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Chester Days Out. A Guide to Days Out in Chester and the surrounding areas.
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One week to help save the highly threatened home of Andean bears
The bears that inspired Paddington are at risk of losing their homes
Just 6% of key Andean bear forest habitats remain
This week offers a chance to fund vital equipment allowing Chester Zoo conservationists and Bolivian communities to do more to save forest species
Zoo urges animal-lovers to donate through Big Give, a match-funding platform that will double every pound given, to help give Andean bears a future
Chester Zoo supporters have one week to raise £20,000 and help secure a future for real-life Paddington bears.
The Cheshire-based international conservation zoo is urging animal-lovers to take part in Big Give’s Earth Raise fundraiser between April 22-29 to protect the fragile forest home of Andean bears.
Over this week, every donation will be match-funded to support the zoo’s ongoing Andean Carnivore Conservation Programme, which protects bears, jaguars and other at-risk species living in the precious but highly threatened Inter-Andean dry forests of Bolivia.
Big Give is a national, annual fundraising campaign dedicated to helping charities that are playing a vital role in tackling pressing conservation issues.
Andean bears are Vulnerable according to the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species, and share their habitat with Endangered tapeti rabbits and Critically Endangered Bolivian chinchilla rats.
Paul Bamford, Chester Zoo’s Regional Field Programme Senior Manager for Latin America, said:
“Andean bears are the largest land-based carnivore in Latin America and are the inspiration behind the beloved Paddington Bear books. As seed distributers and trail-makers, they are important to the health of their habitats.
“But two thirds of Andean bears live outside legally protected areas. They survive alongside marginalised communities that have been pushed to rely on sources of income that damage bear habitats, including cattle farming. By working with communities to safeguard the bears, we safeguard the landscape, too.”
Andean bear habitats have shrunk dramatically over the last century. Cattle farming causes soil erosion and depresses forest growth, which is a major problem in a region that has lost 94% of its original forest cover.
In addition, Andean bears are shy and gentle giants, preferring a mostly vegetarian diet, but they are sometimes killed in retaliation for unexplained livestock losses.
Mr Bamford said, “In effect, Andean bears are far more at risk from cattle farming than cattle are from bears.”
The Andean Carnivores Conservation Project monitors bears and carries out vital wildlife research in the Tarija region of Bolivia. It also supports communities to adopt forest-friendly income streams, relieving pressure on the local ecosystem.
Chester Zoo field conservationist Ximena Velez-Liendo, a bear expert based in Bolivia, has been working to conserve the landscape and promote positive human-carnivore coexistence for decades.
She said:
“I’ve spent my entire professional life working with bears, and it has been amazing to see this project evolve. We’re helping people and wildlife survive and thrive.”
Dr Velez-Liendo became a passionate advocate for carnivore conservation the moment she saw her first wild bear. Since the Chester Zoo-backed project launched 10 years ago, her research has uncovered a previously unknown bear population, tracked the presence and movements of key mammal species, and has built an increasingly detailed picture of the dry forest ecosystem.
She said:
“The project is about practical action as well as research. We now support honey and coffee producers to farm in ways that benefit bears and communities. People receive more dependable income streams, and improved soil conditions means better crops and faster forest regeneration.
“Last year, we saw the first harvesting of coffee grown by the communities who live alongside the bears. None of this would be possible without the support of people who care about bear conservation.”
Dr Velez-Liendo urged supporters to contribute to the Earth Raise fundraiser this week and double the impact of their donation. The proceeds will pay for vital equipment, including a pickup truck to transport field teams and scientific equipment to remote areas.
Support the project here:
www.tinyurl.com/CZBearBigGive
Vet health check reveals sex of viral snow leopard cub at Chester Zoo
A health check up with the zoo’s vets has revealed the cub is a female
The youngster is the FIRST snow leopard to be born at the zoo
Zookeepers say they will be asking the public for name ideas
Snow leopards are one of the world’s most elusive big cats
Zoo is in partnership with fellow charity the Snow Leopard Trust to protect them from threats in the wild
A rare snow leopard cub, which has quickly become a viral sensation after videos of its playful antics in its den were shared online, has had its first health check with Chester Zoo’s vets.
The cub was examined, sexed, weighed and vaccinated by the zoo’s specialist vets and carnivore keepers - and it has been revealed as a female.
Born on 10 June 2025 to first-time parents Nubra and Yashin, the tiny cat spent the first few weeks of life curled up in a den with mum - where the pair’s adorable moments have been captivating millions of people online and around the globe.
Keepers say the playful new arrival is growing in strength and confidence every day, with mum Nubra watching over her new cub closely.
Mark Brayshaw, Head of Mammals at Chester Zoo, said:
“At eight weeks old, the cub has undergone the first of two all-important health checks. These quick examinations by the zoo’s vets are really important for us to make sure the cub is healthy and in good physical condition. We recorded the cub’s weight, checked its heartbeat, eyes and teeth before swiftly returning the cub to mum Nubra. As a first-time mum she is fiercely protective, so we really didn't want to hang around!
“We’re very happy to report that the cub was given a clean bill of health and we can finally reveal that it is indeed a female. Now comes one of the toughest tasks of all - choosing a name worthy of such a special arrival.
“What matters most though, is that we have a thriving cub that represents real hope for this magnificent species. Snow leopards are disappearing from the wild, and every birth is a vital step forward for the conservation breeding programme. Here at Chester, we’re combining this work with vital projects in Asia alongside the Snow Leopard Trust, and together, we’re determined to secure a future where these iconic big cats can once again thrive.”
Parents Nubra and Yashin were carefully paired together at Chester Zoo in 2024 as part of an international conservation breeding programme that’s working to protect snow leopards from extinction. Their cub is the result of a coordinated global effort to create a healthy safety-net population in the world’s leading conservation zoos.
Listed as Vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), only around 4,000 snow leopards remain in the wild. The species is under growing threat from habitat loss, climate change, poaching and human-wildlife conflict.
Snow Leopard Fact File:
Scientific Name: Panthera uncia
Habitat: High mountain ranges of Central and South Asia, including the Himalayas
IUCN Status: Vulnerable to extinction
Threats in the Wild: Habitat loss, poaching and human-wildlife conflict
Distinctive Features: Thick fur for insulation, large paws for balance on steep terrain, and a long tail for balance and warmth.
Adaptations: Exceptional leaping and athletic ability, enabling them to cover great distances in pursuit of prey animals.
Conservation Status: Chester Zoo actively participates in conservation breeding programs to support the survival of snow leopards.
Cancer is extremely rare in turtles, finds a new study
A new study, led by experts at the University of Nottingham, provides the strongest evidence to date that cancer is extremely rare in turtles—a finding that could offer valuable clues for preventing or fighting cancer in humans.
While previous research had hinted that cancer might be uncommon in turtles, the new analysis, entitled "Do turtles get cancer?" and published in BioScience, shows that only about 1% of individuals are affected, far less than in mammals or birds. The study was led by Dr Ylenia Chiari from the School of Life Sciences at the University of Nottingham, alongside Dr Scott Glaberman from the University of Birmingham, in collaboration with a team of researchers from zoos across the US, UK, and Europe.
The team analysed medical records and necropsies (autopsies) from hundreds of zoo turtles, including individuals from Chester Zoo in the UK.
The work was only possible thanks to a global network of zoos that have spent decades keeping detailed records and collaborating to support science, highlighting the vital role zoos can play in discovery research. The findings were striking not only for the low number of cancer cases, but also because, when tumours did appear, they almost never spread.
Some turtle species grow to tremendous size. Galapagos and Aldabra giant tortoises, for example, can weigh hundreds of kilograms. Turtles are also known for their long lifespans, and many are centenarians. One radiated tortoise at Chester Zoo named Burt was born in 1945 and may live to over 100, while some Galapagos and Aldabra giant tortoises have lived beyond 150 years.
Species that are both large and long-lived are expected to face higher cancer risk, since more cells mean more opportunities for something to go wrong. But turtles seem to defy this pattern.
Why are turtles so resistant to cancer? Their secret may lie in strong defences against cell damage, a slow metabolism that reduces cellular stress, and unique genes that protect against cancer. Turtles could offer valuable clues for preventing or treating cancer in humans and are a promising model for studying healthy aging and cancer resistance.
Dr Ylenia Chiari said: “Turtles, especially iconic species like Galapagos and Aldabra giant tortoises, are famous for living long lives and growing to tremendous sizes. You’d expect that to mean more cancer, but our study, which combines decades of zoo records with previous research, shows how incredibly rare cancer is in these animals. It highlights turtles as an untapped model for understanding cancer resistance and healthy aging, and it shows the vital role zoos play in advancing science through collaboration.”
Dr Scott Glaberman added: “Biodiversity has so much to teach us about how the world works. While fascinating in their own right, extreme species like giant tortoises may have already solved many of the problems humans face, including those related to aging and cancer. That makes biodiversity doubly worthy of protection.”
Dr Helena Turner, Research Officer at Chester Zoo, said: “This research underscores the immense value of zoo-based science. At Chester Zoo, we’ve long been committed to detailed health monitoring and the long-term care of our animals. It’s fantastic to see these efforts not only contribute to advancing scientific knowledge around cancer resistance but also support vital conservation work to protect these remarkable species that may hold keys to medical breakthroughs benefiting both wildlife and humans.”
Several species of turtles are classified as Endangered or Critically Endangered according to the IUCN Red List, due to different threats including pressure from climate change, habitat loss, and illegal pet trade.
Many of the zoos that contributed data to the study, including Chester Zoo, are involved in conservation breeding programmes that aim to pull species like these back from extinction.
World’s rarest equid born at Chester Zoo
Conservationists celebrate birth of an incredibly rare onager foal - one of the rarest animals on Earth
Onagers are a hoofed mammal, from the family equidae, which includes horses, donkeys, mules and zebras
It’s estimated that no more than 600 onagers remain in the wild
Experts say birth will shine a spotlight on ‘overlooked’ species and zoos could prevent their extinction
Chester is a leading part of a European-wide conservation breeding programme that’s working to safeguard the species
Conservationists at Chester Zoo are celebrating the arrival of an exceptionally rare onager foal.
Related to the domestic donkey, the onager is an Asiatic wild ass, which lives in the semi-desert regions of Iran.
The foal was born to mum Azita following a year-long pregnancy. Zookeepers have revealed the new arrival is male and have called him Jasper - a name with Persian origin that means ‘bringer of treasure’.
Similar wild asses were once found in abundance across the deserts of Mongolia, China and Iran, but now very few species remain, and onagers only survive in two small, protected areas in Iran. They have suffered at the hands of illegal poaching, overgrazing, drought and disease passed from farm animals which has seen their numbers plummet by more than 50% in the last two decades alone, leaving just 600 in the wild today.
As a result, the species has been listed as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) – facing a very high chance of extinction.
Chester is currently the only zoo in the UK, and one of very few zoos in the world, which works with the animals due to the challenges of breeding and caring for the rare equids.
Mike Jordan, Animal and Plant Director at Chester Zoo, said:
“Onagers are the most threatened equid species in the world and one of the rarest animals that we care for here at the zoo, so we’re absolutely delighted a new foal has been born – he’ll help to boost global numbers of this little-known species.
“The leggy youngster, who has been named Jasper by our team, is doing very well and mum Azita is doing a fantastic job of nurturing and bonding with her new charge. He’s full of energy and enjoys playfully kicking up sand as he races around his habitat.
“With numbers having declined so rapidly in the wild, and the species now teetering on the edge of existence in Iran, it’s sadly very possible that onagers could become extinct in the wild within our lifetime. That’s why we’re part of an international conservation breeding programme, to ensure there’s a viable safety-net population of onager in zoos. In time, Jasper will go on to contribute to these efforts, helping to safeguard this charismatic species and preserve options for their conservation into the future.”
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