Chester Zoo Chester Zoo 2017

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bongorob said:
They did not remove the label. Unless they still held the species and no one saw them, which I think is unlikely.
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I suppose you could say the same thing about the blue-legged mantellas but I guess that birds are easier to spot than amphibians. While we are on the subject, are von der decken's hornbill still in the aviary? I have not seen them once.
 
Bits to report from today that I don't think have been mentioned...

There are royal starlings in the Tsavo Aviary and a really young roan antelope.

The development in Islands continues, but I don't think the opening will be for a while (see photos in the gallery). Let's hope the zoo doesn't rush for a children's summer holiday opening and learns their lesson from two years ago... although having said that the zoo is run by marketing and commercial departments these days and they're apt to repeating history.

There were burly security guards on the entrance today, and as a result of world events in the coming weeks a security firm will be employed to check the contents of everyone's bags on entry. That may be a long-term thing.

Play! launches next week, and members will have already seen the email. It looks like it will be ready and it's an aesthetically-pleasing update to what were barren lawns after the destruction of the gardens. However, I can only describe it as a terrible waste of space. The play areas are actually quite small and there are huge swathes of amateurishly-planted grasses and shrubs. Amongst them, three picnic tables, which are utterly pointless unless the zoo doesn't expect to have any visitors. It's neither a garden nor a "proper" play area, or for that matter an extension to the lion enclosure, which would've been my preferred use.

Edit: And the Fountain Shop is now called the "Madagascar Marketplace". What else could it be...
 
Seems everything comes in pairs at the minute 2 elephants 2 giraffes 2 sengi 2 argus pheasants 2 red river hogs ( only the capybara and Sulawesi macaque have broken the trend with 1)
 
SMR said:
Play! launches next week, and members will have already seen the email. It looks like it will be ready and it's an aesthetically-pleasing update to what were barren lawns after the destruction of the gardens. However, I can only describe it as a terrible waste of space. The play areas are actually quite small and there are huge swathes of amateurishly-planted grasses and shrubs. Amongst them, three picnic tables, which are utterly pointless unless the zoo doesn't expect to have any visitors. It's neither a garden nor a "proper" play area, or for that matter an extension to the lion enclosure, which would've been my preferred use.

Edit: And the Fountain Shop is now called the "Madagascar Marketplace". What else could it be...
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For heaven's sake what are they doing to such a special place?
I'm struggling to think of many recent changes that have made the zoo a better place. In terms of cramming more people in and raking in more money, well, its becoming unbearable at weekends as it is.

I hate moaning about Chester Zoo, because I have loved the place for so long, but its whole ethos and personality is falling to bits. :-( :-(
 
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NigeW said:
For heaven's sake what are they doing to such a special place?
I'm struggling to think of many recent changes that have made the zoo a better place. In terms of cramming more people in and raking in more money, well, its becoming unbearable at weekends as it is.
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The point is that the expansion of the zoo requires extra visitors and these extra visitors require extra facilities. I want to see children letting off steam in properly designed play areas, rather than running around the zoo: I think that is well worth the loss of the fountain, the flower beds and part of the lawn. I want to see Islands moving on with 3 important new exhibits, which will allow new species to take the place of the species that will move there.
But there are also a lot of smaller incremental changes in hand or recently completed. I think that all these are, or will be, significant improvements:-
new Rainbow aviaries
new tortoise enclosures in DinD
refurbishment of most of the tanks in the Aquarium & the tank in the Elephant House
refurbishment of the condor aviary
special provision for Tuan in RotRA
changes to the old cassowary enclosures (good for guessing games ;))
renovations to Oakfield House (which should generate revenue, but that isn't a bad thing)
upgrading of toilets (not to be sniffed at :D)
​
 
gentle lemur said:
The point is that the expansion of the zoo requires extra visitors and these extra visitors require extra facilities. I want to see children letting off steam in properly designed play areas, rather than running around the zoo: I think that is well worth the loss of the fountain, the flower beds and part of the lawn.
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The original Fountain Lawns gave people plenty of space for picnics and a large area for children to run around in. They did so amidst the flowers and around the fountain for more years that we care to remember. Play! doesn't do either well, it's not a particularly good play area and nor is it useful for picnics - there is a large amount of wasted space given over to huge swathes of ornamental grass.

The zoo has a lot of space that could be dedicated to more purposefully designed picnic/play areas. The lawn that occupies the old beaver/coati enclosure, the white elephant that is Conservation Golf, the falling-apart Fun Ark and the old Children's Zoo to name but a few.

And for what it's worth, I would be disappointed if Play! is driving the expansion of Islands, one would hope Islands is driving the expansion of Islands.
 
gentle lemur said:
The point is that the expansion of the zoo requires extra visitors and these extra visitors require extra facilities. I want to see children letting off steam in properly designed play areas, rather than running around the zoo: I think that is well worth the loss of the fountain, the flower beds and part of the lawn. I want to see Islands moving on with 3 important new exhibits, which will allow new species to take the place of the species that will move there.
But there are also a lot of smaller incremental changes in hand or recently completed. I think that all these are, or will be, significant improvements:-
new Rainbow aviaries
new tortoise enclosures in DinD
refurbishment of most of the tanks in the Aquarium & the tank in the Elephant House
refurbishment of the condor aviary
special provision for Tuan in RotRA
changes to the old cassowary enclosures (good for guessing games ;))
renovations to Oakfield House (which should generate revenue, but that isn't a bad thing)
upgrading of toilets (not to be sniffed at :D)
​
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I wholeheartedly agree that play areas should be there, but the result this time is pretty poor. It takes up precious real estate in the middle of the zoo for very little benefit to the kids using it. As a parent, I have to be honest with you as my ten year-olds would be. Its a let down.

I really do regret expressing negativity, but there is a naffness, a tackiness, about the way things are being done that to me is out of character with the institution Chester Zoo once was.

There are still good things happening as you rightly point out GL, and I continue to love the place and care about it deeply. I simply wish some things could be done with rather more taste.

As for the commercial success, well of course its very welcome that the business is so far 'in the black'. Lets hope income is invested wisely in upgrades in keeping with Chester Zoo, and that the Zoo doesn't become a victim of its own success.
 
SMR said:
I would be disappointed if Play! is driving the expansion of Islands, one would hope Islands is driving the expansion of Islands.
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So would I!
I was trying to say that Islands is driving the expansion of the zoo, which is driving the need for more and better play areas, food outlets, toilets and so on. This should allow new and improved exhibits around the zoo.
I think it's a little early to condemn the Play! area - let's see what happens when children are using it.
 
NigeW said:
I really do regret expressing negativity, but there is a naffness, a tackiness, about the way things are being done that to me is out of character with the institution Chester Zoo once was.
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I think the key thing is the institution Chester Zoo ONCE WAS is key here,yes its not the Chester of old but given the species coming in,I can live with that as what is and has arrived is just the tip of a very big ice berg!!
 
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