Chester Zoo

In Brief.

Chester Zoo is a substantial modern zoo, with a remarkable collection of animals of all sizes, from land, sea and air. The Zoo is divided into several zones, for example there is an islands zone and a Madagascar zone, though it's hard to sense that you are really focusing on anything in particular with such diversity on hand.  The zoo itself is a pleasant environment, with lots of greenery, there are eateries spread across the site, and the enclosures seem in good condition and not too cramped.

The flamingos

What's Here?

This is rather a formidable zoo, with everything from an aquarium and a butterfly house to large mammals (elephants and rhinos) and predators (jaguars and lions). There is so much to see that any day trip is unlikely to do it justice, and you can't help but find yourself wandering past potentially interesting things on the way to something you spotted on a sign or in the app.  For a typical animal, there will be some signs highlighting area of origin, whether or not the species is endangered, and potentially a few additional facts on diet and social practices. Thus, while there is a lot to see, perhaps there is slightly less to learn, and even the app only provides quite brief information.

However, all of life is here, and while the only jaguar to be seen was in the carpark, for every species that is hiding, there will be many others to see and several that are actively engaged in some activity or other, such as the Orangutans pictured below.

 

A group of Sumatran Orangutans using the climbing ropes.

There is plenty variety for the visitor. For example, lots of enclosures have both inside and outside spaces (this was the case for the orangutans), and there are several areas that can be entered so that visitors share the same space as the birds and animals.  These are often quite lush environments, and the zoo itself has many green spaces around its winding paths.  It is quite easy to get lost!

It is probably fashionable to be nervous about keeping animals in captivity in zoos. Here, while there is no doubt that an enclosure is a limited variant of the wild, many of the spaces are substantial and contain diverse elements.  The zoo seems to be engaged in many preservation projects, but although these are mentioned all over the place, I would have been interested to see some more facts and details.

Practicalities.

Distance from Manchester Town Hall: 40 miles

Drive Time: 55 minutes.

Price: $$$ 

Parking: Free onsite parking.

Food and Drink: There are cafes across the site, offering snacks, drinks and ice cream, up to self-service meals. In my weekday visit, there was plenty capacity, and the staff were friendly.

Retail therapy: There is a souvenir shop at the entrance, with a substantial area for toys (think cuddly primates) and a rather random collection of other bits and pieces.

Child Friendly: There are several substantial play areas; overall a very child-friendly day out, other than the rather intimidating size of the site.

Toilets: Yes - throughout the site.

Do it justice in: 6 hours.

Inside-Outside: 30:70