Chester Zoo Chester Zoo Discussion, Speculation & Questions 2018

[pipaluk]

Other than the species originally intended , there are only 3 species remotely possible :

Asian Golden Cat - unlikely

Fishing Cat or Pallas's Cat - anything else on the 'not kept before ' list would be too small for that enclosure.

 

[Andy B]

The snow here was fairly thick first thing (21 miles away) but most of it has melted already.

There was probably 5cm-8cm of snow on the car park when I arrived at about 10:30. I was told they had a number of staff who couldn’t make it in & that inside the paths were also covered in snow. With health & safety being what it is these days I can understand the problem although I would have happily signed a disclaimer & cleared my own path. I will take a shovel & pen with me tomorrow just in case ;-)

 

[bongorob]

In 1962/1963 there was a really severe winter, the zoo was open every day.

 

[Charlie Simmomds]

In 1962/1963 there was a really severe winter, the zoo was open every day.

Was that back in your 40’s Rob

 

[agnmeln]

There was probably 5cm-8cm of snow on the car park when I arrived at about 10:30. I was told they had a number of staff who couldn’t make it in & that inside the paths were also covered in snow. With health & safety being what it is these days I can understand the problem although I would have happily signed a disclaimer & cleared my own path. I will take a shovel & pen with me tomorrow just in case ;-)

That’s a very good point - I would imagine that many of their staff probably have quite a commute, and also depend on public transport to get to work.

 

[jde7582]

Seriously though, this leaves us with the following species being possible:

• Marbled cat (Pardofelis marmorata) (None kept in Europe so very unlikely)
• Bay cat (Catopuma badia) (None kept in Europe so very unlikely)
• Asian golden cat (Catopuma temminckii) (5 collections in Europe, 1 in the UK (Belfast). South East Asian subspecies kept so a possible species for Islands however no plans have been submitted to the council for an exhbit for them so unsure)
• African golden cat (Caracal aurata) (None kept in Europe so very unlikely)
• Kodkod (Leopardus guigna) (None kept in Europe so very unlikely)
• Andean mountain cat (Leopardus jacobita) (None kept in Europe so very unlikely)
• Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) (4 collections in Europe, all in Iberia. Unlikely but who knows?)
• Fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus) (45 collections in Europe, 10 in the UK. Would fit with Islands but the exhibit doesn't seem suitable for them)
• Sunda leopard cat (Prionailurus javanensis) (Never even kept in Europe, effectivley impossible)
• Flat-headed cat (Prionailurus planiceps) (None kept in Europe so very unlikely)
• Rusty-spotted cat (Prionailurus rubiginosus) (14 collections in Europe, 5 in the UK. Would be very big enclosure for them but who knows.)
• Pallas's cat (Otocolobus manul) (38 collections in Europe, 6 in the UK. The most likely in my opinion)
• Sand cat (Felis margarita) (26 collections in Europe, 1 in the UK. The exhibit does not seem suitable at all for these)
• African wildcat (Felis lybica) (None kept in Europe so very unlikely)
• Chinese mountain cat (Felis bieti) (None kept in Europe so very unlikely)

I think Pallas's cat is definitley the most likely choice. I would put Asian golden cats in a far below second. Who knows, maybe we will be surprised with some Iberian lynx? My bets are still on Pallas's cat as they have been since the beginning.

From what I know it is one off this list

 

[TriUK]

Why can't it just be said what species it will be? Has someone been sworn to secrecy - I don't understand?

 

[agnmeln]

I guess that as it’s not wider public knowledge as yet people don’t want to share something that hasn't been given the okay to be shared, just out of respect.

 

[TriUK]

Fair enough!

 

[bongorob]

Was that back in your 40’s Rob

don't be silly, I'm not that young

 

[ShonenJake13]

@PaleoMatt, Sunda leopard cat ARE kept, as are African wildcat. Both in public collections. Just because the species isn’t listed on ZTL doesn’t mean subspecies haven't been re-assigned as them

(For the record, Palawan leopard cat, African wildcat, East African wildcat and Gordon’s wildcat)

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Sunda leopard cat (Prionailurus javanensis) (Never even kept in Europe, effectivley impossible)

Not only have I seen several of these in European collections, but they are present in European collections now

African wildcat (Felis lybica) (None kept in Europe so very unlikely)

The same goes for this species too, with the additional caveat that there is even an individual on-display in the UK!

 

[North Entrance]

I thought it was 'sort of' confirmed to be a Pallas's cat. Has that sort of changed then? This is worse than football transfer gossip

I refer all zoochatters back to my post in December...

Chester Zoo - Chester Zoo 2017 #4

No mystery, originally Lynx were expected, however now confirmed as Pallas's cat / Manul / 'Pallas sandcat'.
I'd very much like to see Caracal back at Chester but unlikely due to their conservation status.

 

[Fallax]

Oh so it is confirmed. Pallas's cat is coming just like I thought.

Also yea sorry for the mess up with zootierliste and such. I did think about african wildcat not being anywhere being odd, luckily I was wrong.

 

[bongorob]

who keeps African wild cat in the UK

 

[kiang]

who keeps African wild cat in the UK

It's either Howletts or PL i'm sure (or not???)

 

[TeaLovingDave]

who keeps African wild cat in the UK

Howlett's have kept the species for at least a decade, but have only a single elderly female now.

 

[bongorob]

Thanks TLD. I saw her in 2016 then, I thought it was Indian desert cat. I'm getting old.

 

[Maguari]

Thanks TLD. I saw her in 2016 then, I thought it was Indian desert cat. I'm getting old.

The Indian Desert Cats died out in 2014 so in 2016 it certainly would have been the African Wildcat.

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Indian Desert Cat falls within Felis libyca too, in any case albeit a different subspecies.