Chester Zoo 1930s walk through aviary

[bongorob]

Chester Zoo claim that the Tsavo aviary which opened in 2009 is the first outside walk through aviary the zoo has had. This may not be the case. I was just looking through some old magazines and Our Zoo News issue 10, August 1938, has a written guide to the zoo of the time.

On page 3 mention is made of two aviaries between two herbaceous borders, including a large aviary 'visitors are permitted to walk into it amongst the birds which are very varied.' This exhibit also housed parrots in smaller aviaries. inside the larger structure.

The other aviary was home to a collection of west African doves.

 

[Maguari]

Interesting. Is there anything to suggest whereabouts this was? Not too far from the Oakfield, presumably, given the date.

 

[bongorob]

I couldn't work out the location from the text, so I looked at the map in Reared in Chester Zoo by Janice Madden.

There is a 1931 plan of the zoo and exhibit number 24 is listed as 'walk-through aviary'.

The aviary stood on the site now ocupied by the Jubilee Square monorail station, immediately in front of the entrance to the current toilet block.

Until today I did not know of this aviary's existance.

To the left (west) of the aviary were the two herbaceous borders divided by a pathway and adjoining the other border was the pheasant aviary. West of that was a third aviary, divided into three exhibits, pelican, turaco and 'bird aviary'. North of this aviary were the enclosures for penguins and tapirs, the entrance to the courtyard and the conservatory housing reptiles and tropical fish.

That was how Jubilee square was in 1931.

 

[Maguari]

I've got this book and have studied the map but never spotted that! Good call.

 

[bongorob]

Me neither until tonight.