FELIFORMS
Comprising cats, viverrids, mongooses, Malagasy carnivores and hyaenas, this is by far the more prominent of the two carnivoran groups kept during Colchester Zoo’s history. The griup has seen a steady decline in numbers – for example, there were no fewer than fifteen species of these mammals kept in the mid-1990s, compared to just seven today. However, generally speaking the enclosures have improved for those species that do remain. Throughout their history, at least thirty-six species of feliform have been kept. The zoo’s recent masterplan mentions just two species, both already present at the zoo – the Amur tigers in their current enclosure and the African lions in a new enclosure.
Past holdings:
Snow leopard, Panthera uncia
The International Zoo News issue for 1986 mentions the construction of the snow leopard enclosure, while the official 60th anniversary book released by the zoo says this is also the year the animals themselves arrived. They remained in the same enclosure, a fairly small space on the hilltop now occupied by the sun bear enclosure, before they departed in 2005.
Jaguar, Panthera onca
The first record I can find of this species at Colchester Zoo is from 1991. The zoo had a pair, with the male dying early in 2000 and the female, named Handaya, leaving for Edinburgh Zoo in 2005. Their enclosure was taken over by the Amur leopards, with the male leopard arriving on the same day as the departure of the last jaguar.
Caracal, Caracal caracal
I have found records of the caracal in the 1972 guidebook, with the included map showing they lived roughly where the Worlds Apart walkthrough now stands. The caracal appears on the maps for 1984 to 1985 and for 1991 – on both maps they live on the site of the current spider monkey enclosure. The IZN issue for 1986 records two unsuccessful litters born in that year. In 1991, a male caracal arrived from London Zoo to join a pair of females already at Colchester. However, Zootierliste notes that by 1992 this male was the only caracal left at Colchester. I am not certain exactly when this species stopped being kept.
Serval, Leptailurus serval
A 1976 issue of IZN recorded that the zoo was looking to source a female serval. However, it is not known if servals were ever kept at Colchester Zoo prior to the arrival of a young female in 2017 that was planned for inclusion in the animal display. When the display was ended in 2019, this serval was moved to the Wild Zoological Park in Staffordshire.
Cougar, Puma concolor
These American cats have had a rather long history at Colchester Zoo. The Story of Colchester Zoo records a cougar cub by the name of Mogi being hand-reared inside Stanway Hall in 1968, plus the later birth of three cubs in 1970. The 1972 guidebook includes them, with the map placing them roughly where the Worlds Apart walkthrough now stands. In 1987, a cougar had to be killed, after it escaped its enclosure when the great storm of that year crushed its enclosure with a fallen tree. They are shown on the 1991 map, living in one of the Hornbill Hill cages that is now part of the sun bear enclosure. This species finally left the collection in 1992, according to Zootierliste.
Eurasian lynx, Lynx lynx
This species was definitely present in the mid-1980s, although I am not certain exactly when they arrived at or left the zoo. The 1984 to 1985 map includes a lynx enclosure, while the 1986 IZN issue mentions the construction of the enclosure that was specifically for European lynx.
Fishing cat, Prionailurus viverrinus
The first record of the fishing cat that I can find is from the 1991 zoo map. They seem to have remained to the zoo until around 2004, with a photograph from that year on Flickr. Throughout their time at the zoo, they lived in an enclosure attached to the Rivers Edge building, roughly beneath the current footprint of the gibbon enclosure.
Leopard cat, Prionailurus bengalensis
This species was definitely kept from at least 1972, as it is mentioned in the guidebook and shown on the map living where the Worlds Apart walkthrough is now located – the guidebook refers to it as the Indian leopard cat. The 1986 IZN report records the unsuccessful breeding of the leopard cat in that year. Non-subspecies leopard cats are recorded on Zootierliste, with a pair present in 1992. The guidebook and map from 1998 and the map from 1999 to 2000 all show Amur leopard cats as being present in the lowest enclosure on Hornbill Hill, now part of the sun bear enclosure. It is not certain when the species finally left the collection.
Rusty-spotted cat, Prionailurus rubiginosus
Zootierliste records this species living at Colchester Zoo between 1990 and 1998. The only map showing these tiny cats is from 1994, which shows them living in the small cat enclosure tucked down the side of Stanway Hall that was used for Geoffroy’s cats for many years and has now been demolished for part of the sun bear house.
Pallas’s cat, Otocolobus manul
Zootierliste records this species arriving at Colchester Zoo in 2005, with animals arriving from Moscow Zoo. The last references I can find are photographs from around 2009 to 2010. In April 2007 these cats successfully bred, producing five kittens. They lived in the former fishing cat enclosure, now part of the gibbon enclosure.
Ocelot, Leopardus pardalis
According to The Story of Colchester Zoo, multiple ocelots were present at the zoo’s opening in 1963. An ocelot also arrived at the zoo in 1970 as part of the collection of Nick Nyoka. The 1986 issue of IZN reports the arrival of a male ocelot sometime between January and April, with a successful breeding following sometime between September and December. From at least 1991, ocelots lived in a narrow enclosure on the hill, now part of the Amur leopard enclosure. They remained until around 1999 or 2000.
Margay, Leopardus wiedii
The Story of Colchester Zoo records a margay as one of the animals that arrived at Colchester Zoo in 1970 with Nick Nyoka. Later, Zootierliste records that, in 1986, Colchester had a single male margay in its collection. Sometime later, they made a return, with the species moving into the former ocelot enclosure in 2000, where they remained until 2009, when their enclosure was demolished as part of the Amur leopard extension.
Geoffroy’s cat, Leopardus geoffroyi
This species probably arrived in 1998, as this is the first zoo map that includes the species – it moved into the former rusty-spotted cat enclosure tucked down the side of Stanway Hall. The species remained on-display in one of the old bear dens until around 2014, but the last female stayed off-show at the zoo until at least 2018.
Jungle cat, Felis chaus
The zoo map from 1984 to 1985 shows an enclosure for jungle cats at the bottom of Hornbill Hill, now part of the sun bear enclosure. The maps from 1991 and 1994 also show the jungle cat being kept in the same location. I am not certain when this species left the collection.
Sand cat, Felis margarita
This species of cat first arrived at Colchester Zoo in 1996 and first bred in 1997. They lived in the Desert Life building in the Beginning Zone for the entire duration of their time at the zoo, and left the collection when the exhibit was shut in 2008.
Black-footed cat, Felis nigripes
This small cat was kept at Colchester Zoo at least from 1991, with a pair recorded in 1992 and a second female in 1993. The species was no longer kept by late 1993 or 1994. The only map record is from 1991, which shows them living in the small indoor space that would later become Snakes and Lizards, the now-closed indoor annex between what is now the mangabeys and the former hyaena enclosure.
Afro-Asian wildcat, Felis libyca
While it is not known exactly when they arrived or departed from the zoo, a copy of International Zoo News from 1986 shows that between September and December of that year an enclosure was constructed for Indian desert cats.
European wildcat, Felis silvestris
The Scottish wildcat was kept at Colchester Zoo. The 1986 IZN copy shows that a new enclosure for these cats was constructed sometime between January and April, with a successful breeding taking place sometime during May to August of the same year. Sometime in the early to mid-1990s, a pair of Scottish wildcats were stolen from the zoo and later released by the Animal Liberation Front. It is not clear if these were the only individuals at the zoo at the time, or whether the wildcat persisted at Colchester after that time.
African civet, Civettictis civetta
The 1984 to 1985 map shows a general mark for ‘civets’ without specifying what species. The first confirmed record of this species I can find is from the 1986 IZN issue, which mentions the arrival of a pair of African civets between May and August of that year. There is a photograph of this species taken at Colchester in 1990, while the 1994 map also mentions it. While the 1980s map shows the civet in the former Small Mammal House, these later records show the civet in an awkward enclosure where the squirrel monkeys currently live – apparently, they were only visible through the mesh back of another enclosure. I am not certain of the exact year in which this species left the collection.
Large-spotted civet, Viverra megaspila
Other than an information-free listing on Zootierliste, no further details exist about this species’ history at Colchester including its years of arrival and departure from the zoo.
Common palm civet, Paradoxurus hermaphroditus
While it is not known if the species was kept previously, a single palm civet arrived at the zoo in early 2017 to be in the animal display. It left in around 2019, when the shows were ended.
Banded mongoose, Mungos mungo
It is difficult determining exactly when this, and indeed most of the other mongoose species, actually arrived at Colchester Zoo – the first evidence I can find is from the 1998 zoo map, which puts them in the Patas Plains area where the squirrel monkeys currently live. They moved around a bit – around 1999 to 2000, they moved into a custom-made enclosure called Mongoose Mound in the children’s zoo until at least 2008, they briefly were mixed with the mangabeys and by around 2009 were living in the Small Mammal House. It seems they left the zoo at around this time.
Common dwarf mongoose, Helogale parvula
This species is first mentioned, as far as I can tell, from the 1999-2000 map, although the Small Mammal House that they always lived in has existed and been labelled since at least 1991, so they may well have been around much longer. They are definitely shown on the 2003 map and maybe also the 2007 map, but probably left soon after.
Yellow mongoose, Cynictis penicillata
On the 1999-2000 map, yellow mongooses have replaced the banded mongooses in Patas Plains. By 2003, they had moved to the Mongoose Canyon exhibit by the gelada baboons. They were probably still present around 2007, but left the zoo in around 2008 to 2009.
Marsh mongoose, Atilax paludinosus
The earliest reference I can find to the marsh mongoose is from the 1994 zoo map, where they lived in part of a network of enclosures that is now part of the Heart of the Amazon housing. There are also shown on the 1998 and 1999 to 2000 maps, now shown living in an enclosure right at the zoo’s northeastern boundary. The species was no longer present in the collection by 2003. Part of their enclosure can still just about be seen – to the left of the entrance to the Playa Patagonia sea lion tunnel, a rock-lined depression can be seen in the planted border, which was once the marsh mongoose’s pond.
Indian mongoose, Herpestes sp.
According to The Story of Colchester Zoo an unidentified species of Indian mongoose, predictably named Rikkitikkitavi, arrived at Colchester Zoo in 1964. It is not known how long it lived at the zoo for, nor where it was kept within the zoo.
Fossa, Cryptoprocta ferox
The first fossa arrived at Colchester Zoo in 1994. They bred once in 1999, and the species remained at Colchester Zoo until 2009. Their enclosure, called Foret de Madagascar, was the former home of the snow leopards that is now part of the sun bear enclosure.
Fanaloka, Fossa fossana
Zootierliste mentions this species under former holdings for Colchester Zoo. There is no information on when they arrived at or left the collection, with the only additional note being that this species did not breed while at the zoo.
Striped hyaena, Hyaena hyaena
The striped hyaena was one of the species present when Colchester Zoo first opened in 1963. The 1972 map and guidebook both mention the species, living roughly where the zoo entrance building now stands. The zoo maps from 1985 through to 1987 all list ‘hyaenas’ without specifying the exact species. However, the striped hyaena definitely returned sometime around 2004-2005, living in the Edge of Africa and rotating through the space with the last of the spotted hyaenas. In 2007, this pair reproduced but the single offspring did not survive. This species left the zoo in 2011 in preparation for the arrival of the new pair of spotted hyaenas.
Present holdings:
Tiger, Panthera tigris
The first tigers at Colchester Zoo arrived three years after opening in 1966 - two female tigers named Ranee and Ranjit. The Story of Colchester Zoo describes them as Bengal tigers, which could be an accurate subspecies identification. The following year, three tiger cubs arrived at the zoo. The 1972 map shows the tigers living roughly where the chimpanzees now live. By 1989, the tigers moved to Tiger Valley, now the Lost Madagascar lemur walkthrough. Tigers have remained at Colchester ever since their arrival, so now the focus is on major additions or changes. In 1998 a pair of white tigers arrived from ZooParc de Beauval. The male, named Sasha, became a minor celebrity when he killed his mate in 1999. He remained at the zoo until his death in 2010. Meanwhile, Siberian tigers arrived in 2003, moving into the Tiger Taiga enclosure that they still inhabit to this day. The Amur tigers bred in 2019, the first time Colchester Zoo had ever bred the species.
Lion, Panthera leo
One of the animals present at the opening of the zoo in 1963 was a male Asiatic lion by the name of Rajah. Lions have been at Colchester ever since, with one particularly famous individual being Simba, the largest lion ever recorded, who arrived in 1970 from Sandown Zoo with Nick Nyoka. The lions at first lived roughly where the chimpanzees now live, and also lived in an enclosure next to Stanway Hall in the 1970s. In 1992 the lions moved into the Serengeti Plains exhibit, where the mangabeys now live. They remained there until the opening of Lion Rock in 2004. Today, there is a single older male African lion named Bailey at the zoo – presumably, the plans for a new enclosure for the lions in Edge of Africa will involve the arrival of new individuals.
Leopard, Panthera pardus
A wild-born male Indian leopard, with the name Chief Horrible Noise or Chiefy for short, was present at Colchester Zoo at its 1963 opening. Leopards have been around at Colchester for a long period of time – The Story of Colchester Zoo records the arrival of a breeding trio of black leopards sometime between 1966 and 1968. In the 1972 map and guidebook there are enclosures for both Indian and black leopards, while the IZN issue for 1986 records the birth of two black leopard cubs sometime in the May to August of that year. There were leopards present until sometime between 1994 and 1998, living in an enclosure roughly where the pileated gibbons now live. Leopards remained absent from Colchester Zoo until the arrival of Amur leopards in 2005. This subspecies has remained at Colchester to the present-day, with a single successful breeding in 2019.
Cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus
Cheetahs have been part of Colchester Zoo’s collection since its 1963 opening, with tame female Kinna resident at the time. By 1965, there was a male and two female cheetahs at the zoo but, despite the best efforts at Colchester at the time, they did not manage to become the first British zoo to breed cheetahs. The 1972 zoo map shows that the cheetahs at that time lived in an enclosure on the site of the entrance building. By the publication of the 1984 to 1985 map, they had moved to the site of Cheetah Country, an enclosure that included the land currently home to the wreathed hornbills and red pandas – later, it was expanded to also include the space now home to binturongs and small-clawed otters. By 2002, the cheetahs had moved to Edge of Africa, where they remain to this day. Several litters have been successfully born in this enclosure. In 2023, a secondary enclosure for cheetahs was opened, in the former African painted dog enclosure. There are possibly plans for the cheetahs to get the current warthog enclosure, so that the breeding pair can be on-display simultaneously.
Binturong, Arctictis binturong
The Story of Colchester Zoo reports the arrival of the zoo’s first pair of binturongs in 1965. They are included in the 1972 guidebook, and the map from that year lists them as being part of the zoo’s Nocturnal House, roughly where Worlds Apart now stands. The IZN issue for 1986 records the arrival of a pair of binturongs sometime between September and December of that year. The species was present in at least 2003 in the Small Mammal House, on the site of the former Nocturnal House. By around 2007, the species moved into an enclosure that had previously housed the langurs, roughly where the current gibbon enclosure now stands. They remained here until around 2011-2012, when the species moved into its current enclosure near the lemur island.
Slender-tailed meerkat, Suricata suricatta
The earliest record I can find of meerkats at Colchester Zoo is from the 1984 or 1985 map, where they are shown living in the former Small Mammal House on the site of the Worlds Apart walkthrough. The IZN report from 1986 records the arrival of a pair of meerkats between May and August of that year. The next confirmation of meerkats is from 2003, again showing them in the Small Mammal House – however, several maps list the house without mentioning the animals within it, so it is fairly likely they were there throughout this time. Soon after this time, a secondary group of meerkats moved into an all-indoor enclosure in Kingdom of the Wild. The meerkats left the Small Mammal House for their custom new Suricata Sands enclosure in 2009 to 2010 Suricata Sands. By 2013, the meerkats had left the Kingdom of the Wild enclosure and now only live in a single enclosure in the zoo.
Spotted hyaena, Crocuta crocuta
Zootierliste records this species first being held at Colchester Zoo in 1988. The first map to show them is from 1991, when they lived in their former enclosure in the Serengeti Plains complex (the enclosure is now a picnic site, between the mangabeys and Barbary macaques) – they remained in this enclosure until 1998. The 1999-2000 map shows the spotted hyenas moving to their current enclosure in Kingdom of the Wild. One of these original animals, a male named Mbembe, lived at the zoo until 2010, sharing the enclosure on rotation with the striped hyaenas. In 2011, a new pair returned to Colchester Zoo and bred successfully on multiple occasions, with the male and two of his descendants at the zoo currently.
Colchester Zoo once had one of the most extensive collections of small cats in the country, but following the departure of the last Geoffroy’s cat, there are now only four species of large cat remaining.
Comprising cats, viverrids, mongooses, Malagasy carnivores and hyaenas, this is by far the more prominent of the two carnivoran groups kept during Colchester Zoo’s history. The griup has seen a steady decline in numbers – for example, there were no fewer than fifteen species of these mammals kept in the mid-1990s, compared to just seven today. However, generally speaking the enclosures have improved for those species that do remain. Throughout their history, at least thirty-six species of feliform have been kept. The zoo’s recent masterplan mentions just two species, both already present at the zoo – the Amur tigers in their current enclosure and the African lions in a new enclosure.
Past holdings:
Snow leopard, Panthera uncia
The International Zoo News issue for 1986 mentions the construction of the snow leopard enclosure, while the official 60th anniversary book released by the zoo says this is also the year the animals themselves arrived. They remained in the same enclosure, a fairly small space on the hilltop now occupied by the sun bear enclosure, before they departed in 2005.
Jaguar, Panthera onca
The first record I can find of this species at Colchester Zoo is from 1991. The zoo had a pair, with the male dying early in 2000 and the female, named Handaya, leaving for Edinburgh Zoo in 2005. Their enclosure was taken over by the Amur leopards, with the male leopard arriving on the same day as the departure of the last jaguar.
Caracal, Caracal caracal
I have found records of the caracal in the 1972 guidebook, with the included map showing they lived roughly where the Worlds Apart walkthrough now stands. The caracal appears on the maps for 1984 to 1985 and for 1991 – on both maps they live on the site of the current spider monkey enclosure. The IZN issue for 1986 records two unsuccessful litters born in that year. In 1991, a male caracal arrived from London Zoo to join a pair of females already at Colchester. However, Zootierliste notes that by 1992 this male was the only caracal left at Colchester. I am not certain exactly when this species stopped being kept.
Serval, Leptailurus serval
A 1976 issue of IZN recorded that the zoo was looking to source a female serval. However, it is not known if servals were ever kept at Colchester Zoo prior to the arrival of a young female in 2017 that was planned for inclusion in the animal display. When the display was ended in 2019, this serval was moved to the Wild Zoological Park in Staffordshire.
Cougar, Puma concolor
These American cats have had a rather long history at Colchester Zoo. The Story of Colchester Zoo records a cougar cub by the name of Mogi being hand-reared inside Stanway Hall in 1968, plus the later birth of three cubs in 1970. The 1972 guidebook includes them, with the map placing them roughly where the Worlds Apart walkthrough now stands. In 1987, a cougar had to be killed, after it escaped its enclosure when the great storm of that year crushed its enclosure with a fallen tree. They are shown on the 1991 map, living in one of the Hornbill Hill cages that is now part of the sun bear enclosure. This species finally left the collection in 1992, according to Zootierliste.
Eurasian lynx, Lynx lynx
This species was definitely present in the mid-1980s, although I am not certain exactly when they arrived at or left the zoo. The 1984 to 1985 map includes a lynx enclosure, while the 1986 IZN issue mentions the construction of the enclosure that was specifically for European lynx.
Fishing cat, Prionailurus viverrinus
The first record of the fishing cat that I can find is from the 1991 zoo map. They seem to have remained to the zoo until around 2004, with a photograph from that year on Flickr. Throughout their time at the zoo, they lived in an enclosure attached to the Rivers Edge building, roughly beneath the current footprint of the gibbon enclosure.
Leopard cat, Prionailurus bengalensis
This species was definitely kept from at least 1972, as it is mentioned in the guidebook and shown on the map living where the Worlds Apart walkthrough is now located – the guidebook refers to it as the Indian leopard cat. The 1986 IZN report records the unsuccessful breeding of the leopard cat in that year. Non-subspecies leopard cats are recorded on Zootierliste, with a pair present in 1992. The guidebook and map from 1998 and the map from 1999 to 2000 all show Amur leopard cats as being present in the lowest enclosure on Hornbill Hill, now part of the sun bear enclosure. It is not certain when the species finally left the collection.
Rusty-spotted cat, Prionailurus rubiginosus
Zootierliste records this species living at Colchester Zoo between 1990 and 1998. The only map showing these tiny cats is from 1994, which shows them living in the small cat enclosure tucked down the side of Stanway Hall that was used for Geoffroy’s cats for many years and has now been demolished for part of the sun bear house.
Pallas’s cat, Otocolobus manul
Zootierliste records this species arriving at Colchester Zoo in 2005, with animals arriving from Moscow Zoo. The last references I can find are photographs from around 2009 to 2010. In April 2007 these cats successfully bred, producing five kittens. They lived in the former fishing cat enclosure, now part of the gibbon enclosure.
Ocelot, Leopardus pardalis
According to The Story of Colchester Zoo, multiple ocelots were present at the zoo’s opening in 1963. An ocelot also arrived at the zoo in 1970 as part of the collection of Nick Nyoka. The 1986 issue of IZN reports the arrival of a male ocelot sometime between January and April, with a successful breeding following sometime between September and December. From at least 1991, ocelots lived in a narrow enclosure on the hill, now part of the Amur leopard enclosure. They remained until around 1999 or 2000.
Margay, Leopardus wiedii
The Story of Colchester Zoo records a margay as one of the animals that arrived at Colchester Zoo in 1970 with Nick Nyoka. Later, Zootierliste records that, in 1986, Colchester had a single male margay in its collection. Sometime later, they made a return, with the species moving into the former ocelot enclosure in 2000, where they remained until 2009, when their enclosure was demolished as part of the Amur leopard extension.
Geoffroy’s cat, Leopardus geoffroyi
This species probably arrived in 1998, as this is the first zoo map that includes the species – it moved into the former rusty-spotted cat enclosure tucked down the side of Stanway Hall. The species remained on-display in one of the old bear dens until around 2014, but the last female stayed off-show at the zoo until at least 2018.
Jungle cat, Felis chaus
The zoo map from 1984 to 1985 shows an enclosure for jungle cats at the bottom of Hornbill Hill, now part of the sun bear enclosure. The maps from 1991 and 1994 also show the jungle cat being kept in the same location. I am not certain when this species left the collection.
Sand cat, Felis margarita
This species of cat first arrived at Colchester Zoo in 1996 and first bred in 1997. They lived in the Desert Life building in the Beginning Zone for the entire duration of their time at the zoo, and left the collection when the exhibit was shut in 2008.
Black-footed cat, Felis nigripes
This small cat was kept at Colchester Zoo at least from 1991, with a pair recorded in 1992 and a second female in 1993. The species was no longer kept by late 1993 or 1994. The only map record is from 1991, which shows them living in the small indoor space that would later become Snakes and Lizards, the now-closed indoor annex between what is now the mangabeys and the former hyaena enclosure.
Afro-Asian wildcat, Felis libyca
While it is not known exactly when they arrived or departed from the zoo, a copy of International Zoo News from 1986 shows that between September and December of that year an enclosure was constructed for Indian desert cats.
European wildcat, Felis silvestris
The Scottish wildcat was kept at Colchester Zoo. The 1986 IZN copy shows that a new enclosure for these cats was constructed sometime between January and April, with a successful breeding taking place sometime during May to August of the same year. Sometime in the early to mid-1990s, a pair of Scottish wildcats were stolen from the zoo and later released by the Animal Liberation Front. It is not clear if these were the only individuals at the zoo at the time, or whether the wildcat persisted at Colchester after that time.
African civet, Civettictis civetta
The 1984 to 1985 map shows a general mark for ‘civets’ without specifying what species. The first confirmed record of this species I can find is from the 1986 IZN issue, which mentions the arrival of a pair of African civets between May and August of that year. There is a photograph of this species taken at Colchester in 1990, while the 1994 map also mentions it. While the 1980s map shows the civet in the former Small Mammal House, these later records show the civet in an awkward enclosure where the squirrel monkeys currently live – apparently, they were only visible through the mesh back of another enclosure. I am not certain of the exact year in which this species left the collection.
Large-spotted civet, Viverra megaspila
Other than an information-free listing on Zootierliste, no further details exist about this species’ history at Colchester including its years of arrival and departure from the zoo.
Common palm civet, Paradoxurus hermaphroditus
While it is not known if the species was kept previously, a single palm civet arrived at the zoo in early 2017 to be in the animal display. It left in around 2019, when the shows were ended.
Banded mongoose, Mungos mungo
It is difficult determining exactly when this, and indeed most of the other mongoose species, actually arrived at Colchester Zoo – the first evidence I can find is from the 1998 zoo map, which puts them in the Patas Plains area where the squirrel monkeys currently live. They moved around a bit – around 1999 to 2000, they moved into a custom-made enclosure called Mongoose Mound in the children’s zoo until at least 2008, they briefly were mixed with the mangabeys and by around 2009 were living in the Small Mammal House. It seems they left the zoo at around this time.
Common dwarf mongoose, Helogale parvula
This species is first mentioned, as far as I can tell, from the 1999-2000 map, although the Small Mammal House that they always lived in has existed and been labelled since at least 1991, so they may well have been around much longer. They are definitely shown on the 2003 map and maybe also the 2007 map, but probably left soon after.
Yellow mongoose, Cynictis penicillata
On the 1999-2000 map, yellow mongooses have replaced the banded mongooses in Patas Plains. By 2003, they had moved to the Mongoose Canyon exhibit by the gelada baboons. They were probably still present around 2007, but left the zoo in around 2008 to 2009.
Marsh mongoose, Atilax paludinosus
The earliest reference I can find to the marsh mongoose is from the 1994 zoo map, where they lived in part of a network of enclosures that is now part of the Heart of the Amazon housing. There are also shown on the 1998 and 1999 to 2000 maps, now shown living in an enclosure right at the zoo’s northeastern boundary. The species was no longer present in the collection by 2003. Part of their enclosure can still just about be seen – to the left of the entrance to the Playa Patagonia sea lion tunnel, a rock-lined depression can be seen in the planted border, which was once the marsh mongoose’s pond.
Indian mongoose, Herpestes sp.
According to The Story of Colchester Zoo an unidentified species of Indian mongoose, predictably named Rikkitikkitavi, arrived at Colchester Zoo in 1964. It is not known how long it lived at the zoo for, nor where it was kept within the zoo.
Fossa, Cryptoprocta ferox
The first fossa arrived at Colchester Zoo in 1994. They bred once in 1999, and the species remained at Colchester Zoo until 2009. Their enclosure, called Foret de Madagascar, was the former home of the snow leopards that is now part of the sun bear enclosure.
Fanaloka, Fossa fossana
Zootierliste mentions this species under former holdings for Colchester Zoo. There is no information on when they arrived at or left the collection, with the only additional note being that this species did not breed while at the zoo.
Striped hyaena, Hyaena hyaena
The striped hyaena was one of the species present when Colchester Zoo first opened in 1963. The 1972 map and guidebook both mention the species, living roughly where the zoo entrance building now stands. The zoo maps from 1985 through to 1987 all list ‘hyaenas’ without specifying the exact species. However, the striped hyaena definitely returned sometime around 2004-2005, living in the Edge of Africa and rotating through the space with the last of the spotted hyaenas. In 2007, this pair reproduced but the single offspring did not survive. This species left the zoo in 2011 in preparation for the arrival of the new pair of spotted hyaenas.
Present holdings:
Tiger, Panthera tigris
The first tigers at Colchester Zoo arrived three years after opening in 1966 - two female tigers named Ranee and Ranjit. The Story of Colchester Zoo describes them as Bengal tigers, which could be an accurate subspecies identification. The following year, three tiger cubs arrived at the zoo. The 1972 map shows the tigers living roughly where the chimpanzees now live. By 1989, the tigers moved to Tiger Valley, now the Lost Madagascar lemur walkthrough. Tigers have remained at Colchester ever since their arrival, so now the focus is on major additions or changes. In 1998 a pair of white tigers arrived from ZooParc de Beauval. The male, named Sasha, became a minor celebrity when he killed his mate in 1999. He remained at the zoo until his death in 2010. Meanwhile, Siberian tigers arrived in 2003, moving into the Tiger Taiga enclosure that they still inhabit to this day. The Amur tigers bred in 2019, the first time Colchester Zoo had ever bred the species.
Lion, Panthera leo
One of the animals present at the opening of the zoo in 1963 was a male Asiatic lion by the name of Rajah. Lions have been at Colchester ever since, with one particularly famous individual being Simba, the largest lion ever recorded, who arrived in 1970 from Sandown Zoo with Nick Nyoka. The lions at first lived roughly where the chimpanzees now live, and also lived in an enclosure next to Stanway Hall in the 1970s. In 1992 the lions moved into the Serengeti Plains exhibit, where the mangabeys now live. They remained there until the opening of Lion Rock in 2004. Today, there is a single older male African lion named Bailey at the zoo – presumably, the plans for a new enclosure for the lions in Edge of Africa will involve the arrival of new individuals.
Leopard, Panthera pardus
A wild-born male Indian leopard, with the name Chief Horrible Noise or Chiefy for short, was present at Colchester Zoo at its 1963 opening. Leopards have been around at Colchester for a long period of time – The Story of Colchester Zoo records the arrival of a breeding trio of black leopards sometime between 1966 and 1968. In the 1972 map and guidebook there are enclosures for both Indian and black leopards, while the IZN issue for 1986 records the birth of two black leopard cubs sometime in the May to August of that year. There were leopards present until sometime between 1994 and 1998, living in an enclosure roughly where the pileated gibbons now live. Leopards remained absent from Colchester Zoo until the arrival of Amur leopards in 2005. This subspecies has remained at Colchester to the present-day, with a single successful breeding in 2019.
Cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus
Cheetahs have been part of Colchester Zoo’s collection since its 1963 opening, with tame female Kinna resident at the time. By 1965, there was a male and two female cheetahs at the zoo but, despite the best efforts at Colchester at the time, they did not manage to become the first British zoo to breed cheetahs. The 1972 zoo map shows that the cheetahs at that time lived in an enclosure on the site of the entrance building. By the publication of the 1984 to 1985 map, they had moved to the site of Cheetah Country, an enclosure that included the land currently home to the wreathed hornbills and red pandas – later, it was expanded to also include the space now home to binturongs and small-clawed otters. By 2002, the cheetahs had moved to Edge of Africa, where they remain to this day. Several litters have been successfully born in this enclosure. In 2023, a secondary enclosure for cheetahs was opened, in the former African painted dog enclosure. There are possibly plans for the cheetahs to get the current warthog enclosure, so that the breeding pair can be on-display simultaneously.
Binturong, Arctictis binturong
The Story of Colchester Zoo reports the arrival of the zoo’s first pair of binturongs in 1965. They are included in the 1972 guidebook, and the map from that year lists them as being part of the zoo’s Nocturnal House, roughly where Worlds Apart now stands. The IZN issue for 1986 records the arrival of a pair of binturongs sometime between September and December of that year. The species was present in at least 2003 in the Small Mammal House, on the site of the former Nocturnal House. By around 2007, the species moved into an enclosure that had previously housed the langurs, roughly where the current gibbon enclosure now stands. They remained here until around 2011-2012, when the species moved into its current enclosure near the lemur island.
Slender-tailed meerkat, Suricata suricatta
The earliest record I can find of meerkats at Colchester Zoo is from the 1984 or 1985 map, where they are shown living in the former Small Mammal House on the site of the Worlds Apart walkthrough. The IZN report from 1986 records the arrival of a pair of meerkats between May and August of that year. The next confirmation of meerkats is from 2003, again showing them in the Small Mammal House – however, several maps list the house without mentioning the animals within it, so it is fairly likely they were there throughout this time. Soon after this time, a secondary group of meerkats moved into an all-indoor enclosure in Kingdom of the Wild. The meerkats left the Small Mammal House for their custom new Suricata Sands enclosure in 2009 to 2010 Suricata Sands. By 2013, the meerkats had left the Kingdom of the Wild enclosure and now only live in a single enclosure in the zoo.
Spotted hyaena, Crocuta crocuta
Zootierliste records this species first being held at Colchester Zoo in 1988. The first map to show them is from 1991, when they lived in their former enclosure in the Serengeti Plains complex (the enclosure is now a picnic site, between the mangabeys and Barbary macaques) – they remained in this enclosure until 1998. The 1999-2000 map shows the spotted hyenas moving to their current enclosure in Kingdom of the Wild. One of these original animals, a male named Mbembe, lived at the zoo until 2010, sharing the enclosure on rotation with the striped hyaenas. In 2011, a new pair returned to Colchester Zoo and bred successfully on multiple occasions, with the male and two of his descendants at the zoo currently.
Colchester Zoo once had one of the most extensive collections of small cats in the country, but following the departure of the last Geoffroy’s cat, there are now only four species of large cat remaining.
Although if this is the case, then somebody should probably update ZTL, seeing as to my knowledge there is no way for 'Zoofreund' ranked members such as myself to remove listings.
