Chester Zoo Your First Memories Of Chester

Lee, the zebra were in the current camel paddock, but I believe the bison were only kept in what is now Tsavo

Chimps have always been in their current house since it was built in 1988. Gorillas were kept in what is now the Red River Hog outdoor enclosure and the tropical realm hornbill aviaries (which were their indoor accomodation)
 
The other animals with the zebras were Fallow Deer. When I was a lot younger I used to pretend they were gazelles and I was in Africa looking at wild animals.
 
Does anybody know what happened to Jake? im sure he has passed a way a while ago but did he stay at chester?
 
Jake, the Asiatic lion moved from Chester in 2000 to a french zoo, as he had fathered 4 litters at Chester and a litter at London. Chandani his Chester female) was not required for further breeding and was retired. Unfortunately Jake died shortly after arriving in France 'Boissere' i think??
 
Paulkarli08 said:
Jake, the Asiatic lion moved from Chester in 2000 to a french zoo, as he had fathered 4 litters at Chester and a litter at London. Chandani his Chester female) was not required for further breeding and was retired. Unfortunately Jake died shortly after arriving in France 'Boissere' i think??
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That sounds about right, it was discussed recently but couldn't remember where or the exact facts.
 
Paulkarli08 said:
Jake, the Asiatic lion moved from Chester in 2000 to a french zoo, as he had fathered 4 litters at Chester and a litter at London. Chandani his Chester female) was not required for further breeding and was retired. Unfortunately Jake died shortly after arriving in France 'Boissere' i think??
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did chandani stay at chester? Did Jake die from old age?
 
Chandani stayed at Chester with her 2 sons Asoka and Naseek. Naseek then moved on for breeding (Helsinki? unsure!) Chandani died of old age in May 2005 aged 16.
 
I remember:
- entry through turnstiles by the aquarium
- woefully small cat enclosures housing exotically-named beasties like Geoffroy's cat, servals etc
- brown bears where the condors are now
- the aquarium and sealion enclosures being exactly as they are now
- the old elephant house
- the old orang house
- huge tortoises and one rogue domestic cat somewhere (I think) near the giraffes.
 
memories of Chester from my first visit;

The 'Mountain' gorilla pair wrestling on their outdoor island- now the Red River Hog enclosure.

the open moated enclosures for all the apes. The impressively large polar bear enclosure.

The small herd of Wapiti with the enormously-antlered stag, they lived by the small pedestrian entrance you could come in from a suburban avenue. I think it was where the Bongo are now?
 
Pertinax said:
The small herd of Wapiti with the enormously-antlered stag, they lived by the small pedestrian entrance you could come in from a suburban avenue. I think it was where the Bongo are now?
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It is the same enclosure.

One of my earliest memories is seeing a caraxcal carrying a kitten in her mouth, in the old cat cages which I think were somewhere near the site of the Jubilee monorail station.

I also remember the jawbone of a blue whale by the owls, this would be in the vicinity of the current frogmouth aviary.
 
bongorob said:
I also remember the jawbone of a blue whale by the owls, this would be in the vicinity of the current frogmouth aviary.
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I remember that jawbone, although I can't remember if it was a blue whale (it was big, but not huge). It was exactly where you describe for many years.

I think the cat cages were next to the old monkey house, opposite the Indian Elephant house - all in the space where the monorail, toilets and shops etc are now, between the lions and the tigers.

Maisie said:
I remember:
- the aquarium and sealion enclosures being exactly as they are now
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Both are in the same place, but they were both remodelled about 20 years ago. Much the same as was done, on a much bigger scale, with the elephants more recently.

Alan
 
Yes, but 20 years ago I was only 13... :) My zoo memories from before that time are a little hazy!
 
Like Maisie, my young memories are hazy, I just assumed a blue whale jawbone.

Another of my first memories is seeing the Oakfield and thinking we had left the zoo. I couldn't understand what a house was doing in a zoo. Also my brother trying to climb over a barrier to get close to some monkeys or baboons.
 
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