Many of us have happy childhood memories in zoos and aquariums. There’s something quite magical about being a tiny human and seeing other, often also tiny non-humans roam or swim about their enclosures. If imagining the mini-you in Chester Zoo’s aquarium fills you with any nostalgia or wanderlust, we’ve got unfortunate news.
The iconic northern zoo has announced the closure of its aquarium after seventy years of dazzling fish-loving families. The zoo said in a letter to members that ‘our expert team of structural engineers agree that from 2026 our aquatic species in the aquarium will be finding new habitats to flourish in, under the care of our dedicated aquatic team.’
Why is Chester Zoo’s aquarium closing? Well, apparently the current tanks are just not up to scratch with modern standards of fish-care. The animals deserve to live in comfort and Chester Zoo cannot give them the life they need. They’ll be re-homed within the next couple of years to people who can take proper care of them.
It’s not clear yet where exactly the animals will be going, but if you want to see the aquatic life at Chester Zoo you’ll still be able to until they formally close the aquarium in a couple years’ time.
You can still book a trip to the aquarium here.
We hope all the fish currently in Chester find lovely new homes over the next couple of years where they can swim safely and happily to their hearts’ content, and that they continue providing wholesome memories for children for many years to come.
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Here’s why one of the UK’s best-loved theme parks is closing this summer.
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