thejestermk2
Member
Interesting. The report says that the African Forests zone will be in 'North Zoo'. I assumed they'd be pulling up the old Giraffe house, Tropical Realm and Chimp house for the new zone, but I wouldn't consider that in the north?
Chester Zoo Chester Zoo News 2024
- Thread starter bongorob
- Start date
The original plans were for it to go in the field expansion where the new lion area has been build, so I’m guessing that’s where they plan to have it.
olhl.animal.photography
Well-Known Member
It was mentioned a while ago that the Tropical Realm was being redone completely (i.e. knocked down and rebuilt) as it is slightly falling apart, but with all the renovations going on now that doesn't seem likely.
Why not? Barring SotJ and the lions, that is the most northerly part of the zoo. It doesn't refer to 'North Zoo' in the manner of old school East Zoo and West Zoo, the quote is:
The above quote explicitly states that the African Forests section will replace existing enclosures in this area. That says to me, the older big exhibits in this area - giraffes and okapis, cattle house, Tropical Realm, chimps. Most of that area's remaining larger animals would fit into the new zone's theme anyway once the giraffes move (buffalo, chimps, hogs, everything in the okapi house, even the aye-ayes). It could include a bit of new land, but I'd expect most of that to held off until some version of the proposed Asian lowlands ('Floodplains and Foothills' as it was referred to in the past) can be built around the lions.
Yes, the giraffe house will be empty and not fit for any other purpose and is old, same with the cattle house, tropical house is also past its best and yes there is work going on, but may still have 3-4 years left open and the chimp house is also now outdated.
Soni can't see this new area being anywhere other then there. Most likely a fully themed zone liked islands and HOA, only issue is the chimps, will have to either build there home first and move them, or they find a temporary home during construction.
Soni can't see this new area being anywhere other then there. Most likely a fully themed zone liked islands and HOA, only issue is the chimps, will have to either build there home first and move them, or they find a temporary home during construction.
I just hit the full screen button and pressed zoom in to read the annual report without downloading.
I did as well, but I still found the PDF easier to view, so I thought it was worth pointing out if people were struggling. It also means you get to keep a copy, of course.
Yeah, I think the recent work in Tropical Realm fits with the idea it'll be open at least a couple more years barring incidents, but certainly isn't of a level that screams to me a life beyond 2028.
This date also, to me, confirms that something will need to go in to the old giraffe paddock for the time being - I can't see them leaving so big a space empty that long. Maybe extra okapi or buffalo space or getting bongo back on show - but I just can't see that big paddock sat empty all the way from at least 2025-2028.
EDIT: And they've already paddock-to-picnic'ed one paddock right next door, so I'd be surprised at pulling the same stunt.
Laboratory 7
Well-Known Member
Also the works going on in there could be a CEO postponing having to sort out a huge problem to after he has left the zoo, because I don't think he wants the headache of sorting out how to dispose of all the asbestos in the building.
Sitatunga seems like an option, afaik they aren't planned for HoA and they have a decently sized group off show.
Considering that the Asian elephant EEP requests zoos to prolong interbirth intervals to 6-7 years it would actually be surprising if Sundara were already pregnant again. But it is totally possible that Chester got the clearance for another pregnancy because they lost so many calves from EEHV, and because Aung Bo who is a relieable breeder is to leave sooner then later to avoid inbreeding with his daugthers.
Regarding inbreeding, there is nothing in elephant behavoir to avoid inbreeding, males willl totally breed with their daugthers if given the opportunity, and brothers will mate with their sisters. That can and odes happen in the wild too. However, since there are a lot of males in a wild population, it is rather unlikely that a male breeds with his daugther or sister. While in a zoo setting, it is almost guaranteed that the male will breed with his daugthers if they share an enclosure when she is in heat.
Chester Zoo have 2.4 Asian elephants:
1.0 Aung Bo (2001) Arrived 2012
1.0 Anjan (2018) Aung Bo x Thi Hi Way
0.1 Maya (1966) Arrived 1990
0.1 Sundara (2004) Upali x Sithami
0.1 Indali (2016) Aung Bo x Sundara
0.1 Riva (2020) Aung Bo x Sundara
Luke899
Well-Known Member
Oh hello there, fancy seeing you here zoofan
I swear there were more, what happened to all the baby elephants
I saw lots of baby elephants in this documentary on them, have they all be exported to other zoos?
I follow Chester’s elephant herd (and a handful of others around the world). They’ve sadly lost many calves to EEHV:
1.0 Raman (2006-2009)
1.0 Nayan (2010-2013)
0.1 Jamilah (2011-2013)
1.0 Hari (2012-2015)
0.1 Bala (2013-2015)
0.1 Nandita (2015-2018)
1.0 Aayu (2017-2018)
They’ve also lost three adults within this timeframe:
0.1 Sheba (1956-2011)
0.1 Thi Hi Way (1982-2020)
0.1 Sithami (1997-2018)
Luke899
Well-Known Member
Christ, hopefully that will never happen in Australian zoos. I would be devastated in something like that happens to my new monarto herd
they have a better chance of surviving in the wild honestly, isolated from all those nasty diseases
Rajang-GOAT
Well-Known Member
Just a slight inaccuracy, it was Sithami who died in 2018 and Thi who died in 2020. It's so sad how badly they (the Hi Way herd and Chester) have suffered and it will take them a while to get back into the position they were in (Thi-Sithami-Sundara with a steady flow of calves being born), having currently only one calf born in the last 6 years since Anjan was born compared to 5 in the 6 years before he was born. Saying that it thankfully now looks like the situation with the virus is much more under control so hopefully things are on the up.
Chester Zoo have had some major setbacks in their attempts to establish a multigenerational herd, as have Whipsnade.
Sundara and her two young daughters will form the nucleus of the herd going forward and I wish them luck in building up the next generation following the arrival of a new bull.
Indali surviving EEHV was a major triumph for the zoo and I’m hoping given how proactive they are with testing and the growing knowledge base around treatment, that EEHV will be less devastating going forward. Aung Bo’s participation in a vaccine trial will hopefully contribute to their valuable research.