Chester Zoo Chester Zoo Discussion, Speculation & Questions 2018

redstarsmith said:
I recall (not to say my memory on it is accurate) in the mid to late eighties there being a couple of vivs full of rattlesnakes and a Gila Monster in the far corridor. On the front an Anoconda, a couple of species of Green Mamba and Egyptian Cobra which I hardly ever saw. Think they got snouted Cobra in the 90’s.

It was the Best reptile collection other than London Zoo I’ve seen in the UK. I would argue the collection today is better than many realise because of the spread across the whole Zoo.
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Green Anaconda were housed in the bigger vivs at the front, both western green mamba and eastern green mamba were also in the front vivs I think, but not held at the same time. I remember rattlesnakes, not sure if they were at the front, or the back corridor, I think probably both.

Can't remember Egyptian cobra but thry had Monocled cobra for a long timne, I even saw one hood one day, but my film had run out.

Snouted Cobra were kept in the front vivs for a few years in the 1990s, next door I think were the rhinoceros vipers
 
I had a list of Chester’s snakes that I think Bongorob put up a few years ago. It’s funny checking Zootierliste (I know not how accurate the information is for former holdings is) and how some of it confirms my memory and some of it doesn’t.

It says that Egyptian Cobra were kept in 1978 but that was a good 6-7 years before I ever went in the Tropical House/Realm- I was only three at the time.

Records Monocled Cobra 1982-2005 and Spectacled Cobra 1986. Whilst Jameson’s Mamba upto 2000 and Green Mamba from 2000 until they left.

Anyway I miss the corridors and the collection of snakes. Was told a few years they were looking into King Cobras but I think they are waiting to get the Dodos in first.

I like the collection of reptiles and the way they have them displayed now with big show stoppers in the Retic, Komodos and False Ghrail. As well as rare examples like the Tuataras.

Any reptile group under or not represented? Any species people think they should have?
 
They have a big snake.
A big lizard.
A big crocodile.
The big chelonians just left.
They have tuataras.

I miss the giant tortoises already. Hopefully we see a new big chelonian soon, but to be fair Chester has quite a few species.
 
PaleoMatt said:
They have a big snake.
A big lizard.
A big crocodile.
The big chelonians just left.
They have tuataras.

I miss the giant tortoises already. Hopefully we see a new big chelonian soon, but to be fair Chester has quite a few species.
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Gonna be a bit pedantic and say crocodilian seeing as false gharial are not crocodiles...

PaleoMatt said:
They have a big snake.
A big lizard.
A big crocodile.
The big chelonians just left.
They have tuataras.

I miss the giant tortoises already. Hopefully we see a new big chelonian soon, but to be fair Chester has quite a few species.
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Also 2 big lizards technically
And 2 big snakes as well
 
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Charlie Simmomds said:
Gonna be a bit pedantic and say crocodilian seeing as false gharial are not crocodiles...
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I knew that, I should have been more specific. Oh well, the public just say 'wow that's a big crocodile' whilst cramped up in a dead end :/

I seriously hate the design of the viewing area for them, especially on busy days.
 
I will be updating my list of Chester species as soon as I have the time, family illness have gotten in the way of things for the moment.


I would like to see more geckos

PaleoMatt said:
Is this club everyone on ZooChat? :p
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No, just all the Zoochatters that have been to Chester Zoo and seen one of the most badly built viewing areas of any zoo I've been to
 
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Probably been visiting longer than I have given your location :p
 
gentle lemur said:
One or two of us have been visiting since the sun bears were the first animals you saw when you entered the zoo :D
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I wonder what was the first animal I ever saw at Chester?

Possibly Red Panda? I think they were in what was later the otter enclosure near the Oakfield Lawn in the 1960s. Mind you, would probably have seen the Wapiti before them...

(Used to use the original pedestrian entrance, arriving by bus.)
 
SHAVINGTONZOO said:
(Used to use the original pedestrian entrance, arriving by bus.)
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I somehow remember once or twice using a pedestrian entrance in a tree-lined road and then seeing the Wapiti in the paddock on the right(?)hand side as you first entered the Zoo. Was that correct?
 
Pertinax said:
I somehow remember once or twice using a pedestrian entrance in a tree-lined road and then seeing the Wapiti in the paddock on the right(?)hand side as you first entered the Zoo. Was that correct?
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Yes.
That entrance is still there, used by staff and by visitors to functions at Oakfield House. If you enter that way, the round enclosure shown in bongorob's photo is directly in front of you. After the sun bears passed away, a fence was added and trees were planted in the middle - they are now quite large. It has held many animals over the years, the last ones I saw there were agouti, but there may be something else there now. Behind that enclosure is a house built of brick and a square paddock, which currently holds the dusky pademelons.
I think that in those days you could see the wapiti paddock on the right as you entered the zoo and that there used to be a direct path turning right from the entrance, along the side of that paddock as described above, but that was blocked off many years ago. Now you would have to go past the pademelons and turn right to see Oakfield House and then walk past the rock garden, the red pandas and the waterfowl nursery (formerly Manchurian crane paddock) to reach the big paddock and look for 'Holmes' the onager stallion.
 
gentle lemur said:
Yes.
That entrance is still there, used by staff and by visitors to functions at Oakfield House. If you enter that way, the round enclosure shown in bongorob's photo is directly in front of you. After the sun bears passed away, a fence was added and trees were planted in the middle - they are now quite large. It has held many animals over the years, the last ones I saw there were agouti, but there may be something else there now. Behind that enclosure is a house built of brick and a square paddock, which currently holds the dusky pademelons.
I think that in those days you could see the wapiti paddock on the right as you entered the zoo and that there used to be a direct path turning right from the entrance, along the side of that paddock as described above, but that was blocked off many years ago. Now you would have to go past the pademelons and turn right to see Oakfield House and then walk past the rock garden, the red pandas and the waterfowl nursery (formerly Manchurian crane paddock) to reach the big paddock and look for 'Holmes' the onager stallion.
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It had Giant Anteater in it around 10 years ago as well, and now has Pudu in, if it's the one next to the Dusky Pademelons. Amazed Sun Bears were in there as it's only a small enclosure !
 
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