Chester Zoo Chester Zoo 2016 #3

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During a quickish visit today, I noticed another new species is on display in the elephant nose fish aquarium opposite the okapi show den: with the mormyrids and the lampeyes was a shoal of butterfly barbs (Enteromius hulstaerti, or 'Barbus' hulstaerti in old money). This is a very beautiful and rather delicate small species of cyprinid. The 2015 Annual Report indicates that the zoo bred this species, but I don't think they have been on display before. These fishes may be the products of this spawning success. They should look wonderful when they settle in and grow on to their adult size (3.5 cm).
The aquarium in the elephant house has been emptied for maintenance and the large tank in the Aquarium that used to hold the Malawi cichlids has been completely refurbished and has a sign saying that a new species will go on show there soon.
 
I only had time for a quick post yesterday, but I have been thinking a lot about my visit since I posted about the fishes.
My main conclusion was that there seemed to be a great deal going on. I didn't visit 'The Enchantment' in the garden between the flamingos and DinD, as I am hardly part of its target audience. But SMR's photos and comments in the media section, plus the video on the Zoo's website, make it look different and stimulating for younger visitors. I was impressed by the amount of effort that had been made around the zoo in association with this event; there were lots of presenters and volunteers talking to children and families and showing them items about the animals involved. Just before I left I had a chat with a volunteer who was tired after a long session talking about tarantulas and was recovering in the peace and quiet of the Elephant House. The children I saw around the zoo seemed to be buying into the whole thing and enjoying it. I thought the zoo was pretty busy, considering that it was dull, grey, late October day - albeit a half-term Saturday.
The other thing that impressed me was the amount of work going on in the zoo. Most of the projects have been described here or in the Chester media gallery. The new phase of Islands is the big one, but the new Rainbow aviaries and the changes in RotRA and the old condor aviary are significant and the maintenance work in the Monkey House and the cheetah viewpoint add to the total (not to mention the work in the Aquarium that I described previously and there is still one tank boarded up).*
A year ago some of us were commenting on the way the zoo had to learn lessons from the experience of managing the Islands project. I think that all this activity may be the result. Getting projects under way at this time of year should ensure that they are completed in good time for resisting winter weather or opening before next year's busy period. Perhaps another lesson is that using volunteers and presenters worked well in Islands and asking them to work with children now should encourage them to visit again in the future.

* Edit I forgot to mention the three new tortoise exhibits in the old brown tortoise section in DinD - the third one now has spiny tortoises in and the others are almost ready for stocking. Plus the capybara paddock has been planted with clumps of pampas grass and work is progressing slowly on the former cheetah/cassowary exhibit that we have had so much fun speculating about.
 
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gentle lemur said:
I only had time for a quick post yesterday, but I have been thinking a lot about my visit since I posted about the fishes.
My main conclusion was that there seemed to be a great deal going on. I didn't visit 'The Enchantment' in the garden between the flamingos and DinD, as I am hardly part of its target audience. But SMR's photos and comments in the media section, plus the video on the Zoo's website, make it look different and stimulating for younger visitors. I was impressed by the amount of effort that had been made around the zoo in association with this event; there were lots of presenters and volunteers talking to children and families and showing them items about the animals involved. Just before I left I had a chat with a volunteer who was tired after a long session talking about tarantulas and was recovering in the peace and quiet of the Elephant House. The children I saw around the zoo seemed to be buying into the whole thing and enjoying it. I thought the zoo was pretty busy, considering that it was dull, grey, late October day - albeit a half-term Saturday.
The other thing that impressed me was the amount of work going on in the zoo. Most of the projects have been described here or in the Chester media gallery. The new phase of Islands is the big one, but the new Rainbow aviaries and the changes in RotRA and the old condor aviary are significant and the maintenance work in the Monkey House and the cheetah viewpoint add to the total (not to mention the work in the Aquarium that I described previously and there is still one tank boarded up).*
A year ago some of us were commenting on the way the zoo had to learn lessons from the experience of managing the Islands project. I think that all this activity may be the result. Getting projects under way at this time of year should ensure that they are completed in good time for resisting winter weather or opening before next year's busy period. Perhaps another lesson is that using volunteers and presenters worked well in Islands and asking them to work with children now should encourage them to visit again in the future.

* Edit I forgot to mention the three new tortoise exhibits in the old brown tortoise section in DinD - the third one now has spiny tortoises in and the others are almost ready for stocking. Plus the capybara paddock has been planted with clumps of pampas grass and work is progressing slowly on the former cheetah/cassowary exhibit that we have had so much fun speculating about.
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An excellent summary gentle lemur may i also add how the Zoo is doing a fantastic effort of promoting itself and now has a excellent public image from the great Secret Life of the Zoo to regular BBC breakfast visits the Zoo is always in the public eye which can only be a good thing. The enchantment of Chester Zoo was very well advertised on social media and i believe attracted people who have not visited the Zoo before as it offered something different.
 
Thank you Alan for the fantastic update! Sounds like Chester is on a roll, and I will be excited to see the changes when I visit again in the spring! :)
 
Guess dragons in danger may become Tortoises's in danger, if the Komodos move to Islands, and they bring the Galapagos Tortoise's over.
 
jde7582 said:
Guess dragons in danger may become Tortoises's in danger, if the Komodos move to Islands, and they bring the Galapagos Tortoise's over.
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As far as I know, the Galapagos tortoises are not moving to Dragons in Danger.
 
The second series of Secret Life of the Zoo will start on 17th November (two weeks today) at 8pm
 
Nisha said:
The second series of Secret Life of the Zoo will start on 17th November (two weeks today) at 8pm
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According to the Channel 4 website the first episode will feature the births of the Grevy's Zebra calves, Trying to get the Asian Lions to breed and the Warthog piglets.
 
A date for next year's diary - on 7 April 2017, Ashley Leiman, the Director of the Orangutan Foundation, will be giving a talk at the zoo entitled 'A future for orangutans: seeing the woods through the smoke and palm.'
 
Great to here that Secret Life of the Zoo is back I loved that Series! I did have a query as to progress on enclosure notably the Sloth and anteater enclosures are they finished and also what animals do you presume will move into currently empty enclosures
 
Neither enclosure is occupied, sloths is almost ready, very little evidence of work on the new anteater enclosure. There will be no new mammals species arriving at the zoo for the moment.
 
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