Holiday rentals news - Giant rainforest ecosystem to be built at Chester Zoo

Giant rainforest ecosystem to be built at Chester Zoo

A rainforest ecosystem is to be built inside a giant dome at Chester Zoo. The plans are part of a £225m investment in the zoo, which will seek planning permission for the scheme later this year.

The Heart of Africa attraction forms part of the overall Natural Vision project and will cost approximately £90m, according to The Telegraph. The bio dome will be the only of its kind in the UK.

Tourists staying in self catering accommodation in Chester will be able to see wildlife such as gorillas, chimpanzees and okapi moving freely among the vegetation in the dome. The African rainforest themed habitat will also house many tropical birds, reptiles, fish and amphibians.

Professor Gordon McGregor Reid, director general of Chester Zoo, said of the project: "Natural Vision will offer a fun, family friendly, adventurous yet educational window on the world of conservation. Chester Zoo already actively supports and runs conservation, science and veterinary projects in all corners of the globe, but the increased visitor footfall from this new project will dramatically increase what we are able to do and fund out in the field."

McGregor Reid went on to highlight the uniqueness of the scheme: "The project is unlike anything that there has been in the UK and will offer a spectacular visitor experience and the highest standards of animal welfare." The zoo will work closely with local communities and government agencies in the planning stages, he added.

The project will also include an education centre and the ultimate aim is to transform Chester Zoo into the premier wildlife attraction in Europe. The scheme will also benefit the regional economy by providing many new jobs and attracting more tourists to the area, the director general pointed out.

Once the Natural Vision project has been fully completed, the zoo expects to welcome up to two million visitors per year, up from 1.3m at present.

This story was brought to you by holidaylettings.co.uk, the UK's No.1 for holiday homes worldwide.

Related Stories
New Eden Projects to be built overseas
Man caught smuggling pigeons in his trousers in Australia
Print this article