Charity Events in Chester

Striped ‘climate refugee’ spider found in Cheshire for the first time

Wasp spider recorded in Cheshire for the first time during an ecological survey of Chester Zoo’s estate

Big, brightly coloured newcomer dubbed “Wendy the wasp spider” by zoo conservationists

Experts say climate change is driving the species north

The team that made discovery “thrilled” at find, but warn environmental change is impacting UK wildlife

A wasp spider has been recorded in Cheshire for the first time – and conservationists say her discovery highlights the need to make space for nature.

The large yellow-and-black spider was spotted during a biodiversity survey of Chester Zoo’s estate and has been confirmed as the first recorded sighting of the species in Cheshire.

The discovery was made by Chester Zoo conservationists working with RECORD, Cheshire’s local environmental records centre, and was subsequently confirmed by an expert from the British Arachnological Society.

Rosie Cooper, estate biodiversity assistant, made the discovery.

She said: “When go out into the field, it involves a lot of walking, using a mixture of apps, wildlife identifying books and our own knowledge to learn more specifics about the habitats we look after.

“I was looking out for plant species and then I saw this big, stripy, brightly coloured spider. I have what you might call a healthy respect for spiders, so my first thought was ‘woah!’ But now I think it’s really cool to have found her.”

The spider, nicknamed ‘Wendy’ by the zoo team, is among a number of species whose ranges are moving northwards as they respond to a changing climate.

Ruby Merriman, Chester Zoo’s Estate Biodiversity Manager, said:

“We were really thrilled to find Wendy. She’s a beautiful and fascinating species, and recording a wasp spider in Cheshire for the first time is really exciting.

“Wasp spiders are slowly moving north as their southern ranges in Europe warm too quickly for them to adapt. Some conservation organisations refer to animals driven to migrate by climate change as ‘climate refugees’ – which is a good term. They are moving because of human activity, and we need to make space for them.”

The zoo’s wider estate, which spans 205 hectares, includes wet meadows, ponds, reedbeds, species-rich grasslands, woodlands, orchards and hedgerows, supporting a wide range of wildlife.

The zoo estate supports a range of key UK species, including harvest mice, which are listed on the IUCN Red List as Near Threatened, great crested newts and badgers. It is also a nesting site for barn owls and hosts dozens of dragonfly, moth and butterfly species.

Scott Wilson, head of field programmes at Chester Zoo, said:

"It's exciting to see new species like Wendy on site, but her arrival is part of a broader, more worrying trend. Our conservationists work across the world, and we are witnessing the impacts of climate change in real time, from droughts in Chile to floods in Indonesia. It is a major threat to biodiversity.

“When mountain snows thaw unseasonably, montane forests dry out and small islands face rising sea levels, the species that depend on them must disperse or die. There is a causal link between habitat loss and climate change, and both are already driving species to extinction.

"European spiders are among many species finding it harder to persist in their traditional ranges as the climate shifts. Wendy is a reminder UK biodiversity is not immune to this."

Critically endangered monkey gives birth after surgery saves her foot
Pioneering operation at Chester Zoo saves rare Roloway monkey from amputation

Zoo vets and surgeons from the University of Liverpool conduct unique procedure

Only 2,000 Roloway monkeys remain in the wild

 Mum Masaya now parenting "magnificently" following successful recovery

A critically endangered monkey has given birth just months after pioneering surgery saved her from undergoing an amputation.

Masaya, a 15-year-old Roloway monkey at Chester Zoo, had a golf-ball-sized mass removed from her foot last summer in a complex operation carried out jointly by zoo vets and surgeons from the University of Liverpool's Small Animal Teaching Hospital.

Despite finding no previous examples of the procedure on Roloway monkeys, the team successfully conducted surgery to save all but one of her toes.

Now, she has given birth to little Lagertha, who primate experts at the zoo say is already showing signs of her mother's spirit.

Two major firms join zoo's campaign for sustainable palm oil

Two UK food giants have committed to protecting the world's forests by becoming Sustainable Palm Oil Ambassadors. 

Today (Tuesday 2 December), Chester Zoo has announced that KTC, a leading supplier of food oils, and leading food manufacturer The Compleat Food Group, signed up to the programme, which is set up and run by Chester Zoo to fight deforestation in palm oil supply chains.
  

As ambassadors, both companies have pledged to use palm oil derived from deforestation-free sustainable sources and to promote the use of sustainable palm oil to protect vulnerable habitats. 

Eleanor Evans, Deforestation-free Campaigns Project Officer at the Zoo, said: "We are delighted that these two forward-thinking companies have joined forces with us in this campaign. It’s vital that deforestation free palm oil becomes standard, and its only through championing this, sourcing responsibly and increased transparency that we can start to shift the dial to make it the norm. We hope that this will inspire other businesses to drive positive change!"

Chester Zoo began its work on Sustainable Palm Oil in 2012 and has been working with partners in an oil palm dominated landscape in Borneo for two decades. Palm oil, commonly found in many supermarket products, often receives a bad reputation due to unsustainable production which drives the destruction of huge areas of rainforest in Sumatra, Borneo and other regions.

However, palm oil itself is not inherently bad. It is both versatile and efficient - it can yield 10-15 times as much oil per acre than other sources, which means that swapping to another plant source is not necessarily better and can contribute to an increase in deforestation.

By supporting deforestation-free sustainable palm oil production, Ambassadors are incentivising growers to farm in forest-friendly ways, protecting rainforests and the animals that rely on them. 

David Moore, Group ESG Director at The Compleat Food Group, said: “At The Compleat Food Group, we’re proud to stand alongside Chester Zoo as Sustainable Palm Oil Ambassadors. Our mission is to create Food to Feel Good, food that’s not only delicious and affordable, but also better for people and the planet.

“By joining this initiative, we’re reinforcing our commitment to sustainable sourcing and encouraging others across the industry to support the transition to responsible palm oil production. Together, we can protect vital habitats and drive meaningful change.”

Gary Lewis, Head of Business Development and Sustainability at KTC Edibles, said the company was proud to use and promote certified sustainable palm oil.

Mr Lewis said: “Becoming a Communities Ambassador for Chester Zoo is the latest step in our mission to lead the way on the responsible sourcing of edible oils and to creating a more sustainable future for all.”

Find out more about the Sustainable Palm Oil Ambassadors scheme here: www.chesterzoo.org/SPOAmbassadors

About Chester Zoo

Chester Zoo is a world-leading conservation zoo. Founded by the Mottershead family, it welcomed its first visitors on 10 June 1931. Three years later, it was registered as a non-profit organisation to be run as a charitable educational, conservation and scientific institution. What began as a family run zoo has since grown into a globally renowned wildlife charity and a national zoo, welcoming more than two million visitors a year and 165,000 members, all helping to provide funds for its conservation mission.

Voted the best zoo in the UK by TripAdvisor, the zoo’s 130-acre site in Chester, which is home to around 30,000 animals, is where its species-saving work is made possible. The zoo is key part of 139 international conservation breeding programmes and works with 62 conservation partners in 19 countries to protect wildlife, habitats and people. Experts from the zoo are recognised by governments and NGOs across the world as leaders within the global conservation community.

About The Compleat Food Group

At The Compleat Food Group, we’re proud to be a food business built on purpose and passion. Formed in 2021, we’re on a mission to create Food to Feel Good - great quality, tasty and affordable food that people love to eat.

We’re home to some of the UK’s most exciting and loved food brands, including Wall’s Pastry, Pork Farms, Wrights, The Real Yorkshire Pudding Co., unearthed, Vadasz, Squeaky Bean, Palace Culture, and Harvey & Brockless. Alongside our branded portfolio, we’re a leading supplier of delicious own-label pastry, sweet bakery, party food, olives and antipasti, added-value egg products, continental meats, dips and sauces and plant-based food to the UK’s major retailers, as well as across foodservice.

With over 6,000 talented colleagues across 17 sites, and an annual turnover of £1.3bn, we’re united by a shared ambition to shape the future of food for the better. We are backed by European private equity firm PAI Partners.

About KTC

KTC Edibles is part of the Whitworths Food Group and is the UK’s leading supplier of edible oils and fats to foodservice, wholesalers, bakery businesses and food manufacturers.

Founded in 1972, KTC employs more than 410 people across two UK sites in Wednesbury and Liverpool. The company supplies more than 250m litres of cooking oils to customers of all sizes across the UK food industry each year.

Additional information about KTC can be found at www.ktcfoodgroup.co.uk