Chester Zoo Chester Zoo updates *3

Chester has just announced via Facebook that male Giraffe, Thorn and Black Rhino, Bashira are both scheduled to leave for pastures new next week. No confirmation on either's location but I'd assume that Bashira will go to Denmark as previously planned....
 
I will miss Thorn. He's quite simply the most magnificent example of giraffekind and totally awe-inspiring up close.
 
Will not be the same without seeing him. Just hope his replacement is as magnificent.

Was very nice to see him during his last week.
 
This move probably means that Chester will receive Longleat's male 'Doto'. Doto arrived at Longleat about three years ago, he wasn't originally supposed to go there it was 'Walda' (Ex South Lakes). Doto was Woburn's breeding male for a while. I think he may have sired about seven or eight calfs at Longleat and Woburn al together.
 
I'll miss Thorn, giraffes were just nice tall animals to me until I stood next to him and realised what a completely amazing creature he is.
 
Few quick snippets from a visit today,Martinique Spotted Anole(Anolis roquet summus) are now on-show in the Iguana exhibit in Islands in Danger,the Timor Zebra Finches have had atleast 3 young in Realm of the Red Ape.Plus the zoo has a pair of Aloatran Gentle Lemurs again.
 
The white-collared kingfishes have 2 chicks and the spectacled owls have one.

Other birds recently bred are
Tsavo aviary
Schlaow's Turaco unknown number
Village Weaver unknown number
White-faced Whistling Duck 3
Hamerkop 1 fledged and mor ein the nest

Tropical Realm
Blue-crowned Laughing thrush 1 fledged and 1 in the nest


One of the laughing thrush chicks and the male are in the aviary recently vacated by the Schalow's Turacos in the Tropical Realm. They ae labelled as yellow-throated laughing thrushes but they are Blue-crowned. The label is wrong.
 
No I mean Timor Zebra Finches,please find attached zootierlist link's ZootierlisteHomepage
ZootierlisteHomepage

Chester have been breeding the Timor Sparrow for many years now,both species arrived at Chester at around the same time,but until this year I don't believe they had bred the Timor Zebra Finch.
 
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The most noticabe difference is that the Australian Zebra Finch has the black and white barring on the throat and chest, the Timor Zebra Finch lacks it and the area is lightish grey. The chestnut colouration on the cheeks is more extensive on the Australian species and this species is slightly larger. The back and wings in the Timor Zebra Finch are the same shade of grey as the head, in the Australian Zebra Finch they are darker.

The Timor species is smaller.
 
bongorob said:
The most noticabe difference is that the Australian Zebra Finch has the black and white barring on the throat and chest, the Timor Zebra Finch lacks it and the area is lightish grey. The chestnut colouration on the cheeks is more extensive on the Australian species and this species is slightly larger. The back and wings in the Timor Zebra Finch are the same shade of grey as the head, in the Australian Zebra Finch they are darker.

The Timor species is smaller.
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They're a lovely looking species, that's for sure.
 
Pertinax said:
I never knew there were Zebra Finches on Timor!(until now..;) ) What visible differences are there from the Australian ones?
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Have to admit I had never heard of them until Chester got them,but then its always good to learn something new,for the difference see Bongorobs excellent guide to tell the difference between them,in post 53 in this thread!
 
bongorob said:
The back and wings in the Timor Zebra Finch are the same shade of grey as the head, in the Australian Zebra Finch they are darker.

The Timor species is smaller.
Click to expand...

Thanks Rob for the detailed description. The presence of both Zebra finches and Timor Sparrows must mean Timor has representatives from both sides of Wallace's Line.
 
Jordan-Jaguar97 said:
Very good news. It seems with the introduction of the 0.3 females imported from Scandinavia and ZSL Whipsnade things seem to have kicked in to shape. I wonder/hope if there's more on the way.
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Yep, one of the others is huge too, looking much the same as the one that gave birth last sunday.
 
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