Chester Zoo Chester Zoo 2016 #2

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Received the Annual Report. Very impressive commercially but where's the species inventory? Not even on CD as far as I can see.
 
I didn't get a CD either. My copy of the Zoo Review was fine, but the Financial Report had a second unbound copy stuck inside. Should there have been anything else apart from the covering letter and the AGM Agenda & proxy forms?

Alan
 
One little nugget in the annual report is (I think the first) official confirmation that the intention is to develop further new animal enclosures in Islands 'in 2016' (which presumably would mean in the autumn/winter at this stage). These are described by the zoo as 'for more of our current collection to be relocated to new, state of the art enclosures'.

Sounds good for the tapirs..!


EDIT: It's only now, reading it, that I've realised how the field conservation and zoo news have been completely combined by region (Latin America, Africa, Mascarenes & Madagascar, South Asia, South-east Asia, UK & Europe). I actually quite like that - it feels like the emphasis on those areas at the expense of others (North America, Australia) makes a bit more sense that way - but it means no mention of the few species that don't fit, like the Tuataras!
 
As a further note, I find it surprising that the monorail accounts for 11% of the zoo's total income. The percentage figures exclude grants and legacies if I'm interpreting it correctly, but even so that's a big old chunk - nearly a quarter of the value of income from the standard admission, or about a fifth when the voluntary donation and gift aid are included.
 
I've had my printed copy in the post - otherwise you can get it from the link as above: Annual Reports | Chester Zoo UK

(ignore the top bit saying 2014, the links are the 2015 information!)
 
As a further note, I find it surprising that the monorail accounts for 11% of the zoo's total income. The percentage figures exclude grants and legacies if I'm interpreting it correctly, but even so that's a big old chunk - nearly a quarter of the value of income from the standard admission, or about a fifth when the voluntary donation and gift aid are included.

The monorail and boats income at £430,000 is less than 2% of Total incoming resources of £22.459 million ( taken from Accounts ) . I assume it is lower than 2014 because paid-for boat rides stopped .
 
Visited today, just a few things I noticed. The zoo was really busy today with young families, most went straight to the dinosaurs and they seem very well done although there are quite a few bottlenecks but they give great views of the Komodo dragon in the outside enclosure.

The Aye-aye's were closed off for "essential maintenance", the storks look lost in the old condor enclosure. I really hope they make better use of it, maybe with primates like edinburghs sea eagle enclosure.

The boat ride in islands seems to get longer with less to see every time I visit. There were hardly anything on show today and lots of families were complaining.

Does anybody know why the sunbears have been separated? They were being filmed today along with a lot of the other enclosures for the secret lives programme.

The mongoose enclosure and the left jaguar enclosure were also under maintenance. There seemed to be quite a few smaller enclosures that were empty.

Got some really great views of the sandlizards, i were disappointed how many people just walk past and even pulled kids away saying there was nothing to see even though I was pointing out the the lizards were basking right in front of them.
 
The monorail and boats income at £430,000 is less than 2% of Total incoming resources of £22.459 million ( taken from Accounts ) . I assume it is lower than 2014 because paid-for boat rides stopped .

Thanks Bele - I though that looked high!


The boat ride in islands seems to get longer with less to see every time I visit. There were hardly anything on show today and lots of families were complaining.

It's complete pot luck - on my last ride (14th May) we saw everything out and about - pigs, cassowary, banteng, starlings, tigers, orangs, macaques and anoa - full house! :D

I suppose that may be a factor in why it's free!
 
It's complete pot luck - on my last ride (14th May) we saw everything out and about - pigs, cassowary, banteng, starlings, tigers, orangs, macaques and anoa - full house! :D

I suppose that may be a factor in why it's free!

I understand that, maybe they should have some signs up though, if families decide not to ride anymore because they don't see anything then I don't really see a future for it which is a shame as it can offer some great views when everything is up and about.
 
It is clearly pot luck and I guess if people get unlucky the first time they may not bother again! On a very busy day last Friday, we only waited 10 minutes at 1130, but only saw the Banteng & gibbons from the boat, everything else was viewable on foot, even if all the tigers were asleep and didn't appear to have moved when we returned at 5.30, by which time there were several empty boats going round.

I saw Babirusa in 4 seperate enclosures.
 
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