Hello! This is the account for Chester Zoo's Science and Field Programmes departments. We share science and global conservation news here. Happy to link up with conservationists, ecologists, academics and animal-lovers. Journo requests to r.waller@chesterzoo.org, please.

Interesting!

“One study showed that salivary cortisol (stress hormone) levels dropped when people went through a lemur walkthrough. Other studies show that blood pressure can reduce around waterscapes.” - Chester Zoo scientist Bridget Johnson. Get back to nature! chesterzoo.org/explore-chest…

We are really looking forward to attending RAWG at @chesterzoo in February! Tickets are on sale until 2nd February so make sure to snap yours up now! 🐸🐍🦎🐢🪱 ✨ @ScienceatCZ tinyurl.com/ydynxsn2

UK hedgehogs are now classified as Vulnerable (IUCN Red List), but there is good news: gardens can provide them with vital habitats! Take a sneak-peek into the secret life of the urban hedgehog, revealed by a major camera study supported by Chester Zoo🦔 chesterzoo.org/news/garden-c…

Pouch alert! Goodfellow's tree kangaroo Kitawa's recent pregnancy was facilitated through endocrinological testing in our on-site lab. Scientists tested hormone levels in her faeces to determine the best time to introduce her to her mate, Kayjo. Here is the result!

How cute! A rare Goodfellows tree kangaroo emerges from his mother’s pouch @chesterzoo Native to Papua New Guinea, the species is endangered due to deforestation and hunting. The new arrival -yet to be named - has been bred as part of a European-wide conservation programme.

Chester is the world's first Sustainable Palm Oil City. 🌴 Cat Barton, our Policy Lead on Deforestation Free Commodities, chatted to the Palm Pod team about how that happened. Listen in here: buzzsprout.com/2385661/episo…

"Zoos understand evolution, and we are constantly evolving and changing what we do." Did you spot Sue Walker, head of science at Chester Zoo, on @BBCBreakfast this morning? She highlighted what modern zoos do and the power of zoo science as @zsllondonzoo celebrates 200 years.

🎉WE DID IT! WE BROKE THE RECORD🎉 More than 2.1 MILLION of you visited Chester Zoo in 2025, breaking every attendance record since we first opened our gates back in 1931. This year, your visits helped us to: 🦒 Open the UK’s largest-ever zoo habitat, Heart of Africa 🐾 Celebrate the birth our first snow leopard cub, Bheri 🛖 Launch The Reserve, our new conservation-led hotel where income funds conservation projects 🧬 Develop a the world’s first vaccine to protect elephants from the deadly EEHV virus 🐣 Hatch Socorro dove chicks — a species extinct in the wild for more than 40 years 🦁Welcome Asian elephants, Asiatic lions and Northeast African cheetahs, all helping safeguard their species from extinction 🦎 Breed a record number of critically endangered Bermudian skinks and Montseny brook newts Every visit made a real difference 🌍 Thanks a million (or two!) 💚

New year, new you? Don't forget your brain needs flexing too! Join us next week for our first SciBar of the year where we'll hear about advances in wildlife crime investigations, DNA testing crime scenes and much more! 📍@StoryhouseLive 📆Tues 13th Jan ℹ️facebook.com/events/s/forens…

Road signs have only limited effectiveness in reducing human-wildlife collisions on roads in Brazil, a study has found. Chester Zoo scientists contributed to this study which looked at the BR-262 highway in Mato Grosso do Sul, published recently: sciencedirect.com/science/ar…

Are you considering undertaking one of our industrial placements? Our virtual webinar about how to apply and what to expect from a one year industry placement with us takes place on January 13. Join here! chesterzoo.org/events/webina…

Have you ever considered how human-generated sound impacts #bird communication? Songbirds surrounded by anthropogenic noise added more syllables to their song, this study by Chester Zoo scientists found: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/… 🧪🌏🪺

🎄 £1 Christmas zoo tickets for families on Universal Credit   We're offering £1 tickets this Christmas to people receiving Universal Credit (including Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, ESA, Income Support, JSA and Housing Benefit, as well as DLA and PIP), helping more families enjoy time together and make festive memories at a time of year that can be challenging for many.   This offer is part of the our long-running Community Connections Scheme, which aims to make days out more accessible for individuals, families and community groups who may otherwise struggle to make a visit happen.   🎟️ Valid for visits 17–31 December
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Up to six people per household (children under 12 months and carers go free)
📲 Must be booked online in advance – tickets are limited and not available at the gate
🪪 Proof of eligibility and photo ID required on arrival   Full details and booking: chesterzoo.org/universalcred…

Despite their images adorning temples - and the fact indigenous people have protected them for generations – wild Siamese crocodiles are in serious threat of extinction. We don't want that to happen, so we are supporting a breed-and-release programme: chesterzoo.org/conservation-…

Today's mood: 🫤 (Northern giraffe: not actually being cynical)

Congratulations, all! 🧑‍🎓

CSI fans... we asked what killed this Rayed Trough Shell? The answer is a Dog Whelk... which used its super strong radula to bore a hole in it's victim's shell, injecting it with digestive juices and turning it into a protein drink! Explore Your Shore! at exploreyourshore.ie

Have you seen #strangerthings than this? Don't worry - this isn't from the Upside Down. This is an aquatic caecilian, a fascinating #amphibian that you should only fear if you are an elongate prey species (e.g., a worm or larvae). Music by Universfield via CC licence.

"We saw a sculpture- a giant ‘Biodiversity Jenga’, symbolising how the systems that support life on Earth become increasingly unstable as pieces are removed." A conservationist on how planning helps restore missing pieces and protect those still intact: biaza.org.uk/news/detail/blo…