Ah yes it is lots of room for the gorillas who are moving from the old site of Bristol Zoo Gardens
Chessington Zoo Chessington World of Adventures 2025
- Thread starter tennisfan
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It seems awfully small for two troops of gorillas and a group of mangabeys.
They constantly repeat that it is four and a half times the area they have at present. I can't quite see that, although the inside area is probably more extensive than the current one. As to 'two groups' I assume that the intention is probably only to have the facility to divide the area if they need to keep a couple seperate e.g. the two current younger males, as they get older. Rather than having two similar-sized groups. The Mangabeys should share the space with only seperate smaller indoor quarters- I imagine it will be a trio to start with.
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Gentlemen and Ladies, can we please stay on topic. We are drifting far and wide away from the Chessington Zoo thread here now ..., with valid observations and speculation over gorilla facilities elsewhere in the UK.
I would love to hear what you all think of what a future zoo at Chessington World of ... (whatever) may look like. Starting point is the current plan I attach to my query here!
SOURCE: https://www.chessington.com/media/otwp1ke1/chessington-world-of-adventures-resort-2025-park-map.pdf
If I interpret all of your comments correctly than what will be left of the zoo part is the NE part of Chessington World of Adventures Resort ..., correct? Gone will be the Gorilla Forest and the Tiger area below a fair ride thingy. A rather vague announcement on something big to the south of the current Tiger habitat as "coming in 2027".
It will be sure as interesting what will happen with all the wild animal exhibits in the fair ride cum fun attractions part of WAR ... If the present owners seriously want to out all these then left right and center will be all sorts of animals leaving and well what about how, where and when??? Honestly, it seems a really big thing!
I would love to hear what you all think of what a future zoo at Chessington World of ... (whatever) may look like. Starting point is the current plan I attach to my query here!
SOURCE: https://www.chessington.com/media/otwp1ke1/chessington-world-of-adventures-resort-2025-park-map.pdf
If I interpret all of your comments correctly than what will be left of the zoo part is the NE part of Chessington World of Adventures Resort ..., correct? Gone will be the Gorilla Forest and the Tiger area below a fair ride thingy. A rather vague announcement on something big to the south of the current Tiger habitat as "coming in 2027".
It will be sure as interesting what will happen with all the wild animal exhibits in the fair ride cum fun attractions part of WAR ... If the present owners seriously want to out all these then left right and center will be all sorts of animals leaving and well what about how, where and when??? Honestly, it seems a really big thing!
The ‘Something coming 2027’ is their Minecraft themed area.
My assumption is everything to be centralised in the top half of the map (yes its the Northern part) where it is more open. I.e. nothing animal-wise left close to the rides eventually. Either they will rebuild for those animals or move them out. Not sure what would happen to the Sealions. The cat area and the gorilla cage seem pretty certain to be no more though.
Yes exactly this, although I do believe there are no plans to move the sealions out.
Merlin's strategy currently seems to work with leading IP (intellectual property) owners to bring their brands to life in location-based entertainment settings. So this results in no animals in those settings rather just the characters and themes being promoted. So looks like Paw Patrol in 2026 and Minecraft in 2027 have their areas opening.
Unclear yet as to what they intend to do with the area freed with the tiger gone , nor what the current plans are for the trail of the Kings now that the Lions have departed.
Retaining Gorillas and SeaLions would require further investment over time particularly with the new zoo standards so how long these remain will depend on the options for relocation to other sites or the willingness to spend on necessary expansion/replacement at Chessington
Unclear yet as to what they intend to do with the area freed with the tiger gone , nor what the current plans are for the trail of the Kings now that the Lions have departed.
Retaining Gorillas and SeaLions would require further investment over time particularly with the new zoo standards so how long these remain will depend on the options for relocation to other sites or the willingness to spend on necessary expansion/replacement at Chessington
I see your argument and agree this is probably how Merlin perceives an amusement park.
Personally, I don't buy that kind of crap flap trap marketing jargon to talk about profit maximalisation and return on investment. Seen too much around me where this whole strategem and adagio goes terribly wrong.
Anyways, I would love to see their financial figures for the park, investment, profit margins and how / where the animal attractions fitted in and cost benefit analysis of both. I think they look too much at the PLUS side than the ABSTRACT one.
How an attraction and amusement park can operate favorably is how Flamingoland has managed to have both amusement park with a large animal park and running perfectly in tune!
Last but not least, I was not inclined to visit Chessington before and even less so now.
Would be quite a leap for Yorkshire to take on a family group of gorillas. They have a few primates (gelada, cotton-tops, roloway, red howler, lemurs) but no apes, and being a predominantly carnivore and hoofstock collection I would be surprised if many of their current staff had gorilla experience. Typically new holders are given bachelors first. If they are to build this proposed gorilla facility I could more likely see them taking a UK bachelor group like Longleat’s, and then Chessington’s troop heading there.
Strathmorezoo
Well-Known Member
I
If Chessington and I think its a big if,were to send the Gorillas to YWP would the current Gorilla keepers move with them, like the lion/tiger keeper moved to Jimmy's Farm ?
Think this is what will happen.
The usual procedure in that case is to advertise for experienced staff- unless someone moves with the group. I think the scenario of Chessington-Longleat- YWP is a realistic possibility, unless Longleat were to build more accomodation for a second group.
Isn't YWP a very open to the weather zoo?
Much as Longleat is.
Much as Longleat is.
Longleat isn't really exposed. Its mature parkland in a valley and surrounded by well wooded hills, so quite sheltered really. I presume Yorkshire is much more 'open.'
The water does make Longleat quite cold though.
True. Anywhere near open water does feel cold.
They indeed seem to be moving away from having animals near the rides. I don’t think the goats are by the swinging boat anymore (unsure about the rats), the tiger has gone from the flume ride, and the lorikeets from wild Asia. This leaves to my knowledge the only animals near rides (apart from maybe the sea lions and gorillas) being the capybaras, coatis and tortoises in the rainforest area. I wonder if they will move or not as this area is still fairly new and without the animals the car ride feels kind of pointless?