A brand new area being proposed by Chester Zoo in Cheshire, UK, will feature overnight accommodation where guests can wake up to Rothschild’s giraffes, Grevy’s zebras, ostriches and antelopes.
The zoo has submitted plans for the new area, called Grasslands, whose centrepiece attraction will be a large, open African savannah habitat featuring the aforementioned species.
The overnight stay area includes 42 bedrooms, with lodges overlooking the savannah habitat, while a restaurant overlooking it is also included.
"Chester Zoo’s major new Grasslands proposal provides a vision for a range of different African habitats at the zoo, from bushland to wildlife-rich plains, which is planned to open to the public in 2022," said zoo COO Jamie Christon.
"The zoo hopes to connect more people than ever before with nature by offering close-up experiences with species such as cranes, vultures, aardvarks and warthogs, as part of efforts to inspire a nation of conservationists.
"Visitors would also come face to face with some of the planet’s smallest grassland creatures in a specially designed indoor habitat celebrating the contribution of all species to the ecosystem."
The new area would sit next to the Chester Zoo’s large, existing African Tsavo reserve area for Eastern back rhinos and African painted dogs.
The new Grasslands habitat is part of the zoo’s wider strategic development plan, called ‘A vision for the future of the zoo’, which is broken into themed geographic regions with evermore natural habitats for threatened species.
Should plans be approved, Grasslands will open to the public in 2022.
