Chester Zoo Natural Vision Plans

[Pertinax]

I'm not sure why they want both Drill and Mandrill. By the time this is built/becomes reality, they could have a good large group of Mandrills if they let them keep on breeding. They are more colourful than Drills which are otherwise almost identical, but also much less common and therefore harder to obtain founder members for new groups in zoos. If I were them I would leave Drills to others who already keep them, and keep an unrelated species instead- Mangabeys (all species) are another Forest primate for example, and make an excellent active exhibit.

 

[Pertinax]

i have crunched the numbers on some of the paddocks

2.5 acres total space for the chimps ;O

I know its nowhere as big as this but does anyone know roughly the size of the existing Chimp 'island'?

 

[LeeMac13]

Mangabeys are excellent Forest primates for example.

I think a large group of Collared Mangabey would work well

 

[Maguari]

I'm not sure why they want both Drill and Mandrill.

I haven't seen anything from the zoo itself to suggest the zoo are looking at getting Drills. It's all Internet speculation as far as I can see (happy to be proved wrong, though!).

 

[bongorob]

I know its nowhere as big as this but does anyone know roughly the size of the existing Chimp 'island'?

outside area 6580 square feet

indoor yard 42 feet diameter, the first 14 feet of wall is straight and then tapers to a point 40 feet above the ground

offshow area comprises of 7 indoor enclosures

five are 13 x 13 feet by 7 feet high,
one is an isolation area 5 x 7 feet by 11 feet high
one is an indoor play area 12 x 12 feet by 11 feet high

 

[taun]

I haven't seen anything from the zoo itself to suggest the zoo are looking at getting Drills. It's all Internet speculation as far as I can see (happy to be proved wrong, though!).

Very true, but I would love them to get Drill as well thou!

 

[Pertinax]

I haven't seen anything from the zoo itself to suggest the zoo are looking at getting Drills.

Several unofficial sources have indicated a longterm intention for them to have Drills -perhaps to eventually replace the Mandrills. Is 'Drill' mentioned specifically anywhere in these HoA plans, or not? I just hope they don't try to have both species at once- I can't really see this happening because as an exhibit as they are so similar. Personally I prefer Mandrills as they are more colourful but of course Drills are in more need of captive-breeding perhaps.

 

[EvilKittie]

sorry ppl just relised ive missed typed the chimpanzee size its 1.5 acres - which in terms of m2 is around 6000-6500

 

[bongorob]

sorry ppl just relised ive missed typed the chimpanzee size its 1.5 acres - which in terms of m2 is around 6000-6500

three times the size of the current island then.

 

[Pertinax]

sorry ppl just relised ive missed typed the chimpanzee size its 1.5 acres - which in terms of m2 is around 6000-6500

I thought 2.5 acres sounded a pretty enormous area, even for a big group like Chester's. I.5 acres is still plenty of room if, as Rob says, its x3 the existing island.

 

[SMR]

A little more news today. I hear that the environmental statement, services and most importantly the structural plans are yet to be uploaded to the planning website, but they'll be available soon which should give us an idea of the buildings' construction. There are supposed to be approximately one hundred plans in total, some of which won't go on-line.

Anyone considering printing the documents out should think ahead, apparently there are over ten thousand pages in total. The planning department will print them for you, but its cost-prohibitive.

 

[James Barber]

I've been looking at the ukplanning.com site. I looked under the "Designs & Access statement parts 16-21" on page 34 of a map of Chester Zoo. Is this a map of what the zoo could look like in the future? It looks so different with many existing buildings getting demolished.

That map doesn't list animals like Hyena, Serval, Meerkat, Visayan Warty Pig, Bush Dog, Chilian Pudu, Brazilian Tapir, Capybara and others. I'm hoping the zoo will keep these species.

I am so looking forward to seeing Chester Zoo in the likes of 10-15 years time. Good luck to them

James B

 

[bongorob]

It was one idea for the Natural Visions project. Perhaps some of it will be built in the future.

 

[zoogiraffe]

That map doesn't list animals like Hyena, Serval, Meerkat, Visayan Warty Pig, Bush Dog, Chilian Pudu, Brazilian Tapir, Capybara and others. I'm hoping the zoo will keep these species.
James B

Just a little point but Chester doesn`t keep any species Hyena so why should they still list them on any future plan,if they don`t have any!!

 

[lechweoryx]

I've been looking at the ukplanning.com site. I looked under the "Designs & Access statement parts 16-21" on page 34 of a map of Chester Zoo. Is this a map of what the zoo could look like in the future? It looks so different with many existing buildings getting demolished.

That map doesn't list animals like Hyena, Serval, Meerkat, Visayan Warty Pig, Bush Dog, Chilian Pudu, Brazilian Tapir, Capybara and others. I'm hoping the zoo will keep these species.

I am so looking forward to seeing Chester Zoo in the likes of 10-15 years time. Good luck to them

James B

Do have to be a member to look at the plans?

 

[James Barber]

No you don't have to be a member to look at the plans.

Case File

 

[Goretex]

Thanks everyone for this information for the future of Chester Zoo.

I do like the sound of the new chimpanzee island thats being planned. Will this be like a larger version of the 1 they have now?

 

[bongorob]

Thanks everyone for this information for the future of Chester Zoo.

I do like the sound of the new chimpanzee island thats being planned. Will this be like a larger version of the 1 they have now?

Current outside island 2000 square metres, planned island 6000 sqiuare metres

 

[Midlan]

Really interesting, but what shall be kept in the chimp house once Heart of Africa is built.

 

[Yassa]

If the old enclosure is not beng demolished (I hope not), there are many possibilities. They could use it for a bachelor group of chimps that can`t live in the big group any longer. Or for a really big troop of mandrills, drills or mangabeys. Maybe mixed with antilopes..