Spectacled bear
The last remaining bear native to South America and the only surviving member of the subfamily Tremarctinae. It is distinctive for its beige or ginger-coloured markings across its face and chest.
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The last remaining bear native to South America and the only surviving member of the subfamily Tremarctinae. It is distinctive for its beige or ginger-coloured markings across its face and chest.
Native to North America, it is the continent’s smallest and most widely distributed bear species and the most common bear species in the world.
The most widely distributed species of bear, these omnivorous giants tend to be solitary animals, except for females and their cubs. Much of their diet consists of nuts, berries, fruit, leaves and roots.
Found only in the Comoros islands of the western Indian Ocean. It is the largest and rarest of the comorian species, with only an estimated population of 1,200.
One of the two species of orangutans, the other being the Bornean orangutan. Found only on the island of Sumatra, it is classified as critically endangered with an estimated 7,300 still in the wild.
It is a tailless, black-furred gibbon native to the forests of Malaysia, Thailand and Sumatra. Distinctive for the two digits on each foot that are partially joined by a membrane and a large gular sac.
Great ape with large ears, mainly black coloration, and lighter skin on the face, native to the forests of west and central Africa. They show advanced behaviour such as the making and using of tools.
A species of orangutan native to the island of Borneo. Highly intelligent, they display advanced tool use and distinct cultural patterns in the wild. They share approx. 97% of their DNA with humans.
Now extinct in the world, they are bred in captivity in reserves in Tunisia, Morocco and Senegal. Distinguished for their spiral-horned antelopes, white coat, red-brown chest and black markings.
A medium-sized antelope with long, straight horns, and a tufted tail. Extinct in the wild by the early 1970s, but was saved in zoos and private preserves and reintroduced into the wild.
Inhabiting freshwater wetlands, such as swamps, streams, rivers, ponds and lakes from Texas to North Carolina, this aligator is more equipped to deal with cooler conditions than any other crocodilia.
The Zoological Society of London runs ZSL Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire. Set in over 600 acres of parkland, the zoo has over 2,500 animals including lions, tigers, elephants, hippos and giraffe in huge outdoor enclosures.
The 70-acre Yorkshire Wildlife Park near Doncaster is the UK’s fastest growing attraction, and is constantly adding new experiences for visitors. For 2014, the first polar bear in England will arrive to live in a 10-acre reserve divided into four sections, featuring landscaped hills, valleys and a main lake with streams, pools and waterfalls.
Woburn Safari Park in Bedfordshire has over 80 species of wild animal roaming across 300 acres. The park has a long history of species conservation, and was established by the 13th Duke of Bedford in the grounds of Woburn Abbey, opening in 1970.
Weymouth SEA LIFE Adventure Park opened in 1983 with six tank buildings aiming to present and educate visitors about local marine conservation. Since then, the park has tripled in size and now houses over 1,000 marine creatures from penguins, seals, otters, sharks and crocodiles.
The origins of West Midland Safari & Leisure Park can be traced back to the 18th century and Spring Grove House, which still stands at the attraction, but the estate first opened as the safari park in 1973. The park boasts 1,700 animal encounters along with some great family fun rides and attractions, all set in 200 acres of leafy Worcestershire.
The National Zoological Society of Wales runs the Welsh Mountain Zoo – the National Zoo of Wales in Conwy, North Wales. Amongst the society’s successful research projects has been an investigation into the possibility of the captive breeding and release of red squirrels as an aid to the species’ survival in the British Isles.
The Penguin Ice Adventure at the National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham features 12 Gentoo penguins. The birds are classified as near-threatened on the IUCN Red List, and have been bred together at the SEA LIFE Centre Melbourne as part of the Breed, Rescue, Protect programme.
Seaview Wildlife Encounter on the Isle of Wight is the only attraction on the island offering one-on-one Penguin and Meerkat Encounters. Found on the north east coast of the island, on the outskirts of the yachting village of Seaview, it is a hidden gem.
In 2001, West Midland Safari and Leisure Park purchased two ex-Sea Life Centres to diversify the business following the outbreak of Foot and Mouth. Renamed Seaquarium, both sites occupy coastal positions, one at Rhyl, North Wales, the other at Weston-Super-Mare, North Somerset.
In 2001, West Midland Safari and Leisure Park purchased two ex-Sea Life Centres to diversify the business following the outbreak of Foot and Mouth. Renamed Seaquarium, both sites occupy coastal positions, one at Rhyl, North Wales, the other at Weston-Super-Mare, North Somerset.
SEA LIFE London Aquarium, within the County Hall building on the South Bank, boasts over 500 species from across the globe in two million litres of water.
In Kent, Port Lympne Wild Animal Park is popular with visitors, and is run by the Aspinall Foundation along with Howletts Wild Animal Park. John Aspinall purchased Port Lympne in 1973 to support his growing animal collection, with it opening to the public in 1976.
Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm near Bristol was developed in 1998 from a dairy farm by Anthony Bush, who was a tenant dairy farmer. Amongst its many animals are white rhinos, giraffe, tigers and African lions, and primates including Siamang gibbons and ring-tailed lemurs.
New Forest Wildlife Park in Hampshire is owned by Carol and Roger Heap, who are dedicated to wildlife conservation. The park is home to many native or adoptive species, including Eurasian, Asian short-clawed and North American river otters and the endangered giant otter.
NAUSICAA is the French National Sea Life Centre in the coastal town of Boulogne-sur-Mer. There are 36,000 animals from 1,000 different species living at NAUSICAA. It is a member of the World Ocean Network and recently opened a new exhibition, At Sea On Board the Thalassa.