Chester Zoo Chester Zoo discussion and questions 2025

bongorob said:
I have heard some of the things he/she mentions.
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Yes, but it would take many years to make even half of these changes - and circumstances may change in the meantime.
In the short term 'HoA' is not yet complete, the construction of the lodges is continuing and the consequent movement of animals around the zoo will also continue. The zoo's managers have invested a lot of resources in the current developments: we must hope that they will pay off quickly enough to finance further plans in a few years time.
 
Destiny Raven-Silva said:
He has moved to the opposite enclosue a couple of weeks ago. Bush dogs are going in their old, old enclosure near the red pandas, just for clarification.
Also dont know if its been mentioned, but chester has recieved a new male fossa, who was having a grand old time playing outside when i visited yesterday.
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Does this mean the other male Isalo has left the collection? Any indication where the new male has arrived from?
 
gentle lemur said:
Yes, but it would take many years to make even half of these changes - and circumstances may change in the meantime.
In the short term 'HoA' is not yet complete, the construction of the lodges is continuing and the consequent movement of animals around the zoo will also continue. The zoo's managers have invested a lot of resources in the current developments: we must hope that they will pay off quickly enough to finance further plans in a few years time.
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I think a lot of this isn't going to be done "in a single swallow", as with Heart of Africa - the Himalayas zone has already been started with the snow leopards and I seem to remember someine saying that African Forests is going to be done bit-by-bit (I'd imagine the now-vacated giraffe enclosure'd be the first spot redeveloped)...
 
Destiny Raven-Silva said:
He has moved to the opposite enclosue a couple of weeks ago. Bush dogs are going in their old, old enclosure near the red pandas, just for clarification.
Also dont know if its been mentioned, but chester has recieved a new male fossa, who was having a grand old time playing outside when i visited yesterday.
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Are the bush dogs going where the cheetah was previous to where he is now.
 
tigris115 said:
Their post has no source so idk if it's just them making it up
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I would seriously never just “make something up”. I will not always be able to provide a source for information I’ve heard, but anything I write in this forum is based on information already in the public domain or from talking to staff or volunteers. Obviously there may be some margin of error and sometimes people may get things wrong or plans change but please don’t accuse me of fabricating stuff.

It has been well documented on here because it’s already been included in the zoos own published strategy that geographical zones are the long term plan for the zoo.

Just look at what has already been completed. Islands, Madagascar and Heart of Africa are clearly geographical zones representing areas in which the zoo has extensive conservation projects.

African Rainforest is the next area which is known and confirmed to be developed.

It would be very odd indeed if they suddenly abandoned this entire approach.

As for the elephants getting a new area this has not been confirmed by the zoo but from my conversations with people “in the know” it is definitely an aspiration that the elephant paddock is increased in size. The zoo has already extended its perimeter fence well beyond the current footprint way behind the lions and up towards spirit of the jaguar. This area is clearly earmarked for future development. Although adequate the current elephant facilities are not what is expected of a world leading zoo, especially the outdoor bull area. An expansion is definitely needed to secure the zoos reputation as at the forefront of elephant care on the international stage.

It’s worth saying this is all obviously a long term plan that may take decades to realise and depends on visitor numbers increasing to fund it all.
 
Ed123 said:
I would seriously never just “make something up”. I will not always be able to provide a source for information I’ve heard, but anything I write in this forum is based on information already in the public domain or from talking to staff or volunteers. Obviously there may be some margin of error and sometimes people may get things wrong or plans change but please don’t accuse me of fabricating stuff.

It has been well documented on here because it’s already been included in the zoos own published strategy that geographical zones are the long term plan for the zoo.

Just look at what has already been completed. Islands, Madagascar and Heart of Africa are clearly geographical zones representing areas in which the zoo has extensive conservation projects.

African Rainforest is the next area which is known and confirmed to be developed.

It would be very odd indeed if they suddenly abandoned this entire approach.

As for the elephants getting a new area this has not been confirmed by the zoo but from my conversations with people “in the know” it is definitely an aspiration that the elephant paddock is increased in size. The zoo has already extended its perimeter fence well beyond the current footprint way behind the lions and up towards spirit of the jaguar. This area is clearly earmarked for future development. Although adequate the current elephant facilities are not what is expected of a world leading zoo, especially the outdoor bull area. An expansion is definitely needed to secure the zoos reputation as at the forefront of elephant care on the international stage.

It’s worth saying this is all obviously a long term plan that may take decades to realise and depends on visitor numbers increasing to fund it all.
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I didn't mean to insult you

I'm just wary of what people on forums say as often, it's a telephone game
 
When did the ASCO and babirusa enclosure under RotRA become empty? I noticed it on a visit yesterday, the pool was drained and there was a nobody home sign. I did see the otters enjoying the sun in the enclosure on the other side of the exit so they are still around.

On an unrelated note, I was quite impressed by Heart of Africa. It feels quite seamless with the previous enclosures nearby and theres quite a lot packed in! I look forward to seeing all the species in the main paddock together.
 
Fallax said:
When did the ASCO and babirusa enclosure under RotRA become empty? I noticed it on a visit yesterday, the pool was drained and there was a nobody home sign. I did see the otters enjoying the sun in the enclosure on the other side of the exit so they are still around.
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This was definitely empty at my last visit in March, with some maintenance work on the walls going on.
 
Nathano said:
I think a lot of this isn't going to be done "in a single swallow", as with Heart of Africa - the Himalayas zone has already been started with the snow leopards ...
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Yes I am sure I heard something about the zoo expanding in that area, but not a word about what animals the zoo wants to focus on that area as to my knowledge they do not have any conservation work in the Himalayas. To understand what I mean Chester have mentioned or have been linked with animals that would fit in to other proposed zones e.g. gorillas or lynx, but with the Himalayas, I haven’t heard anything. Any idea what the might be trying to focus on?
 
AmazonianHippo said:
Yes I am sure I heard something about the zoo expanding in that area, but not a word about what animals the zoo wants to focus on that area as to my knowledge they do not have any conservation work in the Himalayas. To understand what I mean Chester have mentioned or have been linked with animals that would fit in to other proposed zones e.g. gorillas or lynx, but with the Himalayas, I haven’t heard anything. Any idea what the might be trying to focus on?
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As so often the case, any good plan has flexibility. Chester are trying to only keep animals from regions where they have active conservation projects - but this just means if they want to keep a species that badly they can just start a project in the region..! The website blurb for their Mainland Asia programme now includes work with Snow Leopards (Mainland Asia | Conservation, Science & Education - I'm not certain of the top of my head if any project is up and going yet or just in the works) - so basically, although they have set themselves limits, they are limits that they can play with a bit.

What I expect to remain exceptions to this are Australia (I was going to say 'and New Zealand' but I didn't want to jinx the Tuatara :D ), the US and Canada, and Europe* - as the zoo concentrates on projects in countries that are less able (or likely) to fund these programmes internally.


*other than the UK, of course!
 
Maguari said:
As so often the case, any good plan has flexibility. Chester are trying to only keep animals from regions where they have active conservation projects - but this just means if they want to keep a species that badly they can just start a project in the region..! The website blurb for their Mainland Asia programme now includes work with Snow Leopards (Mainland Asia | Conservation, Science & Education - I'm not certain of the top of my head if any project is up and going yet or just in the works) - so basically, although they have set themselves limits, they are limits that they can play with a bit.

What I expect to remain exceptions to this are Australia (I was going to say 'and New Zealand' but I didn't want to jinx the Tuatara :D ), the US and Canada, and Europe* - as the zoo concentrates on projects in countries that are less able (or likely) to fund these programmes internally.


*other than the UK, of course!
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I think snow leopards can legitimately fall under the Asia zone and I hope the zoo does expand this area a little more to include Pallas’s cats again.

I also think the aviaries and red panda enclosure could be updated. I can envisage some large, architecturally stunning, beautifully landscaped and planted exhibits for the current, and new, species from the area. I think another bird walkthrough representing the varied landscapes would be awesome but I think sadly the zoo will not build any further bird walkthroughs due to the flu issue which has kept them closed for so long. But I would love the current gardens to the right of red the pandas to become a long and winding pathway with aviaries both sides also incorporating some beautiful new areas for red pandas & Pallas’s cats.

I also agree I can’t see a time when any Australian or North American species are introduced but I do hope they keep tuatara in the future. I think there’s a place for certain exceptions to the rule for Chester as long as there’s a clear and significant scientific reason for a species being kept that doesn’t fit into the geographical zones. I always thought there could be a separate area in the zoo for any of these anomalies which would be classed as a ‘conservation hub’. When the species from monkey islands eventually move into their respective geographical zones I’ve always thought this building and the adjacent area would make a good location for a general conservation zone right at the heart of the zoo which would introduce visitors to the work the zoo does and be able to house the European / U.K. species and some of the other species that maybe don’t fit in anywhere else.
 
Ed123 said:
But I would love the current gardens to the right of red the pandas to become a long and winding pathway with aviaries both sides also incorporating some beautiful new areas for red pandas & Pallas’s cats.
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I sincerely doubt they'll be building *anything* on those gardens given they are the location where the ashes of George Mottershead were interred :rolleyes::D
 
Ed123 said:
Ooops never knew that ok that area is totally off limits then !
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bongorob said:
Not many people know that. I bet not many people notice the plaques to his wife and daughters there either, nor his memorial opposite the Oakfield entrance.
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Indeed - that area was always referred to as the Memorial Garden before being themed up a bit with a Chinese flavour to tie in with the Red Pandas - and even that was only really garden maintenance for the most part, the essential layout and landscape was untouched. Don't expect that to change.
 
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