Category: Zoo news
The lowland bongo was spotted on our camera traps in the rainforests of the Semuliki National Park in the southwest of the country where it borders the Democratic Republic of Congo.
This October half term we’re putting the focus on all of the amazing new arrivals to the zoo – from the cute, to the cuddly and the cheeky! We’ve also recently opened a new rope obstacle course – the Treetop Challenge. Below are just some of the beautiful additions to Chester Zoo! On your next visit to the zoo make sure you visit our new arrivals, follow our baby trail, and see the different personalities and unique behaviours of each.
Errrr… We have baby news too!Introducing our biggest (and cutest) baby boom… EVER _Ù÷ pic.twitter.com/fFbJgQfvsK
— Chester Zoo (@chesterzoo) 15 October 2018
Male calf, Semuliki, arrived back in May to first-time mum, K’tusha. Did you know, the okapi is the closest and only living relative to the giraffe? Its camouflage, acute sense of hearing and secretive nature contributed to it being unknown to science until 1901!
Have you spotted the valuable new addition to our Western chimpanzee group yet? Stevie can be spotted being carried by mum, ZeeZee. Her arrival has brought an exciting new dynamic to the group and their interactions are fascinating to watch.
Since his arrival on 3 May, Akeno – a rare greater one horned rhino, has been extremely popular with our visitors. Zoo conservationists hailed the birth of the “precious, bolshie newcomer” as a big boost to the conservation breeding programme!
Come and see the first sun bear cub to ever be born in the UK! Here you can see it emerging from it’s den for the first time.
Apart from being adorable, it’s great to see these babies grow up over time, and as they develop they display different behaviours making each visit to the zoo just as exciting as the last! Discover more about how play is one of the most important behaviours for animals in the early stages of life, here >
The little cub – which does not yet have a name – had several minor tumbles as it tried to keep up with mum.
TOO CUTE! Watch a baby sun bear take HER very first steps! pic.twitter.com/fRBaX5pmoV
— Chester Zoo (@chesterzoo) 7 September 2018
The chunky youngster was seen exploring its heated indoor habitat at the zoo in front of enthralled visitors before the sleepy-eyed cub headed back to the den for some more cuddle-time with mum.
Tim Rowlands, Curator of Mammals at Chester Zoo, said:
The new cub has plenty of enthusiasm but, at just 12 weeks old, it is still somewhat wobbly on its legs. It’ll soon find its feet though and it won’t be long until mum Milli really has her paws full. Her little one will quickly gain in confidence; become more and more excitable and look to explore. That’s when her parenting skills will be given a new test. We’re sure she’ll come through it with flying colours though – she’s proving to be a great mum so far.
The new arrival is the first healthy cub for mum Milli and dad Toni who, as young bears, were both rescued from illegal wildlife traders in Cambodia.
After being cared for by conservationists working for the Free The Bears organisation, the duo then moved to the Rare Species Conservation Centre in the UK, before arriving at Chester Zoo. Now, the pair have completed their recovery and become parents to the UK’s first sun bear cub.
Mike Jordan, Collections Director at the zoo, added:
These bears had a really tough start to life and so to now see Milli thriving with a cub is ever so special. It’s the wonderful culmination of an awful lot of hard work by numerous conservationists – here and in Cambodia – who have fought to give her a brighter future. The cub is the shining beacon of light at the end of what, at one stage, was a very dark tunnel.
Sun bears – the smallest of the world’s eight species of bear – are highly threatened in their native South East Asia where they are found in declining populations. Already, they are now thought to be extinct in Singapore, where they were once found in large numbers.
Facts about sun bears:
- Scientific name: Helarctos malayanus
- The new cub at Chester Zoo was born on 13/06/18
- Milli and Toni first arrived in the UK in October 2013
- The pair initially lived at Rare Species Conservation Centre in Kent before moving to Chester Zoo in 2015
- They are the first sun bears to live at Chester since 1976
- The sun bear is the smallest of the world’s eight living species of bear
- Sun bears get their iconic name from the yellow or orange crescent marking on their chest, which legend says resembles the rising or setting sun. The species is also known as the ‘honey bear’ due to its love for honey – which it extracts by using its famously long tongue
- The Malay name for the tree-loving sun bear means “he who likes to sit high”
- Sun bears use their long tongue to eat termites and ants, beetle larvae, bee larvae, honey and a large variety of fruit species, especially figs
- They have powerful jaws that can tear open trees in search of insects to eat
- Their short black fur helps then to keep cool in hot climates
- They have big paws with large claws and hairless soles to help them climb
Sithami, 20, unexpectedly collapsed inside the zoo’s Elephants of the Asian Forest habitat at around noon today (07/09/2018). Keepers and vets immediately attended to her but unfortunately she had very suddenly passed away.
Sithami was born here at the zoo in 1997 and was extremely popular with staff, members and visitors alike. She had successfully given birth to several calves in her time, including female Sundara in 2004 and young male calf Aayu in January 2017, and has left a lasting legacy to an important breeding programme for the endangered species. A post-mortem will be carried out in the coming days to determine the exact cause of Sithami’s unexpected death. Elephants are highly social animals so any loss will affect them for a short period. We have no doubt the Hi Way family herd will take over duties of care for Aayu and our dedicated team will, of course, closely monitor the rest of the herd, which remains in good health.Our thoughts are very much with all of those who cared for Sithami day in, day out and who are deeply shocked and devastated at her sudden loss.
You NEED to see these THREE baby rock hyraxes! They’re small, furry and more closely related to the elephant than any other animal! Amazing hey? pic.twitter.com/P6vCfIdW79
— Chester Zoo (@chesterzoo) 23 August 2018
Each of the tiny triplets weigh no more than 250 grams – around the same as a mango! However, they are genetically more closely related to elephants than any other animal.
Just like their much bigger ancestors, rock hyraxes boast two large incisor teeth which constantly grow like tiny tusks, while the shape of their feet and their skull structure is also very similar to an elephant’s.
At birth, this amazing rock-climbing species are well developed, just like miniature adults.
As its name suggests, the rock hyrax lives in rocky terrain and can be found in large colonies across Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
Also known as ‘rock rabbits,’ scientists believe they have their own form of language, communicating via 20 different noises with particular tones conveying different meanings.
The species has long been a point of study, helping researchers to learn about how different animals can evolve and adapt to the environments where they live.
Rock hyrax facts
- Rock hyraxes live in colonies of two to 26 individuals and to communicate with each other they make 20 different noises. They produce an episode of ‘harsh yips’ which build up to ‘grunts’ to defend their territory
- Hyraxes don’t need much water because they get most of it from their food
- Hyrax feet are built for rock climbing – the bottom of each foot is bare and has a moist, rubbery pad that provides a suction-cup effect to help the hyrax cling to rocks without slipping
- The zoo’s latest pups were born on 19/07/2018 and comprise of two males and one female
- When pups are born they look like miniature adults – born with their eyes and ears open and with the same furry coat
- Hyraxes have a special eyelid (called a nictitating membrane) for sun and dust protection; a bulge in each iris acts as a built-in sun visor.
The first of the chicks began to break out of its shell on 25 June with 20 more arriving since, increasing the total number of Caribbean flamingos currently at the zoo to 120. All 21 youngsters are being hand fed by zookeepers at regular timed intervals, four times a day, and will require such special attention for around another five weeks. Mark Vercoe, Assistant Curator of Birds, said:
Hand-feeding young flamingos is a really intricate and demanding challenge, but these chicks will form part of another important breeding colony and so we need to make sure that each and every one makes it through to adulthood. This time around we’ve decided to give them a helping hand as it’s important that we give the new flock the best possible start.
For the time being the chicks are white or grey in colour, resembling little balls of cotton wool, but they will each develop their iconic pink feathers at around six months old.Once all of the new chicks are developed enough to fully feed themselves, the group will move to another zoo to help form a brand new colony.
Flamingo facts
- The word ‘flamingo’ comes from the Spanish and Latin word ‘flamenco’ which means fire, and refers to the bright colour of the birds’ feathers
- Flamingos get their pink colouring from crustaceans and algae that they eat
- They are highly social birds and they live in colonies that can contain thousands of individuals
- Caribbean flamingos are the largest of all five flamingo species
Something INCREDIBLE just happened in our rhino house…Welcome to the world, precious little one! pic.twitter.com/R1VEMSOHG1
— Chester Zoo (@chesterzoo) 2 August 2018
While most rhino births typically happen at night or in the early hours of the morning, Malindi, a 12-year-old Eastern black rhino shocked onlookers when she went into labour at around 12:30 in the middle of a busy summer’s day.
A healthy male calf was delivered safely less than half an hour later in what zoo keepers have described as a “very rare and special event” to witness. The little one was up on his feet within 15 minutes and was seen running around soon after, before returning to cuddle with his mum.
Tim Rowlands, Curator of Mammals at the zoo, said:
Visitors to the zoo were treated to something incredibly special when Eastern black rhino, Malindi, went in to labour in front of them. With just 650 Eastern black rhino left in the wild, seeing the birth of a new calf and it’s very first steps is a very rare and special event indeed.The newborn was delivered onto soft wood mulch and within next to no time it was up on its feet and running around – it couldn’t have gone any smoother.Although it’s still very early days, the little one is showing great signs by feeding regularly and mum and calf appear to have bonded very quickly. We just hope this new calf helps us to raise some much needed attention to this truly magnificent species, and inspires urgent action to protect their future on this planet. We cannot and must not allow this subspecies to become extinct – a fate which has, tragically, already become of some of its cousins.
Conservationists now fear that less than 650 Eastern black rhino remain across Africa, with the animals listed as critically endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
With the number being so low in the wild as a result of the illegal wildlife trade, this unexpected arrival offers a significant boost to conservationists in the fight to preserve these amazing species!
Mike Jordan, Collections Director at Chester Zoo, added:
This new arrival is a real boost to a critically endangered species. It increases the number of Eastern black rhino at Chester to 11 and is another vitally important success story in a Europe-wide breeding programme for these highly threatened animals. A thriving, healthy population of this high profile species in good zoos is vitally important to the future of this species and a key component of our mission to prevent their extinction.
In tandem with its acclaimed breeding programme, Chester Zoo is also fighting for the survival of Eastern black rhino in the field and has long supported conservation efforts to protect black rhinos and continues to fund, and provide expertise, to numerous sanctuaries, partners and wildlife reserves in Africa.
The zoo has teamed up with the Michoácan University of Saint Nicholas of Hidalgo, a Mexican government fisheries centre and a group of Mexican nuns to develop a breeding programme for the Lake Pátzcuaro salamander and ensure the continued survival of this critically endangered species!
It is the first time a network has been established for the Mexican salamanders, or ‘achoques’ as they are locally known, and researchers hope to quickly establish a genetically viable population.
The salamanders once thrived in Lake Pátzcuaro, Mexico’s third largest lake, but are now listed as critically endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The species is of great importance to the locals who have lived alongside it for hundreds of years but the latest research has led to fears that fewer than 100 individuals may remain.However, the new breeding plan is now aiming to boost numbers and, in time, re-energise the wild population.
The zoo is now home to six breeding pairs of the salamander, with a further 30 adults at the Michoacana University of Mexico and at a Mexican government fisheries centre, both located in the city of Morelia in south-west Mexico.
This amazing amphibian is also found at a monastery in the small Mexican town of Pátzcuaro, which is home to 23 nuns. The Sisters of the Monastery of the Dominican of Order have been caring for the salamanders for more than 150 years!
A combination of introduced exotic fish and destruction of forest which has altered the shoreline of the lake has pushed these salamanders to the brink of extinction, forcing the nuns to breed the salamanders in their convent to keep alive both the species and their traditions. Experts believe the population being kept by the nuns will play a key role in any future reintroduction back into the wild.
Dr Gerardo Garcia, the zoo’s Curator of Lower Vertebrates and Invertebrates, said:
The Lake Pátzcuaro salamander is a very unusual species that is now perilously close to the edge of existence and requires immediate action if we are to establish more numbers and save them.After visiting Mexico in 2014, we had the unique opportunity to meet the nuns who are keeping the species in their monastery and we now believe that the population they are looking after is one of the most genetically viable populations in the world.The nuns deserve enormous credit in keeping this species alive. Now, in partnership with the Sisters, a European network of zoos and the University of Michoacán in Mexico, we are fighting to breed a thriving population for eventual reintroduction back into the wild.
Conservationists have already begun projects to determine the status of the salamander population remaining in the lake, assess water quality, the availability of prey items, monitor potential health issues and encourage communities surrounding the lake to join the efforts to bring back the species.
Professor Omar Dominguez, from the Michoacána University of Mexico, added:
This wonderful partnership between international zoos, ourselves and local communities in Mexico is giving the salamanders new hope in its fight for survival. Local people have joined the breeding network; local fishermen are part of the research efforts on the lake; villagers are engaging in conversation about the importance of thriving aquatic wildlife – and now the international conservation community is joining the bid to save this magnificent species.
The species is a unique type of salamander, as it spends its whole life in its larval form and never achieves metamorphosis – the process where an animal physically develops shortly after birth or hatching – and instead of evolving and migrating to land, it keeps its gills and lives in fresh water.
Although not a lot is known about the species, they can grow to be a foot long and use their legs to drag themselves along the bottom of the lake whilst feeding on aquatic insects, small fish and crustaceans.Lake Pátzcuaro salamander fast facts:
- Scientific name: Ambystoma dumerilii
- The surviving wild population is very small. Although populations are difficult to assess, recent surveys covering almost all of its known distribution range have usually captured fewer than 100 individuals
- The species does not metamorphose and lives permanently in water
- Up to 20 tonnes of the ‘achoques’, by which they are known locally, were taken from the lake in as recently as the 1980s. But by the early 1990s, hardly any remained