Keepers had to regularly demolish the piles of mud the beavers built up against the inside of the enclosure walls and which could have resulted in them escaping .
AArghhhh..... I thought this thread would cause more confusion than it did, bongorob is correct. See the attached Chester Zoo plan from 1980. Ordinarily the beavers were kept in enclosure number 32. I took this photo in 1987 when they were moved temporarily into a 'flooded' enclosure number 30 whilst their enclosure was drained and repairs made to the wall. Enclosure 30 was the porcupine enclosure [by 1987 the porcupines had moved into to the camel house]. It was beaver proof, no beaver could negotiate the overhang on the wall BUT I'm not convinced about visitors fingers! As the steps to this enclosure were level with the wall, it was not unusual for children to walk on top of this low enclosure wall (and to fall in).
Enclosure 32 subsequently became the coati exhibit. A very popular centrepiece in the zoo like a roundabout at the intersection of three bridges (the now demolished giraffe bridge, the canal bridge and the bear / elephant bridge) AND the paths north to peccaries / birds of prey, and south to zebras / red lechwe.
For some unknown reason, the exhibit was demolished to make a another picnic lawn!
I'm glad I'm not the only one that remembers the Chrester Zoo map with enclosure numbers, the numbers were on wooden plaques fixed to the exhibit. A far better system than they have now.
"FOR A COMPLETE TOUR OF THE ZOO - Follow Nos. 1-116 from South Entrance or... Nos. 16-116 from North Entrance then return to Nos. 1-14"
Nothing better than a simple clear map at tourist attractions....... The current Chester Zoo map is really awful.... 'Upside down' , not to scale, artists cartoon - like impression with lots of exhibits and pathways omitted! This combined with a dumbing down of fingerpost signage has resulted in confused / lost visitors. Given time the adult version will return I'm firmly convinced.
