Heya, this is my first post so bear with me
. The directions are based on the zoo map.
Entrance and Asian Plains
Elephants of the Asian Forest will remain largely the same, however a seperate grassy paddock would be built on the car-park side in which bull elephants can be kept seperately until they are needed for breeding. Peafowl would be free-roaming and Indian Hornbills would be free-flight (if possible) within the building (so long as they can't get past the elephant barriers). If there was then room I would find a spot to place some Indian Pangolins.
The gates and Traders of the Lost Ark would merge into one large entrance building, as well as the toilets, wheelchair and buggy hire, membership and adopters and guest services. Placed around would be several vivariums for reptiles, including Tuatara. A bridge would cross from the inside of the entrance building to the inside of Elephants of the Asian Forest.
The main paddock for
Asian Plains would remain largely unchanged, with just some minor modifications to the paddock. Onagers and Camels would remain unchanged and Visayan Warty Pigs would share a paddock with Philippine Spotted Deer (if possible). Przewalski's Wild Horse would return to the collection, though I cannot think whereabouts in Asian Plains I could put them (ideas welcome). The Cheetahs will move to the Tsavo area and their old enclousure will become the new home to the Asiatic Lions. Condor cliffs extends onto the Andes Garden and becomes home to a pair of snow leopards. Butterfly journey and Fruit Bat Forest remain for conveniance.
Tsavo Area
The
Warthog and Mongoose exhbit extends to the wall of Tsavo cafe, which has large panels of reinforced glass looking out onto the enclosure. It would seem to a customer that they are dining on mere decking in the open savannah. The old rhino house would not re-open, and would instead remain as off-show quaters for the animals.
The
Tsavo building would remain, as would all of the paddocks for the black rhinos. However, it is possible that I would swap one paddock (possibly the off-show one that neighbours the warthogs) from Black to White Rhinoceros, with various displays highlighting the differences between the two species (this would be purly educational, and may only hold males too young or old to breed. The Meerkats would remain the same and an aardvark enclosure would be built nearby, housing self-sustaining termite mounds to encourage natural digging.
The
Tsavo Bird Aviary would remain exactly the same, however I might have the oppurtunity for visitors to buy food (maybe grains and seeds) so that they can be fed at certain times in the day. The cranes to the right of the Tsavo Bird Safari would leave the collection and make way for a pair of secretary birds, whilst the pelicans and waterfowl would move to a different area to make way for a state-of-the-art exhibit for common hippos (if they would fit). If they would not fit, the aviary would be altered for White-Backed Vultures.
The African village and Painted Dogs would remain the same, with the new temporary porcupine exhibit becomming permenant if feasable. There would also be an indoor picnic area here and ramps onto elevated walkways that would take th visitor all around the Tsavo area of the zoo.
The land above the Scimitar-Horned Oryx would be now used as far as possible to create a large selection of hoofstock paddocks. After being complete, animals in this area would include (existing) Scimitar-Horned Oryx, Grevy's Zebra, Rothschild Giraffes, Ostrich, Sitatunga, Gemsbok and Red Lechwe. (New additions) Gerenuk, Thomson's Gazelle, Sable Antelope and Addax.
This new land would also have three spacious enclosures, one for the existing Cheetahs to move into, one for Caracals and the other for the servals to move in to.
If room was left over on the new building land, I would construct an egyptian themed building with Fennec Foxes, Sand Cats, Scorpions and an aviary for Egyptian Vultures.
Heart of Africa
The Heart of Africa Biodome would go ahead with very few changes. It would be situated on disused land opposite the current giraffes and Tropical Realm. It would house Western Lowland Gorillas, Okapi, Chimpanzees, Red River Hogs, Mandrills, Pygmy Hippos, Bongo, Forest Buffalo, Duiker and others mentioned in plans. It would also have enclosures for Drill and Bonobo and a large central 'lake' for African Manatees.
Brazilian Rainforest
Spirit of the Jaguar and the surrounding area will see various changes, though they will not make the area unrecognisable. Now, it will become an 'Amazon Safari.' The Jaguars on the waterfall side would leave the collection and the Jaguars from the savannah side would take their place. The Tapir and Capybara would move to the outdoor enclosure on the savannah side, which would benefit from more naturalistic fencing. The indoor enclosure would disappear and become a free-roaming area for Sloths, Marmosets, Tamarins, Squirrel Monkeys, Silky Anteaters and a variety of birds. A path would weave through this area and several large vivariums would line the walls for Anaconda, Emerald Tree Boas, Coral Snakes, Green Iguanas and Dart Frogs. In a manner of speaking, it would be like a cross between the Tropical houses at Twycross and Blackpool. The waterfall side would remain unchanged, with the Jaguars indoor and outdoor areas and the colony of Leaf-Cutter Ants.
The
Jaguar Coffee House will take over the Arara Cafe and Picnic Lawn.
The
Arara Lawn will extend onto the cafe/gift shop and become an enclosure for either Margay or Ocelots. The cafe will then become the inside quaters for whichever species is chosen/obtained.
The Sand Lizards and Mallorcan Midwife Toads would be moved off-show, the Buffy-Headed Capuchin would move into an extended Monkey Islands and new aviaries would be built for Hyacinth Macaws, Scarlett Macaws, Blue-and-Yellow Macaws, Toco Toucans and, if possible to obtain, Spix's Macaws. These Aviaries (with near-invisible netting rather than bars) would surround a new picnic lawn in a horseshoe shape. It would seem as if the lawn is a clearing in the rainforest itself.
Realm of the Red Ape
The
Realm of the Red Ape would remain largely the same, only a few additions may be brought in. The Lar Gibbons would be replaced by Siamangs. If possible, land would be purchased to the west (going by map) of Realm of the Red Ape and would be given to Clouded Leopards, Malayan Sun Bears and Malayan Tapirs. Lowland Anoa would also move to this area, along with Sulawesi Crested Macaque, Lion-Tailed Macaque, Sumatran Tigers and a new Islands in Danger (if there is enough room, which I doubt).
I would also fund in-situ conservation programmes for Javan and Sumatran Rhinoceros, plus other Indonesian Wildlife. With this, I would aim to create a 'link' between the visitors to the zoo and the animals themselves. This would be exhibited in the current aquarium, and would feature photographs and videos of rhinos, information boards about threats, conservation as well as live webcams trained on areas that the rhinos are most often seen. There would also be interactive displays and slideshows to highlight their plight in the wild.
NEW: Aquatics and Tundra Zone
This would be a new area constructed from what is freed up space in the old 'Forest Zone.'
The old
Chimpanzee Island would be renovated to house a pair of Polar Bears, with an on-show indoor area within the old Tropical Realm and off-show pens where the Chimps off-show pens are now (behind Red River Hogs). The indoor area for them would create a typical 'arctic ice-cap,' whilst the outdoor island would be a chilled-when-needed tundra environment, planted with lichens and other mosses and rocks. The indoor roundhouse would be converted into a viewing area with interactive displays that talk about global warming and other threats to Polar Bears.
Arctic Foxes would take the old Red River Hog enclosure, which would be renovated to accomodate their needs.
The old
Tropical Realm would be renovated to become the new Aquarium, complete with shark tunnel. It would house various typical aquarium species, as well as sea otters and an indoor area for polar bears. The Sea Otters would have access to a renovated version of the old Buffy-Headed Capuchin island.
The old
Giraffe and Okapi house and paddocks would be knocked down and in their place would be built a 'pinniped house,' with a large area for Walrus where the Giraffe once were and Californian Sea Lions where the Okapi were.
Rockhopper Penguins would take a renovated exhibit made from merging the
old quarantine area with the Pudu exhibit.
The old
Cattle House would be renovated for Musk Oxen and Caribou.
The old
Europe on the Edge Aviary would become the new Pelicans and Waterfowl aviary.
The
Ring-Tailed Lemurs would move to the old Lowland Anoa Island creating a series of three Lemur Islands in a row. Taking their place would be a mixed exhibit for King Penguins and Gentoo Penguins.
The
Flamingo Lake, Humboldt Penguins and Giant Otters would remain the same.
Cloud Forest
The
Bears of the Cloud Forest will remain exactly the same, with Spectacled Bears sharing their exhibit with Ring-Tailed Coatis.
Mountain Tapir will take the place of the old
Brazilian Tapir paddock
A new Condor Cliffs would be built on disused land behind the Spectacled Bears, and an on-show indoor area for the spectacled bears would be built. Also built on this new land would be a Maned Wolf enclosure.
Vicuna, Rheas and Giant Anteater would remain the same.
NEW: Australian Adventure
The new Australian Adventure would be built on land that has been freed up by moving the lions, tigers and Islands in danger. The Cassowary would move into the old Tiger enclosure whilst the Kangaroos would move into the old Lion enclousre, which they would share with Emus.
An extended
Islands in Danger houses a variety of Australian reptiles, birds and small mammals, including Koalas, Platypus, Echidnas, Wombats, Goannas, Kiwis, Kookaburras, Frilled Lizards, Thorny Devils and Bearded Dragons.
NEW: Oriental Gardens and Pedestrian Entrance
The Pedestrian Entrance will be transformed into a beautiful and tranquil oriental garden, with traditional Japanese and Chinese statues and fountains. This area will cover several enclosures left empty by Kangaroos, Servals and Cassowary.
A 'Panda House' would be built, with the Red Pandas taking one side in the enclosure that they currently occupy and a new exhibit for Giant Pandas taking the other side. This 'Panda House' will be built on the site of the old otter enclosure, the old Bongo paddock and the old crane paddock. The Japanese Cranes would move into the old Cassowary paddock, whilst Japanese Macaques would take the old serval enclosure. Bush Dogs would go temperarily off-show and their exhibit would be renovated for Golden Snub-Nosed Monkeys. The old Kangaroo enclosure would be joined to the Yellow Mongoose enclosure and extended backwards onto disused land (again, if possible), making one large exhibit for Asiatic Black Bears.
NEW: EUROPE ON THE EDGE
A new Europe on the Edge Aviary would be built around where the Grow-Zone and Owls are, whilst a pair of European Brown Bears, a pair of Scottish Wild Cats and a colony of European Beavers would have exhibits built on disused land to the left of the old Bongo enclosure.
Other Animal Exhibits
Monkey Island would get extended into the old miniature monkeys and conservation golf, and would introduce new species such as Geladas and Howler Monkeys.
Fruit Bat Forest would become Twilight Zone once again and would house a breeding pair of Aye-Aye. Also, viewing panels would be installed so that visitors could see into the bat area without getting worried about the free-flight aspect.
Other Buildings
The Ark Resteraunt and Childrens Fun Ark would remain, with Mongoose Mania remaining where it is. The Joseph Banks room would hold temporary displays, whilst certain parts of Oakfield Manor become a 'Chester Zoo Museum.'
Wow, a long list and a very unfeasible one at that. Lets hope they have a lot of surrounding 'disused land.'
Please let me know what you all think (I know many things aren't in Chester's plans, but this is our own views, right
. And also, if there is anything I've missed.
Regards
