Chester Zoo is a zoological garden at Upton-by-Chester, in Cheshire, England. It was opened in 1931 by George Mottershead and his family. It is the one of the UK's biggest zoos at 111 acres (45 ha). The zoo has a total land holding of approximately 400 acres (160 ha).
A charity, The North of England Zoological Society, founded in 1934 are accountable for the running of Chester Zoo. The zoo receives no government funding. It had more than 1.3 million visitors in 2007, making it the most visited wildlife attraction.
Britain's biggest tropical house is over 26,000 cubic metres. The building is about 60 feet high, 200 feet wide, and 250 feet long. This outstanding construction first opened in 1964, most of the inside is an open-plan area extending to roof level and themed with pools and mature tropical plants, with pathways for visitors through the undergrowth. Here, more than 30 species of birds are free-flying. About the sides of the construction Aviaries and vivaria are set. The Tropical Realm is likewise home to the reptiles. Water, too, plays a big piece in determining the atmosphere of the Tropical Realm: theres a massive waterfall plunging into a pond close to the entryway its the noise as much as anything else which is outstanding.
After 50 years of British years of British weather, the roof required some upkeep. A critical roof restoration task meant that only the most outstanding products could be considered. The animals underneath the roof could not be upset whilst the roof was rewaterproofed. It was imperative for the roof to be waterproofed well - one man-made waterfall is quite enough for the Tropical Realm! Exposure to rainfall and the British climate could be fatal to some of the flora and fauna of this tropical house. In February 2011 Acrypol + was applied to 500SqM of roof area as part of a major restoration which has resulted in the most unbelievable possible tropical environment, enhanced climate control and reduced fuel costs for the zoo.
Although it is several decades old, Chesters Tropical House is still one of the most stimulating animal houses in a British zoo. It is big enough and full enough to merit a visit to the zoo in itself, and on a cold day several hours might happily be spent within it.