We're all going to the zoo..........

On Wednesday  9th August, Yoxall WI ladies departed in a minibus bound for Chester Zoo. Yoxall weather was damp and cold, but by the time we had arrived in Cheshire the sun was out and the rain clouds had blown away. Most of us had watched the TV programme 'The Secret Life of the Zoo ', filmed at Chester and were looking forward to seeing some of the programmes 'stars'.

Chester Zoo is a zoological garden in Upton, Chester. It was opened in 1931 by George Mottershed and his family. It is one of the UK's largest zoos at 125 acres. The zoo receives no government funding. It is the most visited wildlife attraction in Britain with more than 1.4 million visitors in 2014.

Mottershead wanted to build a zoo without the traditional Victorian iron bars to cage the animals. At Chester , Mottershead  used moats and ditches as an alternative to cage bars, and extended their use throughout the zoo, often with species that we would not expect. These alternatives to cage bars are much in evidence today as you walk around the zoo.

Chester Zoo holds a large and diverse collection of animals. At the end of 2007, over half the species at the zoo appeared on the IUCN Red List and 155were classified as threatened species. 134 species were kept as part of a managed captive breeding programme.

Chester was the first zoo in the UK to successfully breed Asian elephants in captivity. The breeding herd of two males and six females, including a baby was a very popular attraction on the day we visited.

The zoo's black rhinoceros exhibit, modelled on the Tsavo National Park in Kenya was opened in 2003. The zoo has a successful rhinoceros breeding programme and two not so little babies were clearly on view.

There is such a diverse range of animals housed at the zoo, from jaguars and lions to orang-utans and monkeys. The smaller, perhaps less popular species were also represented. We saw song birds of every colour in the Tropical Realm and many fluttery butterflies in the heated butterfly house.

The zoo is not only a fabulous collection of animals but there are gardens and pathways lined with shrubs and trees. Some have attractive bark, juicy fruits or interesting leaf shapes and textures. The plants were hugely attractive to look at and in top condition. Chester Zoo is home to five National Plant Collections - including orchids, nepenthes and cacti.

Chester Zoo has plenty of places to buy food and drink, seating areas for picnics and lots of treats for children. We all had a wonderful, if tiring day. The minibus was certainly quieter on the way home!

Our next meeting is on Wednesday 13th September at 7.30pm in Yoxall Parish Hall. Richard Winterton - of TV fame, will be joining us to talk about antiques. Visitors will be very welcome and further information can be obtained from Penny Bailey through the link below.