Chester Zoo News from visits 2012

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Just a quick question from an observation after a recent visit. Is there now only 5.1 Painted dogs?

I could only count six in the exhibit and on the I.D board it now only shows one female. Im I right in thinking there were two females at one point?
 
LeeMac13 said:
Just a quick question from an observation after a recent visit. Is there now only 5.1 Painted dogs?

I could only count six in the exhibit and on the I.D board it now only shows one female. Im I right in thinking there were two females at one point?
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There was seven African painted Dogs when they arrived (5.2).
 
HGibbins said:
A visitor at the weekend was insistant that it was Attenkohs in the exhbit, not Sloth. Bizarrely, the Agouti sign is significantly bigger than the Sloth sign but I suppose that fits with the whole 'modest ranch' idea.
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Nobody thought to look up at all.The arrow needs pointing upwards.:D
 
LeeMac13 said:
Just a quick question from an observation after a recent visit. Is there now only 5.1 Painted dogs?

I could only count six in the exhibit and on the I.D board it now only shows one female. Im I right in thinking there were two females at one point?
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You're right Lee - as Jordan says there were 2 females when they arrived. Now I had seen that they appeared to be separating the males & females recently but I havn't had the chance to ask the keepers if this was permanent and as a result of some of the fisticuffs that's been seen between the sexes with one female tending to come off worst, particularly at feeding time - now this is pure observation on my behalf and not based on insider knowledge.
 
LeeMac13 said:
Just a quick question from an observation after a recent visit. Is there now only 5.1 Painted dogs?

I could only count six in the exhibit and on the I.D board it now only shows one female. Im I right in thinking there were two females at one point?
Click to expand...

Yes you are correct that the zoo had 2 females when they arrived.

As for the fact that there are now only 6 dogs on the ID board would suggest that they now only have 6 dogs,as they used to have 7 pictures on the board!
 
We were wondering if there were only six dogs earlier this afternoon. During feeding one was separate from the others indicating that a female was missing, but then I was sure I counted six in the other enclosure. Perhaps I'm going cross-eyed.
 
HGibbins said:
A few notes from today's visit...

Sloth are now on show, and that side if SoTJ (as it is still named) is now complete bar the Agouti - which are both on site - and the cinema room, which, so it would appear, just needs opening. The whole ranch effect really works, with the species - barring those in the fish tank - signposted with "Atençao" (Attention) signs for each of the mammalian species. The savannah side is really excellent, including the fish tank, which is full of activity - with hundreds of Tetra (with Penguin, Lemon, Cardinal, Black Neon, Bleeding Heart, and Rummy-Nose amongst the species signposted) alongside Turtles and Discus Fish that I spotted - the booklet of fish species also featured rays and Angelfish (no notebook on me so couldn't take note of species, unfortunately).
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On Wednesday the angels and stingrays had not arrived. As I have mentioned elsewhere, the stingrays will be the spectacular leopoldi which are black with big round pale spots. The other significant species already in the tank were hatchetfish (silver I think) and giant pencilfish (Anostomus anostomus). I was surprised to see the Anostomus shoaling, but I don't think I have ever seen so many specimens together; I was even more surprised to see several of them turning completely upside down to graze on the surface of the rocks.
As a purist I would prefer to see even larger numbers of just one or two species, but the tank did look spectacular and it was very popular with the all the half-term visitors. The kids loved the turtles and they certainly add something extra to the tank. I hope they will get on with the stingrays, particularly as both species should eventually grow much larger than anything else in the tank.
If I can visit at a quiet time, I think I will bring kneepads and my macro lenses to try to get some photos which do justice to the display.

Alan
 
We asked a keeper on Thursday and were told they were no longer adding Sting Rays to the tank in SOTJ..

Also.. the ant has left the building...! There was a sign saying the exhibit was empty...
 
gentle lemur said:
The other significant species already in the tank were hatchetfish (silver I think) and giant pencilfish (Anostomus anostomus). I was surprised to see the Anostomus shoaling, but I don't think I have ever seen so many specimens together; I was even more surprised to see several of them turning completely upside down to graze on the surface of the rocks.
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are the plants in the tank real? They probably won't last long if they have Anostomus in there!
 
Went on Wednesday to see the Sloths, lovely little guys! The fish tank was very popular did manage to see the new turtles before being over-whelmed by excited parents and kids!
Excellent view of Sophia tucking into a chicken.
First viewing of the otter house, and arrived just before feeding time. Was able to see the female swimming with her fish before eating it.
And once again the Tiger cubs didnt dissapoint.
Only down-side was missing out on our usual hot chocolate, it wasn't cold enough LOL!


Mrs lcpete
 
Chlidonias said:
are the plants in the tank real? They probably won't last long if they have Anostomus in there!
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There are live plants, which feature in most of Chester's freshwater tanks. But they are all fairly tough species - lots of Anubias nana types on a submerged branch, with stands of a large wavy-leaved Aponogeton (I think) and giant Vallisneria, plus floating water lettuce. There was also what looked like a sunken head of lettuce (probably parboiled) near the back, but it didn't seem to have been touched by the fishes or the turtles.
I suspect that the planting will evolve by natural selection so to speak.

Alan
 
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Is there any news on the zoo getting another serval?
He looks lonely in there on his own
If my memory serves me right the zoo is looking for another female
 
LCPete said:
Is there any news on the zoo getting another serval?
He looks lonely in there on his own
If my memory serves me right the zoo is looking for another female
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I don't think he minds, they are solitary in the wild.
 
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