The arrival of the cygnets at Abbotsbury Swannery
Discover Animals’ new roving reporter, Geoff Moore, presents the first of some fabulous films on wildlife attractions around the country with a visit to Abbotsbury Swannery in Dorset.
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A walk on the wild side at Paignton Zoo
Ashleigh Ridler from the Discover Animals team enjoyed a day out at the zoo last week and shares her experience here: Located in Devon, Paignton Zoo is one of the South West’s most exciting visitor attractions. It’s a place to roam, discover and get in touch with your inner animal. With over 2,500 animals across […]
A day out at Kent’s Port Lympne Reserve
We chose a beautiful sunny day in August to take the kids to Port Lympne wildlife park in Kent and enjoyed a great day out visiting some rare and endangered animals from around the world. Our tickets, booked in advance as required, allow visitors to choose half-hour arrival slots to ensure social distancing is maintained from […]
A visit to the Isle of Wight’s Monkey Haven
During a recent trip to the Isle of Wight, I visited Monkey Haven with my daughter – an award-winning animal sanctuary with charity status located a short drive from the island’s centre of Newport. On arrival, we were welcomed by friendly staff who handed us an activity booklet, packed full of fascinating facts and a […]
A visit to Monkey World Dorset
GTO’s Sarah Jeffery recently visited Monkey World Ape Rescue Centre in Dorset. Open every day of the year except Christmas Day, the rescue centre has assisted governments around the world to stop the smuggling of primates from the wild since it was set up by Jim Cronin in 1987. Monkey World was originally created to […]
Wildlife in the Cotswolds
As part of a recent holiday to the Cotswolds, Discover Animals’ Editorial Director Abbe Bates paid a visit to the Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens in Burford with her family. The 160-acre site is a mix of beautiful landscaped gardens and parkland, animal enclosures, aviaries, insect and reptile houses, farmyard, and adventure playgrounds. Its beginnings […]
A visit to Chimpanzee Eden at Twycross
Val Baynton from the Discover Animals team was invited to the official launch of Chimpanzee Eden at Twycross Zoo last month, and tells us more about her visit here. The first five years of a 25-year plan, which will see £55million invested in improving the infrastructure at Twycross Zoo in Leicestershire, has been completed with […]
Marwell’s spectacular new Tropical House revealed
Marwell Zoo in Hampshire unveiled its spectacular new ‘Energy for Life’ Tropical House this week and I attended a preview to experience this sustainable, ground breaking project for myself. Costing £8m to build and constructed using the same state-of-the-art technology as the Eden Project, the new exhibit is housed under a huge curved roof spanning two levels, […]
A day out at Drusillas Park
We visited Drusillas Park in Alfriston, East Sussex on a beautiful, sunny half-term day, which made for a perfect family outing. My eight-year-old daughter had been very excited at the idea of seeing lots of animals, especially the cotton-top tamarins and their new babies, who were easy to spot clinging to their mothers’ back. A handy animal spotter […]
A visit to Raystede Animal Sanctuary Sussex
Raystede is an animal charity and welfare centre based in Ringmer, East Sussex. Relying entirely on donations, the sanctuary rescue, shelter and re-home unwanted and abandoned animals. I recently visited Raystede to see how the centre operates its 43 acre site. Open to the public, the centre houses many animals, including goats, rabbits, dogs, cats […]
West Midland Safari win top attraction award
Discover Animals were proud sponsors of the Best Animal or Sea Life Attraction at the Group Travel Awards which took place on Friday 2nd June at the Park Plaza Riverbank Hotel, London. The annual award ceremony celebrates the very best in the group travel industry and this event was particularly special as it marked 21 years […]
Up close at Longleat
Sarah Jeffery from the Discover Animals team recently spent a day exploring Longleat Safari Park in Wiltshire with her daughter Caitlin. It had been a few years since the pair last visited, so they were excited to see what was new. ‘Marvellous Monsters’ is a new outdoor exhibition for 2017 and features 20 larger-than-life animatronic […]
A VIP day out at West Midland Safari Park
Sarah Jeffery of the Discover Animals team was recently invited to attend a special VIP Experience Tour with her family at West Midland Safari & Leisure Park in Bewdley, Worcestershire. The park’s VIP Tours are a unique treat for animal lovers that want to see what goes on behind the scenes. Accompanied by Dave Higgin, […]
Play and learn at Drusillas
I was able to make a return visit to Drusillas Park in Alfriston, East Sussex, recently with my family. There is so much to do there for a full day out, I am always very impressed. With my son Herbie always interested in the animals on show, we were able to use the Animal Spotter Books that can […]
Stay amongst the wildlife at Port Lympne Reserve
In early March, Kent-based animal attraction Port Lympne Reserve revealed its new Pinewood Camping Pods – the park’s latest accommodation option – and I was there at the official opening. Situated in a prime position opposite the leopard enclosures, the 10 cosy pods are each equipped with two single beds, a double futon, and power and […]
Jurassic seas in Brighton
The world’s oldest operating aquarium – Sea Life Brighton – recently opened a new feature, Jurassic Seas, looking at the underwater age of the dinosaurs, and I was pleased to be invited to the press launch with my husband, Rich, and son, Herbie. The new section is part of the ongoing £10 million refurbishment project […]
Getting the most from a wonderful animal adventure
Discover Animals wants to help you get the really best animal experiences. One of the trips of a lifetime for many people is an African safari, to see unique, unusual and often endangered species in their natural environment. Peter Stonham has recently returned from a fantastic trip to East Africa and has come back with […]
Taking flight at Leeds Castle
I was lucky enough to meet Pringle the Tawny Owl from Leeds Castle’s falconry on my visit to this year’s Excursions, the annual group travel exhibition held at London’s Alexandra Palace. Found in England, Scotland and Wales, Tawny Owls are responsible for the characteristic courtship ‘twit-twooo’, which is actually a duet between male and females. […]
Have you ever heard of a ‘walker’ shark?
I visited the French National Sealife Centre, Nausicaa, in Boulogne and was introduced on a back stage tour with keeper Simon Becue to a ‘walker’ shark. Actually called epaulette sharks, they get their nickname from the way they ‘walk’ along the sea bed by wriggling their bodies and pushing with their fins rather than swimming. The […]
Borneo adventures
On my summer holidays, I travelled to South East Asia to conquer Malaysian Borneo’s mighty Mount Kinabalu and explore the unique and beautiful wildlife of the island. After flying into the city of Kota Kinabalu, I headed to Kinabalu Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to Mount Kinabalu, which at 4,095 metres is the highest […]
Got to taste some of ZSL London Zoo’s Butter Fudge recently. It’s palm oil free, which is good news as there’s been a lot of controversy recently over palm oil use. It is the most popular vegetable oil used in one in 10 supermarket products but comes from large plantations that grow in the same areas where […]