Chester Zoo ‘devastated’ by loss of animals

BLAZE: Public donations soar following the attraction’s ‘toughest day in history’

Chester Zoo has said it is “devastated” by the loss of some of its animals in Saturday’s fire, as supporters helped it smash a fundraising target.

Members of the public donated more than £50,000 online in little more than 24 hours since the blaze began. The money will help the zoo recover from the fire that destroyed much of the vast roof covering its Monsoon Forest area.

In a statement on the zoo’s website, chief operating officer Jamie Christon said the fire was one of the “toughest days” in its history.

He said no staff or public were harmed in the fire that was eventually brought under control by Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service crews.

Visitors were evacuated and keepers were able to move all the zoo’s mammal species to safety – including its group of critically-endangered Sumatran orangutans, Sulawesi macaques, endangered silvery gibbons and birds such as rhinoceros hornbills.

Mr Christon said: “We are though, devastated to say that we were unable to save some of our insects, frogs, fish and small birds who were located near to the outbreak of the fire.”

Orangutans, gibbons, crocodiles, turtles and exotic birds were among the species housed in the artificial habitat designed to mimic a south-east Asian environment.

The zoo, which planned to open yesterday, said it had been inundated with messages from people asking how they could lend their support. The cause of the fire is currently unknown.

PA. Picture: The fire, which broke out on Saturday morning, was eventually brought under control by fire services.