Category: Zoo news
It’s really important to us that the expeditions we run assist and supplement the work that our field partners are doing.
Working with the local NGO, Madagasikara Voakajy, our team were able to help with monitoring and surveying the local wildlife such as the critically endangered golden mantella frog, the island’s vast variety of lemur species, small mammals, reptiles and amphibians.
Due to the mix of skills and expertise within the team, they also were able to provide training for the local community in first aid, run snake-handling workshops, and work with local school groups on raising awareness of the amazing wildlife in the forest.
For many of the staff, this trip was a once in a lifetime experience that took them completely out of their comfort zones. Take a look at the video below to find out what the staff thought of Madagascar…
It’s allowed us to learn new skills. So they can learn skills from us and we can take some skills from them.
The Mangabe Forest is also a great spot for bird watching, so the local communities are keen to develop the area for ecotourism. The Chester Zoo team were on hand to help plan routes which could be ideal for tours.
A very special thank you to travel clothing brand, Craghoppers, who supported this expedition. Craghoppers provided technical clothing for the expedition team and also sent a representative to join the expedition, providing a well-appreciated extra pair of hands!
We follow Indali’s journey on the road to recovery, after being diagnosed with early stages of EEHV (Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus).
The six-foot-tall newcomer held his head high as he made his first public appearance, venturing out with the rest of the herd including parents Dagmar and Meru.
The birth of the calf was captured by the zoo’s CCTV on Tuesday 5 March and the calf spent the first few weeks of his life indoors as he spent time forging important close bonds with his mum.Zookeepers have named the new arrival ‘Mburo’ after an area of western Uganda which the zoo’s field conservation partners, The Giraffe Conservation Foundation, first translocated a group of Rothschild’s giraffes to – a vital conservation move to boost then dwindling giraffe numbers.
Sarah Roffe, Giraffes Team Manager at the zoo, said:
Since being born just two weeks ago, Mburo has been spending lots of quality time with mum Dagmar and the rest of the herd. Now he’s really found his feet and his confidence is coming on leaps and bounds – his little personality is really starting to shine through. To see a young Rothschild’s giraffe calf strutting his stuff is really quite special – a real privilege when you consider that fewer than 2,650 remain in the wild. For many years they have been experiencing a silent extinction and it’s important that we help raise awareness of their plight and continue to help boost numbers in the international breeding programme, as well as assist with conservation efforts in Africa.
Rothschild’s giraffes are one of the world’s most at-risk mammals but recent news from Africa offers hope. It has been revealed that numbers are slowly increasing in Kidepo Valley and Murchison Falls National Parks.
Sarah added:
Whilst it’s incredibly positive news that numbers in the wild are slowly increasing, the tiny Rothschild’s giraffe populations in the wild are extremely fragile and must be carefully monitored to ensure their continued survival. Our experts have worked in Kidepo Valley National Park in Uganda for a number of years helping to protect, monitor and track the population – so it’s an incredible feeling to know we’ve played an essential role in the beginning of their recovery.
Conservationists at Chester are working with partners The Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF) and the Uganda Wildlife Foundation (UWA) to protect the last remaining wild populations of Rothchild’s giraffes in Africa.
Rothschild’s giraffe facts:
- Mum Dagmar is twelve years old. She has previously given birth to two other calves at Chester Zoo, Kanzi and Sanyu
- Dad Meru is eight years old
- Rothschild’s giraffes are one of the most endangered of the nine sub-species of giraffe
- They are 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
- Estimates suggest that less than 2,650 Rothschild’s giraffes remain in the wild
- Roughly one-third of the surviving population of Rothschild’s giraffes live in zoos where carefully co-ordinated breeding programmes are creating a safety-net population for the species
Dagmar the giraffe has given birth to a beautiful baby boy. These are the incredible first moments of his life… pic.twitter.com/Tr1WPbCXkA
— Chester Zoo (@chesterzoo) March 7, 2019
The adorable new arrival was born to 12-year-old mum Dagmar at 11:20am on Tuesday morning.
Giraffe experts at the zoo monitored the three-and-half-hour labour live on camera as Dagmar gave birth to her amazing calf!
The healthy youngster was up on its feet shortly after and suckling for the first time just over an hour later.
Sarah Roffe, Giraffe Team Manager at the zoo, said:
When a giraffe mum drops her calf to the floor it can look a little dramatic – but it’s not such a long drop when the baby is six foot tall. Nevertheless, to see the birth and the very first steps of an animal as rare of the Rothschild’s giraffe is an incredibly special thing.Dagmar is so far being the model mum. She’s staying close to her calf and letting it suckle, which of course is vital in these early few days. The milk is filled with important nutrients like colostrum, which will help the little one to grow and reinforce an inseparable bond between mum and baby.This new arrival is a special addition to the international breeding programme for this endangered species, which is working to boost numbers in zoos and safeguard its future.
Rothschild’s giraffes are highly threatened in the wild and have suffered a 90% decline in numbers in recent decades, making them one of the world’s most at-risk mammals. Estimates indicate that fewer than 2,650 now remain across Africa.
Conservationists from the zoo are currently working in Uganda as part of a vital project to protect Rothschild’s giraffes in the wild. The team – working with partners The Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF) and the Uganda Wildlife Foundation (UWA) – are fighting to protect the last remaining wild populations of Rothchild’s giraffes.
Mike Jordan, Collections Director at the zoo, added:
Giraffes are currently experiencing devastating declines in the wild but experts from Chester are right in the thick of the fight to help to protect Rothschild’s giraffes, one of the rarest subspecies, in Uganda’s Kidepo Valley National Park.The constant threat of habitat loss, along with Africa’s ongoing poaching crisis, continues to put these magnificent animals at risk of extinction. There is good news though – our teams have been working to support The Giraffe Conservation Foundation and Uganda Wildlife Authority for a number of years, helping to monitor, track and protect the giraffe population in Kidepo and we’re very happy to report that numbers are slowly increasing. It’s an incredible effort by all involved to help prevent extinction.
Rothschild’s giraffe facts:
- Mum Dagmar is twelve years old (born 20/12/2006). She has previously given birth to two other calves at Chester Zoo, Kanzi and Sanyu
- Dad Meru is eight years old (born 03/04/2010)
- Rothschild’s giraffes are one of the most endangered of the nine sub-species of giraffe
- They are 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
- 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
- Estimates suggest that less than 2,650 Rothschild’s giraffes remain in the wild
- Roughly one-third of the surviving population of Rothschild’s giraffes live in zoos where carefully co-ordinated breeding programmes are creating a safety-net population for the species
- 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
- Predators to the Rothschild’s giraffe include hyenas, lions, crocodiles and leopards
The zoo team, in collaboration with the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) and the Rhino Fund Uganda (RFU), is aiming to uncover new information about the rare nocturnal animals in the first ever study of species in Uganda.
MUST WATCH Very rare NEW footage of GIANT PANGOLINS in the wild. Pangolins – the world’s most trafficked mammals – are being pushed to extinction. But zoo conservationists are conducting the FIRST pangolin study in Uganda. Vital data could help us prevent their extinction. pic.twitter.com/lkEPRmNL3O
— Chester Zoo (@chesterzoo) February 13, 2019
Scientists hope to generate vital data that will help with the long-term conservation of giant pangolins in Uganda, and elsewhere in Africa.
Pangolins, sometimes called scaly anteaters, are the only mammals in the world to be covered in hard overlapping and protective scales made of keratin – the same substance as human finger nails and rhino horn. They live on a diet consisting entirely of ants and termites, which they lap up with their long sticky tongues, and are able to quickly roll themselves up into a tight ball when threatened.
The giant pangolin, measuring up to 5.9ft (1.8m) long and weighing up to 5st (75lbs), is by far the largest of the world’s eight pangolin sub-species and is found only in the rainforests and grasslands of equatorial Africa.Pangolins are protected by international wildlife laws that ban their trade, but they remain the most illegally trafficked group of mammals in the world. Their meat is considered a delicacy in many countries and their scales are widely used in traditional medicines, particularly in Vietnam and China, despite there being no medical benefit from their use.In Uganda, hunting or possession of protected wildlife species such as pangolins carries a punishment of five years imprisonment, while trafficking of pangolins or any other wildlife species carries a minimum prison sentence of seven years. However, despite full legal protection in Uganda and elsewhere in Africa, international customs agents have in recent years intercepted large shipments of African pangolin scales. Earlier this month, customs officials in Hong Kong seized the world’s largest ever haul of pangolin scales, weighing a staggering 8.5 tonnes and representing thousands of African pangolins. Meanwhile, officials in Uganda recently seized 423.7 kilograms of pangolin scales believed to have originated in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Such seizures have set alarm bells ringing for conservationists, but very little is known about giant pangolin behaviour, ecology and habitat requirements – crucial information which is urgently required in order to develop strategies to monitor populations and protect them.
Now, researchers from Chester Zoo have surveyed for the presence of giant pangolins within three protected areas in Uganda. Working alongside the RFU, they have carried out an intensive survey of the country’s Ziwa Sanctuary using camera traps and tracking techniques such as looking for footprints, burrows and other signs of the species.So far, the 70 motion-sensor trail cameras installed by the zoo in Ziwa have captured hundreds of images and video clips of giant pangolins, including the first colour footage of the species ever recorded in Uganda. From these images and films, the researchers are now able to identify a number of individual pangolins by the unique marks and patterns on their scales and are recording previously unknown behaviours.Stuart Nixon, Chester Zoo’s Africa Field Programme and Research Lead, said:
The giant pangolin is a beautiful, mysterious and utterly fascinating species but studying them is extremely challenging . Being nocturnal, rare and very shy it’s only with new technologies such as high sensitivity trail cameras that we are able to learn more about how they live and interact with their each other and their environment.Tragically we do know the giant pangolin faces a huge risk of going extinct across Central Africa. With no giant pangolins in zoos or safari parks anywhere in the world, all our conservation efforts must focus on saving them in the wild. The race is on against criminal networks that only value dead pangolins, to save this species and protect them well into the future.The momentous images and video we are capturing at Ziwa prove that when sites are well protected against poaching giant pangolins and other species can flourish.
By collecting pangolin dung samples, the zoo’s conservationists are also gathering crucial information on the animals’ diet and hope to learn more about the genetics of giant pangolins. The team is also planning to fit satellite and radio tracking devices on the scales of giant pangolins to learn more about their ranging behaviour, feeding ecology and to help develop methods that allow conservationists to count and monitor them.Angela Genade, Executive Director of Rhino Fund Uganda, said:
Rhino Fund Uganda’s primary function is to protect rhinos. We had no idea what the effect of securing the sanctuary from poachers would have on other species – the giant pangolin being one of them.We were receiving reports from our rangers that giant pangolins were occasionally being spotted while on patrol, so we added them to our species list. When Chester Zoo approached RFU to conduct the study, our response was ‘yes, we have giant pangolin but we know nothing about them!’ The footage and images that the zoo’s conservationists are obtaining has opened a completely new world to RFU and its rangers about what a secure environment actually means to so many animals.We are proud to be a part of this study and are extremely excited at the prospect of this elusive and special animal’s behaviour being understood, which will lead to the ability to protect them better in the wild throughout Africa.
Sam Mwandha, the Executive Director of the Uganda Wildlife Authority, welcomed the news:
These rare glimpses into the lives of giant pangolins are very exciting for those of us dedicated to protecting Uganda’s rich wildlife and challenges us to ensure that we protect and conserve this highly threatened species for future generations.
The 2019 Taste Cheshire Awards are approaching, and we need your votes to win. We’re hoping to take home the Best Newcomer and Best Use of Local Produce awards this year.
The large-scale programme includes the arrival of previously unseen species at the zoo – from rare lemurs to mysterious fossas. The animals will inhabit the zoo’s major new Madagascar habitat when it this Easter.
Madagascar is home to stunning wildlife found nowhere else on Earth. Five percent of the worlds’ animal and plant species are only found on the island. The zoo’s Madagascar zone will bring wildlife conservation to life through detailed recreations of stunning forest habitats. Visitors will be able to recreate a conservationist’s expedition by walking among the lemurs.
Later in the year, from autumn 2019, visitors will be invited to discover an expansive new habitat for the zoo’s endangered Asiatic lions. The specially designed area is inspired by the Gir National Park region of India, which is home to the last surviving wild population Asiatic lions, with fewer than 500 left on the planet. The state-of-the-art new lion habitat will feature raised earth hilltop viewing points for the lions to survey their savannah, as well as heated rocks, a water hole and sandy beach area.
The multi-million pound investment in new animal habitats is part of a major long-term plan to transform the zoo into spectacular zones, inspired by the global regions where the zoo’s conservationists work.
2019 will also see a range of hands-on exhibitions for families to explore and learn from.
Opening in May, a major Predators experience will see the arrival of huge animatronic hunters at the zoo. Spanning 200 million years of history, these long-extinct mega-beasts include everything from dinosaurs to a giant bear and unimaginable sea creatures.
Soonest of all, from February, a specially created Lego: Big Cats exhibition and trail through the zoo will reveal a pride of life-sized cat species, all made from Lego, as well as some never-before-seen re-creations of other zoo animals. Made from thousands of Lego bricks, the models include animals specially constructed by master builders.
Jamie Christon, Chief Operating Officer at Chester Zoo, said:
2019 is set to be a special year for us.
The new animal habitats will help us to continue our world leading conservation work for the species in our care, from rare lemurs in Madagascar to endangered Asiatic lions.
As an education charity, it is vital that we also continue to engage visitors in this mission. We hope to bring visitors closer to the animals than ever before by giving them the chance to walk with lemurs, taking an expedition right into the heart of the forest, just as you can do in the wilds of Madagascar. People will not forget this experience. By inspiring a life-long connection to wildlife, we hope to create the conservationists of the future.There are plenty more experiences to inspire learning and play in 2019. With more than 20,000 animals, you might think there’s little you can’t already see at Chester Zoo, but in 2019 we’ll also be bringing you life-sized animatronic re-creations of extinct predators, ranging across 200 million years of history.
And before all this, the zoo will become over-run with Lego animals.
We were humbled to greet more visitors in 2018 than at any time in Chester Zoo’s long history. Every person through our gates helps to prevent extinction by supporting our vital work as a conservation charity. We look forward to welcoming each and every visitor back again in 2019.
The listings:
Lego: Big CatsWednesday 13 February – Tuesday 30 April 2019Chester Zoo Dragons in Danger Garden
The world’s biggest felines – from lions to tigers, cheetahs and leopards -spectacularly constructed from thousands of LEGO® bricks! A major exhibition of 12 life-sized big cats will be joined by a host of other specially created LEGO animals on public display for the first time. Families are invited to explore a trail through the zoo, marvel at the big cats display, have a go at creating their own animal models, and join the Zoo Rangers to discover more about big cats!MadagascarFrom Easter 2019Chester Zoo
Madagascar is home to stunning wildlife found nowhere else on Earth. Five percent of the worlds’ animal and plant species are only found on the island. Chester Zoo’s major new Madagascar zone will bring wildlife conservation to life through detailed recreations of stunning forest habitats for visitors to explore. Visitors will be able to take a true expedition through the forest. Walking among rare lemurs and spot the mysterious fossa, Madagascar’s largest carnivore.
PredatorsMay – September 2019Chester Zoo Dragons in Danger Garden
A major Predators experience will invite visitors to travel back in time. Spanning more than 200 million years of history, huge life-sized animatronic hunters will be on display at Chester Zoo throughout summer 2019. These enormous, long extinct mega-beasts include everything from dinosaurs to a giant bear and unimaginable sea creatures! With so many animals today threatened with extinction, this thrilling exhibition could not come at a more relevant time.Asiatic LionsFrom Autumn 2019Chester Zoo
From autumn 2019, visitors will discover an expansive new habitat for the zoo’s endangered Asiatic lions. Inspired by the dry forest and savannah habitats of Gir National Park in India, the only place in the world where Asiatic lions still range, the new area has been specially created by the zoo’s conservationists, who are caring for the species as part of a European endangered species breeding programme.
The Soccoro dove, which originates from Socorro Island located 400 miles off the west coast of Mexico, vanished from the wild completely in 1972.
All of our mammal species – such as critically endangered Sumatran orangutans, Sulawesi macaques, endangered silvery gibbons and birds such as rhinoceros hornbills were led to safety by our conservationists in partnership with the emergency services.
However, now that our teams have started to assess the site, we are devastated to confirm the small number of species that we were unable to save. These include a number of question mark cockroaches, Amano shrimps, betta hendra fish, cinnamon frogs, tentacled snakes and birds such as grosbeak starlings.
These animals were all part of conservation breeding programmes and we will look to be part of those vital projects once again in the near future.
In a more positive light, new homes have been found within the zoo for all of the animals that were led to safety and our teams are working around the clock to relocate those animals and get them settled. Our conservationists will continue to move animals into their new habitats over the coming days. Some species such as the Sunda gharial crocodiles, painted batagur turtles and giant Asian pond turtles remain inside Monsoon Forest in an area unaffected by the fire, and remain in good health.
An investigation has concluded that the fire was started accidentally and caused by an electrical fault.
As a world class visitor attraction, we are fully insured and we will be working with our insurers in the coming weeks as we look to start rebuilding the UK’s largest zoological building, Monsoon Forest.
And finally, the whole Chester Zoo team have been humbled by the incredible amount of support and kindness from the local community, our members, visitors and the general public. On one of the toughest days in our long history, it reminded us all that the zoo holds a very special place in the hearts of so many of us, and lifted spirits of the whole team.
We have been overwhelmed by the amount of spontaneous donations made to the Just Giving page. The generosity has been truly humbling and all the money given will go directly towards our conservation projects both here in the zoo, and around the world. As a wildlife conservation charity, we will continue our mission to prevent extinction.
Jamie Christon – Chief Operating Officer
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For those who would like to support the zoo’s conservation efforts, please visit our Just Giving page here: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/monsoonforest
Please refer to our website and social media pages for accurate information from the zoo.