Visit to Chessington Zoo on 6th February 2011
I decided to visit Chessington today for a Zoo Day before the new season starts. I hadn't been since last June and I noticed a few changes since then, which were:
1) The gorilla house to the left of the main enclosure now has fake rock attached to the mesh
2) There are only a few small gaps in the fencing where Kumba's group can be seen, but photos are almost impossible. A keeper said that she wasn't sure if the enclosure would ever be open for public viewing
3) I agree with JamesB that the Creepy Caves are looking quite sorry for themselves, as quite a few of the enclosures are currently empty
4) There are currently nine Asian short-clawed otters, which is possibly the biggest family group I have seen
5) There is a red squirrel enclosure in the Children's Zoo now
6) Three gentle lemurs have been born (one on 15th September and two on 13th November)
7) A red-handed tamarin was born on 8th November
8) Two capybaras were born on 20th January
9) The agoutis now have an enclosure at the end of the capybara enclosure
10) A fennec fox enclosure is currently being constructed near the entrance to the Wanyama Village (alongside the porcupines)
11) Dwarf mongooses are now in the enclosure which has formerly held skunks and ferrets in the Wanyama Village
12) The skunks are in the Children's Zoo, as are the ferrets and a bachelor group of meerkats
13) The Dorcas gazelles are in the enclosure where the agoutis and wallabies previously resided in the Wanyama Village
14) One of the scimitar-horned oryxes had a dart in either side of her flank, but she wasn't showing any signs of slowing down (in fact, she was running around the hardstanding with the rest of the group)
All in all, a good day and so much nicer without all the noise of the rides running and the extra visitors that brings. On occasions, we had the animals to ourselves, although the Sea Life Centre was packed.