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Nikki Hawes 
It is International Dawn Chorus Day on 1st May where people all over the world, from the UK to the Arctic and Caribbean, rise early to take a moment to appreciate nature’s finest music – birdsong. This event is believed to have been started in the 1980s when broadcaster and environmentalist, Chris Baines invited people … Read more
Indian subcontinent specialists Cox & Kings have launched a new tour focused on the wildlife of Madhya Pradesh – the area that inspired Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book. With the new live-action Jungle Book movie soon to be released in April, starring the voices of Bill Murray, Idris Elba and Scarlett Johansson, they are predicting … Read more
Sea Life Brighton, the world’s oldest operating aquarium, is once again pulling out all the stops with its latest attraction – the global debut of Secrets of the Reef. After 12 months of planning and four months of intensive preparation work, the breath-taking Secrets of the Reef will open to visitors on 24 March 2016, … Read more
In 2016, NAUSICAA, the French National Sea Centre in Boulogne-sur-Mer, is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Yes, twenty-five years of wonder and commitment… In keeping with tradition, Nausicaa will be marking this special occasion with a host of surprises and festivities. During the week of May 18th 2016, the anniversary date, a week long programme of … Read more
Living Coasts is moving some precious specimens – but keepers have to make sure they get the box the right way up! The cassiopea, or upside-down jellyfish, lives – as the name suggests – upside down, with its tentacles pointing upwards. Living Coasts Operations Manager Clare Rugg said: “They are found in aquariums but they … Read more
The Stratford Butterfly Farm is delighted to announce that it has not one, but two new Leafcutter Ant colonies, kindly donated from Butterfly World in St Albans. The ants have now settled into their new home in Arachnoland and Insect City and can be seen travelling backwards and forwards along ropes. Atta cephalotes are originally … Read more
The conservation charity, the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), have announced that preparations have begun to allow male polar bear Arktos to meet female polar bear Victoria for the first time. This is the latest and most exciting step in our efforts to support the European breeding programme for this at risk species, which … Read more
Play areas have to be built to last, whether they are for children – or gorillas. Paignton Zoo is improving three of its play areas for children – and at the same time, keepers have been rebuilding a climbing frame for even more demanding creatures – gorillas! The Zoo’s bachelor troop of Western lowland gorillas … Read more
Keepers at Longleat threw caution to the wind when they laid on a special romantic banquet treat for their troop of mischievous macaque monkeys in the run up to Valentine’s Day. The candlelit dinner included a variety of traditionally romantic dishes like melon, avocado, asparagus, strawberries and pomegranates as well as grapes and bananas. However, … Read more
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) is delighted to announce the development of a brand new and improved enclosure at RZSS Edinburgh Zoo for their pair of critically endangered Sumatran tigers. “Tiger Tracks” will launch in June 2016 and will be the new home for Jambi and Baginda, the adult breeding pair that experts … Read more
Trentham Monkey Forest, situated in Staffordshire, is completely unique to the UK. With 140 Barbary macaques living freely within the beautiful 60 acre woodland. Walk amongst the monkeys along the ¾ of a mile pathway and watch as the monkey antics unfold right in front of you. With no cages or bars to hinder your … Read more
Conservation charity, the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), has been awarded an additional £25,000 from players of People’s Postcode Lottery. The surprise funding will support the development of an enclosure for two red pandas that are confirmed to arrive at RZSS Edinburgh Zoo later this year. Players of People’s Postcode Lottery have awarded an … Read more
Twycross Zoo in Leicestershire has officially opened one of the largest gibbon facilities in Europe in its most ambitious development to date, Gibbon Forest. Covering about 4,000 square metres (nearly an acre), Gibbon Forest is ten times larger than the primates’ previous enclosure and is specially designed to replicate the natural forest environment of gibbons as … Read more
It’s a charity shop, but there are no racks of old clothes and dog-eared paperbacks here. Instead there are games, collectibles, cuddly snakes – and Indonesian friendship bracelets. The Living World shop at Paignton Zoo Environmental Park has just been refreshed, refurbished and rearranged to make it more open and more child-friendly. The shop, which … Read more
February marks the start of the Chinese year of the monkey and what better way to celebrate than the reopening of the award-winning Trentham Monkey Forest. The forest reopens on the 13th February with a special ‘Lovebirds’ weekend. Not only will it be your first chance to see how the babies have grown over the … Read more
Keepers at Drayton Manor Zoo are preparing for a wild Valentine’s Day as its pair of critically endangered Sumatran tigers simply can’t keep their paws off one another! With their strong muscles, stunning stripes and affectionate attitudes, it was lust at first sight for Dua and Dora who have not been able to get enough … Read more
There will be plenty of fun for all the family at Blackpool Zoo this February half-term! The chance to fly a barn owl, hand feed one of the zoo’s majestic giraffes and even meet and greet the family of Californian sealions are just a few of the daily animal encounters families can get involved in … Read more
During the spring half term from Saturday 13 – Sunday 21 February there will be an increase in the number of stunning butterflies flying within the flight area at Stratford Butterfly Farm. Normally there are around 1,500 butterflies but this will increase to over 2,000 due to the longer daylight hours and careful sourcing from … Read more
For many people, a holiday isn’t a holiday without their dog. If you are looking for the perfect dog-friendly getaway with a little bit of luxury and plenty of walks nearby, then Inn Places has the perfect spots for you. Inn Places has an online collection of boutique inns located around the UK which offer … Read more
Blackpool Zoo is celebrating the start of the Chinese Year of the Monkey by releasing some stunning pictures and footage of some of its most popular primates. All these cheeky monkeys call Blackpool home and are looking forward to welcoming visitors this year!
A key local charity has been celebrating the achievements of its volunteers. The dedicated band clocked up the equivalent of 3,000 working days during 2015. The Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust is the charity that runs Paignton Zoo Environmental Park, Living Coasts in Torquay and Newquay Zoo in Cornwall. The charity recently took time to thank … Read more
Gauntlet Bird of Prey Eagle and Vulture Park is home to over 120 birds of prey from 46 species, ranging from the smallest owls to the world’s largest eagles, making it the largest collection of its kind in the north west. There are also unusual species such as caracaras, seriemas and storks on display. Regular … Read more
The Raptor Foundation in Woodhurst, Cambridgeshire provides a rescue and rehabilitation service for injured birds of prey. It is also a permanent home to over 200 birds, ranging from owls to eagles. Visitors can enjoy close interaction with the birds at one of three daily flying displays, and with 40 different birds on the flying … Read more
Get up close to fabulous birds of prey at this great conservation and education centre situated on the edge of Loch Neagh in County Antrim in Northern Ireland. The sanctuary is run voluntarily by staff, so all proceeds from entry fees go towards the care and conservation of owls from around the world. There are … Read more
Longleat’s first Sky Safari will take place from 16th – 18th September 2016, and will see two mass ascensions of fifty hot air balloons from Longleat House’s Lawn, each day. One will take place in the morning and another in the early evening. During the day many of the balloons will be beautifying the sky … Read more
A conservationist from a Devon charity has made a crucial discovery in the rainforests of East Africa. She has discovered a new population of a rare species of toad previously only found in a single patch of forest less than half the size of a football pitch. Elena Tonelli is a PhD student from Manchester … Read more
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