Chester Zoo Jaguars

I remember a new Jaguar car being exhibited on a stand at the zoo entrance next to the elephant house, 2003 I think, personally if the car manufacturer has donated a large sum of money to finance a new jaguar house I cannot see anything wrong with this, remember the old saying,"there is no such thing as a free dinner". Pity there was not a car manufacturer in the U.K. called chimpanzee, as I know of a zoo where their large donation to build a new chimp house would be gratefully appreciated , and if they wanted to display their latest model next to it all well and good, no worse than Panda cola having vending machines next to the giant pandas at London twenty years ago.

There was also a car actually inside one of the jaguar enclosures (the outdoor 'jungle' one with the waterfall) for a short time soon after the building opened. I've got some shots somewhere of one of the cats climbing all over it.
 
There was also a car actually inside one of the jaguar enclosures (the outdoor 'jungle' one with the waterfall) for a short time soon after the building opened. I've got some shots somewhere of one of the cats climbing all over it.

Hope they didn't scratch it, was this a new Jaguar car?
 
Hope they didn't scratch it, was this a new Jaguar car?

I believe it was brand new - the newly-launched model of the time (X-type?) - and I am fully convinced it'll have been scratched! :D
 
I understood that , as well as displaying its cars , Jaguar Motors could also use the large indoor space for private functions such as product launches . Not aware that this ever happened .
 
I understood that , as well as displaying its cars , Jaguar Motors could also use the large indoor space for private functions such as product launches . Not aware that this ever happened .

yes, that's the part I was aware of- it would be used for functions. Never heard Maguari's tale of a car in the outdoor enclosure with the Jaguars- how strange:confused:. This must have rather gone against the grain for Chester as an exhibit, but Jaguar(the car firm) having paid so much of the costs, they could obviously call the shots.
 
yes, that's the part I was aware of- it would be used for functions. Never heard Maguari's tale of a car in the outdoor enclosure with the Jaguars- how strange:confused:. This must have rather gone against the grain for Chester as an exhibit, but Jaguar(the car firm) having paid so much of the costs, they could obviously call the shots.

I remember the car in the enclosure for jaguars when I was young - in fact in my Primary school 'Record of Achievement' I've a written report about a visit to Chester Zoo (the typical year 6 'what did you do during the summer holidays' report), and if I recall I actually make a specific reference to the car and the idea being clever.
 
Only one word to describe these photographs, excellent.

Thanks! I'm amazed I managed to find them so easily. Just happened to be the box of photos I had to hand!

You'll notice there's a huge chunk of meat on the bonnet just to make sure the cat doesn't ignore the car completely... :D
 
Aquairium will be going into the Pantanal [first side] of the Spirit of the Jaguar exhibit with South American species contained within, also possible mammal exhibit in this side as well.
New leaf cutter ant exhibit is being built on the Rainforrest side of sotj
This information provided by Chester zoo staff at this evenings talk by Tim Rowlands
No further [detailed] information available
 
Methinks its a bit queer! Was it perhaps it was just a short-term clever publicity event- or was it a longerterm exhibit?:confused:

Only short-term as I recall. I was visiting at more-or-less six-monthly intervals (usually Easter and September) at the time and I'm sure I only saw it once.

Going over my photos from that year this visit must have been September, as the previous visit's photos have the house open but the exterior exhibits unfinished, which would have been the Easter 'preview'.
 
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