Chester Zoo Notes from a Very Infrequent Visitor

C

^Chris^

Well-Known Member
I don't live as close to Chester as I'd like, and as a result don't get to visit all that often. I went on Tuesday and it was the first time I'd been since 07. I just wanted to ask about some changes I'd seen, which will mostly be old hat to the Chesterites ( I guess ) but may be of interest to anyone in a similar boat to me. Hopefully people who do know Chester can fill me in on the gaps, such as when and why these things occured.

The main big changes since my last visit where the arrival of cheetahs, the construction of the butterfly house and changes to the crocodile accomadation in the tropical realm. Thanks to the forum I knew about these changes before seeing them. I loved the cheetahs, and thought the views offered by the new bridge were great.

Also mentioned was the new Otter Babirusa enclosure. Looks pretty good, nicely planted, and not yet too muddy for a pig enclosure. Did not see the otters in it.

I noticed the main developments at the moment are in the little Philipino area near the deer. CZJimmy mentioned that the zoo requires two warty pig enclosures (hence the current one being divided). If the zoo moves the pigs into the new enclosures, they would also be keeping some in the current enclosure (perhaps minus the divide). However, looking at the plans for the new enclosure there will be two separate enclosures by the deer, does the zoo intend to have 3 enclosures, or will the cattle house enclosure eventually take on a new species?

Also, saw lots of building work in the vicinity of the old otter pool/owl aviaries. Any ideas, or just general tidying up of those old aviaries?

One thing that did come as a surprise was the disappearance of the old coati enclosure. When did that happen?!

A few notes on small mammals, I noticed the elephant house squirrel enclosures now had derbyan parakeets in them. I think that was mentioned on this forum. What was new to me was the African Dormice now in the Twilight Zone. Great to see these.

I did not know the zoo had gotten Roan Antelope back? Does anyone know about this? There was a mother and a foal/calf/fawn. (I'm thinking calf is probably right, anyone?). Another minor note on ungulates was the fact the vicuna now share with the rhea and the guanacos have gone. I always hoped that'd be the ultimate plan.

The funny little aviary near the serval and pudu had a red-billed blue pie in. I just mention this out of interest as this aviary seems to always be changing inhabitants.

I think that's my lot. Will upload some photos later. Sadly not many enclosure style pictures, but I got some animal portraits I'm quite happy with. Hopefully giving Gentle Lemur a run for his money!;)


Ta, feel free to comment on anything slightly relevant, there doesn't seem to be a current Chester 'odds and ends' thread up and running.
 
Alot of this has been mentioned on the forums in one or another.

Regarding the new pig enclosure it was also mention that they required to area's as when the piglets were born they need to sperate the male.

The old coati area went ages ago.

The Roan antelope have also been there awhile and the calf was one of the animals that arrived from marwell.

Sorry I don't know dates.
 
^Chris^ said:
I noticed the main developments at the moment are in the little Philipino area near the deer. CZJimmy mentioned that the zoo requires two warty pig enclosures (hence the current one being divided). If the zoo moves the pigs into the new enclosures, they would also be keeping some in the current enclosure (perhaps minus the divide). However, looking at the plans for the new enclosure there will be two separate enclosures by the deer, does the zoo intend to have 3 enclosures, or will the cattle house enclosure eventually take on a new species?


One thing that did come as a surprise was the disappearance of the old coati enclosure. When did that happen?!
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I think someone (possibly BongoRob) mentioned that the zoo needs a seperation paddock for the male Warty Pigs. I think that is why the divide will probably remain in the cattle house and the new enclosure also has multiple pens. So I think the idea is that there will be 4 pens for the 2 groups (one in west zoo, one in east zoo).

The old coati enclosure has been gone for a month or two I think
 
Thanks, I guessed they'd probably been mentioned somewhere, few things escapes the attention of the zoobeat forums! Sadly, they escape me now and again.

Exact dates and stuff aren't really important, just trying to start a bit of chat.

Thanks again.
 
^Chris^ said:
Thanks, I guessed they'd probably been mentioned somewhere, few things escapes the attention of the zoobeat forums! Sadly, they escape me now and again.

Exact dates and stuff aren't really important, just trying to start a bit of chat.

Thanks again.
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No problem, as a infrequent visitor do you think chester have made themselves a new standard with their recent developments (cheetahs, otters and Babirusa enclosures) that they need to keep to now?
 
As a usually-regular but this year rather infrequent visitor, I was pleased to note yesterday that the Cape Crested Porcupines are now labelled correctly. Slightly peeved not to have seen the Rufous-bellied Niltavas now on show in the round aviaries. Brazilian Tanagers and Red and Yellow Barbets among other recent bird additions - bird collection is looking very nice these days!
 
taun said:
No problem, as a infrequent visitor do you think chester have made themselves a new standard with their recent developments (cheetahs, otters and Babirusa enclosures) that they need to keep to now?
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Not really, more a case of these new exhibits aligning themselves with a high standard previously set. I think lots of these little tweaks, such as the babirusas, the crocodiles, the improvements to the tiger enclosure over the last year and a bit, pull the smaller scale, or older, or less high profile exhibits closer in line to the very high bar set by the bigger developments (e.g. Spirit of the Jag, RotRA, Elephants.)

The cheetahs I think is a nice example of making a big draw at a relatively low price (I would've guessed), it certainly wasn't multi-million pounds like the three I've mentioned above, but nevertheless is still a crowd puller.

One thing that did strike me about the Cheetah exhibit was that I heard people saying (on two separate occasions) "it's a bit small" or "how can they get any speed up?" or some words to that effect. I don't know, I didn't think it was small, but it's probably to do with how people have seen cheetah's behaving on TV. People expect them to be doing 60mph laps of their enclosure I think. Has anyone had any experience of this kind of reaction, really at any zoo, not just Chester?
 
^Chris^ said:
One thing that did strike me about the Cheetah exhibit was that I heard people saying (on two separate occasions) "it's a bit small" or "how can they get any speed up?" or some words to that effect. I don't know, I didn't think it was small, but it's probably to do with how people have seen cheetah's behaving on TV. People expect them to be doing 60mph laps of their enclosure I think. Has anyone had any experience of this kind of reaction, really at any zoo, not just Chester?
Click to expand...

I've heard something along those lines once at Whipsnade's old cheetah enclosure
 
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