10 Changes your local zoo is crying out for...
- Thread starter johnstoni
- Start date
They are the two enclousures between the sealions/squirel monkeys and penguin (old sealion) pool. (Opposite the main road).
One currently houses Capuchins and the other a male leopard (not sure if he has been moved into the new enclosure yet).
They used to house Syrian and Himalayan bears up until the late 90's
My 10 suggestions for Chester - in approximate order of cost.
None of these are earth-shattering, but they are things that get on my nerves a bit (could you tell?
). Do our other Chester regulars agree?
Alan
- Give more scatter feeds to the monkeys on their islands to encourage them to get out more.
- Spray or hose the interior of the elephant house much more frequently: it's so dusty in there! Any resemblance to a tropical forest vanishes as soon as you see the film of dust that covers everything. Pay particular attention to the front of the aquarium which is always filthy.
- Suck or blow away the dead leaves on top of the mesh of the red bird of paradise aviary in Islands in Danger - let the sun shine in
. - Fill in the puddle in front of the midwife toad's house, so people can get close enough to the glass to see something inside - and provide an awning to cut out some of the reflections so they can see the tadpoles (if not the toads).
- Plant some more evergreens in the Tsavo aviary. It looks too bare at the moment.
- Render and paint the interior wall of the desert side of the jaguar house. At the moment the background looks just like buff painted breeze blocks, which looks nothing like a desert.
- Do something about the ceiling inside the round Tsavo house. It is much too dark in there, but you can make out that ceiling appears to be made of second-hand pond liners held together with extra strong cobwebs.
- Block off the paths between the lion and tiger enclosures and the walls of the old works yard. I'm sure it would make the cats feel much more secure. Ideally extend the enclosures up to those walls.
- Improve the drainage of the Asian plains (not a new suggestion).
- After so many old aviaries have gone, why does the most unsightly building in the zoo remain? I hated it 50 years ago, and I still hate it! I refer to the 'Nissen hut' aviary by the Waterbus booth (near the lions). It has held many species over the years, none of which have been shown to advantage: currently the inmates are occipital blue pies & monals. It's a splendid site, either build a super extension for the bush dogs or a really smart aviary - perhaps for the Derbyan parakeets, which don't show well next to the elephants at the moment.
None of these are earth-shattering, but they are things that get on my nerves a bit (could you tell?
). Do our other Chester regulars agree?Alan
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Susan Humphreys
Well-Known Member
Hi Gentle Lemur! Definitely agree with the scatter feeds for Monkey Island as I can't recall ever seeing the outside enclosures being used!
I'd also like to see improvements to the Ark restaurant especially the food!
I really like the information up about Chester Zoos history and would like to see a more permanent home for that with more photos.
As for bigger more expensive things I'd like to see a nocturnal house (aye ayes would be amazing!) and some way of seeing the lemurs better (not the ring tailed that island has great viewing) Chester is also ununusual in not having a lemur walk-through I like them but hate when people try to touch or worse still feed them goodness knows what!)
I also like the signage about the discovery of the okapis especially the Scotsman piece more of that type of display would be good too.
I'd also like to see improvements to the Ark restaurant especially the food!
I really like the information up about Chester Zoos history and would like to see a more permanent home for that with more photos.
As for bigger more expensive things I'd like to see a nocturnal house (aye ayes would be amazing!) and some way of seeing the lemurs better (not the ring tailed that island has great viewing) Chester is also ununusual in not having a lemur walk-through I like them but hate when people try to touch or worse still feed them goodness knows what!)
I also like the signage about the discovery of the okapis especially the Scotsman piece more of that type of display would be good too.
Susan Humphreys
Well-Known Member
Usual cafeteria fare, jacket spuds, soup, sandwiches, fast food section, fish and chips, cakes. I've had much better similar in UK zoos including Blackpool, Dudley, Cotswolds, West Midlands, Edinburgh, Chester seems to have gone downhill 
Only used Tsavo restaurant at Chester for hot drinks as for me it's in the wrong place at lunchtime.
Best food in zoos at Leipzig in the Savannah restaurant, Burger's Zoo (Arnhem) and Jersey, different class altogether, delicious fresh foods and great choice.
Only used Tsavo restaurant at Chester for hot drinks as for me it's in the wrong place at lunchtime.Best food in zoos at Leipzig in the Savannah restaurant, Burger's Zoo (Arnhem) and Jersey, different class altogether, delicious fresh foods and great choice.
Alan..you should send that list to the Zoo! I can't really comment on my local Zoo at present as my last visit was some years ago, but I'm hoping to go and visit when the weather gets better. I do remember the new ugly building for the lions. It does not blend in with the landscape AT ALL.
Little Lion Man
Well-Known Member
I have been visiting London zoo the most recently so here are my idea's.
1. Give some of the tired looking buildings a lick of paint. The Cat Terraces are looking a lot better for a paint and the outside of the reptile house and Aquarium. (Also the inside of the reptile house has had a paint job and looks a million times better for it.)
2. Plant some taller grasses in Gorilla Kingdom to provide a area when the gorilla's can hide.
3. Provide scatter feeds morning and afternoon for the Giant Anteaters it would be nice to see them out in their enclosure.
4. Provide something to bring people to the North canal bank it is quiet a large area if used properly.
5. Loose the Meerkats by the Clore. Replace them with the Skunk that is inside the Casson.
6. Swap the Tapir and Pygmy Hippo's around the current Pygmy Hippo enclosure does not provide good viewing for the public.
7. Allow the Colobus monkeys access to Gorilla Kingdom again and make it escape proof this time.
8. Create a map that actually show's the zoo in more detail the current hand out provided is quiet frankly rubbish.
9. Re-vamp the Serval enclosure the inside is starting to look a mess.
10. Use the ZSL website more. They should really look at Colchester zoo and the up to date information they supply and maybe have a blog, Dartmoor has a brilliant blog and they are a tiny organization in comparison.
1. Give some of the tired looking buildings a lick of paint. The Cat Terraces are looking a lot better for a paint and the outside of the reptile house and Aquarium. (Also the inside of the reptile house has had a paint job and looks a million times better for it.)
2. Plant some taller grasses in Gorilla Kingdom to provide a area when the gorilla's can hide.
3. Provide scatter feeds morning and afternoon for the Giant Anteaters it would be nice to see them out in their enclosure.
4. Provide something to bring people to the North canal bank it is quiet a large area if used properly.
5. Loose the Meerkats by the Clore. Replace them with the Skunk that is inside the Casson.
6. Swap the Tapir and Pygmy Hippo's around the current Pygmy Hippo enclosure does not provide good viewing for the public.
7. Allow the Colobus monkeys access to Gorilla Kingdom again and make it escape proof this time.
8. Create a map that actually show's the zoo in more detail the current hand out provided is quiet frankly rubbish.
9. Re-vamp the Serval enclosure the inside is starting to look a mess.
10. Use the ZSL website more. They should really look at Colchester zoo and the up to date information they supply and maybe have a blog, Dartmoor has a brilliant blog and they are a tiny organization in comparison.
GillP
Well-Known Member
Bugs said:
That'd be my number one ..... I don't think the indoor chimp area is too bad for a family of 8 but the outside is pretty small and dismal and its climbing structures are so disproportionately low when you compare what much smaller primates have to climb on at Colchester (eg. mangabeys, mandrills) ..... can't help but compare to the structures at Chester but that's probably wishful thinking. Perhaps they could flatten the revolting fast food chicken place right next door to Chimpworld whose smell of oil is so nauseating and somehow utilise that area ? Maybe while they're at it, the whole pirate play area could go too ? I always feel that you come through the main entrance of Colchester into an area of 'nothingness' with a bit of grotty lawn, a blooming kids play area right in front of you, the fast food caff and various assorted odds and ends like the info hut. It'd have far more impact to have a major exhibit close at hand.
I'd also like to see proper pedestrian access to BOTH elephant paddocks ...... such a terrible disappointment that the male can't be viewed properly.
Lol, yes the smell of the chicken resturant is not the nicest, but I guess it brings the zoo a lot of money. Using that space would be the easiest way to expand the current chimp enclosure instead of building a completely new one. I think the current chimp building to a visitor looks really bad/old fashioned, always seems to be leaking and is in need of repainting. Not to mention the 'out door' area is poor compared to the zoos other primate enclosures.
Especially with the revelpoment of the beginning zone (eg new tropical house, small mammals, leopards) chimp world is going to look out of place.
the existing chimp enclosure is looking rather tired and old fashioned and the piped music/chimp hoots the last time i went drove me mad!
Maybe an island on the lake would be a possibility in the future, always feel that the zoo does not particularly maximise the lakes potential.
Maybe an island on the lake would be a possibility in the future, always feel that the zoo does not particularly maximise the lakes potential.
I hope that posting it here is a good way of doing that
I'm sure the people at Chester can take a little constructive criticism in the right way (and I did try to be constructive, honest).
Alan
Much like you and Howlett's, I got a good feel of Bristol upon entering and the Langur and Flamingo enclosures make a good early impression.
That plan for the chimpanzees sounds good Gill.
I actually think the worst and most dated area for Colchester for some time has been the seal pool.
A small miserable pool with reasonable rocky surface. I've been sad that they've never attempted to give the elderly pair a good enclosure and have spent years in a very outdated 1....
I think I heard that they were going to move them to the old sealion pool refurbishing that for them but they didn't.
As for the chimp area that to me has aged very quickly in recent years. Maybe I've just been more aware of better facilities. A chimp exhibit as good as their mandrill exhibit would be fantastic.
I don't wheather I'm the only 1 who thinks that about the seal pool I was surprised thats never been mentioned. Its frushrating when they have a first class seallion pool!
Looking foward still to the new tropical house that should really lively up the entrance.
I actually think the worst and most dated area for Colchester for some time has been the seal pool.
A small miserable pool with reasonable rocky surface. I've been sad that they've never attempted to give the elderly pair a good enclosure and have spent years in a very outdated 1....
I think I heard that they were going to move them to the old sealion pool refurbishing that for them but they didn't.
As for the chimp area that to me has aged very quickly in recent years. Maybe I've just been more aware of better facilities. A chimp exhibit as good as their mandrill exhibit would be fantastic.
I don't wheather I'm the only 1 who thinks that about the seal pool I was surprised thats never been mentioned. Its frushrating when they have a first class seallion pool!
Looking foward still to the new tropical house that should really lively up the entrance.
ZooLeopard
Well-Known Member
I actually think the worst and most dated area for Colchester for some time has been the seal pool.
A small miserable pool with reasonable rocky surface. I've been sad that they've never attempted to give the elderly pair a good enclosure and have spent years in a very outdated 1....
The zoo have no plan to change this.
Several people have commented that the Chimpanzee indoor areas are okay, but the 'outside' isn't and I'd tend to agree with that. Also that the Entrance to Colchester Zoo is a 'nothing' area with no animals to see, which is equally true. Maybe they could do something with regard to the Chimps in that area?
I also agree the Lakes area is not used to its full potential. However I think to move the chimps there would be hugely expensive for them with complete new buildings etc. But I would like to see the lakes free of the rather stagnant water and generally made better use of and with better public access.
GillP
Well-Known Member
Goretex said:
That did actually cross my mind to mention but forgot to when I got caught up ranting about the chimps ! I agree it's a sad little area and in fact, this was the last exhibit I discovered at Colchester after making several previous visits, as it's so tucked away.
I confess I don't know where the 'old' sealion pool is !