Our Zoo

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Until I brought friends back from school, I didn't realize that most people didn't have baby lions in their bedrooms when they were sick or bring parrots into the house to avoid catching cold. Chester Zoo, among the top 10 zoos globally, houses over 11,000 animals and 400 species, making it Britain's most visited wildlife attraction. Unlike other zoos, Chester Zoo was founded by one working-class man with a lifelong dream: to create a zoo without bars. June Mottorshead was just four when her father, George, moved the family to Upton, near Chester, to pursue his vision. With no nearby children to play with—her sister Muriel was ten years older—June's friends became the animals. Her closest companion was an orphaned chimpanzee her sister had hand-reared, and for six years, they were inseparable. June soon became the face of Chester Zoo, with photos of her cuddling lion cubs and interacting with various animals making headlines. When World War II began in 1939, and many staff members went to war, June, at just 13, stepped up as head keeper. Managing the zoo during wartime was challenging; despite rationing, the animals still needed to be fed, and all had to be secured indoors when air raid sirens sounded. Now in her eighties, June shares her family's legacy and the story of Chester Zoo.