I atteneded the Chester Zoo members' day on Friday 1st July 2011 and I received a request to review the Dinosaurs at Large exhibition.
The dinosaur exhibition is entered via an archway at the north end of Islands in Danger. There is a series of signs on the left hand side of the path, their intention being to get the visitor 'in the mood'. My first impression was of untidiness, meadowsweet is rmpant amongst the shrubbery and also in the border alongside lemur island.
The first dinosaur may easily be missed, a baby Triceratops lies half hidden in the vegetation, looking at it's (presumed) mum across the path. A small child was sitting on it, having his photograph taken. Although there are no signs saying do not touch, I think that he should not have been on it.
After the Triceratops is a nest of Edmontosaurus, eggs complete with hatching baby. An adult looks on.
Next door to Edmontosaurus is a specimen of Dilophosaurus, complete with a water squirting
mechanism. This is a great attraction for the children and a good view of the reactions of the crowd can be obtained from the rear of the exhibit by standing near the exit from Islands in Danger.
Allosaurus is next and in between that species and Rogops a glimpse can be had of the flamingos.
Rogops was a new species for me, I intend to I add it to my life list. The next dinosaur was also a new species, Omeisaurus. This dinosaur is easily the tallest animal in the exhibit.
Apatosaurus and baby are the next animals to be seen, I think a nice addition would have been a sign informing visitors that this dinosaur was formerly known as Brontosaurus.
Aother spitting dinosaur, Baryonyx can be found across the pathway. I still remember the excitement when this dinosaur was discovered in 1983. For me this was the most interesting dinosaur, the claws are very impressive.
A 'hands-on' dinosaur is next, although strictly speaking it is not a dinosaur having lived in the Permian era. Dimetrodon has a tail, legs, head, sail and no body. Visitors can move the animal by remote control and the see-through model enables them to discover how the animal moved.
The final species is Tyrannosaurus rex, adult on the left and baby on the right. This must be the most well known dinosaur in the world, and as far as I am aware, it is the only dinosaur to lend it's name to a pop group.
Exit from the area is through the Fountain Shop, which on my first two visits was very congested, I think visitors not wanting to fight their was through the crowds in the shop should be able to exit via the side gate.
Congestion seemed to be a problem, there was a lot of school parties comprising of very young children and a lot of visitors with pushchairs. The congestion was not helped by visitors who insisted on walking the oppsoite way around.
Many young children seemed scared of the dinosaurs.
The Dinosaurs at Large exhibition is open every day until 1st October, and admission is free. The whole area is fenced off, so that anyone not wishing to see a dinosaur need not to, the neck and head of Omeisaurus excepted. I believe that the sight of moving dinosaurs will be a huge dreaw for the public.
Each species, or more corectly genus, has a label containing facts about the animal.
Publicity says that the models are authentic, I cannot comment on that, since I have not seen any living dinosaurs whatsoever.
I did think that it was better than expected and will certainly be a hit with a lot of visitors. However as a ZooChatter, while I wandering through the exhibition I couldn't help thinking how much nicer it was when the area housed the round aviries with their assortment of small parrots and the rose garden.
The dinosaur exhibition is entered via an archway at the north end of Islands in Danger. There is a series of signs on the left hand side of the path, their intention being to get the visitor 'in the mood'. My first impression was of untidiness, meadowsweet is rmpant amongst the shrubbery and also in the border alongside lemur island.
The first dinosaur may easily be missed, a baby Triceratops lies half hidden in the vegetation, looking at it's (presumed) mum across the path. A small child was sitting on it, having his photograph taken. Although there are no signs saying do not touch, I think that he should not have been on it.
After the Triceratops is a nest of Edmontosaurus, eggs complete with hatching baby. An adult looks on.
Next door to Edmontosaurus is a specimen of Dilophosaurus, complete with a water squirting
mechanism. This is a great attraction for the children and a good view of the reactions of the crowd can be obtained from the rear of the exhibit by standing near the exit from Islands in Danger.
Allosaurus is next and in between that species and Rogops a glimpse can be had of the flamingos.
Rogops was a new species for me, I intend to I add it to my life list. The next dinosaur was also a new species, Omeisaurus. This dinosaur is easily the tallest animal in the exhibit.
Apatosaurus and baby are the next animals to be seen, I think a nice addition would have been a sign informing visitors that this dinosaur was formerly known as Brontosaurus.
Aother spitting dinosaur, Baryonyx can be found across the pathway. I still remember the excitement when this dinosaur was discovered in 1983. For me this was the most interesting dinosaur, the claws are very impressive.
A 'hands-on' dinosaur is next, although strictly speaking it is not a dinosaur having lived in the Permian era. Dimetrodon has a tail, legs, head, sail and no body. Visitors can move the animal by remote control and the see-through model enables them to discover how the animal moved.
The final species is Tyrannosaurus rex, adult on the left and baby on the right. This must be the most well known dinosaur in the world, and as far as I am aware, it is the only dinosaur to lend it's name to a pop group.
Exit from the area is through the Fountain Shop, which on my first two visits was very congested, I think visitors not wanting to fight their was through the crowds in the shop should be able to exit via the side gate.
Congestion seemed to be a problem, there was a lot of school parties comprising of very young children and a lot of visitors with pushchairs. The congestion was not helped by visitors who insisted on walking the oppsoite way around.
Many young children seemed scared of the dinosaurs.
The Dinosaurs at Large exhibition is open every day until 1st October, and admission is free. The whole area is fenced off, so that anyone not wishing to see a dinosaur need not to, the neck and head of Omeisaurus excepted. I believe that the sight of moving dinosaurs will be a huge dreaw for the public.
Each species, or more corectly genus, has a label containing facts about the animal.
Publicity says that the models are authentic, I cannot comment on that, since I have not seen any living dinosaurs whatsoever.
I did think that it was better than expected and will certainly be a hit with a lot of visitors. However as a ZooChatter, while I wandering through the exhibition I couldn't help thinking how much nicer it was when the area housed the round aviries with their assortment of small parrots and the rose garden.
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