Where are the sitatunga? Or have they left?
Chester Zoo Chester Zoo Discussion and questions 2023
- Thread starter bongorob
- Start date
-
- Tags
- baby chester zoo island orangutans
Alwaysevergreen
Well-Known Member
Dik-Diks are not over at Holding, they are behind the off-show Black Rhino houses, near the Rhino teams office and rest room.
The book was good.
The television series was nonsense. Should have been described as "very, very loosely based on the founding of Chester Zoo".
The problems with further series were (at least) twofold.
Firstly, there would have been a problem keeping the age of the actress playing June "in sync" with the storyline. Secondly, unless it was largely set indoors, it would have been very difficult (i.e. expensive) to create the sets for the growing zoo.
[These may not be popular views!
]Alwaysevergreen
Well-Known Member
The book was good.
The television series was nonsense. Should have been described as "very, very loosely based on the founding of Chester Zoo".
The problems with further series were (at least) twofold.
Firstly, there would have been a problem keeping the age of the actress playing June "in sync" with the storyline. Secondly, unless it was largely set indoors, it would have been very difficult (i.e. expensive) to create the sets for the growing zoo.
[These may not be popular views!
Most TV Series are, or films for that matter. Have you seen We Bought A Zoo? Compare it to the book, and its miles apart. That said, it was entertaining to watch.
You don't need to keep the same actors / actresses if you go forward in time etc, I think there would have been several locations they could of used. I remember after it was aired, the BBC instantly said they had no plans for a second series, despite decent viewing figures, and all cast and production team keen for a second series. I find it a shame, something like Netflix didn't pick it up. You could even pick it up now, going forward 5/10 years. I personally found it a shame, as it was one of the more enjoyable Zoo related programs / films I had seen personally.
Just reading through some of the blogs on the BIAZA website, and saw one from the lead keeper at Chester Zoo on the subject of small mammals.
The one thing of interest I noted was from the penultimate paragraph of the blog, which says that the upcoming Heart of Africa 'will showcase a number of new rodent species'.
To the best of my knowledge, the only rodents so far confirmed are the Cape porcupine (already at the zoo), the naked mole-rat (at the zoo, but off-show) and the ground squirrel (presumably the Cape ground squirrel, the only species not yet at the zoo). I'm hoping that means there may be a few extra species arriving as well.
The blog post can be read here:
Blog: The mighty mouse | Biaza
The one thing of interest I noted was from the penultimate paragraph of the blog, which says that the upcoming Heart of Africa 'will showcase a number of new rodent species'.
To the best of my knowledge, the only rodents so far confirmed are the Cape porcupine (already at the zoo), the naked mole-rat (at the zoo, but off-show) and the ground squirrel (presumably the Cape ground squirrel, the only species not yet at the zoo). I'm hoping that means there may be a few extra species arriving as well.
The blog post can be read here:
Blog: The mighty mouse | Biaza
Alwaysevergreen
Well-Known Member
I may be naïve here, but I can't for the life of me think where Cape Porcupine are at the zoo, and definitely didn't seem them when I done the Twilight Experience earlier this year.
Now that I think about it, they may be off-show while Heart of Africa is being built. I'm pretty sure they were on-show at one point (maybe mixed with something else - my memory wants to say rock hyraxes).
Alwaysevergreen
Well-Known Member
When was this? I've only ever seen the Aardvark mixed with Meerkats?
Alwaysevergreen
Well-Known Member
Hyrax were not over in holding when I done Twilight experience and deffo wasn't porcupine in with them. We didn't go over to holding on Twilight section, but have on most others, and must admit, have never seen Porcupine over there.
Just double-checked on Zootierliste, and it turns out the porcupines left in 2020. Whether that means plans have changed completely on their inclusion, or whether this proves to be a temporary departure, is something I'm not sure of.
Chester no longer holds Cape Porcupine or Rock Hyrax. I expect that both species will return to the zoo for Grasslands.
The female porcupine died in 2020 and the male was exported the same year.
I have never seen anything mixed with the hyrax at Chester.
Other African rodents at Chester are Pygmy Mouse, Acacia Rat and Neumann's Grass Rat.
It's probaby not going to happen but I'd like Chester to import Cane Rats and Maned Rats.
The female porcupine died in 2020 and the male was exported the same year.
I have never seen anything mixed with the hyrax at Chester.
Other African rodents at Chester are Pygmy Mouse, Acacia Rat and Neumann's Grass Rat.
It's probaby not going to happen but I'd like Chester to import Cane Rats and Maned Rats.
They were certainly mixed with Dwarf Mongoose at one point - I have some pictures somewhere but I see @MagpieGoose has got one in the gallery: Rock Hyrax and Dwarf Mongoose Indoors - ZooChat
Alwaysevergreen
Well-Known Member
Although it is worth pointing out, that a Hyrax is not a rodent.
Thanks Maguari, that must have been around the time when I didn't visit much, so I missed seeing the mix.