Review: Chester Zoo's new animatronic predators exhibition

Never mind Jurassic Park -  that's nothing compared to Chester Zoo's new life-size predators exhibition.

Opening on Saturday (May 25), this never-before-seen display takes a fascinating look at the creatures that lived millions of years ago and the reality of extinction, showcasing a mammoth 200 million years of lost species.

I knew it was going to be impressive, as everything at the zoo usually is, but I really wasn't quite prepared for just how utterly life-like these creatures are.

There were squawking giant terror birds, huge sea scorpions and a crocodile the same length as a double decker bus surrounding me as I walked gingerly through the exhibition, not 100% sure what to expect.

But a blast of water squirted from the mouth of a dilophosaurus quickly brought me up to speed.

There are 13 life-sized hunters all of which were built in America and imported to Chester for this world exclusive display.

Much work has gone into creating realistic movements and sounds, and they really do look and sound so real you'd be forgiven for thinking they actually were.

It's fascinating to think that megabeasts like 12-foot tall bears and the infamous Tyrannosaurus Rex actually roamed the earth once, but conservationists at the zoo hope that by showcasing these high-tech creatures it will highlight the fact that extinction is still a very real threat to animals on the planet today.

A number of zoo rangers and experts will be on hand with different fossils as you walk past all the creatures to explain more about what you're looking at, so it's a great way to be able to learn all about the natural world.

And at certain times of the day there will be special stories and shows for children which relate the prehistoric predators to the ones at the zoo today and all the work that's done to protect them.

You'll see creatures like the Titanoboa which was the largest snake ever discovered and could munch its way through a crocodile, and the Smilodon - a sabre-toothed big cat that could open its mouth to 120 degrees.

And then there's the 3m high terror bird, which couldn't fly but was a ferocious hunter due to its legs and sharp beak, and the dire wolf, which has recently been given celebrity status by Game of Thrones.

The final creature you'll see is probably the most famous extinct species in history - Tyrannosaurus Rex, which is believed to have had an incredible bite strength of a whopping four metric tons.

It's definitely a fascinating way to spend half an hour, and I learned a lot about the natural world that I didn't know before.

Ranger Phil Blackburn is one of the staff that will be there to explain about the exhibition, and what he doesn't know about these predators isn't worth knowing.

"It’s heartbreaking to think that, one day, future generations may only be able to see animatronic jaguars, tigers and lions because they too have been wiped out," he said.

"That’s what we want to highlight with this new display – and that it’s vital that we act now to prevent the extinction of species while we still have the chance.”

Predators is free with normal zoo admission and opens on Saturday, May 25 and will run every day until Sunday, September 8.

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