FUNKY MONKEYS, CHEEKY CHIMPS & PPPPENGUINS (Chester Zoo)

Member Name: hazydaze123

Product:	Chester Zoo
Date:	18/04/09 (119 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Aimed mainly at conservation; Lots to see; A great family day out

Disadvantages: None, apart from the fact that it's still a zoo

Before I begin, I would firstly like to apologise to readers for the length of this review. Due to the conservation efforts of Chester Zoo, I wanted to give as much information as I possibly could on the zoo as a tourist attraction, but more importantly, on the vital work that it does. Therefore, the review has turned out to be a bit of an essay. However, I hope you find it both enjoyable and useful.

Ok, here we go...

On principal, I usually refrain from visiting zoos as I am a firm believer that wild animals should be allowed to remain in their natural habitat, rather than housed in cages and enclosures solely for the entertainment of the general public. However, I do make exceptions when it comes to zoos which concentrate on conservation; after all, mankind is responsible for a lot of the harm and destruction to the natural world, and I personally think that mankind should be responsible for trying to save the many species that are being put at risk of extinction. Chester Zoo is such a place.

Having grown up in Chester, I have visited the zoo on many occasions during my childhood and have always loved the place, so just a few weeks prior to Christmas, on one of those typical British weather days (you know the kind I mean - mild temperatures, sunny skies...ha ha) I thought it would make a nice change to take my son to see the animals. Considering the time of year and the fact that Christmas was only a few weeks away, it appeared that many other people had the same idea and I must admit that the fairly large number of visitors milling around certainly added to the ambience on the day.

***A LITTLE HISTORY***

In order for me to review Chester Zoo properly and in a way that will benefit potential visitors, I feel it is important to give you a little background information on how and why the zoo came into existence. As I mention above, Chester Zoo is not merely an entertainment venue for the family, nor is it a typical money making establishment. Above and beyond providing pleasure for its thousands of visitors each year, Chester Zoo concentrates very much on conservation and it is important to remember this when wandering around admiring the many animals and plants on show.
Chester Zoo was established in the early 1930's by George Mottershead. As a child, George's father had taken his young son to visit a small zoo in Manchester. Seventy years ago, the living arrangements of zoo animals were limited to small cages and enclosures and George was so upset at seeing the conditions in which the animals were kept that he told his father "when I have a zoo it won't have any bars". And so in 1930, George reformed the original group of zoo animals he saw as a child, and by 1934, had formed the North of England Zoological Society.

And so, Chester Zoo was born. To this day, the living conditions of the zoo animals are aimed at being as close to their natural environment as possible, and most importantly of all - 'without any bars'.

***FIRST IMPRESSIONS***

On arrival at the zoo, which is very well signposted on most major routes into the City of Chester, the first thing I noticed on entering the grounds was the ample parking spaces available. To gain access into the zoo itself, visitors need to pass through a turnstile entryway where you pay your admission fees. Although there were many visitors on the day, we managed to pass through quite quickly, though if you are visiting in high season, I would recommend going in the morning because, in addition to really needing most of the day to take in all the exhibits, you will avoid the long queues which, in the past, I have been stuck in!

Once through the turnstile, we entered a large concrete area with wooden seats and tables where we were greeted by zoo employees handing out flyers for various events that were going on throughout the day, such as feeding times, animal talks etc. Here, we also have the gift shop which I will mention later in the review. Once you have made your way through the many visitors coming and going - the entrance is directly next to the exit, which at busy times means can become a little hectic - you are free to wander around and look at the many different animals at your leisure.

***WHAT CAN I SEE THERE?***

The zoo is home to over 400 different species, totalling over 7000 animals. The various species are split into six separate categories within the zoo:

Mammals
Birds
Reptiles
Amphibians
Fish
Invertebrates

I personally feel that, to name each and every animal in the zoo would be a pointless exercise and would not be particularly beneficial to anyone in making a decision whether or not to visit. Therefore, I will give a very vague outline on what is on view at the zoo, but will pay particular attention to the animals that specifically interested me on my visit.

Asian Elephants
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The first animals I saw when we walked through the main entrance gate were the Asian elephants. These animals wander around their extremely spacious, natural-looking enclosure like they haven't a care in the world. In reality, they are in grave danger of extinction and Chester Zoo has an extremely successful breeding history. I can personally remember back to 1977 (yes folks, I remember it well!) when the zoo successfully bred a baby elephant, which was appropriately named 'Jubilee' in recognition of the Queen's Silver Jubilee. Anyway, enough digressing and on with the review!

Humboldt Penguins
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Another memory I have of my 'younger' years is the building of the penguin pool, and this still remains in place today. You can come face to face with the penguins due to the walls being constructed out of what appears to be extremely thick Perspex. Like all the animals in the zoo, the penguins have plenty of space to swim around at their own will, and if you're lucky and time it right, you can see them being fed.

Californian Sea Lions
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The Sea Lions certainly appear to be the 'clowns' of Chester Zoo. I counted approximately 7 in the enclosure and all but one were showing off to the crowd, taking dives over the mid-section of the artificial pool. Although the Sea Lions are not thought to be endangered at the moment, their natural breeding environment is under potential threat from hunters, hence their existence at the zoo.

Orang-Utans
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The Orang-Utans are certainly on the 'endangered species' list, but at Chester Zoo, they vie for crowd's attention in a similar way to young children. 'Make 'em laugh' seems to be the order of the day in the Orang-Utan enclosure and, on the day of our visit, a baby Orang-Utan wearing a simple hessian sack over his head caused much laughter within the crowd. Again, Chester Zoo has a good breeding record of Orang-Utans and has even played a part in setting up an outdoor exercise enclosure in Sabah for orphaned Orang-Utans.

Amur Tiger
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In my opinion, one of the most beautiful creatures at Chester Zoo is the Amur Tiger. On the day of our visit, I saw only one of the tigers but these are very solitary animals and I believe there is more than one within the zoo. It is such a shame that these animals are on the endangered list but, like so many of the other species in the zoo, mans' greed gets the better of him and the pelts are unfortunately still in great demand.

As I mentioned above, these are just a few of my favourite (for want of a better word) 'exhibits' at Chester Zoo. However, many of the zoo's other species include the Grevy's Zebra, Golden Poison Dart Frog, Andean Condor, Bactrian Camel, Western Grey Kangaroo, St Lucian Amazon Parrot, Turkish Spiny Mouse, Spectacled Bear, Prairie Marmot, Ring-Tailed Lemur, Red Panda, Maned Wolf, South American Tapir and hundreds of others.

The zoo is also concerned with the conservation of many trees, plants and shrubs. Whilst these do not create the same attraction to visitors as the animals do, it is surprising how many species of plants are at risk of extinction. However, the zoo not only exhibits these many plants and shrubs for conservation reasons, but they are also used for creating an atmosphere for the animals that resembles, as much as possible, their natural living environment.

The zoo has four very special exhibitions currently open to the public; namely Tsavo, The Black Rhino Experience, Twilight Zone, Spirit of the Jaguar and Islands in Danger. These exhibitions offer a great insight into the conservation work to help save some of the most endangered species from extinction.

Tsavo The Black Rhino Experience
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There are only 400 East African Black Rhinos left in the wild in Kenya, and due to the Chester Zoo's success rate of the very difficult breeding process of the black rhinos, a new enclosure was opened in June 2003 which would provide a very natural African environment for the rhinos. There are currently seven black rhinos at Chester Zoo - Manyara, Kitani, Kata Kata, Pangani, Rosie, Sammy and Baringo II.

Twilight Zone
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This is the home of Chester Zoo's bats and small mammals. I personally love bats and cannot understand why people are so afraid of them. Too many poor quality horror films certainly have a lot to account for! The two species of bat in The Twilight Zone are Rodrigues Fruit Bat and Seba's Bat. Again, the zoo a good history of breeding of these bats, though the Ridrigues Fruit Bat is not actually at risk of extinction. Also resident in the Twilight Zone are Spiny Mice and Madagascan Giant Hissing Cockroaches. Hmm, not good if you don't like creepy-crawlies. I must admit that you do feel quite privileged walking through the Twilight Zone with the bats flying around you. After all, they are quite shy creatures and we are usually all tucked up in bed when they are going about their business.

Spirit of the Jaguar
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The building which houses the Spirit of the Jaguar is split into two sections: one representing the Savannah and the other representing the rain forest. The idea of this is to show visitors the different habitats of the jaguar as well as making the environment as natural as possible for the animals. There are currently three jaguars at Chester Zoo named Ebony, Salvador and Sofia. Salvador apparently has a dislike of fish but he doesn't look any the worse for it. The youngest of the three jaguars is Sofia who is only 6 years old. These are the most beautiful creatures and a visit to Chester Zoo would not be complete without having a look at this exhibition.

Islands in Danger
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Finally, the Islands in Danger exhibition concentrates mainly on reptiles, but other residents also include Red Birds of Paradise, Pheasant Pigeons, the St Lucia Amazon Parrot and the Socorro Dove. Be warned - due to the nature of the environment in which these creatures require to live, the 'house' is quite hot and humid so be prepared!

***LISTEN AND LEARN***

Throughout our visit to Chester Zoo, we were privy to two or three 'animal talks'. Throughout the day, staff members provide talks on eight different species within the zoo, covering topics such as the natural living environment of the animals in the wild, the food which the animal eats, how it hunts for the food, and the reason why that particular species is at risk from extinction. Some of the talks will involve a demonstration of how the animals are fed, though not all the animals are fed every day so you may be unlucky if, for example, you visited the zoo on a Friday hoping to see the lions being fed. If you want to listen to a talk or watch the animals being fed, you need to be at the relevant enclosure at the state time. Talk/feeding times are displayed in the Zoo Program which can be purchased at the entrance to the zoo. Talks are giving on the following animals:

Rhinos
Elephants
Lions (plus feeding except on Fridays)
Chimpanzees
Sealions (plus feeding)
Komodo Dragons
Jaguars (Monday to Friday)
Tigers (plus Feeding) (Monday to Friday)

We went to the chimpanzee talk which I found really interesting, and it amazed me how, while we are being told of the threat to these creatures in the wild, the cheeky chimps in the zoo are having a fantastic time, swinging on the ropes and chasing one another round the very large enclosure. Not a care in the world...!

***CONSERVATION WORK OF THE ZOO***

As I mention at the beginning of this review, Chester Zoo concentrates on the conservation of potentially endangered species, as opposed to creating 'money making' attractions. In addition to the animals who reside at Chester, the zoo also plays a very large part in providing aid and assistance to conservationists in the wild, literally on the 'home territory' of the various animals on the endangered list. The zoo is currently involved in projects such as the Jaguar Conservation Program and the Asian Elephant Conservation Program, to name but two. Working directly with the local conservationists and villagers in the respective countries, Chester Zoo provides assistance with things such as sponsorship of wildlife wardens and conservation grants etc.

***PROVIDING EDUCATION***

Chester Zoo is a firm believer in teaching children, even as young as 'primary school age', the essential need for conservation of endangered animals throughout the world. The zoo offers numerous educations programs to youngsters of various ages, which include 'hands on' investigations such as feeling the skin of a real snake, making up a menu for the monkeys, finding out how a lemur with a broken leg is treated. Also on offer is the chance to have a zoo member give a talk in the children's classroom, often bringing with them an animal which the children can handle.

***IT'S CHRIIIISTMAAAAS!! - VISIT THE FROST FAIR***

Christmas 2006 saw the arrival of the Chester Zoo Frost Fair. Unfortunately, the frost fair of 2008 had yet to open on the day that we visited the zoo so I am unable to review this fully However, I will relay to you as much as I know about the Fair. The main feature last year was a 20 metre ice rink which, according to local press, turned out to be an extremely popular feature with visitors. The Fair also included Santa's Grotto, craft stalls, entertainment, a giant snow canon and Santa's Lapland Journey. The Fair was open for two months, starting on 1st December and ending on 4th February.

***FANCY BEING A ZOOKEEPER FOR A DAY?***

Like many zoos, Chester Zoo offers the opportunity to become a zookeeper for the day. This is apparently a popular birthday present idea and must be arranged directly with the zoo, details of which are at the end of this review.

***BECOME A MEMBER***

I am seriously considering becoming a member of the zoo (...and no, I don't mean as a resident!!). After my most recent visit, I will certainly be returning with my young son so I think it would be financially beneficial to join. Membership offers unlimited free entry to the zoo for a full year, together with free admission to other specified zoos including Belfast, Bristol, Dublin and Edinburgh. Also on offer is a 20% discount when making purchases in the zoo cafe and gift shop, quarterly colour magazines, two exclusive member days which include a behind the scenes tour, together with a right to vote at the Annual General Meeting. Junior Membership is also available which offers youngsters between the ages of 3 and 17 benefits such as free unlimited membership for the year, and activities suited to their individual age group.

Membership fees are as follows:-

Adult (under 65) - £60 p/a
Adult (65 and over) - £50 p/a
Joint (both under 65) - £95 p/a
Joint (with one over 65) - £90 p/a
Joint (both over 65) - £80 p/a
Junior (3-17) - £30 p/a
Student (full-time) - £40 p/a

***ADOPT AN ANIMAL***

The zoo recommend the most effective way of supporting their work and to help the endangered species is to adopt one of the animals. For a minimum of £50.00 per year, you can adopt a 'share' in a number of specified animals. Smaller animals are only regarded as maybe one share, in which case you adopt the whole animal (if you see what I mean!) The estimations for the cost of shares is calculated on the amount of food any particular animal eats per year. In return for your adoption fee, you will receive an Adoption Certificate, four issues of the Chester Zoo colour magazine, and an invitation to adopter days. For each £50.00 share, you will receive two complimentary tickets. Unfortunately, you do not receive a photo of your adoptee, which I was a little disappointed about!

***AND NOW THE EXPENSIVE PART - ADMISSION FEES***

The standard admission fees for Chester Zoo vary depending on what time of year you visit.

Off-peak charges are as follows:-

Adults - £9.54
Children (3-15) - £6.81
Family (2+2) - £30.90
Concessions - £8.63
Children under 3 - Free

Peak charges are as follows:-

Adults - £13.59
Children (3-15) - £9.95
Family (2+2) - £45.00
Concessions - £12.27
Children under 3 - Free

***BRING YOUR FRIENDS***

The zoo also welcomes groups and, based on a minimum of 15 people, the admission charges are as follows:-

(PEAK TIMES)
£9.95 Adults
£8.95 Children (3-15) & Concessions
(OFF-PEAK TIMES)
£7.50 Adults
£6.50 Children (3-15) & Concessions

***EXTRAS***

Although Chester Zoo is jam packed with the most beautiful flora and fauna, there are a couple of other little extras which I would like to tell you about.

If you have been walking around the zoo all morning and your feet are starting to ache, take advantage of a leisurely tour and take in the sights of the zoo via the monorail. For a small fee of £2.00 per adult and £1.50 per child, this is a great experience and the carriages are wheelchair and buggy friendly.

The water bus also appears to be a popular feature, though I did not personally try this out. The trip takes approximately 15 minutes and takes you on a very gentle cruise. Again, the fee for this short trip is £2.00 for adults and £1.50 for children.

***FACILITIES***

Whatever you may require in the way of facilities, Chester Zoo seems to have the lot.

RAINBUSTER - Basically, this is aimed simply to keep you dry. The Rainbuster Route is specially designed to keep you dry, mainly by guiding you through the exhibits with overhead cover. Also available to purchase from the Ark Shop are specially designed ponchos, umbrellas, capes and rainhoods. Fortunately, we were lucky with the weather on the day of our visit so none of these were required.

REFRESHMENTS - The main refreshment area in the zoo is the Ark Restaurant. Sandwiches, hot meals and burgers are on offer with both indoor and outdoor seating available. Cafe Tsavo only opened in 2006 and is supposedly designed to be eco-friendly. The Oakfield House Tea Room and Restaurant is located in the manor house in the zoo grounds, and the Acorn Bar is fully licensed, and also offers light snacks.

There are also many ice-cream kiosks situated through the zoo.

SHOPPING - There are three shops in total within the zoo grounds, namely the Ark, The Fountain and the Arara, though the Arara is only open in peak season.

TOILETS - There are ample toilet facilities in the zoo, all with wheelchair access. The toilets appeared very clean and tidy and seem to be regularly serviced. The zoo also offers the 'Zoomobility' service which is basically like Shopmobility. Basically, you can hire a wheelchair or electric scooter FREE OF CHARGE, though you are required to pay a £10 refundable deposit. One point that amused me was the fact that, if you need an electric scooter, you must take a short simple driving test first! Sounds funny, but I suppose it's sensible.

Disabled parking spaces are also plentiful, with 35 space allocated to blue badge holders.

***HOW TO GET THERE***

Chester Zoo is extremely well signposted along all the main routes into Chester, as well as via the brown tourist signs from the M56 or junction 12 on the M53.

***CONTACT INFORMATION***

Chester Zoo
Upton-by-Chester
Chester
CH2 1LH
Tel: 01244 380 280
Fax: 01244 371 273

Website Address: http://www.chesterzoo.org

***WOULD I RECOMMEND?***

Most definitely. Basically, Chester Zoo provides a fantastic day out for the whole family, but at the same time, you can visit with piece of mind, knowing that you are not just lining the pockets of the Directors of yet another tourist attraction, but actually doing something to contribute to the conservation efforts which, unfortunately, is so very much needed in the world today.

Thank you for reading, and once again, my apologies for such a long review!

(Also on Ciao - matthewsmum)

Summary: A good zoo aimed at conservation