Although a handful of species have left recently (Gemsbok, Vicuna), Chester's ungulate line-up is, I think, the strongest part of the mammal collection - the line-up is almost deceptively diverse, and contains a nice smattering of rarities:
Eastern Black Rhino
Indian Rhino
Grevy's Zebra
Onager
Brazilian Tapir
Malayan Tapir
Sulawesi Babirusa
Common Warthog
Red River Hog
Negros Warty Pig
Domestic Bactrian Camel
Balabac Chevrotain
Chilean Pudu
Burmese Brow-antlered Deer
Philippine Spotted Deer
Rothschild's Giraffe
Okapi
Roan Antelope
Scimitar-horned Oryx
Southern Lesser Kudu
Eastern Bongo
Western Sitatunga
Blackbuck
Kirk's Dik-Dik
Natal Red Duiker
Javan Banteng
Congo Buffalo
Lowland Anoa
Plus three Afrotheria (Asian Elephant, Aardvark, South African Rock Hyrax - P. c. capensis).
If I'm being greedy - some hippos or caprines would be very welcome, though!
That is a fairly solid collection Maguari, 28 diverse species is most impressive. Does anywhere else in the UK come close? Marwell maybe? I wouldn't think the safari parks would have quite that number.
I had thought the Islands development was taking over a number of the ungulate paddocks, but this doesn't appear to have affected those species much (just Gemsbok). Why did the Vicuna leave?
That is a fairly solid collection Maguari, 28 diverse species is most impressive. Does anywhere else in the UK come close? Marwell maybe? I wouldn't think the safari parks would have quite that number.
I had thought the Islands development was taking over a number of the ungulate paddocks, but this doesn't appear to have affected those species much (just Gemsbok). Why did the Vicuna leave?
They haven't used it because the ground was too wet to let them out!As a result the zoo kept them on the hard standing to prevent the paddock becoming a mud bath!!
They haven't used it because the ground was too wet to let them out!As a result the zoo kept them on the hard standing to prevent the paddock becoming a mud bath!!
