Chester Zoo Why no walk throughs/free roaming?

Waddi

Waddi

Well-Known Member
Bats and birds aside why does Chester have no free roaming animals or walk through enclosures.

Lots of places have walk through Lemurs,
Blackpool has Amazonia with free roaming Squirrel Monkeys, White-Faced Saki Monkeys, Goeldi's Marmosets aswell as birds. and they also have Kangaroo and Wallaby Walk Through
Longleat has walk through Meerkats,
South Lakes has walk through Vultures, walk through Penguins, walk through Anaconda, free roaming lemurs and squirrel monkeys, Emu, Kangaroo, Wallaby, Macaw
London has Walk Through Squirrel Monkeys
Dudley are to have Walk through Penguins
Edinburgh have Walk Through Saki,
Colchester has Worlds apart walk through with Sloths, Marmosets, Tamarins and Tamandua.

The list goes on, so why nothing at Chester?

I have a few theories but what do you think?
 
Because Chester don't need to add any more exhibits which require staff in them all the time,to stop visitors doing anything stupid to the animals.
Also Dudley Penguin exhibit is not walk through yes the path goes through the middle of it but the visitors are never in the same space as the Penguins.
 
zoogiraffe said:
Also Dudley Penguin exhibit is not walk through yes the path goes through the middle of it but the visitors are never in the same space as the Penguins.
Click to expand...

Interestingly, I was at Dudley earlier in the year just after the new penguin bay had opened. About half way along, there are gates set into the fence on both sides of the path. These gates were open allowing penguins to walk from the pool onto the path and mingle with visitors. As it was early May, there weren't that many visitors and there were 2 keepers present to ensure that visitors didn't touch the penguins and the penguins didn't wander off into the zoo. On subsequent visits the gates have been closed so I'm not sure if this was a one-off event.
 
Please highlight on your theories,

Like you said, theres bats, a bird aviary and many free roaming birds in the Tropical House.

Theres 3.

To be honest some free range set-ups make me cringe with the potential hazards that stupid people could get themselves into, and a Lemur has very little tolerance at times, and thats in set up's with a lot less visitors than Chester get.

As for getting trapped between 2 narky Emus' on a slippy slope in Cumbria.......... lets not go there....
 
swampy1967 said:
Please highlight on your theories,

Like you said, theres bats, a bird aviary and many free roaming birds in the Tropical House.

Theres 3.

To be honest some free range set-ups make me cringe with the potential hazards that stupid people could get themselves into, and a Lemur has very little tolerance at times, and thats in set up's with a lot less visitors than Chester get.

As for getting trapped between 2 narky Emus' on a slippy slope in Cumbria.......... lets not go there....
Click to expand...

And butterflies - requires constant staffing as there's always a kid here or there trying to catch them by jumping and clapping their hands together :o
 
zoogiraffe said:
Also Dudley Penguin exhibit is not walk through yes the path goes through the middle of it but the visitors are never in the same space as the Penguins.
Click to expand...

If it's not a walkthru why does the zoo have staff stationed in Penguin Bay?
 
Waddi said:
Bats and birds aside why does Chester have no free roaming animals or walk through enclosures.
Click to expand...

The Tropical Realm birds, Butterfly Journey and, above all, the Tsavo aviary and Fruit Bat Forest are among the best walk-through displays in the UK in my book.
 
I'm pleased that Chester is not copying everything other zoos do. I'm getting bored with lemur walkthroughs and lorikeet feeding.
 
I am glad Chester haven't got anymore walk thrus as I said on my last review they can't man the ones they already have.
 
My Theories were:

1/ Due to Chester visitor numbers it would be hard to manage.

2/ Chester like the illusion that no bars/cage = animals aren't enclosed, but free roaming animals or walk through enclosures might actually highlight that isn't the case.
 
Waddi said:
My Theories were:

1/ Due to Chester visitor numbers it would be hard to manage.

2/ Chester like the illusion that no bars/cage = animals aren't enclosed, but free roaming animals or walk through enclosures might actually highlight that isn't the case.
Click to expand...

Don't agree with number two, dont think they are trying to cause an "illusion" at all, in fact they openly call their exhibits "enclosures",
other places may use walkthroughs to create the illusion you speak of though.
 
Angel said:
Interestingly, I was at Dudley earlier in the year just after the new penguin bay had opened. About half way along, there are gates set into the fence on both sides of the path. These gates were open allowing penguins to walk from the pool onto the path and mingle with visitors. As it was early May, there weren't that many visitors and there were 2 keepers present to ensure that visitors didn't touch the penguins and the penguins didn't wander off into the zoo. On subsequent visits the gates have been closed so I'm not sure if this was a one-off event.
Click to expand...

when I visited Dudley the penguins could cross your path too
 
Angel said:
Interestingly, I was at Dudley earlier in the year just after the new penguin bay had opened. About half way along, there are gates set into the fence on both sides of the path. These gates were open allowing penguins to walk from the pool onto the path and mingle with visitors. As it was early May, there weren't that many visitors and there were 2 keepers present to ensure that visitors didn't touch the penguins and the penguins didn't wander off into the zoo. On subsequent visits the gates have been closed so I'm not sure if this was a one-off event.
Click to expand...
Well they certainly couldn't the day I visited,so I guess this could be a staffing issue!As I know I looked to see if there was any where that I could see a penguin with no barrier between me and it,which I couldn't.
 
Walk-through isn't the only method of immersion and good viewing, and Chester do both of the former well. Why have a higher maintenance exhibit when you can get equally good viewing with the barriers still in place?
 
On the island plans, there's plans for a future lemur island, guess this cold be a walk through, although I agree with others that they are getting very common and increases the risk of someone doing something stupid,mso I'd rather it wasn't
 
swampy1967 said:
Don't agree with number two, dont think they are trying to cause an "illusion" at all, in fact they openly call their exhibits "enclosures",
other places may use walkthroughs to create the illusion you speak of though.
Click to expand...

Sorry, I think I may have worded it wrong as I was in no way bad mouthing Chester, I love the place, lets try again lol

Chesters Enclosures are designed so well, giving visitors the "illusion" of freedom whilst the animals are still securely held within their enclosure, that I fear that walk through enclosures may do more harm than good.
 
Walk-throughs are an important way of engaging the public, making them 'slow-down' and appreciate a species instead of just walking past, failing to really find an animal/bird in amongst the foliage.
There is a unique connection made between an animal and a person when close and without barrier.
Walk-through immersion exhibits can be difficult to manage. If an animal chooses to be indoors, if there is a animal management issue (i.e. vets, quarantine etc), visitors breaking rules with food and the policing of public maintaining their distance.
However, the educational benefits are unique. When I see people sitting, standing and walking with the two species of penguins at Living Coasts or looking up at Lemurs above their heads at Paignton I see the intrinsic wonder that we all have (and in those that have somehow lost it - return).
It is not the only way, but it IS a very good way to inspire people!
 
TriGB said:
Walk-throughs are an important way of engaging the public, making them 'slow-down' and appreciate a species instead of just walking past, failing to really find an animal/bird in amongst the foliage.
There is a unique connection made between an animal and a person when close and without barrier.
Walk-through immersion exhibits can be difficult to manage. If an animal chooses to be indoors, if there is a animal management issue (i.e. vets, quarantine etc), visitors breaking rules with food and the policing of public maintaining their distance.
However, the educational benefits are unique. When I see people sitting, standing and walking with the two species of penguins at Living Coasts or looking up at Lemurs above their heads at Paignton I see the intrinsic wonder that we all have (and in those that have somehow lost it - return).
It is not the only way, but it IS a very good way to inspire people!
Click to expand...
You can see just what you describe with Chesters visitors when they are passing through the immersion part of the Hunting Dogs at Chester,so you don't need a walk through to give visitors a unique experience.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top