Former Seal Pool London Zoo 1990.

Then housing Cormorants and a wild Grey Heron.
(Can`t remember if they were the Chinese Cormorants which were the thing to have at one stage or not?)

Just checked they were Common Cormorants!

Thanks Kiang. Someone can`t read - SEAL not sealion!!

The enclosure ended its days holding South American Fur Seals. It had once held Chi Chi, the Giant Panda, before going on to hold Grey Seals.

Interestingly, before being converted into a seal pond this exhibit briefly held the famous giant panda 'Chi-Chi'..........

In the context of the modern zoo, where was this?

Within the area covered by the present Llama paddock. Nearby was a pit which held Yellow Mongoose, and before the tree it contained blew down, Red Pandas. A small pool nearby held young penguins and had I think originally been installed for Baikal Seals.

Tim May said:

Interestingly, before being converted into a seal pond this exhibit briefly held the famous giant panda 'Chi-Chi'..........

Click to expand...

What was it like when there was a panda in it? Was he on the island in the middle of the pool?

DavidBrown said:

What was it like when there was a panda in it? Was he on the island in the middle of the pool?

Click to expand...

No, when it was used as a panda enclosure it was just a pit; there was no pool there in those days.

(Incidentally, the giant panda 'chi-chi' was a female.)

Tim May said:

Incidentally, the giant panda 'chi-chi' was a female.

Click to expand...

And quite a saga that was too... "Chi Chi" means, as I understand it, (very politely!) young lady who's willing....

She came to London in 1958 described as a female. Notwithstanding this, it was decided quite early on that she was a he. But doubts remained, and by 1964 the London guidebook had given up any attempt at ascribing gender to the ZSL's most precious animal.

At that time, anaesthesia was needed as the animal had scratched its eye on a bamboo stalk. The opportunity to carry out a detailed examination was taken, proving that "Chi Chi" was indeed a female. And so began the ill fated saga of trying to get her to breed with Moscow Zoo's male "An An".

Never saw Chi Chi in here but I remember Baikal and then other Seals in it. It was just behind the Lion House. I seem to remember there were central doors (?) in the Lion House and if you came out there, you would be about here.