I thought it was the Borneans that go in the old house.
Chester Zoo What Chester Zoo needs to make it World class
- Thread starter jde7582
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GouldianFinch
Well-Known Member
I Love Loro Parque's Penquin Dome, Check It Out, It Would Be Good If Chester Zoo Could Do This For A Polar Bear
Although Chester Zoo Is Scattered With History, The European Bird Exhibit Is The Old Polar Bear Enclosure
GouldianFinch
Well-Known Member
Its Either One Of Em, But Im Pritty Sure That The Keeper Said Sumatran, Ill Check
I'm almost certain phase 2 won't be developed in "the near future" now. They wouldn't have built a new babirusa and otter enclosure on the site of one of the planned Bornean outdoor enclosures (check the planning permissions for the building) if they had planned to build a massive structure on top of it after only a short time. I stand to be corrected though if anyone has any evidence that says otherwise.
Heart of Africa and other minor enclosure developments (Warty Pig etc) appear to have taken priority at this moment in time and would be a better use of resources in my opinion.
And as others have said, it's the Borneans who have access to the old Orang house because they don't have indoor quarters in RORA.
GouldianFinch
Well-Known Member
thanks for the info, they still have a small outdoor space though
is that referring to my post about the Orang house? If so, i'd say the space the Borneans have is more than adequete. The 3D space is excellent in RORA and this is what is more important for Orangs (and other arboreal species).
The beauty of opinions!
I feel that the penguin enclosure is one of the zoo's premier ones and is still a top-class enclosure despite being relatively old when compared to other sections of the zoo.But I also agree that small steady improvements are what is needed alongside the occaisonal mega-development.
GouldianFinch
Well-Known Member
The beauty of opinions!
But I also agree that small steady improvements are what is needed alongside the occaisonal mega-development.
totally agree, MEGA IMPROVMENTS - HEART OF AFRICA - Woop
I bite my tongue so much on this website, grr. But tonight I will have a little moan! Why would having gorillas (everyone has gorillas), pandas (the most boring exhibit after koalas), hippos (A head sticking out of a pool) etc make a zoo world class? And dolphins!! Alright, so I'm exagerating and trying to be contraversial, but what actually does make a world class zoo? Big mammals, impressive species? Or funding/support/involvement in in-situ conservation work, captive breeding programmes, education and of course a great day out? Because Chester certainly fits those criteria in my mind!
Kate
Kate
Excellent post.
Using an example, Durrell is one of my favourite zoos that i've visited and the animals there live in excellent facilities in a zoo which has global recognition for it's conservation work. This to me makes it world class. However, to use the criteria in this thread, then it would not be considered world class because it does not feature the A-Z of zoo animals (this is where someone will dig up an old post of mine to prove my hypocrisy
). Twycross Zoo features a good number of the animals typically associated with zoos yet I would rank it far, far below zoos the calibre of Jersey and Chester.Chester is already "world-class". It is arguably the best in the UK, certainly in with a shout of best in Europe and it is also competitve when comparing on a global scale. Could it be improved? Of course. No zoo is perfect and even the self-proclaimed best in the world, San Diego has been lambasted on here recently by some members for a decline in standards. From an inside-looking-outward approach, I get the impression that Chester doesn't appear to be on a similar level to the zoos in the States when that might not neccesarily be the case.
With the Natural Vision, Chester will catapult itself into the true global zoo market (which is shared by zoos like San Diego and Disney). One which pulls visitors in from all over the planet based purely on the name rather than merely being "something to do" whilst in a location. What i'd like to see Chester do however, is retain a sense of humility (for lack of a better phrase). I don't want to see the ultra commercialism, however I am aware that will most probably be needed in order to finance the massive expansion and that this commercialism is already starting to show itself within the current zoo...
Well said, CZJimmy. A good appraisal I think of Chester's current status in the Zooworld. I do rate it as 'World Class' too. I have visited zoos in the States in the past(but a long time ago) and including San Diego- I would certainly rate Chester on a par with San Diego as it was then (late 1970's) and better than some of the others I visited. A similar comparison can be made between Chester and some of the best European Zoos, again, I believe that it stands on an equal footing with the likes of Basel, Frankfurt,Berlin etc etc.
The only other Zoo in the UK with a comparable diversity of species and exhibits is ZSL, and that is split between the two sites at London & Whipsnade-on their own neither compares with the single site at Chester.
Not having Gorillas is one outstanding ommission, I do think. Everybody does rather expect to see them at a Zoo of this standing and visitors may be disappointed on that score. I know this will be rectified in the future and of course they did have them in the past.
The only other Zoo in the UK with a comparable diversity of species and exhibits is ZSL, and that is split between the two sites at London & Whipsnade-on their own neither compares with the single site at Chester.
Not having Gorillas is one outstanding ommission, I do think.
Everybody does rather expect to see them at a Zoo of this standing and visitors may be disappointed on that score. I know this will be rectified in the future and of course they did have them in the past.I hope that future developments don't result in Chester loosing any of its charm and personality. My wife and I walk in through the pedestrian entrance to a zoo that has a personal, friendly feel. New visitors think it's a huge place already, to me it seems small and familiar. Fingers crossed the experience doesn't turn into Disneyland (the theme park, not the animal attraction).
As Chester has acres of undeveloped space, I'd rather see existing enclosures used to house smaller animals, leaving the character intact, and the move of elephants, lions, tigers and sea lions - to name just a few - into much larger spaces. I'd also like to see some more three-dimensional enclosures such as the hills and valleys at other zoos, with raised viewing areas to make viewing animals in larger enclosures easier. Better outdoor viewing for the jaguars and orangs wouldn't hurt either as the icing on the cake.
And some gardens.
As Chester has acres of undeveloped space, I'd rather see existing enclosures used to house smaller animals, leaving the character intact, and the move of elephants, lions, tigers and sea lions - to name just a few - into much larger spaces. I'd also like to see some more three-dimensional enclosures such as the hills and valleys at other zoos, with raised viewing areas to make viewing animals in larger enclosures easier. Better outdoor viewing for the jaguars and orangs wouldn't hurt either as the icing on the cake.
And some gardens.
Thank you. That articulates the point I made in my earlier post much better than I did previously.
GouldianFinch
Well-Known Member
i was suprised when they put up the mini golf and im hoping in the future nothing else will be built like this, i prefered the lawn outside the monkey house and the tapirs rather than a mini golf
GouldianFinch
Well-Known Member
If Any Thing Needs Improving though its the Aquarium, and hopefully they will, Ive Heard Things
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Yes, I was going to mention the aquarium too. That is definately not on the same scale as most of the rest of the Zoo.
Excellent post.
Using an example, Durrell is one of my favourite zoos that i've visited and the animals there live in excellent facilities in a zoo which has global recognition for it's conservation work. This to me makes it world class. However, to use the criteria in this thread, then it would not be considered world class because it does not feature the A-Z of zoo animals (this is where someone will dig up an old post of mine to prove my hypocrisy
Chester is already "world-class". It is arguably the best in the UK, certainly in with a shout of best in Europe and it is also competitve when comparing on a global scale. Could it be improved? Of course. No zoo is perfect and even the self-proclaimed best in the world, San Diego has been lambasted on here recently by some members for a decline in standards. From an inside-looking-outward approach, I get the impression that Chester doesn't appear to be on a similar level to the zoos in the States when that might not neccesarily be the case.
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Very well said, I beleive this thread isn't so much 'what would make chester world class' and more what would you personally like to see at chester. Afterall what makes a zoo world class is an entirely subjective thing and I would definetly argue that hippo's, dolphins and gorillas do not make a zoo world class.