Chester Zoo Chester Zoo Timeline

[gentle lemur]

It does look like a dog in the moat, but I don't think dogs have ever been allowed into the zoo. The other possibility is some of sort of waterfowl.
The round roof is shelter for shade - the islands would be in full sun without any trees, so the only other shade would have been the indoor quarters and their entrances. Within a couple of years they added a couple of dead trees and a metal climbing structure. Note that there are no hot wires (although they were added eventually).
My point about the hyancthines was tongue in cheek, but they are very difficult to see - naturally I am delighted that they are rearing a chick.

Alan

 

[Bele]

Old Chimpanzee indoor housing

What has happened to the old indoor chimp enclosures between Tropical Realm and the outdoor chimp islands ? I remember the viewing corridor , the steps leading to which can clearly be seen on the old photo . This was closed long before the chimps moved to their new house .

Chimps could sometimes be heard in Tropical Realm as their night cages were immediately behind the lower aviary range . You could also see through windows by the upper Congo peafowl aviary into the old chimp enclosures .

 

[zoogiraffe]

What has happened to the old indoor chimp enclosures between Tropical Realm and the outdoor chimp islands ? I remember the viewing corridor , the steps leading to which can clearly be seen on the old photo . This was closed long before the chimps moved to their new house .

Chimps could sometimes be heard in Tropical Realm as their night cages were immediately behind the lower aviary range . You could also see through windows by the upper Congo peafowl aviary into the old chimp enclosures .

Its all still there its just used as a store/dumping ground for all kinds of building material and other rubbish.

 

[Pertinax]

It does look like a dog in the moat, but I don't think dogs have ever been allowed into the zoo. The other possibility is some of sort of waterfowl.
Alan

The people in the photo don't seem interested in it, whatever it is. If it was a rock the chimps could have used it as a stepping stone to escape and obviously never did.

It is really strange to go in a zoo where dogs are allowed in. I've seen it at Arnhem in the Netherlands and at one place in UK too- I think it is Cotswold. It seems a risky practise to me, as dogs could be vectors of diseases from outside.

 

[CZJimmy]

Just thought i'd bump this thread with an update for 2009 and a correction for 2008

2009:
- Butterfly House
- African Aviary
- Babirusa/Otter Enclosure
- Coati island demolished
- tiger indoor area refurbished (and viewing window)
- children's zoo refurbished for small mammals (mongoose, meerkat, porcupine)

2008:
- Cheetah enclosure
- bat bridge
- Philippine Croc pool in the tropical realm
- Lechwe paddock converted for black rhinos

Whilst I was bored today, I was thinking how much Chester has developed in recent years. So I quickly knocked up a timeline which shows the animal-related developments (not including species simply swapping enclosures e.g lechwe) as far back as I can remember.

Note: Some dates may be wrong and I may have left some stuff out, so please fill in the gaps!

2008:
- Butterfly House
- Cheetah Enclosure
- Bridge (Anoa viewing)
- African Aviary and Ground Hornbill aviary
- Philippine Crocodile pool

2007:
- Realm of the Red Ape
- Indian Rhinos (redevelopment of Asian Plains)
- Flamingo House
- Renovation of Owl aviaries

2006:
- Elephants of the Asian Forest (development of elephant quarters)
- Secret World of the Okapi (renovation of camel house)
- Asian Steppe (Onager and Camel)
- Warthog/Mongoose enclosure
- Tiger Viewing window

2005:
- Rare Parrot Breeding Centre
- Improvement of Bush Dog enclosure
- Improvement of tanks and aviaries in Tropical Realm

2004:
- Miniature Monkeys
- Spectacled Bear enclosure (development of cloud forest area)
- Mythical Macaws (and surrounding aviaries)

2003:
- Tsavo (Black Rhino redevelopment, including meerkats)
- Dragons in Danger (indoor and outdoor extension to Islands in Danger for Komodo Dragons)

2002:
- Red Panda enclosure
- Marmot Mania
- Red River Hog enclosure #1 (sandy area in current asian steppe, essentially a temporary enclosure)
- Red River Hog enclosure #2 (current location, hogs moved here later the same year)
- Buffy Headed Capuchin Island
- Tapir and Capybara enclosure

2001:
- Spirit of the Jaguar
- Hyacinth Macaw aviary
- Sealion Beach (renovation of sealion pool)

2000:
- Islands in Danger
- Chimpanzee Forest (improvements to the island)

1999:
- Asian Elephant Bull Quarters
- Elephant herd paddock extension

1998:
- Twilight zone
- Renovated Penguin Pool

1997:
- Monkey Islands

1996:
- Sand Lizard vivarium

 

[bongorob]

Don't forget the Asian aviary where the kestrels used to be. I actually saw a bird in there last week, couldn't tell what it was though, it was in and out of a shrub in a flash. I think it was one of the laughing thrushes.