Chester Zoo Major predictions?

N

Nigripes

Member
Sorry if this is a repeated thread but Iwas just thinking what Chester really has missing from it species wise and if anyone knew if any of the following are planned for the future!

Gorillas - would be nice to see how they would exhibit these
Hippos- common or pygmy
Giant panda- i had heard they had failed to get these before but do you think they will try again?

Small cats - it would be nice to see them go back into these, their old building granted wasnt the best but im sure they could do something really tasty

can any one think of what else they are missing?
 
Gorillas are coming back, as may be hippos of either species.

They have turned down giant pandas.

Small cats could be possible, I've heard margay, Amur leopard cats and fishing cats.

All this is still a long way off.
 
bongorob said:
Gorillas are coming back, as may be hippos of either species.

They have turned down giant pandas.

Small cats could be possible, I've heard margay, Amur leopard cats and fishing cats.

All this is still a long way off.
Click to expand...

What kind of timescale for gorillas?

I remember in the first Chester guidebook I got there was an FAQ section. One of the questions was 'Where are the gorillas, polar bears and hippos?'.

The answer to the question explained how some animals held in the past have left to allow those staying to have better exhibits. It also mentioned how hard these species can be to look after- but that there was a possibility of hippos returning.

This book was before the bears had come to the zoo, so guessing that gorillas, bears and hippos are the publics most asked for animals, then the spectacled bears were probably a response to that.

Whilst I always trust Chester to opt for the rarer option where ever possible, and therefore choose pygmy hippos, I can't help but think they may go for river hippos (perhaps both). Was there not a plan for a large hippo lake with Busch garden style underwater viewing? As far as I know there is nowhere in Britain that currently displays hippos in this way but I think it'd be a good attraction.

I would also predict more canines to be exhibited at the zoo. Perhaps dhole or African Hunting Dog, (though these predictions are not really based on any evidence.)
 
Gorilla's form part of the super zoo plan, So it could be years before they exhibit gorilla's again :(
 
I agree that it would be nice to see Chester exhibit some smaller cat species considering how lareg chesters feline collection used to be. Fishing Cats and Golden Cats would be nice as would some rarely seen species.

I also agree with Chris that it woudnt suprise me to see dog species come to Chester and the two you mention especially the Hunting Dogs are the most likely.

Where could Chester put Gorillas? i take it they would have to be close to other animals of the same habitat and continet so around the Okapi area. Is there enough space for them on the site of the Condor Aviary now that the butterfly house is planned to go there.
 
ZooMania said:
I agree that it would be nice to see Chester exhibit some smaller cat species considering how lareg chesters feline collection used to be. Fishing Cats and Golden Cats would be nice as would some rarely seen species.

I also agree with Chris that it woudnt suprise me to see dog species come to Chester and the two you mention especially the Hunting Dogs are the most likely.

Where could Chester put Gorillas? i take it they would have to be close to other animals of the same habitat and continet so around the Okapi area. Is there enough space for them on the site of the Condor Aviary now that the butterfly house is planned to go there.
Click to expand...

Gorillas are planned to go onto currently undeveloped land, the masterplan will triple the size of the zoo! Hunting Dogs would be in a similar scenario...

I would love more canines and cats at Chester. They only have Bush Dogs in canines and the large cats and some new species would certainly attract attention. Hippos would be good in the zoo as well!
 
I think it has been said here before, move the giraffe and use their house and enclosure for a gorilla habitat.
 
That has been considered Kiang.

Dholes were supposed to have been kept at Chester at one time, they've not arrived yet so I suspect they won't be coming.
 
African Hunting Dogs were suppose to be going on what will be the site fro the Butterfly House,also Chester still own a Pygmy Hippo thats onloan at another collection in Europe.As for cat species the following have been mentioned in the last few years Ocelot,Margay,Leopard Cat,Fishing Cat and Amur Leopard.
 
I just had a thought about the African aviary and I predict the arrival of hammerkops.
 
bongorob said:
I just had a thought about the African aviary and I predict the arrival of hammerkops.
Click to expand...

That seems a safe bet. In that case I'm predicting the arrival of green woodhoopoe, though I wouldn't say that's as safer bet as the hammerkop.
 
kiang said:
I think it has been said here before, move the giraffe and use their house and enclosure for a gorilla habitat.
Click to expand...

I think that would be a very suitable area for Gorillas (I thought the old Orangutan House could have been also). They only need refurbish the whole Giraffe area and put in glass viewing windows indoors and it would be fine. Thewy could landscape the outside area though I'd rather not see another watermoat. Glass viewing windows would be better, plus a barrier so people couldn't approach the glass directly.

If the Giraffes were found alternative accomodation soon, that could be done very quickly- especially if they were happy to accept a group of young male gorillas in the first instance. I'd rather this than wait long years for something brandnew to happen in the masterplan which seems the current position.
 
I feel they need a major works to get that area into a quality gorilla exhibit.

There is plenty of space on the island to increase the size of the house and still have a decent outside area for them.
 
bongorob said:
I just had a thought about the African aviary and I predict the arrival of hammerkops.
Click to expand...
Okay i can go with that lets try some more how about Sacred Ibis,Night Heron,African Spoonbill,Bee-eaters and a species of Bustard,any body else got any ideas on species for this aviary,as for other species of Hornbill to go in with the Ground Hornbills my guess would be one of the following African Pied,Crowned,Von der Deckens,African Grey or Red-billed Hornbill,but could they keep a species of African Starling in their as well and have a truely mixed species aviary?
 
I will predict that they move some of their Lilac Breasted Rollers & Superb Spero Starlings into the African Aviary.

With the african hornbills, has it actually been confirmed. I can see from the zoo map where people would get the idea of more than just ground hornbills but the actual map only states Ground Hornbills down and not hornbills, which it would probably would have put if more than just the 1 hornbill species was arriving.
 
The 2008 map says one aviary will house a collection of hornbills.

The second aviary will be a walk through enclosure, where you will be able to meet some of the most beautiful coloured birds, including Southern Bald Ibis and the Lilac-breasted Roller.

Then again it says Chester Zoo are breeding Philippine Crocodiles!
 
Chester still want to obtain addax, but a decision was made for the enclosure to be used for cheetahs. Perhaps they became available sooner than expected.
 
CZJimmy said:
To be fair, they weren't expecting the blue tongue and F&M outbreaks...
Click to expand...
Pity it was neither of these problems that stopped the Addax from joining the zoo!!!!!!!Last i heard from the staff that would be looking after the Addax it was on hold until at least the start of the superzoo,now if you take into account that when this project was first mentioned to members stage 1 was due to be started in 2008 for opening in 2010,no planning permission granted yet for it and none in sight so for the time been no Addax.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top