Chester Zoo is at Upton just outside Chester, in Cheshire .It was opened in 1931 by George Mottershead in what was a village outside Chester but is now part of that old Roman city.
George had a passion for animals from his childhood and despite being injured in World War 1 he was determined to start his own zoo. Initially the villagers of Upton were opposed to the venture until they saw some of the animals. George wanted to build a zoo that was different from others at the time. He didn't want cages for the animals; he wanted moats and ditches to separate the animals from the public and wanted large open areas for them to feel freer than animals were in other zoos.
In 1986, in line with British laws some animals had to be enclosed by fences.
The zoo has undergone major improvements and is now a centre of excellence in animal conservation.
I went there today with my family as a birthday treat for my husband and grandson. This just goes to show that there is something at Chester Zoo for all ages.
Comments
If a coin is found, it tends to be kept by the finder and then spent.
The coin-keeping, coin-tossing, coin-using discussion below continues to catch my attention.
Some Unitedstatesians always collect coins in their path even as others collect none.
What do British Isles-ers do about coins scattered in their path? Do they collect, ignore or spend them?
Frank, why change the habits of a lifetime ? :)
I have never thrown coins into water, because, as you know, I like to hang on to the pennies.
That is very interesting and thank you for the comment. I am glad it went to charities,
I also do not subscribe to superstition. Money was very hard come by during my childhood and we wouldn't have thrown it into a well ! It was for food, heat and social housing rent.
Nice images as usual.
As for coin tossing, I recently read the last time parts of Niagara Falls were blocked and drained for construction quite a large sum of money was recovered and given to charities. The plan is to again do work there, and I expect the same. Even in fountains in shopping centers there can be seen change. And it is probably based in superstition, which I do not ascribe to.
There was a drama serial recently on BBC about the Mottersheads and the building of the Zoo at Chester. IT was fascinating.
I don't know if the money is collected. I assume it is and I do so hope it is given to charity thereby giving it a useful purpose. There is always money in ponds at Attractions and I do think it is a harking back to old Celtic British beliefs. There was no notice by the ponds to say that the money is given to charity. People in Britain throw coins in the ponds for some reason.
Veronica, The animals look healthy, the sky looks very blue (not at all like the way winter skies have been of late), and the surroundings look appropriate, clean, and supportive to wildlife. It's a beautiful idea, and it's wonderful that, years after George Mottershead took a giant step for wildlife-kind, people still appreciate the concept.
Is the money never collected from the wells? I know of similar sites in North America where there's regular clearing of the coins by the owner-operators.
That's a lovely idea.
Yes ty. It is a lovely zoo and the animals do look well cared for there.
I've seen these wells in many places. The story I know is that you throw a coin with the wish to come back :)
Nice zoo, btw.