Chester Zoo Chester Zoo News 2022

bongorob said:
What do you mean Mayki?
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In terms of my silly LOTR reference or my comment underneath? :p

If it is the latter, it's because it seems rather odd for a staff member to drop news like that out of nowhere before any announcement by the zoo or even any construction (I can't think of any construction going on in that part of the zoo, unless it is behind the now closed former entrance area). Especially considering the species in question is one that is quite iconic and would be a rather big deal for the zoo! I hope the news is true, but in the past there has been a lot of things said about Chester and new species that are arriving that have turned out to not be true at all so I am quite sceptical until it is made official.
 
bongorob said:
What do you mean Mayki? Giving away which species?

No plans for a snow leopard exhibit on the council website. I thought they had a legal obligation to make available any plans submitted to them. I guess this will be in the area of the old bush dog enclosure
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Currently Bush Dogs only have the inside area of SOTJ, with the Sun Bear having the Outside area.

I didn't see any building work going on around that area yesterday when I was visiting. Spent a good hour around the Red Panda as well.

Did notice that the Cheetah was in this area again and I have a feeling it was where the Bush Dogs used to be. As left Red Panda area back towards centre of Zoo, was definitely on my right and not the left, in the paddock that's been used before.

Trying to think what's being moved to the old Cheetah exhibit under the walkways, have a feeling its the African Wild Dogs, whilst Heart Of Africa is being built.
 
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Alwaysevergreen said:
Is that area big enough for Snow Leopard's? Currently Bush Dogs only have the inside area of SOTJ, with the Sun Bear having the Outside area.
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That enclosure has held cheetahs before, snow leopards are pretty small for big cats so it's more than big enough for snow leopards. It could definitely be modified to accommodate for vertical height as well
 
Mayki said:
That enclosure has held cheetahs before, snow leopards are pretty small for big cats so it's more than big enough for snow leopards. It could definitely be modified to accommodate for vertical height as well
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Cheetah is back in that exhibit, so no building work will be going on there? Also I'm sure all the fencing would need changing.

If it was going to happen in that area, I would think more likely the old Pallas Cats area, but I think all that is blocked off now, and definitely no work going on.

But the Cheetah is back in the Bush Dogs at present.
 
Jonfla said:
I was advised today by a staff member.
Grasslands is being renamed Heart of Africa, with spades due in the ground January/February.
In addition a new enclosure is being built near the red pandas, for snow leopards. ( I didn't see that coming).
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I remember years ago someone saying that a keeper said they were getting Javan leopards but snow leopards are unexpected as for the wild dogs, I think they’ll stay where they are as the main work for the heart of Africa is where the zebras are and the more middle parts of the zoo
 
Charles said:
I remember years ago someone saying that a keeper said they were getting Javan leopards but snow leopards are unexpected as for the wild dogs, I think they’ll stay where they are as the main work for the heart of Africa is where the zebras are and the more middle parts of the zoo
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In this thread probably 2021, during the new construction, the wild dogs were moving to the cheetah enclosure.
The construction is going to be major and disruptive to any species nearby. There is of course the new offshow development across the road which is where the Flamingos were temporarily held, so I guess many different species could go over there.
 
Mayki said:
In terms of my silly LOTR reference or my comment underneath? :p

If it is the latter, it's because it seems rather odd for a staff member to drop news like that out of nowhere before any announcement by the zoo or even any construction (I can't think of any construction going on in that part of the zoo, unless it is behind the now closed former entrance area). Especially considering the species in question is one that is quite iconic and would be a rather big deal for the zoo! I hope the news is true, but in the past there has been a lot of things said about Chester and new species that are arriving that have turned out to not be true at all so I am quite sceptical until it is made official.
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I agree with you. I was shocked to get that information, and unless the species is already sourced it may not happen.
However the discussion I had was re grasslands, and the new species and enclosure information was proactively offered.
I asked if this was for general knowledge or not and told the info was not secret. The PR department may disagree. I'm not mobile enough to visit at the moment, but I believe you are a regular visitor so maybe you can find out more?
 
Jonfla said:
I agree with you. I was shocked to get that information, and unless the species is already sourced it may not happen.
However the discussion I had was re grasslands, and the new species and enclosure information was proactively offered.
I asked if this was for general knowledge or not and told the info was not secret. The PR department may disagree. I'm not mobile enough to visit at the moment, but I believe you are a regular visitor so maybe you can find out more?
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Unfortunately, I won't be able to visit nearly as much in the coming months as I'll be living away from Chester and doing work elsewhere meaning I'll be limited for time.
 
Mayki said:
Unfortunately, I won't be able to visit nearly as much in the coming months as I'll be living away from Chester and doing work elsewhere meaning I'll be limited for time.
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Well one would hope the PR will put us in the picture eventually
 
The name does sound strange as the heart of Africa generally refers to the forests in the center and not the large open grasslands.

But you never know.
 
jde7582 said:
The name does sound strange as the heart of Africa generally refers to the forests in the center and not the large open grasslands.

But you never know.
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I'd be strongly inclined to suspect that the name change will be intended to convey a more "interesting" feel for marketing purposes, rather than indicate any change in planned content.... the title "Grasslands" doesn't feel as commercially-appealing as "Islands" did, in my opinion.

As you note, time will tell.
 
The zoo may have been planning to add snow leapards in the future and a pair may have become available and they will hold them in the old Pelas cat enclosure until a new location is built. Not sure what zone they would fit into though
 
Perhaps the whole geographic zone thing is getting a bit passe, and they may be housed randomly?
 
The zoo was planning more area zones, rather than regions, countries ect, they have islands, grasslands is next, the other zone is forests (jaguar. House, orang's and what ever they build on the giraffe area and tropical house). Not sure where they fit into these zones
 
jde7582 said:
The zoo was planning more area zones, rather than regions, countries ect, they have islands, grasslands is next, the other zone is forests (jaguar. House, orang's and what ever they build on the giraffe area and tropical house). Not sure where they fit into these zones
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If you read my original post that started the Snow Leopard discussion. The proposal is for a new enclosure adjacent to the red pandas.
 
jde7582 said:
The zoo may have been planning to add snow leapards in the future and a pair may have become available and they will hold them in the old Pelas cat enclosure until a new location is built. Not sure what zone they would fit into though
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Based on your wording above, this kind of implies, you know this is happening? Is this your opinion, or something you have been told?, As can see nowhere online, in member newsletters/emails or at the zoo, which has said firstly they are getting Snow Leopards, secondly they have two, and thirdly where they will be held?

Also don't the EEP direct where Snow Leopards will be placed, and recently Exmoor have announced they were top of the waiting list and would be getting one from a European Zoo early next year.
So how would Chester jump past them on the list, and also be given a pair straight away?
 
Alwaysevergreen said:
Based on your wording above, this kind of implies, you know this is happening? Is this your opinion, or something you have been told?, As can see nowhere online, in member newsletters/emails or at the zoo, which has said firstly they are getting Snow Leopards, secondly they have two, and thirdly where they will be held?

Also don't the EEP direct where Snow Leopards will be placed, and recently Exmoor have announced they were top of the waiting list and would be getting one from a European Zoo early next year.
So how would Chester jump past them on the list, and also be given a pair straight away?
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Per my post on Thursday #357 I was told by a staff member a new enclosure would be built for Snow Leopards near the red pandas. This information was volunteered and was told this is not confidential.
For your context I was having a telephone conversation with the donations team concerning grasslands.
I was as surprised as you all seem to be, but I have to assume the information is correct. Time will tell.
 
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