Chester Zoo Chester Zoo discussion and questions 2025

jayden said:
Chrissie the chimpanzee has given birth
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Brilliant news for Chrissie and Chester's Chimp troop.

This is indeed Chrissie's first surviving offspring, at the age of 29. Father of this offspring should be either Carlos or Eric; with the only other adult male, Dylan being Chrissie's father.
 
Couple history questions if anyone could be so kind:
- When was the last major renovation to Tropical Realm?
- When were gorillas last kept in Tropical Realm & where?
- When were pygmy hippopotamus last kept in Tropical Realm & where?
- When did the upper floor to the exhibit close?

Was discussing tropics buildings I have visited with a friend and realized while I visited Tropical Realm and have some awareness of its history, I'm totally lost on the 'timeline' of the exhibit itself.
 
The building opened on 13th June 1963.

Gorillas last kept in 1985, Mukisi a male Eastern Lowland Gorilla lived on one of the islands which is now part of the Red River Hog Enclosure. His indoor accommodation was the large aviary next to the waterfall, now housing Collared Trogons and Socorro Doves. In 1969 his mate Noelle had a phantom pregnancy. If she had given birth it would have been the first UK gorilla birth.

Pygmy Hippos were last kept in 1978. Their outdoor enclosure is now home to Cotton-topped Tamarins. Their indoor enclosure is now the site of the Aye-Aye enclosure. Pygmy Hippos never bred at Chester. One of the pair was infertile although it was not known at the time they were there. I think it was the male but I'm not sure.

Outdoor Pygmy Hippo enclosure 25th August 1975 Pygmy Hippos Chester Zoo 25 August 1975 - ZooChat

The upper floor aviaires closed in 2021 (I think).

Not sure when the last refurbishment was, but I'd guess early 2000s.
 
ItsZach said:
They're in the bachelor giraffe enclosure which is only visible if you stay in the lodges :)
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I hope they get a different small antelope species or another antelope species as it would really finish the mixed savannah nicely
 
Charles said:
I hope they get a different small antelope species or another antelope species as it would really finish the mixed savannah nicely
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I reckon it’ll be on the cards for further down the line, I feel like I remember other species being mentioned while the project was in its earlier phases a couple years ago (though I may be misremembering).

Likewise, though it would’ve been nice to have the blesbok more properly on-show, it makes sense given the welfare of the individuals in question, and it’s not exactly like there aren’t other reachable places that hold the species (namely Knowsley and West Mids).
 
bongorob said:
The building opened on 13th June 1963.

Gorillas last kept in 1985, Mukisi a male Eastern Lowland Gorilla lived on one of the islands which is now part of the Red River Hog Enclosure. His indoor accommodation was the large aviary next to the waterfall, now housing Collared Trogons and Socorro Doves. In 1969 his mate Noelle had a phantom pregnancy. If she had given birth it would have been the first UK gorilla birth.

Pygmy Hippos were last kept in 1978. Their outdoor enclosure is now home to Cotton-topped Tamarins. Their indoor enclosure is now the site of the Aye-Aye enclosure. Pygmy Hippos never bred at Chester. One of the pair was infertile although it was not known at the time they were there. I think it was the male but I'm not sure.

Outdoor Pygmy Hippo enclosure 25th August 1975 Pygmy Hippos Chester Zoo 25 August 1975 - ZooChat

The upper floor aviaires closed in 2021 (I think).

Not sure when the last refurbishment was, but I'd guess early 2000s.
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Thank you so much for the information, very fascinating. It must have been a very interesting building back in the days they still had both species! It still is, of course, but in a very different way. I hope I have another chance to experience it.
 
pendraig_milnerae said:
I reckon it’ll be on the cards for further down the line, I feel like I remember other species being mentioned while the project was in its earlier phases a couple years ago (though I may be misremembering).

Likewise, though it would’ve been nice to have the blesbok more properly on-show, it makes sense given the welfare of the individuals in question, and it’s not exactly like there aren’t other reachable places that hold the species (namely Knowsley and West Mids).
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Yea I remember waterbuck being mentioned at one point but not sure, possibly the blesbok will go on the main savannah with time and they might be in the bachelor giraffe paddock as a slow introduction back to people
 
Had a fun day at Chester today. One of the advantages of taking some of my holiday before the school vacation begins is fewer people about. Made for some good quieter spaces, particularly in the aviaries. Was a warm day and there were still lots of people but not as mad as it is at a weekend at this time of year. Only a couple of school trips, was expecting more.

Saw the new arrival for the Chimps and the Okapi juvenile was super showy which was fun. Lots of youngsters to enjoy across the zoo from the Swinhoe's squirrels to plenty of Roul Roul chicks and excellent views of the Grosbeak Starlings feeding their fledgers. The young Sifika was playing outside and the Sulewasi Macaque troop came out into the sun and rolled their young ones down the hill like bowling balls. A volunteer mentioned the young Komodo is due to move on at some point...it certainly has got to be quite a size since I last saw it. Starting to have the distinctive 'glare'.

Had great views of the free roaming Skinks in Monsoon Forest, courtesy of the sun blazing through the roof at the top of the house and the birds all seemed to be out and about in every aviary so had a really good bird day.

There were at least seven chicks for the Flamingos in the South American walkthrough and a few eggs were also visible in the nests. The Ducks there all seemed to have ducklings in tow (also the case in the Edge of Europe aviary) and it was nice to see the Stilt chicks I'd seen on my last visit doing well.

Was great to see Asian elephants Karishma and Elizabeth enjoying some hay in the bull elephant indoor area where they appear to be based for now (as noted in the other Chester thread). Good to see them settled in their new home having seen them so often at Whipsnade (Elizabeth since she was a tiny calf).

Some sort of queue management was going on to access Heart of Africa with a hand stamp to get in and some barriers in place managing the entrance. People were being advised to visit other areas of the zoo as well as that area. There were not very many people about compared to regular days (I had the Tsavo aviary completely to myself for half an hour) so perhaps they were 'practising' for it being busier. Members were waved through. There was an event going on but there was another entrance being managed for that so it seemed to be about crowd management.
 
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