it had leopards instead.
- The cheetahs will hopefully be arriving soon, and it was apparently confirmed by a zookeeper that it was two males. Most likely from YWP as others have previously stated / theorised.
- The new lions were supposed to arrive in the next few weeks but it's been pushed back to late November / December. The female is coming from Germany(?) and the male from London Zoo
South Lakes did have Jaguar. Should be a mother and son. Perhaps the son will be paired with Inka in due time.
Interesting to hear about the potential new Lions. I had speculated the female would come from London - as the males could have cohabited together for a much longer period, but if there was a female available it would make sense to just use one of the males instead. The female from Germany could be 0.1 Laya (2024) at Kolner Zoo.
zoogoth
Member
This is a completely different aside, but I've seen it been mentioned on other platforms that Inka is infertile. Do you think this would be more of a companionship thing rather than for breeding purposes?
I thought Napo was infertile. I don't think there's been anything confirmed regarding Inka. Hence my assumption about it being a potential breeding pair.
zoogoth
Member
I knew Napo was infertile, but I've also seen comments on both the Chester Zoo fan group, and the Big Cat Sanctuary page on Facebook about there being "something wrong" with Inka in regards to fertility. Once again though, this is Facebook comments so they might be talking complete nonsense
They were just in the 1 enclosure, young males would have been moved onto other collections when needed and the male would have just been kept inside if separation was needed.
When they first moved to Heart of Africa they were all together, the 2 males were moved over a little time later.
LittleRavenwood
Active Member
Can anyone confirm where in the zoo the pudu are held please?
A small paddock behind the jaguar café.