Chester Zoo Chester Zoo news 2025

Hi all, I’m visiting Chester for the first time next week and I’m wondering if anyone has a preferred route to take around the zoo? Or the most efficient route?
 
Hi all, I’m visiting Chester for the first time next week and I’m wondering if anyone has a preferred route to take around the zoo? Or the most efficient route?
It really depends on what you're most interested in seeing. It's extremely difficult to get around the whole site in one day unless you stay from opening to closing time, so I'd suggest you make a list of key species you want to see, study the map and plan out a route accordingly.
 
Other 2025 News Not Mentioned:
On February 7th, the zoo announced that over the past year, they bred and released 33 Montseny brook newts into the wilds of Catalonia, Spain, and 17 Bermudian skinks into the wilds of Bermuda. The zoo also announced they cultivated and planted a flower and tree species in the wilds of Wales.

Chester Zoo

On January 4th, it was announced that the zoo transferred (1.1) panther chameleons to Hertfordshire Zoo in Hertfordshire in autumn 2024.

14K views · 248 reactions | What happens in here stays in here… ☢️ #zookeeper #quarantine #animals #reptiles #animals #hertfordshirezoo | Hertfordshire Zoo

On March 12th, it was announced that the zoo acquired (0.3) common warthogs from Colchester Zoo in Essex on January 16th.

https://www.colchesterzoologicalsociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Jan-Montly-Overview-2025.pdf

On March 27th, it was announced that the zoo transferred a male (1.0) lilac-breasted roller to Blackpool Zoo in Lancashire.

Blackpool Zoo

Two Coppery Titis arrived yesterday and can be seen in the miniture monkey enclosure next to the other mixed monkeys.

On May 15th, the zoo officially announced the arrival of the monkeys, which were named Ned and Scout.

58K views · 1.7K reactions | New arrivals alert! This is Scout and Ned, our Coppery Titi monkey duo | Chester Zoo

On June 3rd, it was mentioned that the zoo transferred a male (1.0) common European adder to Wildwood Kent in Kent*.

On June 6th, it was mentioned that the zoo would acquire a (0.1) yellow mongoose from Cotswold Wildlife Park in Oxfordshire in the upcoming weeks**.

On June 12th, it was announced that the zoo transferred (0.2) Ibity ground geckos to Northumberland Zoo in Northumberland.


On June 23rd, it was announced that the zoo transferred a male (1.0) fossa named Isalo to Fife Zoo in Scotland***.

Fife Zoo

On June 27th, it was announced that the zoo transferred 2 Sulawesi babirusas to Drayton Manor Resort in Staffordshire****.

13K views · 76 reactions | Say hello to Lucu and Satu, a pair of babirusa! (pronounced bab-ee-roo-sa) With their unique curved tusks and love for mud wallows, babirusas are one of the world’s most fascinating pig species. Native to Indonesia, they’re classed as Vulnerable in the wild due to habitat loss and hunting. Lucu, our male, can be spotted by his impressive tusks, while Satu, our female, shows the more subtle side of this incredible species. Fruit-loving foragers Foregut fermenters (unlike most pigs!) Excellent swimmers Part of a vital breeding programme Keep an eye out for them on your next visit and help us shine a light on this lesser known but seriously special species | Drayton Manor


On July 11th, the zoo officially named 2 of the penguins Crux and Vega, respectively.

Chester Zoo

On August 13th, the zoo announced that a Philippine spotted deer named Pluto was born, which is now on exhibit.

Chester Zoo

* Information given by @Typhlonectes in the Wildwood news thread (Page 6 Post #115).
** Information given by @Lafone in the Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens News 2025 thread (Page 4 Post #61).
*** Information given by @Baringogiraffe12 in the Fife Zoo news thread (Page 5 Post #87).
**** Information given by Baringogiraffe12 in the Drayton Manor Theme Park Zoo thread (Page 7 Post #137).
***** Worth mentioning that the zoo transferred a male (1.0) Madagascar giant day gecko to Colchester Zoo in July 2024, and a colony of naked mole rats to Northumberland Zoo in December 2024.
 
The zoo have announced via social media the arrival of another new small monkey: golden lion tamarins. The pair are called George and Leaf. The first of their kind in the collection.

This if I’m right this is the third smaller monkey after the geoldis and coppery titi’s that have joined the collection in the last 12 months or so.
 
Their label has the common name for Golden Lion Tamarin, and the scientific name of the Golden-headed Lion Tamarin.

That's a bit sloppy! Do we know which it is?

Miss Howard's booklet (c.1984) has if I recall correctly a photograph of GLT; these were kept by Willie English at Shavington/Haslington but not - I think - by Mottershead.
 
does chester still keep sitatunga & bongo? are they just behind the scenes or moved on?
 
does chester still keep sitatunga & bongo? are they just behind the scenes or moved on?
Bingo are off show. I believe the Sitatunga were moved elsewhere in the UK... maybe Birmingham?
 
I think both flocks of flamingos are able to fly.

How could I be so stupid? People who know me will no doubt say years of practice.

Of course Chester's flamingos will be pinnioned. I can't think how I forgot that.
 
does chester still keep sitatunga & bongo? are they just behind the scenes or moved on?
The bongos will more than likely stay off-show until development is either fully or mostly done on the new African forest area the zoo are planning, so it may be a few years before they're seen again.
 
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