I wnet three times to the anteater enclosure and did not see anything.
Chester Zoo Chester 2011 #2
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I wnet three times to the anteater enclosure and did not see anything.
Visited the zoo for a few hours today, if nothing more if made me realise how much I enjoy visiting zoos in off-season, if not only for the weather but for the visitor flow (so many pushchairs!). A few nice surprises though, my luck with the Tragopans continues to gradually improve as I got what was probably my best view yet of the Cabot's. Also saw one of the Fody's in the Realm, and a Violet Turaco, which I've found to be equally quite elusive.
The Emperor and Golden-Headed Lion Tamarins were making use of their outdoor enclosure, the first time I've seen any of the Mini Monkeys outside bar the Geoffreys. To my surprise I actually saw the Gentle Lemurs, now of course in the old B&W Ruffed Lemur enclosure. Consiering their size compared to the enclosure and the limited viewing of their indoor area I thought they'd end up being impossible to view.
The Emperor and Golden-Headed Lion Tamarins were making use of their outdoor enclosure, the first time I've seen any of the Mini Monkeys outside bar the Geoffreys. To my surprise I actually saw the Gentle Lemurs, now of course in the old B&W Ruffed Lemur enclosure. Consiering their size compared to the enclosure and the limited viewing of their indoor area I thought they'd end up being impossible to view.
bluetoffeezoo
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The Giant Anteaters where very active today we lucked in as they where being fed and got some really good views I'll leave to my hubby to upload pics, he has already put one on the facebook page
There's been some changes with the Visayan Warty Pigs..
The group by the Bats (mother and four offspring from last year) have now moved to another collection and been replaced in that enclosure by the Cattle house group (1:1 + three offspring from last year) Their side of the Cattle house is now empty and the signs were being removed on Friday 1st July
The group by the Bats (mother and four offspring from last year) have now moved to another collection and been replaced in that enclosure by the Cattle house group (1:1 + three offspring from last year) Their side of the Cattle house is now empty and the signs were being removed on Friday 1st July
lechweoryx
Well-Known Member
I wonder whats going to replace them?
lechweoryx
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ISIS states that Chester now holds an all male group of Ring-tailed Lemurs. 12.0.0.1
I think this must be the group that have gone to Flamingo Land (mother and four piglets).
Jordan-Jaguar97
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Yes that was my first thought Blossom the Warty Pigs are to be included in the new development called Childrens planet?
Yes, I did a keeper thing recently and they were just males, very polite gentle chaps they were, even with grapes & banana on the menu. It was mentioned at one of the walk/talk things that this was the intention.
I can't believe I'm looking at a thread on Chester, but yes, Flamingo Land was getting its Warty Pigs from there (phew, I have not been rude about it!).
lechweoryx
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I'm taking a wild guess here and I would say your not a fan of Chester!
Not these days. I used to be though, but I have very much fallen out of love with the place. I think it is just too big and has lost all of its character. An article I read the other year included the comment "I hope Chester is not getting too self-congratulatory", I think that is its problem. On the same lines a keeper friend of mine said Chester was "too good" - that is it. No character, no atmosphere, just a monument to the trendy zoos of today. I perhaps should say I first visited the zoo in 1969 and that I am a member and have been for twenty years, plus I was also an adopter from 1992 to 2010 so I think I have earned the right to my opinion! I used to have two long weekends a year staying in Chester, but I have not been since 2008 and I have no wish to return. The best parts of my most recent breaks there were the days I jumped on a train to Colwyn Bay and visited, by my criteria, a far superior zoo. The Welsh Mountain/NZW is what I call a proper zoo and the Blue and Yellow Macaws swooping around the hillside with the wonderful scenic backdrop has to be the greatest spectacle in any British zoo. It also doesn't hide its Parrots unlike Chester which demolishes what was an excellent Parrot house in order to build a new version of Colditz and then puts most of its Psittacines off display. Anyway this is supposed to be just about Chester, so what about its awful magazine? A load of gubbins about conservation with hardly anything about the zoo itself. Bring back the "Chester Zoo News" of the 1970s which was nearly all about the zoo. Mind you, of course by and large zoos in those days were real zoos and Chester still had some proper animal houses. That reminds me - the new Elephant House is an absolute abomination, but then as I am a zoo (and everything) traditionalist I like older style Elephant houses. This may seem odd, but as a child I used to love seeing Elephants shackled, especially by their front legs, straining to reach the food of their neighbours (the "new" Elephant House at Flamingo Park was a great place to see this). I expect the "bunny-hugging" populace of the current age would be horrified by that, but to me in my formative years that really said "zoo". Again I've moved off my specific objections to Chester, but I've probably said enough! I can't really criticise Chester for having ludicrous names for its new exhibits as everywhere seems to do it, but I do wish somewhere would make a stand.
I'll just add I don't like Chester's catering either! On holiday I usually get a hot meal at the zoo I'm visiting, but not at Chester. Give me the WMZ's lamb and leek pie and chips, or Paignton's fish and chips any day! Then there's Exmoor's baked potatoes followed by chocolate square and clotted cream, Tropiquaria's sausage and chips.....
Actually these days I prefer visiting smaller and medium sized collections, Paignton being the exception. I've just remembered Chester's "Natural Vision" plans so I'd better go before I explode!!!!
Words fail me, I'll jiust go off & find a bunny to hug!
Too big, no. Lost its character? To a degree - every time another of those sandstone buildings goes I feel something is lost.
That's the weirdest criticism I've ever heard. "Too good"?
You don't need to earn the right to your opinion.
While I sympathise with the off-show parrots (too much is off-show at Chester for my tastes as well) and I have a great deal of affection for Colwyn Bay after living in North Wales for four years, I'm amazed that by any criteria Welsh Mountain could be considered superior. (And I repeat, that's not intended as a criticism of Welsh Mountain!)
Again, I sympathise. Do you still get the magazine? The last couple of years it's been getting much better, with several pages of animal collection news at the start of each issue. We're still waiting for the long overdue return of 'Arrivals, Births and Hatchings' though!
I also love old-style houses - but not old-style husbandry...
I like a zoo to look zoo-y. I really do. I like Small Mammal Houses and Bird Houses and Reptile Houses as much if not more than African forest eco-themed areas. I don't think removing cages is automatically better. I like zoo buildings where the architecture is as impressive as the inhabitants. All that sort of thing. But to say you like to see elephants chained because that's how things used to be is going too far for me!
Once again, I sympathise but these names are mostly for publicity. You could easily call 'RotRA' 'The Orang Utan House' and you'd be neither incorrect nor misunderstood.
Welsh Mountain's catering is horrendous. Sorry. Sub-school canteen. Far worse than Chester's. The real star in the field of zoo food at the moment is Yorkshire WP - a finer pie, chips and beans you will find nowhere in this land, and the sausages and very good as well.
Actually these days I prefer visiting smaller and medium sized collections, Paignton being the exception. I've just remembered Chester's "Natural Vision" plans so I'd better go before I explode!!!!
I've always enjoyed a mix of differently-sized zoos, but when it comes down to it I'd choose a bigger zoo any day. I just enjoy having the huge diversity of animals all in one place. There are many excellent smaller collections (I won't hear a word against Blackbrook, Cotswold WP or Living Coasts, or YWP for that matter) but big zoos will always top my list of favourites, I'm afraid.
karoocheetah
Well-Known Member
Parrotsandrew, it's no secret that we are polar opposites in our opinion of Chester Zoo and after reading your post I have waited long enough for various shades of mist to subside before replying - but in truth both Orange Person & Maguari cover absolutely everything I could wish to say (well everything that's printable for a family audience anyway) indeed words do often fail me with many of your posts but we do live in a democracy and yes you are entitled to your opinion - but then unfortunately so are the BNP & Neo Nazis - both of these organisations desire a return to the 'old ways' in a way I cannot condone or agree with, very much like your statement about being in favour of chaining elephants - why not go the whole hog and bring back Bear Baiting in that case? - for me they are 'good' old days that we are thankfully more enlightened about now and I fervently hope they will never ever return - in fact I would fight tooth and nail to ensure they don't...
It saddens me that an obvious animal lover and zoo enthusist could have these opinions - but like I said we do live in a democracy and your opinions are your own.
It saddens me that an obvious animal lover and zoo enthusist could have these opinions - but like I said we do live in a democracy and your opinions are your own.
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He didn't actually say that he's in favour of it now- he said as a child he enjoyed watching shackled elephants trying to reach the food of their neighbours. I think many of us as children enjoyed sights at zoos which we later realised were outmoded or undesirable practices and conditions.
I suppose to a certain extent we are all guilty when an old zoo building is demolished at our favourite zoo, to resent its demise as we have happy memories of it. I recall in the mid seventies my dislike of the new cat terraces at London as the old lion house had been demolished to make way for it and in more recent times the demolition of the old Southern aviary complete with its attractive willow trees to make way for a komodo dragon house, but time moves on we cannot live in a museum society, as the shopkeepers daughter from Grantham once stated. your comments regarding the chaining of the elephants however I find astonishing, yes most zoos did shackle them up when taken in for the night and they could be seen straining on the chains, but how can anyone regard that as "happy" memories, sad ones yes, but as the last poster stated we are all entitled to our opinion.
I have my memories of old buildings and enclosures at Chester (fair enough, not as many as some). I do miss the old orangutan house, the old Asian Elephant Breeding Centre (with its hornbills to the left, the hanging signs and the display box with various items), and the old rhino house.
I feel a touch upset that they are closed or revamped, but a zoo is an ever-changing, ever evolving thing and, when a new exhibit is built, then a new exhibit is built and I will get more fond memories in that etc. As much as I miss the old orang house, I know that Realm of the Red Ape is an uncountable amount better for the orangs and visitors.
I feel a touch upset that they are closed or revamped, but a zoo is an ever-changing, ever evolving thing and, when a new exhibit is built, then a new exhibit is built and I will get more fond memories in that etc. As much as I miss the old orang house, I know that Realm of the Red Ape is an uncountable amount better for the orangs and visitors.
lechweoryx
Well-Known Member
One complaint I do have about chester is there always seems to be far more people there than in any other zoo that I visit which can be annoying! (not for the zoo though)! I would just love to have the indoor exhibits to myself and I would enjoy them alot more if there were far fewer people. I don't think I have ever been where we haven't had to que to get into RORA. I suppose I have got to think about it as being good for the zoo.
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