Chester Zoo A couple of brainteasers

The members quiz was definitely worth the trip over from Liverpool. Good fun!
We particularly enjoyed the touch table.
 
I concur - and I will definately be looking for the Lion made scratch marks on the sandstone wall of the old stable block when I pop in tomorrow!
 
We stumbled across those when I was looking for the foundation stone erected to celebrate the building of the lion house in the 1930s (slightly prematurely as it turned out).

Eventually found that a couple of weeks back too, it wasn't where I thought it was and had been joined by a second plaque.
 
The scratch marked bricks are on the stable wall that faces on to the current lion enclosure.
There's a gateway about half way down, check out the circular wall to the right of the gate.

as for the plaques, I think they're at the point end of the lion enclosure where the lionesses like to go for their main evening grumble. But now I'm not in the zoo I can't remember.

It's good fun looking for zoo history.
 
I concur - and I will definately be looking for the Lion made scratch marks on the sandstone wall of the old stable block when I pop in tomorrow!

Did you not know they were there before? It was always something that fascinated me as a child :D

[see, children do read zoo signs :p]
 
Spot on! Two individuals are recorded as 67 years old in the zoo's ARKS records (still a few years left in them yet as this species is estimated to live up to 100 years).

Any idea how long they have been at Chester ?
 
Well if you want a brainteaser concerning Chester name the 3 locations in the zoo that you can see parts of old Bear enclosures within the Zoo?

Those of you that are sad enough like me to know the locations please let some of the other's that don't know guess before we tell them!
 
Last edited:
Well if you want a brainteaser concerning Chester name the 3 locations in the zoo that you can see parts of old Bear enclosures within the Zoo?

Those of you that are sad enough like me to know the locations please let some of the other's that don't know guess before we tell them!
Have just realised there are 4 locations in the zoo in which you can see parts of old Bear enclosures not the previous stated 3!

@ Bongorob I'm only old enough to remember Bears in 3 of them!!
 
Some years ago now, I met a chap who had worked in the first bear accommodation and had met one of the bears ambling toward him one day. He assured me that stiff brooms were very useful!

Two of the old enclosures are pretty easy, since quite big chunks remain in use. I have a feeling that I might know where traces of a third might remain, but the fourth has me scratching my head.
 
Some years ago now, I met a chap who had worked in the first bear accommodation and had met one of the bears ambling toward him one day. He assured me that stiff brooms were very useful!

Two of the old enclosures are pretty easy, since quite big chunks remain in use. I have a feeling that I might know where traces of a third might remain, but the fourth has me scratching my head.
Well one of the 4 has changed very little from its days of housing Bears in,it just has a few more tree's in it now!!
 
I'm another 'Grumpy Old Man Man' who remembers Sun bears , Kamchatka Brown Bears with very small cubs , Polar Bears , Asiatic Black Bears plus others , in four locations . I cannot be certain what is left of the last , though I know the location , lots left of the other three enclosures .
 
Yellow mongoose - can clearly see the remains of a pit, was it sun bears kept here?
European Aviary - half of it was the old polar bear enclosure, from certain angles you can see remains of the pb enclosure.
Andean Condors - I know bears were kept here but I can't see any remains of the bear enclosure in the current setup.

And a stab in the dark, the sunken garden by the giant otters. But the clue beside rh has baffled me, rh?
 
I know bears were kept opposite the old sealion pool where the giant otters are now, but can't visualise whats there now.
Polar bears were also kept when the zoo first opened roughly where the Parrot breeding center and Bongo's are now, can't visualise any thing there that would be from that time that would be part of an enclosure from that time though.
 
Well if you want a brainteaser concerning Chester name the 3 locations in the zoo that you can see parts of old Bear enclosures within the Zoo?
There are indeed four locations in the zoo where parts of a bear enclosure still remain (actually five if you count elements of the stable block). :)
 
Back
Top