The eccentric millionaire Herbert Whitley founded Paignton Zoo in Devon in 1923 and today it is one of the UK’s leading zoos, an important conservation charity and a great family day out. Thousands of animals are housed in a range of different global habitats, from desert to rainforest, all set in an 80-acre park.
The zoo near Winchester opened in 1972, with conservation very much at its heart. It is set within the environs of Marwell Hall, which was built in the early 14th century (around 1320) by Walter Woodlock, a relative of the Bishop of Winchester and subsequently owned by the Seymour family.
Interview with Darren Webster, Zoo Director at Blackpool Zoo.
Andy Tucker, General Manager at the UK’s largest specialist wildlife tour operator, Naturetrek, brings his knowledge and passion for ecology to a company that shares his enthusiasm for quality nature travel.
Named for its orange-red caudal fin. A common aquarium fish, it originates from South America in the Amazon, Orinoco, and Essequibo river basins.
Found in southern Suriname and adjacent far northern Brazil. Its bright blue skin, darker around its limbs and stomach, serves as a warning to predators.
Large carnivorous bear whose native range lies largely within the Arctic Circle. Large furry feet and claws give them good traction on ice.
Modest sized crocodilian native to freshwater habitats in Central America and along the Gulf of Mexico stretching through Belize, Guatemala and to Mexico.
Stocky and muscular carnivore with a reputation for ferocity and strength out of proportion to its size. Able to kill prey many times larger than itself.
Medium-sized, stocky myna, almost wholly white with a long, drooping crest, and black tips on the wings and tail. Restricted to the Indonesian island of Bali.
Wild cat with yellowish-brown fur, a short tail and tufted ears, found chiefly in the northern latitudes of North America and Eurasia, where they prey on small to fairly large sized mammals and birds.
An oceanic turtle found throughout the world, spending most of its life in saltwater and estuarine habitats. It is considered an endangered species and is protected by the IUCN.
A large sea turtle found throughout tropical and subtropical seas, with two distinct populations in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Its name comes from the usually green fat found beneath its shell.
A rare pigmentation variant of the Bengal tiger. Compared to normal tigers without the white gene, white tigers tend to be somewhat bigger, both at birth and as fully grown adults.
A rare tiger subspecies inhabiting the island of Sumatra, classed as critically endangered with an estimated 441 to 679 left. Their stripes tend to be thicker and more frequent than other subspecies.
Inhabiting the Sikhote Alin mountain regions, it is believed there are only around 400 left in the world. It is reddish-rusty, or rusty-yellow in colour with narrow black transverse stripes.
The most numerous of the tiger subspecies and number about half of all wild tigers. Sometimes called Indian tigers, over many centuries they have become an important part of Indian tradition and lore.
Known to travel up to 1,000 km (620 mi), they inhabit mainly the Sikhote Alin mountain region with a small population in southwest Primorye province in the Russian Far East.
A large mammal, similar shape to a pig with a short prehensile snout. It is classified as an endangered species and inhabits jungles and forests in South America, Central America and Southeast Asia.
One of the five largest snakes, native to a large variation of tropic and subtropic areas of Southern Asia. Often found near water and are sometimes semi-aquatic, but can also be found in trees.
Large, heavy-bodied snake, which flourishes in a wide variety of environmental conditions, from tropical rainforests to arid semi-desert country. Its colour pattern is highly variable yet distinctive.
Species of nocturnal carpet shark found in the tropical Indo-Pacific, frequenting coral reefs and sandy flats. Adults have a distinctive appearance, with a pattern of dark spots on a pale background.
Inhabits subtropical and temperate waters worldwide, typically sandy shorelines and submerged reefs. It has a sharp, pointy head, bulky body, and are grey with reddish-brown spots on their backs.
Common inshore bottom-dwelling sharks, found in tropical and subtropical waters on the continental and insular shelves. Common habitats are reefs and sand flats and they can reach a length of 4.3m.
Named for their distinctive and unusually shaped heads, which are flattened and extended into a “hammer” shape called a “cephalofoil”. They can be found worldwide in warmer waters along coastlines.
Uncommon species of bullhead shark occurring off eastern Australia. Nocturnal and bottom-dwelling, they favour rocky reefs and vegetated areas, hunting for sea urchins and other small organisms.