Zoo News Feed

Chester Zoo staff making a run for it

Wed, 22 May 2013 14:14:15 +0100

A dedicated team of Chester Zoo staff members and friends are in the final stages of their training for the 2013 BUPA Great Manchester Run.

The team are joining the 40,000+ runners who are taking part in Britain’s leading 10k running event on Sunday 26 May.

The team with be dressed up as ‘tigers and zoo keepers’ for the run – see if you can spot them during the charity race!

All the funds raised will be going towards Chester Zoo’s EAZA Campaign 2013, raising funds for conservation projects in Southeast Asia.

If you would like to show your support for the team, please visit our fundraising page on the Everyday Hero site

Say hello to our new male giraffe

Fri, 10 May 2013 16:57:10 +0100

Please give a big welcome to three year old Meru, our new male giraffe.

He has just arrived from Leipzig Zoo in Germany and is already getting to know our girls!

Click here to find our giraffes on our map.

How ‘dung science’ has led to our rhino baby boom

Fri, 10 May 2013 16:57:10 +0100

Ground-breaking science by our staff has helped to achieve a rhino baby boom.

Our researchers have spent the last five years carefully monitoring the hormone levels of their resident female rhinos in a bid to discover the best time to introduce them to a potential partner.

For ten years the zoo had no new baby rhinos, but since the start of the project we've now celebrated four births in the last four years.

But it has required scientist Katie Edwards to spend every day analysing rhino dung.

Katie, a PhD student from the University of Liverpool, said:

“Hormones associated with reproduction can be measured in an animal’s urine and faeces. So our keepers regularly bring dung samples from each of our female rhinos over to our lab for testing. We then break it down and extract all sorts of hormonal indicators from it.

“Tracking hormones gives us an insight into what is going on inside these animals. It can help tell us things like whether or not an animal is a seasonal breeder, whether it has reached puberty, whether it’s cycling on a regular basis or not and when the optimum time to introduce a male to a female is, as well as diagnose pregnancies and estimate when an animal will give birth.”

The project was devised in 2007 by the our Scientific Manager, Dr Sue Walker and Dr Susanne Shultz from the University of Manchester.

Dr Walker said:

“We established the project to try and understand the differences in reproductive success between individuals in the European zoo-based population of black rhinos - why do some individuals breed well, while others do not? The idea is that with a better understanding of reproduction, we can help to improve the breeding programme for this critically endangered species.

“Before the endocrine project was established, it was sometimes difficult to see behaviourally when a female was receptive to a male, so introductions could be difficult. But, based on her hormones, we can now predict when the best time to introduce her is and that gives our keepers that extra piece of information to help them get the timing absolutely right, hopefully increasing the chances of a successful mating.

“There had been no black rhinos born at Chester Zoo for 10 years before the programme began. Now, with its help, we have now had four births in four and half years.”

Dr Shultz added:

“Although collecting rhino dung isn’t the most glamorous work, this project is an excellent example of how academics can collaborate with conservation organisations to save endangered species. Getting a large number of zoos across Europe to contribute to science has been very exciting.”

The team is now working with zoos throughout Europe and say that their methods could transform the success of captive breeding programmes for this critically endangered species. In the wild, less than 650 now remain.

“With a species like the black rhino, where so few individuals exist, it is essential that we achieve successful breeding from as many of the rhinos in zoos as possible. To do this effectively, we need to look at the population of rhinos in zoos across the whole of Europe, not just the ones here in Chester,” said Dr Walker.

“These populations are vital as an insurance policy against further declines in the wild, and the more successful the population, both in terms of growth rates and maintaining the genetic diversity by making sure all individuals breed, the better that insurance policy can be.”

Read more about our Black rhinos

Learn about our Black rhino conservation projects on our Act for Wildlife website

Find our Black rhinos on our map

Sloths have a health check

Fri, 03 May 2013 17:05:04 +0100

Our vets have given full and thorough health checks to our two-toed sloths Tina and Camillo.

It was the very first time they had been able to confirm the genders of the duo, assess their teeth and body conditions and take their weights. Both two-year-olds were given a clean bill of health.

The team also took the opportunity to take an x-ray of Tina’s upper body.

“Few people may be aware that sloths have more ribs than any other mammal,” said our vet Steve Unwin. “They boast 46 whereas elephants only have 40, horses 36 and humans 24. This fascinating x-ray gives a rare glimpse into the make-up of this wonderful and rather intriguing creature.”

Tina and Camillo can be seen in the zoo’s Spirit of the Jaguar exhibit where staff hope the pair won’t hang around for too long before having babies of their own.

Find our sloths on our map

Fast facts

• Chester Zoo’s two, two-toed sloths (Latin name Choloepus didactylus) are called Tina (female) and Camillo (male). Both are just over two-years old
• The pair arrived at Chester Zoo in Feb 2012 after moving from a zoo in Germany
• The two toed sloth is native to South America
• Sloths have grooved hair that allows algae to grow there, giving the animals a green tint that helps camouflage them in the forest
• The two-toed sloth does everything while hanging upside down from trees, including eating, sleeping, mating, and even giving birth. The only time it comes to the ground is to pass waste, which it does once a week
• Sloths move slowly and sleep for 15 hours a day to conserve energy. This is largely due to their low-energy diet of leaves and occasional fruit
• Sloths have a powerful grip. Their long claws curve around tree branches like a safety harness
• With a muscle mass of only 25 % (most mammals have twice as much), sloths cannot shiver when it’s cold
• Big forest cats like jaguars and ocelots, birds of prey such as harpy eagles, and large snakes like anacondas prey upon sloths

Additional pics

Tina is put under general anaesthetic during the procedure.

Vets from Chester Zoo check on the condition of Tina’s teeth.

Meet all "aaah!" new arrivals

Thu, 02 May 2013 17:08:49 +0100

We've had a brilliant baby boom in the last few months at the zoo, and sometimes it's hard to keep up!

We've put together a handy guide so you can see all our new arrivals in one place.

Nothing beats seeing them in person of course, so make sure you buy your tickets online and zip past the queues.

Meet the elephant calves

Our elephant herd got a little larger last November with the birth of Hari and again in January with Bala.

We even showed you some incredible CCTV footage of the birth of Bala.

Meet the orangutan babies

Our newest orangutan arrivals are Tripa, born in October last year, and Tuti, who was born in January. You'll be able to spot the youngsters close to their mothers in our Realm of the Red Ape exhibit.

Meet our rhino calves

We are lucky enough to have two lively black rhino calves - Chanua, who was born in October last year and Dakima, born in March.

Eastern black rhinos are critically endangered, with only around 650 left in the wild.

Meet our giraffe calves

You won't need to crane your neck to see our giraffe calves. Standing at over 6 feet tall already, our beautiful giraffe calves can be seen galloping around their paddock.

Kanzi was born in October last year, and Millie was born in March.

Meet our Okapi calf

The birth of Okapi calf Tafari in November was an extra special occasion as it was the first time an okapi has been born at Chester Zoo.

Okapi are the closest living relative to the giraffe, as you can see by their long tongues and long necks.

Meet our Babirusa piglets and otter pups

Our Babirusa piglets and Asian short-clawed otter pups were given a health check last month, with the piglets being named Salem and Yala, and the otters named Wallace and Dili.

Meet our penguin chicks

Our latest arrivals are Humboldt penguin chicks, who started hatching just last month. The chicks have been named after characters from Dr Who, with one of the very first being named Doctor!

Doctor has been joined by Tardis, Davros and Dalek, with more expected before long.

And a special welcome to...

We're a busy, thriving zoo and part of what we do is to welcome animals from other zoos through coordinated breeding programmes.

Over the past few months we've been delighted to welcome Napo, a stunning jaguar from France, Marjorie, a Malaysian tapir from Belfast Zoo, and Nima, a beautiful red panda who arrived from a zoo in Ireland.

Say hello to Nima!

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 17:13:18 +0100

These are the very first few pics of Nima, our beautiful new red panda, who arrived this week!

Nima, which is the Tibetan for 'sun', has already settled in brilliantly after moving here from a zoo in Ireland as part of a coordinated breeding programme for the species.

Zoo digs in to create wildlife haven

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 17:13:18 +0100

We're create a wildlife haven, opening a free nature reserve outside our main entrance.

Curator of Horticulture and Botany, Mark Sparrow, plants the first trees on the site of a
new nature reserve with volunteers from MBNA and Bank of America Merrill Lynch

The reserve is part of our commitment to the conservation of native species and will be free of charge to the public without having to enter the zoo.

The two acre site is being developed with wildflower meadows and a dipping pond along with a grass amphitheatre which will be used for environmentally-themed events and as an outside classroom for schools.

Planting has already started with zoo staff joined by volunteers from Bank of America-owned MBNA and Chester-based employees of Bank of America Merrill Lynch who helped plant the first 150 native trees.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch is one of the organisations that helped to fund the project, which is being developed on a site just off the zoo’s main car park.

Development Director Simon Mann said:

“There’s some pretty wild animals in the zoo and some pretty wild creatures outside of it too! The nature reserve will give people the chance to come along and see all sorts of fantastic native species such as orange tip butterflies, buzzards, a huge array of invertebrates and lots of small mammals.

“The nature reserve will be open all year round and will showcase the very best of Cheshire’s natural environment. It will be a fantastic place for recreation, education and, above all, enjoyment for everyone. We hope it’ll inspire a new generation to take an interest in all the wonderful nature that’s around them and the importance of looking after it.”

The paths within the reserve will also link to cycle routes and a local bridle path and it is hoped it will open in spring 2014.

Special thanks

A number of other organisations, including Bank of America Merrill Lynch have helped to fund the nature reserve. These include:

Lord Leverhulme’s Charitable Trust
Mrs T A Briggs Deceased Trust
The Ronald and Kathleen Pryor Charity
The Hamamelis Trust
People's Postcode Trust
The William Dean Trust
Cheshire Pitt Club
The Business Network Chester

Humboldt penguins hatch!

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0100

Our latest arrival is out of this world – and has a name to match after keepers named the chicks after icons from Dr Who.

Weighing just 66g, the baby chick Doctor is one of the first Humboldt penguins to hatch at the zoo this year.

Given that the baby was already doing well the only real poser for keepers was what to call their new charge – and the others due to hatch after him.

Last year’s clutch got their names from British Olympic stars - this year they are named after icons from the hit TV show Dr Who, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.

Doctor has already been joined by Tardis, Davros and Dalek.

Keeper Karen Neech said:

"Just as Dr Who has his companion we’re very much the companions for the baby chicks at the moment - we’re weighing them daily to make sure they’re developing properly and feeding from their parents.

"With extra mouths to feed a lot more food is required, so it’s a busy time for both us and the adult penguins.

"We provide the parents with fish and they then turn it into a high-protein soup, which they then regurgitate to feed to the chicks. So it’s a real combined effort - but without a sonic screwdriver in sight!”

The penguins are an endangered South American species, which come from the coastal areas of Peru and Chile. The new arrivals mean the zoo now has a colony of more than 40.

Each pair lays two eggs and will incubate them for 40 days up to hatching. Both parents are then involved in incubating and rearing the young.

After around eight weeks they will leave the nest and learn how to swim in the zoo’s ‘baby pool’, before joining their parents in the main pool.

Chester Zoo funds conservation initiatives in the penguins’ homeland to help them in their natural habitat, where they are faced with many pressures including over fishing of their food and habitat loss.

Fast Facts

• This South American penguin is named after the chilly Humboldt current, along which it commonly swims
• In the wild, Humboldt penguins are vulnerable to disturbances in their food chain caused by strong El Nino currents
• Humboldt penguins are social animals, living in relatively large colonies of closely spaced burrows
• Humboldt penguins ‘fly’ through the water at speeds of up to 25mph
• They enjoy a diet of small fish (anchovies, herring, smelt) and crustaceans
• The species is classed as vulnerable to extinction by conservationists
• Doctor’s parents are called Éclair and Poppet (named after chocolates)
• Doctor hatched on April 17

Our keepers and vets give piglets and pups the once over

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0100

Two of the world’s rarest pigs and a pair of ‘feisty’ baby otters have had their first ever health check-ups.

The pint-sized piglets and tiny pups were checked over by the zoo’s vets who weighed them, listened to their hearts beat and gave them full physical examinations.

All were sexed with one of the babirusa piglets discovered to be male and the other female, as were the pair of Asian short-clawed otters. Keepers have named the pigs Salem and Yala and the otters Wallace and Dili.

Vet Steve Unwin said:

“We’re thrilled to report that our pigs and our pups are in great shape.

“Babirusa pigs are one of the rarest pig species on the planet and we’re delighted that Salem and Yala are fit and healthy. They’re highly threatened in the wild and so our new duo adds significantly to the world’s population, which is positive news for the future of the species.

“Little otter Wallace weighed in at 730 grams and Dili was a little lighter at 680. Both proved to be fairly feisty characters but they are extremely healthy indeed and so we are very happy with them.

“As they continue to grow and become even more confident, we’re looking forward to seeing them take to the water.

“Zoos provide the last insurance policy against extinction and all of these new arrivals will hopefully now continue to develop and become a vital part of the international breeding programme to safeguard the species.”

The two piglets were born to mum Majene and dad Sausu.

In the wild, the species has seen numbers plummet largely because of habitat loss through logging and hunting for their meat.

The young otters were born on to mum Daisy and dad Robbie.

Asian short-clawed otters - the world’s smallest otter species - are classed by conservation organisations as vulnerable to extinction. The new pups will therefore eventually become part of European-wide breeding programme, providing an important safety-net to populations in the wild.

Vet Steve Unwin and keeper Hannah Sievewright give a health check
to one of Chester Zoo’s new Asian short-clawed otter pups

Keeper Phil Molyneux holds one of two rare babirusa piglets and stands
on a set of scales to weigh it during a health check-up

Our hormone tests increase the chances of panda cubs in Edinburgh

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0100

Scientists at Chester Zoo have said hormone changes in Edinburgh Zoo’s female panda indicate she will come into heat within days.

Chester Zoo’s Endocrinology Technician, Rebecca Purcell, analyses samples of giant panda urine to look for vital clues in helping counterparts at Edinburgh Zoo in their attempts to breed the species

Our hormone experts, who are based in the UK’s only endocrinology laboratory specialising in studying hormone levels in wildlife, have been tasked by counterparts in Scotland to predict exactly when giant panda Tian Tian will be fertile.

And a hormone “crossover” - a rise in oestrogen levels and a sharp drop in progesterone – has now been spotted following weeks of daily tests; meaning the time is now close.

Chester Zoo’s Scientific Manager Dr Sue Walker said:

“It is well known that Edinburgh is home to giant pandas but perhaps less well known, is that two hundred and forty miles away here in a lab in Cheshire, we’re playing a key role in their attempts to breed cubs.”

Endocrinology Technician, Rebecca Purcell, added:

“Every day for the last month, samples of Tian Tian’s urine have been couriered from Edinburgh to Chester. We’ve then been performing a series of tests on the samples, looking specifically for changes in certain hormone concentrations.

“In particular we’ve been testing for levels of two hormones - oestrogen and progesterone. By tracking those, it enables us to predict when we think she will ovulate and thus, be the ideal time for her to be introduced to the male Giant Panda, Yang Guang.

“Finding this optimum time to put the pandas together is crucial in giving them the best possible chance of a successful mating.

“We’ve now seen a vital crossover in the levels of oestrogen and progesterone and so we now believe that time to be very close.”

Using hormone monitoring to predict oestrus is vital in giant pandas. Females only come into season once a year for approximately 36 hours. Introductions can only be made when the female is fully receptive to the male, otherwise they may fight and injure each other or the male may waste valuable energy in failed mating attempts.

Chester Zoo’s scientific input into its own breeding programmes has seen great success in recent times. A baby Eastern black rhino, a species classed as critically endangered in the wild where less than 650 are thought to remain, was born last month. A second black rhino, two baby Asian elephants and an okapi have also all arrived in the last six months.

Flora

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0100

It is with sadness that we can confirm the death of our female Komodo Dragon, Flora.

Flora, who had been with us since 1999, had been suffering from ill-health and was receiving veterinary care.

Despite the best efforts of both the keeping and veterinary teams, sadly Flora passed away.

Flora was something of a zoo superstar – in December 2006 she made headlines around the world when we were able to prove that Komodo Dragons can reproduce through self-fertilisation, a process known as parthenogenesis.

Flora laid a clutch of 11 eggs with paternity testing later proving she was both the ‘mother’ and ‘father’ of the fertile eggs. Flora’s story, which was first told in the scientific journal Nature, went on to capture global interest.

Dr Gerardo Garcia, Curator of Lower Vertebrates and Invertebrates, said: “Flora was undoubtedly one of the world’s most famous Komodo Dragons and during her lifetime she played a very special part in helping us to understand more about this amazing species.

"Flora will be remembered fondly and much missed and I would like to thank those who have looked after her.”

Rare giraffe calf born!

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0100

Our baby boom shows no signs of letting up as we celebrate the birth of a rare giraffe.

All images © Peter Byrne/Press Association

The Rothschild giraffe calf - the world’s most endangered sub-species of giraffe - was born to first-time mum Orla after a 14 ½ month pregnancy.

Despite being just a few days old, at six feet tall, the youngster – which our keepers have named Millie - is already towering over them.

Chester Zoo’s curator of mammals, Tim Rowlands, said:

“For a first time mum Orla is doing a superb job so far. She really does seem to be taking motherhood all in her rather long stride.

“Millie was up on her feet within just a few minutes of being born and she began suckling from mum not long after. Already she is strong and tall which is really pleasing.

“Rothschild giraffes are very, very rare indeed and so careful, managed breeding programmes in zoos and wildlife parks are vital for their long-term future. We’re therefore obviously delighted with our newcomer.”

According to conservationists there are now less than 670 Rothschild giraffes left in the wild, following the loss of their traditional habitat in their native Kenya and Uganda and their poaching for their meat. The species is the most endangered of the nine sub-species of giraffe.

As well as its breeding successes, we also supported important projects in the wild, including the first ever scientific review of the Rothschild giraffe with the aim of developing a long-term conservation strategy for the species in Africa.

Back at the zoo the new calf is the latest in a long list of endangered species to have been born in the last six months. Two endangered Asian elephants, two critically endangered black rhinos, two critically endangered Sumatran orangutans, an okapi and two giant otter pups, as well as Kanzi, another Rothschild giraffe, have all been part of the zoo’s recent baby boom.

Fast Facts

• Mum Orla was born on March 17 2008. She is just over five years old
• Dad is called Thorn
• Baby was born in the early hours of Monday morning (March 25). She weighed 52kgs
• The giraffes are known as Rothchild’s giraffe - named after zoologist Lord Walter Rothschild, founder of the National History Museum in Tring, Hertfordshire
• The species is identified by its broader dividing white lines and has no spots beneath the knees
• The animals are classed as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature
• Giraffe population figures are declining across Africa; a recent survey estimated an 80% decline in the last ten years alone
• Once wide-ranging across Kenya, Uganda and Sudan, the Rothschild’s giraffe has been almost totally eliminated from much of its former range and now only survives in a few small, isolated populations in Kenya and Uganda
• The main threat to the species now is loss of habitat and poaching for meat and hides
• In the past, giraffes were hunted for their tails, which were used as good-luck charms, sewing thread and even fly swats

Rare deer hand-reared by our keepers

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0100

Zeyar, the UK’s only baby brow antlered deer, licks her lips after getting her breakfast bottle from lead keeper Helen Massey.

The tiny arrival, who weighed just 3.7kg when she was born, is going from strength-to-strength thanks to Helen’s care and dedication.

Zeyar was rejected by her mum leaving Helen to ensure she gets her four bottles a day.

Brow antlered deers are classed by conservationists as endangered meaning Zeyar’s arrival is great news for the future of her species.

Fast Facts

• The species is native to Myanmar (Burma)
• They live on open grassy plains, swamps and deciduous forests in the vicinity of water
• Their numbers are decreasing in the wild
• The most obvious threat to the deer is from hunting, which in addition to local consumption of meat is driven by a thriving trade in bushmeat and an East Asian market for traditional medicinal products derived from the species, as well as an international market for trophy antlers
• Their name is due to the shape of the males antlers
• Latin name is Rucervus eldii thamin
• Zeyar is Burmese for ‘success’
• Zeyar is the only baby brow antlered to have been born in the UK this year
• Chester Zoo is the only zoo in the UK currently breeding the species

Breaking news: giraffe calf born!

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0100

We're delighted to announce we have ANOTHER new baby after giraffe mum Orla gave birth to her first calf last night.

The house will be closed for a few days as the pair get to know each other.

We'll keep you posted as to how they are getting on.

Our latest rhino calf is called...

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0100

Our latest rhino calf, born to mum Malindi earlier in March, now has a name

Our keepers have named her... Dakima, which means 'joy of living' in Swahili.

Dakima and mum are currently off-show to visitors to get to know one another, but you should still be able to spot our rhino calf Chanua, who was born in October last year.

Take a look at our Act for Wildlife website for more about our rhino conservation projects in the wild and how you can get involved.

Zookeepers separate their bat boys from their bat girls!

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0100

Our keepers are busy checking on over 400 bats in our annual bat catch.

All photos are © Peter Byrne/Press Association

Each year our Seba's short-tailed, Rodrigues and Livingstone’s fruit bats are caught, counted and their genders determined to make sure that the ratios of males to females are equal. It also gives keepers a chance to check on any new babies.

Rodrigues fruit bats are a particularly threatened species and are classed as critically endangered in the wild, so knowing their exact number is vital in terms of breeding of a viable insurance population in zoos.

Team Manager David White said:

“It’s vitally important that we know the ratios of males to females. That’s because sometimes individuals have to be moved to other zoos to breed in order to make sure we keep the gene pool diverse and conserve a healthy, viable population of critically endangered Rodrigues’s fruit bats.”

In the 1970s the species almost went extinct as numbers dropped to just 70 bats. However on-going conservation work and habitat protection in Mauritius - which the zoo has helped support for a number of years - together with an effective breeding programme in zoos, research and education has since seen the population steadily increase.

David added:

“It’s really pleasing to know that there’s a thriving breeding programme now established in zoos, safeguarding the species’ future should disaster ever strike again in the wild.

“We must, however, marry the good work here with more work in the bats’ homeland and keep striving to protect and restore habitat and educate local people about this brilliant species.”

Keepers also take the opportunity to give each and every one of the bats - over 400 live in the zoo’s bat cave, which is the largest free-flying bat house in Europe - a general health check; weighing them and measuring their wing spans in the process.

Fast Facts

• The Rodrigues fruit bat is also sometimes known as the Rodrigues flying fox - large fruit bats are often called ‘flying foxes’ because their elongated muzzles give them a distinctly fox-like appearance

• Rodrigues fruit bats are a large bat with a wingspan of 75cms (2 ½ ft)

• Rodrigues fruit bats come from Rodrigues Island, part of Mauritius, in the Indian Ocean. This is the only place they are found in the wild, and, back in the 1970s, they had almost vanished with numbers dropping to around 70. That is why conservationists began a breeding programme in zoos

• In 1984 the first Rodrigues Fruit Bats arrived at Chester, where they have been breeding well ever since

• Fruit bats act as pollinators and seed dispersers in island ecosystems, which makes them vital for forest regeneration

• Rodrigues fruit bats eat the leaves, fruits or flowers of many different species of plant

• Pups are born with oversized feet and can usually grip to their mother straight after birth. Born with all their fur and their eyes open, they move straight to one of their mother’s two nipples to drink milk, tucked safely under her wing

• Bats are the only mammals that are capable of powered flight

Breaking news: Rare black rhino born!

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0100

Our keepers and conservation staff are celebrating the birth of a rare baby rhino.

The five-day-old Eastern black rhino – a species which is classed by conservationists as critically endangered - is the second calf to be born at Chester Zoo in just six months.

Born to mum Malindi, the calf has been called Dakima, which in Swahili means ‘the joy of living’.

Her arrival is another step towards sustaining a black rhino population which, in the wild, has been devastated by poachers.

Mum Malindi is seven years old. It's her first calf and she is quickly learning the art of good parenting.

Our Curator of Mammals, Tim Rowlands, said:

"Malindi is so far doing a great job. Being a mum for the first time she’s naturally protective but she’s doing really well and both her and her calf seem very happy.”

There are thought to be less than 650 Eastern black rhinos remaining in the wild, placing the species perilously close to extinction.

The new calf will eventually join the international breeding programme, which has already seen some black rhinos returned to Africa to help boost numbers.

The baby rhino and mum are currently off-show to visitors while the pair is given privacy and time to get to know one another.

We’ll be sure to bring you news and updates as soon as we have them.

Take a look at our Act for Wildlife website for more about our rhino conservation projects in the wild and how you can get involved.

Tiny dik-dik antelope makes a big impact

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0100

She stands just a few centimetres tall but this tiny new arrival is making a big impression.

All images © Peter Byrne/Press Association

Aluna, the tiny Kirk’s dik-dik antelope, is not much taller than a TV remote.

For now, she is being bottle-fed milk five times a day by the zoo’s dedicated curator of mammals after she failed to bond with her mother.

She will be given a helping hand until she is old enough to tuck into a diet of buds, shoots and fruit on her own.

Playing ‘parent’ to the zoo’s tiny new addition is Tim Rowlands. He said:

“Our little one is growing stronger and stronger by the day and, all being well, it shouldn’t be too long until she‘ll be able to really hold her own. For the time being though her feed times are staggered through the day and she has her first bottle in my living room at home at around 7am. I then pop her into the car and bring her to work where she has another three feeds in my office. Finally, her last one is at 10pm back at my house.

“She’s already pretty quick on her feet and gives us quite the run around in the office. That’s why we’ve called here Aluna which means ‘come here’ in Swahili. It’s rather apt!”

Native to Kenya, Tanzania and Namibia, the dik-dik gets its name from the noise it makes when running for cover. They can live for up to 10 years and reach a maximum size of just 40cm tall, making it one of the smallest antelope species in the world.

Zoo keeps visitors’ top spot

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0100

Chester Zoo has kept its position as England’s most visited attraction outside of London, new figures show.

The zoo welcomed more than 1.4 million people in 2012 with an influx of new animal arrivals helping to drive visitors through the gates.

The results, released by the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA), also showed the zoo to be the 15th most visited attraction in the UK – putting it ahead of other UK wildlife attractions.

Chester Zoo’s Director General Dr Mark Pilgrim said:

“For the second year running we have stolen a march on attractions outside of the capital – every year we bring something new for the visitors to give them the very best day out. We had a host of new arrivals last year with our breeding successes including elephant and rhino calves, giant otter pups, orangutans and other species, all of which have been important for conservation but also a big draw for visitors.

“The zoo is constantly evolving and we were the first to bring robotic dinosaurs to a UK zoo. This year we’ll be notching up another first with 13 fantastic animatronic bugs. Exhibitions like this are a great platform to educate visitors about some really important species but also provide extra touches to an already great day out!”

The zoo continues to build on its success and in early summer it will begin work on its new £30 million Islands experience. An unoccupied part of its estate will be transformed into the islands of the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Bali, Sumatra, Sumba and Sulawesi.

Linked by a series of bridges and including a journey on water, Islands will be home to animals and plants from south east Asian islands including new species such as Banteng and the Sunda Gavial crocodile.

One lump or coo?

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0100

Our keepers are brewing up a treat in their annual exotic bird catch.

Over a hundred endangered and exotic birds are to be given a health check – but it will be no swift task for the zookeepers in charge of the annual catch-up.

An emerald dove is placed into a mug as part of a its health check

Each year keepers dedicate a day to carrying out a check on the 150 birds in their free-flying tropical house to assess their health and condition, ring each individual and DNA sex them.

To help in their task, staff use a number of special techniques including placing the birds head first into mugs and other dark containers before weighing them on sets of scales.

Chester Zoo’s Curator of Birds, Andrew Owen, said:

“Most people enjoy a mug of tea or coffee during their morning break but we’re brewing up something completely different!

“But there’s a really important and serious point to this. It’s vital we are able to take accurate biometric measurements of the birds to give us a better understanding of their biology and that includes taking a weight for each of them. To do this we carefully place each of the birds beak down into a container for a few seconds. As it’s dark inside it helps to keep the birds really nice and calm.

“We also deploy special netting techniques to help us catch the birds in the first place and it’s really important that all of our staff have a chance to get to grips with those. That’s because the very same methods are also used at our field conservation projects, so the skills picked up here are vital to those staff heading overseas to try and save certain species threatened with extinction in the wild.”

Curator of birds Andrew Owen checks on a royal starling

Over 20 different species of bird reside in the Tropical Realm including beautiful songsters like the orange-headed thrush and Brazilian tanager and conservation species such as the vulnerable-to-extinction Javan sparrow and critically endangered Blue-crowned laughingthrush.

Species list:

1. Crested wood partridge
2. Sunbittern
3. Nicobar pigeon
4. Emerald dove
5. Pied imperial pigeon
6. Victoria crowned pigeon
7. Red-whiskered bulbul
8. Asian glossy starling
9. Amethyst starling
10. Royal starling
11. Emerald starling
12. Pied starling
13. White-rumped shama
14. Orange-headed thrush
15. Blue-crowned laughingthrush: One of the rarest species we have at the zoo. They only occur in two tiny areas of China and there are thought to be less than 200 birds left in the wild. Our birds help to provide a “safety net” captive population, whilst our Chinese conservation programme helps to support researchers and conservationists in China, who are trying to save the species from extinction in the wild.
16. Pekin robin
17. Red-tailed laughing thrush
18. Red fody
19. Black-necked weaver
20. Javan sparrow
21. Pope cardinal
22. Brazilian tanager

Public name new baby elephant

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0100

Our new baby elephant has been named Bala Hi Way following a public vote.

We teamed up with BBC Earth Unplugged to run a naming poll via social media with Bala, meaning ‘a girl’ in Hindi, the overwhelming favourite.

From a shortlist of names chosen by the zoo’s keepers, Bala pulled in 55% of the vote, Danti 20%, Nandita 15% and Nanda 10%.

All of the family members in the herd – spanning four generations – have the surname Hi Way.

Photo © Gareth Brooks

Bala was the second Asian elephant calf to be born at the zoo in the space of just eight weeks when she arrived at 11pm on Jan 21 to mum Sithami.

Chester Zoo is part of a breeding program coordinated by the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums (EAZA) that is focused on sustaining the elephant population in Europe.

Aaaaaaah-dvarks!

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0100

Our aardvarks Tatsu and Himba are pictured curled up together in a perfect heart shape just in time for Valentine’s Day.

Keepers say the duo, both aged two, have been inseparable since the latter arrived from Burgers’ Zoo in the Netherlands in December last year.

New Jaguar Makes Debut

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0100

Take a closer look at our stunning new Jaguar, Napo.

Napo eyes up the photographer as he makes his public debut after arriving from France.

The two-year old will soon be turning his beady eyes to a new mate who will be arriving during half-term after the pair were matched-up as part of an international breeding programme aimed at saving the endangered species.

The zoo is currently developing a global survey designed to help reduce conflict between the species and humans across the jaguars' range countries.

We also provide support to various jaguar projects in Belize and Guatemala, monitoring populations, examining human-jaguar conflict and developing tactics for dealing with this issue.

Marjorie the Malayan tapir moves in

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0100

An exciting new species which will become part of a £30m development aiming to recreate the islands of southeast Asia in the heart of Cheshire, has arrived at Chester Zoo.

Marjorie, a 10-month-old Malayan tapir, has moved from Belfast Zoo as staff at Chester prepare for one of the largest zoo developments in Europe – designed to transform a currently disused area into the exotic climes of the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Bali, Sumatra, Sumba and Sulawesi.

Chester Zoo’s Curator of Mammals Tim Rowlands said:

“Bringing a new species in to a zoo involves an incredible amount of forward planning and isn’t something that can just be done off the cuff.

“So even though Islands isn’t due to open until 2015, we’ve had to really look ahead and think very carefully about the indigenous species of these amazing islands.

“Marjorie is the first of her kind to reside in Chester since the mid-1980s and we’re absolutely thrilled to welcome such a fantastic animal in. Hopefully we’ll eventually pair her up with a male and play a key role in the international breeding programme for the species.”

Malayan tapirs, whose bodies are described as pig like, are native to Asia.

Mr Rowlands added:

“They are a beautiful but rather unusual looking species, which are related to horses and rhinoceroses.

“Sadly they are listed as endangered species, partly because their distinct black and white coats make them a target to hunters.”

The species faces a high risk of extinction, with conservationists estimating that populations have declined by more than 50% in the last 30 years. This is mainly due to the destruction to their natural forest habitat as well as hunting for their meat and sport.

Visitors will soon be able to see Marjorie in the zoo’s cattle house.

About Islands

• Linked by a series of bridges and including a journey on water, Islands will be home to animals and plants from southeast Asia, including new species such as banteng and the Sunda Gavial crocodile

• Other animal species will include Sumatran tigers, orangutans, Sulawesi macaques and exotic birds such as the lorikeet

• Islands will include a new Indonesian jungle house which will be the largest indoor zoo exhibit in the UK

• The £30m venture will showcase the zoo’s Act for Wildlife conservation activities as visitors navigate their way through mangroves, swamps, bamboo and tropical forests

• Work is expected to start in early 2013 with the entire zone planned to open to the public by Easter 2015

Malayan tapir facts

• Malayan tapirs, related to rhinos and horses, are native to the forests of Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Burma and Sumatra where they feed on shoots and leaves, but the species is endangered due to habitat loss and hunters who prize them for their meat

• They have unusual, long flexible noses that they use to forage for food, and are known for their unusual courtship ritual which involves an assortment of wheezing and whistling sounds. They will then sniff each other, walking around in circles before mating

• After a gestation period of 13 months the female gives birth to one calf

• They have poor eyesight, which makes them rely heavily on their excellent senses of smell and hearing

• Marjorie was born on March 4 2012

Babirusa babies born!

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0100

Two of the world’s rarest pigs have been born at Chester Zoo.

The arrival of a pair of babirusa piglets has been welcomed as great news for the future of the species - with wild populations under threat in their native Indonesia.

Keeper Phil Molyneux said:

“Babirusa pigs are highly threatened and are one of the rarest pig species on the planet. Our new arrivals add significantly to the world’s population and that’s what makes these births so important and such a great achievement.

“Zoos provide the last insurance policy against extinction and the pair should grow up to become a vital part of the international breeding programme to safeguard the species.

“These new-borns are really exciting for us and positive news for the future of the species.”

The two piglets were born seven weeks ago to mum Majene and dad Sausu and visitors to the zoo will be able to see them in a few months’ time when they have further developed.

In the wild, the species has seen numbers plummet largely because of habitat loss through logging and hunting for their meat.

Fast Facts

• The piglets were born on 16/12/12
• The public will be able to see them in a few months’ time when they have further developed
• Babirusa go through a five month pregnancy
• Babirusa feed on fruit, seeds, nuts, insects and fungi
• They are classed by conservationists as vulnerable
• The exact population numbers in the wild are unknown
• The species has declined in the past largely because of habitat loss through logging and conversion, and to some extent through hunting
• The species is endemic to the Sulawesi rainforests of Indonesia

Elephant birth - Behind the scenes

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0100

In part 2 of BBC Earth Unplugged's special report Chris Howard meets head elephant keeper Andy McKenzie to view the CCTV footage of the birth.

We're also delighted to reveal that the elephant calf is in fact a girl!

You can watch part one of the special report here.

Elephant Birth CCTV Footage

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0100

Take a look behind the scenes with our amazing video of the Asian elephant birth.

The remarkable footage shows the calf taking its first steps within a few minutes of being born to mum Sithami.

In the coming days we'll know whether the new arrival is a boy or a girl.

Born on Tuesday 21st January, the calf is the tenth Asian elephant in the herd.

Breaking News: Baby Elephant Born!

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0100

Our elephant herd has just got a little larger with the arrival of a second calf in the space of less than 12 weeks.

The calf was on its feet within three minutes of being born at 11pm on Monday and was welcomed into the group by mum Sithami and eight other Asian elephants.

The 15-year-old mother delivered the herd’s latest offspring after a 22-month gestation. Sithami is also mum to female Sundara, born in 2004, and male calf Nayan born in 2010.

All images © Press Association

Sundara herself had her first baby on Nov 25 last year.

We won’t know for another 48 hours whether our new arrival is a boy or girl. Sithami has been getting to know the calf, gently touching the young animal with her trunk and keeping a watchful eye on him/her.

Tim Rowlands, Curator of Mammals, said:

“The arrival of an elephant calf is always a cause for celebration but to have two healthy calves in less than three months is absolutely fantastic. The new baby and mum are doing very well and I am sure our visitors will share in our good news.

“The natural bonding between mum and calf and calf with the rest of the herd is fascinating and a truly wonderful thing to see.

“And we just hope that when people come and set eyes on them, they’re inspired to try and do something to help stop the persecution that these magnificent animals face in the wild.

“In India for example, elephants are all too often injured or even killed in conflicts with humans because they wander into villages and wreck crops and damage property and the villagers retaliate against them with force. However we run a great conservation programme over there, which works hard to put an end to this, helping both man and beast live harmoniously.

"In fact, not a single elephant has been killed in the villages where we work for over a year. When people come and see our new baby, sometimes unbeknown to them, they’re helping fund this work in the wild. It’s vitally important.”

In December we invited Earth Unplugged to meet the herd and you can see below the first of two behind the scenes videos about the birth.

Chester Zoo is part of a breeding program coordinated by the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums (EAZA) that is focused on sustaining the elephant population in Europe.

The elephant house will be open as normal today.

Franka in the snow

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0100

Franka, our spectacled bear, is certainly making the most of the snow!

Our keepers have built her a 'snowbear' to act as a lovely bit of enrichment.

Doto

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0100

It is with great sadness we have to tell you of the death of our magnificent male giraffe Doto.

Doto was being treated for a virus after falling ill last week. Both the giraffe and veterinary teams have worked tirelessly to help him but unfortunately Doto died yesterday evening.

Doto, who was 13, had been with us since June last year after arriving from Longleat. We will be carrying out a postmortem to determine the cause of Doto's death.

The rest of the giraffe herd are well.

Tim Rowlands, Curator of Mammals, said: "Since his arrival Doto had proved to be a great addition to the herd so everyone is naturally very saddened by this turn of events.

"Doto had been treated with antibiotics over the last week but unfortunately all efforts to help him proved to be in vain. This is a very sad day for all concerned."

Our latest baby orangutan is called...

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0100

Our baby Sumatran orangutan, born to mum Subis in December last year, now has a name.

Our keepers have called her... Tuti!

Tuti is the fourth baby for mum Subis, and comes shortly after Tripa, who was born to Subis's sister Emma in October 2012.

Rare Baby Giant Anteater Born

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0100

A rare baby giant anteater has been born at Chester Zoo.

The tiny youngster, whose gender is not yet known, is only the second of the species to ever be born at the zoo.

The baby will cling to its mother’s back for approximately six months until it is ready to walk, explore and find food on its own.

Parents Pedro and Bliss, both aged three, arrived in 2010 as part of an international breeding programme.

Team Manager David White said:

“Bliss is a very good mum and is so far doing an excellent job of looking after her new arrival.

“She’s obviously very proud of her newborn and has, every now and again, been parading around and showing off to our visitors.

“Seeing the youngster clinging on tightly to her tail is quite the sight!”

Giant anteaters are classed as ‘vulnerable’ to extinction by conservationists and so the birth is good news for the unusual looking species.

Native to Central and South America the animals do not have teeth but have tongues which can measure up to half a metre long.

Anteater Facts

The giant anteater is the world’s largest species of anteater
An individual may eat up to 30,000 ants in one day
It is one of only two types of mammals without any teeth even in adulthood
An anteater's tongue can reach two feet in length, and is covered in a sticky saliva, allowing it to trap ants. It can extend and withdraw it up to 150 times per minute
Giant anteaters are predominantly solitary, except for mothers and their offspring. A single offspring is produced after a gestation period of 190 days. They are carried on their mother's back, aligned with the white stripe, so that they are very well camouflaged. Young are weaned after two months, although they may continue to be carried on their mother's back for approximately six months
The species is classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature red list, which monitors endangered animals

Animals counted two-by-two

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0100

From the tiniest frog to the largest Asian elephant, staff at Chester Zoo have been set the important task of counting every single animal in their care.

Keepers were making their way through more than 500 different species today as they carried out their annual stock-take.

Records at the zoo are regularly updated to allow for any births, deaths and departures - with every animal having a 'passport' detailing exactly who it is, where it was born and who its ancestors were - ensuring the best possible management of all the vital breeding programmes.

But, at the end of the year, it's all hands to the pump as keepers help double check the data with a final head-count - a process which zoos must go through by law in order to comply with the Zoo Licensing Act 1981.

Ruth Smith, a herpetology keeper at the zoo, said:

"Our annual stock-take involves all of our keepers tallying up every animal in our collection. It's a real team effort.

"But while totalling up the giant Galapagos tortoises doesn't cause us too much trouble, trying to count the hundreds of butterflies or thousands of snails in our collection is a completely different story."

Indeed the zoo's large population - there were 8,244 animals at the last count - makes the job quite the challenge.

And with a host of new additions to add to the tally, there are even more species to make note of this time around.

Liz Ball, Registrar’s Assistant, said:

"This year we’ve had the biggest baby boom in our history. In just the last three months we’ve had two rare baby Sumatran orangutans, an Asian elephant, two giant otter pups, a Rothschild giraffe and a baby black rhino born. And what makes all of these new arrivals really important is that not only are they all threatened species in the wild but some of them have been firsts for us here at Chester Zoo.

"We've also recently welcomed a rare baby okapi, which is potentially the only one to be born in any zoo in Europe this year. So that's another great achievement for us and really good news for the future of the species."

Top 10 zoo babies of 2012

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0100

As 2012 draws to a close, we've put together a list of our top ten zoo babies for the year - with a few bonus additions.

1. Chanua the black rhino

A female black rhino calf, named Chanua, was born in early October to mum Ema Elsa.

Keeper Helen Massey said:

"Black rhino face a very real threat of extinction and so every birth is vital to ensure their survival.”

Just 700 Eastern black rhinos are thought to remain across the world, meaning the species is perilously close to extinction.

Numbers in Africa are plummeting as a result of a dramatic surge in illegal poaching. A global increase in demand for rhino horn to supply the traditional Asian medicine market, where it is wrongly believed to be a cure for everything from nightmares to dysentery, has intensified the situation in recent times.

The attrition is being driven by the astonishing street value of rhino horn, which is currently worth more per gram than gold and cocaine.

Chanua however will eventually join the international breeding programme, which has already seen some black rhinos returned to Africa to help boost numbers.

2. Tafari the okapi

For the first time in our history we celebrated the birth of a rare baby okapi.

The young female, which our keepers named Tafari, was born to new mum Stuma and dad Dicky on Oct 10.

Okapi are the closest-living relative to the giraffe, as evidenced by their long tongues and long necks.

Earlier this year conservationists were stunned when poachers raided the Okapi Wildlife Reserve in their native Democratic Republic of Congo – an 8,000 square mile reserve part-funded by Chester Zoo - wiping out the entire breeding herd of 14 okapi and killing 19 people.

Curator of Mammals Tim Rowlands said:

“Atrocities like that, in areas that we hoped were safe and protected, highlight just how important it is that zoos have carefully managed international breeding programmes to safeguard the future of species like okapi.”

3. Asian elephant calf

Our elephant herd got a little larger at the end of November with the arrival of a new male calf.

He was welcomed into the group by first time mum Sundara after being born just after 1:30am on November 25.

4. Tripa the Sumatran orangutan

Tiny Sumatran orangutan Tripa was born on October 19.

His arrival was cause for huge celebration because the species is classed by conservationists as being critically endangered in the wild, where it is estimated that less than 7,000 remain.

Mum Emma and dad Puluh are part of the European Endangered Species Programme which co-ordinates breeding between zoos to maintain genetic diversity.

Just a few months later a second baby orangutan was born to Emma’s sister Subis.

5. Noko and Stempu the porcupettes

Two baby porcupines – or ‘porcupettes’ – were born in early September.

The African crested porcupines – named Stempu and Noko - arrived on Sept 1 and Sept 4 to mum Roxie and dad Nungu and made headlines all around the world.

Keeper Chris Grindle said:

“We are very pleased indeed with our two spiky new arrivals.”

Pocupettes are born without sharp quills. Instead their spikes are soft and bendy but gradually harden after a few days.

6. Caspian the onager foal

A very special onager foal – the rarest species of equid on the planet – was born to mum Zarrin in June.

Threatened by illegal poaching, overgrazing and disease passed from domestic livestock, there are believed to be around just 400 left in the wild and very few zoos in the world keep the species.

However, we are part of an international conservation scheme and thanks to the success of a breeding programme is helping to ensure these beautiful animals are not lost forever.

Curator of Mammals Tim Rowlands said:

“The species is critically endangered and so the new foal is a valuable addition to the safety net population found in zoos.

“Sadly, as the rarest species of equid in the world, there is a very real possibility that they could become extinct in the wild and so constant conservation attention is required to secure the future of the species.”

7. Two Baer’s pochard ducklings

Two fluffy yellow ducklings, born in July, may look the same as any other you’d spot down at your local pond or lake but they are in fact two of the rarest in the world.

The critically endangered duo, along with five others, were hand-reared by the bird keeping team after they were abandoned by their parents.

Experts suggest that only a few hundred pairs of the species, known as Baer’s Pochard, are left in the wild. This is a result of hunting and loss of their habitat in Siberia and eastern Asia where they were once commonly found.

Chester Zoo is one of the few institutions in the world that is breeding the rare species and hopes to play a vital role in their long-term survival.

Curator of Birds Andrew Owen said:

“There is a plan to establish a European-wide breeding population, which will act as an insurance, should the species continue to decline in the wild.

“We hope that these little ducklings and the expertise of Chester Zoo’s bird keeping staff will start to rear their own young next year and go on to play an important part in saving this species from extinction.”

8. Giant otter pups

Two baby giant otters were given their first swimming lessons by mum Icana and dad Xingu in November.

Their births were cause for great celebration as it was the first time the species had successfully bred at Chester Zoo.

The landmark event occurred only six months after the otters were given access to new state-of-the-art breeding facilities and dens at the zoo – including the UKs first underwater viewing zone for the species.

In the wild giant otters are found in remote areas within some freshwater lakes, rivers, creeks, and reservoirs of tropical South America, where it is estimated that as few as just 1,000 may remain. Their numbers have been drastically reduced due to fur hunting and habitat destruction.

9. Kanzi the Rothschild giraffe

Kanzi, a pure Rothschild giraffe, arrived on Oct 1 following a 14-and-a-half-month-long pregnancy for first time mum Dagmar.

Her arrival was especially good news as there are now less than 670 Rothschild giraffes left in the wild, following the loss of their traditional habitat in their native Kenya and Uganda and their poaching for their meat.

The species is the most endangered of the nine sub-species of giraffe.

10. Daley the Asian short-clawed otter

A baby Asian short-clawed otter, born on May 25, was named Daley after British diving star and Olympic medallist Tom Daley.

Keeper Hannah Sievewright said:

“Our Asian short-clawed otters are one of the zoo’s most adept species in the water and so we thought Daley was very apt to name our new born pup after one of our best athletes from the pool.”

Asian short-clawed otters – the world’s smallest otter species – are classed by conservation organisations as vulnerable to extinction. The pup will therefore eventually become part of European-wide breeding programme, providing an important safety-net to populations in the wild.

Not forgetting…

11. Black storks

Earlier this year our keepers hand-reared the UK’s only black stork chicks.

The chicks were each fed 40 grams of meat, including rat and trout, every four hours between 7am and 7pm.

Keeper Amy Vercoe said:

“The stork eggs were abandoned by their parents and so we stepped in to take care of them.

“We’re the only place in Britain to be breeding the species and so it’s really important that we get as many chicks through to adulthood as we possibly can, to boost both our population here and subsequently, the European breeding group.”

12. Black-and-white laughingthrushes

Our most precious pair of black-and-white laughingthrushes successfully reared two young this year.

We hope these two young birds will go on to breed in the future and add their valuable blood-lines to the European captive breeding programme population.

13. Meerkats

Why not?!

Breaking New Baby News! Orangutan Born!

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0100

Subis, our 26-year-old Sumatran orangutan, gave birth at around 2pm yesterday.

The healthy youngster is being cared for by mum in our Realm of the Red Ape.

This is the fourth baby for Subis and our keepers say she is doing a great job so far. More news and pics to follow in the coming days...

Pictured is Tripa, another baby Sumatran orangutan who was born to Subis’s sister Emma just two months ago!

Find out more about how we support orangutans in Sumatra as part of our Act for Wildlife programme.

Latest new photos of the baby elephant!

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0100

Take a look at our gallery for the latest pictures of our 3 week old baby elephant.

We're still deciding on the perfect name for our beautiful baby bull elephant but we'll announce it very soon.

Or buy your tickets online now to come and see him in person!

Corrie's Ian Puleston-Davies lights up Lantern Magic

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0100

Coronation Street star Ian Puleston-Davies took time out from the cobbles to sprinkle a little Christmas magic at Chester Zoo.

Ian, daughter Maggie and friends, joined the zoo’s first ever Lantern Magic event which sees visitors make their own lanterns before taking a trip through Fruit Bat Forest.

Visitors can make a wish at the Cedar Wishing Tree before meeting Father Christmas. The route is lit by spectacular life-sized animal lanterns including a flamingo and zebra.

Ian, who plays Owen in the hit soap and is a member of the zoo, said his evening was “just magical! I could see everyone had a fantastic time.”

Chester Zoo's Alice Green with Ian Puleston-Davies, daughter Maggie (right), and her cousin Indie Williams get ready to head off on their lantern walk.

Ian Puleston-Davies with Father Christmas, Indie Williams (left) and Megan Howe-Thatcher.

Chester Zoo dominates at top zoo awards

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0100

Chester Zoo stole the show at an awards ceremony held by the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) – picking up more accolades than any other zoo at the ceremony which celebrates outstanding achievements in the field.

We took home the Best Research Project for our study of how to improve the captive care and welfare of Asian elephants, the Best PR Project for The Royal Visit, the Best Use of Plants in a Landscape Feature/Display for our conservation garden and the Best Sustainable Zoo and Aquarium for our green travel plan.

We also received commendations for Best Marketing Project for the zoo’s rebrand, Best Field Conservation Project for our Juniper programme, Best New Zoo Enclosure for our African Painted Dogs exhibit, Best Education Project: Schools and Educational Institutions for using education to ground-truth conservation efforts and in the category of Significant Advances in Zoo and Wildlife Medicine for implementing a risk management and communication process for zoonotic infections in zoos.

Held annually for over a decade, the BIAZA awards recognise outstanding contributions and achievements in the fields of wildlife conservation, advances in animal welfare and husbandry, marketing, PR, education, research and enclosure design.

Dr Miranda Stevenson, Director of BIAZA said: “The BIAZA awards highlight the crucial work carried out in zoos and aquariums. All of this year’s award-winning projects show the exceptional contributions our members are making to wildlife conservation, animal husbandry and welfare, and public understanding for species both in the UK and overseas.”

The winning projects were selected against very strict criteria and the assessors included external experts, as well as professionals from within the zoo community.

Elsewhere Chester Zoo also scooped an award for the Best Tourism Event of the Year for Dinosaurs Bite Back! – its exhibition of 19 animatronic dinosaurs - at the Marketing Cheshire Awards (below).

Terri Dwyer and Professor Phil Harris award Managing Director Barbara Smith and the Chester Zoo Team with Event of the Year for Dinosaurs Bite Back!

Latest pics of the baby elephant!

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0100

Take a look at our gallery for the latest pictures of our baby elephant.

The new born is the third baby elephant in recent years, with Jamilah born in 2011 and Nayan born in 2010.

Baby Elephant Born!

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0100

At around 1.30am on Sunday morning our Asian elephant Sundara gave birth to her first calf and this is the very first photo!

This new arrival is fantastic news and we're delighted to say that both mum and baby are doing really well.

Stay tuned on Facebook and Twitter for the latest updates.

Islands Project Given Green Light

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0100

Exotic islands are to be recreated in the heart of Cheshire after planners gave the green light to one of the largest zoo developments in Europe.

Chester Zoo will transform an unoccupied part of its estate into the islands of the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Bali, Sumatra, Sumba and Sulawesi.

Linked by a series of bridges and including a journey on water, the development will be home to animals and plants from south east Asian islands including new species such as Banteng and the Sunda Gavial crocodile.

Other animal species will include Sumatran tigers, orangutans, Indonesian rhinoceros hornbills, Sulawesi macaques and exotic birds such as the lorikeet.

Visitors will head off on a conservation expedition, dubbed Kayamaman meaning treasure, from a man-made beach front.

Dr Mark Pilgrim, Director General of Chester Zoo, said: “Islands will see the dawning of a new age for zoos and it will be an unparalleled experience. Although the animals, both new and existing, will provide a huge draw for visitors, the experience of the journey with the sights, smells and colours of nature and culture of these Islands will be brought to life in all their glory, creating a treasure trove of experiences right here in Cheshire and a zoo visit unlike any other.

“For many of our visitors, taking a trip to these islands is just a dream. But we will be making those dreams a reality, transporting our visitors thousands of miles away to experience the splendour of the animals, plants and cultural aspects of these far-flung places. It will be the first time a UK zoo has attempted anything on this scale and will confirm Chester Zoo’s position as a world leader.”

The £30 million venture will showcase the zoo’s Act for Wildlife conservation activities as visitors navigate their way through mangroves, swamps, bamboo and tropical forests.

Islands includes a major new Indonesian jungle house, which will be the largest indoor zoo exhibit in the UK and home to the orangutans, and retail and catering outlets. It is expected that it will take zoo visitors an hour and a half to make their journey.

Designed by architects from the Dan Pearlman group in Germany, the whole project also homes in on the different vegetation and architecture seen on the various islands

Work is expected to start early in 2013 with the entire zone planned to open to the public by Easter 2015.

Notes to editors

Chester Zoo is a registered conservation charity that supports projects around the world and closer to home in Cheshire. Welcoming 1.4 million visitors a year, it is the largest zoo in the UK; home to 8000 animals, 400 different species, many of which are endangered.

Chester Zoo also acts for Act for Wildlife through its wildlife conservation campaign, helping to save endangered species around the world from extinction. Find out more at www.actforwildlife.org.uk.

Images can be downloaded from our image library.

Rare okapi calf born for first time in our history

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0100

For the first time in our 80-year history, we're celebrating the birth of a rare baby okapi - and it’s partly thanks to years of checking mum’s poo.

The young female, named by keepers as Tafari, was born just before 7am on Oct 10 to new mum Stuma and dad, Dicky.

Okapi are the closest-living relative to the giraffe, as evidenced by their long tongues and long necks. Their bold stripes are unique to each individual, much like a person’s fingerprints, and provide ideal camouflage in their native jungle habitat.

Curator of mammals, Tim Rowlands said:

“Tafari’s arrival is a real landmark birth for the zoo. We’ve been working with okapi for almost six years and to finally see a beautiful, healthy calf on the ground after all those years of hard work is absolutely fantastic.

“There’s a lot more to good breeding than luck and this new arrival is down to real team work, years of planning, excellent husbandry and science to back it all up.”

One unit involved in helping achieve the landmark breeding success were the zoo’s endocrinology team who conducted regular studies of the female okapi’s hormone levels by testing her faeces for almost six years.

Endocrinologist Dr Sue Walker said:

“Chester Zoo’s Endocrinology Laboratory is the only lab in the UK that specialises in studying hormone levels in wildlife. The zoo has these facilities because when animals fail to breed, clues can sometimes be found by assessing their hormones. Understanding this can really boost our chances of seeing reproductive success in threatened species both in zoos and in the wild.

“Rather than take blood we do this non-invasively, by getting our keepers to collect faecal samples every day from which we then determine the hormone levels in each sample. This can tell us all sorts of information, such as when a female is coming into season or when the best time to put a male and female together is.

“In the case of Stuma, we tracked her hormone levels for nearly six years, looking at almost 1000 samples and found that following the introduction to the first two males, her hormone levels were really low. This finding, and that fact she didn’t seem interested in either of them, helped our curators decide that they needed to bring in another male.

"As soon as Dicky appeared, Stuma’s hormone levels rocketed and she began to cycle. We had our fingers crossed that we’d be able to confirm a pregnancy and not long after, we did. We were ecstatic then and even more so now we have a healthy mum and calf.

“These findings also have wider implications, as incorporating regular hormone monitoring into the international breeding programme for okapis could help ensure the population health of this beautiful animal.”

In the wild the species is found only in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Earlier this year conservationists were stunned when poachers raided the Okapi Wildlife Reserve in the DRC – an 8,000 square mile reserve part-funded by Chester Zoo - wiping out the entire breeding herd of 14 okapi and killing 19 people.

Mr Rowlands added:

An elusive animal, which was only discovered in 1901, little is known about how many okapis may remain in the wild.

At the zoo however, the new baby and mum can be seen in the zoo’s Secret World of the Okapi exhibit, which aims to raise the profile of the species and awareness of the threats it faces, from deforestation and hunting for its meat.

Giant otter pups given their first swimming lessons!

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0100

Two baby giant otters - the first to ever be born at Chester Zoo - have been given their first swimming lessons.

The pups were taken for a dip in the pool by mum Icana and dad Xingu as the duo made their first public appearance, after being born in mid-September.

Having been looked after in their dens by the parents for the last seven weeks, each of the youngsters is now being individually taught how to swim now that mum and dad are confident that they are ready.

Our Curator of Mammals, Tim Rowlands, said:

“It might surprise some to learn that a species so well adapted to living around water actually needs to be taught how to swim at first, but that’s exactly what happens and it’s a really family effort.

“Dad Xingu has been taking them by the scruffs of their necks and throwing them in at the deep end. And after each has had a little splash mum Icana then dives in and drags them back out.

“They are such a charming and charismatic species and it really is fascinating to see these swimming lessons taking place.”

While they might be small now, the pups will grow up to be truly giant at a length of 6ft and a weight of around 5st 5Ibs (34kgs).

Their arrival has been cause for great celebration at the zoo as it is the first time the species has successfully bred there.

This landmark event has occurred only six months after the otters were given access to new state-of-the-art breeding facilities and dens at the zoo – including the UKs first underwater viewing zone for the species.

Tim added:

“They’re an endangered species that have rarely bred in zoos before and so we’re very, very pleased indeed.

“Achieving our first ever successful breeding is a real landmark for us and now, with the excellent new facilities and real skilled keeping staff we’ve got at our disposal, we hope we can play a pivotal role in the future conservation of the species.”

In the wild giant otters are found in remote areas within some freshwater lakes, rivers, creeks, and reservoirs of tropical South America, where it is estimated that as few as just 1,000 may remain.

Their numbers have been drastically reduced due to fur hunting and habitat destruction.

[VIDEO] Rhino Calf, Baby Giraffe and Otter Pups

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0100

Check out the latest videos of our zoo babies, including a first glimpse of the Giant Otter pups learning to swim.

Otter pups very first swim!

One of the very first glimpses of the two Giant Otter pups born in September.

Black Rhino Calf

The baby black rhino, called Chanua (meaning 'blossom' in Swahili), was born in October 2012 to mum Ema Elsa. With only around 700 left in the wild, black rhinos are critically endangered and dangerously close to extinction.

Every birth is therefore vital to ensure their survival and we hope Chanua will eventually join the international breeding programme to help boost numbers in Africa.

(Chanua has been seen out in the paddock very briefly, but her trips outside depend on the weather.)

Baby Giraffe

The rare baby Rothschild giraffe was born at Chester Zoo in October 2012, to first-time mum Dagmar following a 14-and-a-half-month pregnancy.

The baby giraffe has been named Kanzi (meaning 'a treasure' in Swahili) - named by staff in a voting poll.

Congratulations to our Horticulture and Botany Team!

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0100

Our Horticulture and Botany team are celebrating after receiving two awards recognising their achievements this year.

The team attended the awards ceremony for North West in Bloom 2012 and were awarded a Gold Medal in the Best Large Tourist Attraction category.

They also won the Conservation & Environmental Award Tropy for the National Orchid Collection.

Baby Boo! Young rhino gets into the spirit of Halloween

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0100

Inquisitive baby rhino Chanua has a first ever look at a pumpkin as the animals and keepers celebrate Halloween.

The one-month-old Eastern black rhino and her mum Ema Elsa were given the spooky veg, packed with other foodstuffs, as a way of enriching their feeding time.

Keepers say the arrival of Chanua, meaning ‘blossom’ in Swahili, is another step towards sustaining a black rhino population which, in the wild, has been ravaged by poachers.

Baby and mum are currently off-show to visitors but we’ll be sure to let you know on Facebook and Twitter the minute you’ll be able to come and see them.

Baby Orangutan Born!

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0100

Meet our new baby Sumatran orangutan, pictured with his mum, Emma.

Both have been wowing visitors to our Realm of the Red Ape exhibit since the baby was born early on Friday morning, 19th October.

The baby’s arrival has been cause for huge celebration because the species is classed by conservationists as being critically endangered in the wild, where it is estimated that less than 7,000 remain.

(Pics: Phil Noble/Reuters, Peter Byrne/PA).

Mum Emma and dad Puluh are part of the European Endangered Species Programme which co-ordinates breeding between zoos to maintain genetic diversity.

Tim Rowlands, the zoo’s curator of mammals, said:

“Emma is a fantastic mum and is doing a brilliant job, cradling her baby and not letting him out of her arms.

“To see the baby and mother together is a truly beautiful sight and to think that this four-day-old is now part of a safety net in case wild populations go extinct is completely humbling.”

Sumatran orangutans, as their name suggests, are found only on the Indonesia islands of Sumatra, where they are threatened by habitat loss with land being used for agricultural development and logging.

The animals are also hunted for meat, traditional medicine and the pet trade.

Mum and baby, as well as the zoo’s other Sumatran and Bornean orangutans, can be seen in the zoo’s Realm of the Red Ape exhibit.

The new arrival comes hot on the heels of a host of other major animal births at the zoo, including a Rothschild giraffe calf, a black rhino calf and a baby okapi.

Latest baby giraffe pictures

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0100

Take a look at the new pictures of our stunning new arrival, a baby Rothschild Giraffe.

Buy your tickets online to beat the queues and waste no time in meeting our baby giraffe.

Baby Okapi Born!

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0100

History has been made with the arrival of our first ever baby Okapi to mum Stuma.

The calf was born yesterday morning at around 7am and both mum and youngster are doing very well indeed.

Our keepers are giving them vital time to bond and so we've only been able to see them on our CCTV cameras so far.

But hopefully we'll be able to bring you updates and pics over the coming days and weeks as they're currently off-show to visitors.

VIDEO – Our new Asian bull elephant settles in

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:00:39 +0100

Watch 11 year old Aung Bo meet our elephants for the first time.

The biggest new arrival at the zoo in recent weeks has come to play an important role in our great conservation breeding programme.

Granada Reports’ Tim Scott reports on Aung Bo settling in to the main paddock and meeting the girls!

Many thanks to Granada Reports for allowing us to embed the video.