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Last week, 38 rare hazel dormice were reintroduced into the heart of the National Forest by wildlife charity People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES), the National Trust and partners, in an attempt to save this endangered species from extinction in the UK. The golden-coated, bright-eyed dormice were released into a large, secluded woodland on the … Read more
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 … Read more
‘Hold Your Gaze’ Donovan Lewis, Blue Planet Aquarium – Winner ‘Work behind the scenes’ Pensive monkeys, endangered frogs, and a close encounter with a shark are among the winning images selected by judges for this year’s British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) photography competition. Open to zoo or aquarium staff and volunteers only, the winning … Read more
Wildlife parks and zoos around the country reopened their gates for the first time in months last week as the government eased its lockdown restrictions. This move was greeted with much excitement by the venues who could at last welcome back visitors to enjoy a great day out while raising vital funds to cover essential … Read more
A pair of critically-endangered lemurs have arrived at Paignton Zoo in Devon. With their thick, grey-brown fur and beady amber eyes, the Alaotran gentle lemur resembles a teddy bear in appearance. However, these small primates can be feisty in nature, and it is their Latin name Hapalemur which derives from the Greek word for “gentle”. In the wild, … Read more
Famous for its bright red feathers, the scarlet ibis is one of the most striking birds in the world. Keepers at Paignton Zoo have successfully bred this colourful wading bird – although the chicks are anything but scarlet at the moment. Originating from South America and the Caribbean, the scarlet ibis get their dazzling plumage from … Read more
Paignton Zoo in Devon has successfully bred two protected Mexican beaded lizards – a first for the environmental park – with zoo photographer Elliye Stobbart on hand to capture the incredible moment one egg hatched. This particular species of beaded lizard – also known as Heloderma horridum – is venomous and found mainly in Mexico and southern … Read more
Well known for its flock of Chilean flamingos, Paignton Zoo Environmental Park in Devon has welcomed its first flamingo chicks in six years. Recently hatched, the two small, pale and fluffy chicks are now being looked after by their parents and protected from both the weather and predatory gulls. It will be a while before … Read more
Paignton Zoo Environmental Park in Devon has become the first member of BIAZA (British and Irish Association of Zoos) to have successfully bred a Chinese crocodile lizard. This small, semiaquatic lizard is found only in the provinces of southern China and northern Vietnam and is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List due to … Read more
Paignton Zoo Environmental Park in Devon has welcomed four blue tree monitor lizards to its reptile collection. One of only three zoo’s in the UK with the species, Paignton’s blue tree monitors are a first for the charity zoo. With long, slender claws, snaking tail and unnatural colouring, the blue tree monitor is as strange … Read more
Paignton Zoo in Devon is home to a pair of Parson’s chameleons, the largest of the species in the world. Found only in isolated pockets of humid forest in Madagascar, the Parson’s chameleon has a strange appearance with swivelling eyes and a rapid-fire tongue longer than it’s own body which can hit prey in about … Read more
Staff at Paignton Zoo Environmental Park in Devon have successfully bred an endangered Peruvian frog, making them the first zoo in the world to do so. Also known as the Summers’ poison frog, this particular frog was only named in 2008 when it was separated from the red headed poison frog and identified as a … Read more
Paignton Zoo, Devon, welcomed the arrival of a new baby giraffe last week. Born on the morning of Wednesday 19th April to mother Sangha, the young female joins a herd of six other giraffes at Paignton. The zoo’s giraffe house has been closed for the last few days, to allow mother and calf to bond. … Read more
Paignton Zoo’s South American maned wolves are rearing a litter of three pups, the first for the zoo in seven years. Born towards the end of February, the pups were not seen by keepers for nearly four week due to their elusive nature. They have become much easier to spot now though since becoming bigger … Read more
A seal at Living Coasts in Devon has received crucial medical treatment from South Devon veterinary experts. South American fur seal Grace was first given slow-release implants in 2011 to control her immune system, which causes problems with her eyes. These implants were replaced in September 2014 – and now she has had the procedure again. … Read more
A new exhibit at Paignton Zoo in Devon aims to expose an unexpected side to an often misunderstood creature. The zoo has received 40 Indian social spiders from Reaseheath College in Cheshire. There are more than 50,000 species of spider in the world but just a few hundred of these exhibit social behaviours. Andy Meek, … Read more
Conservationists in Nigeria supported by a Devon charity have taken the first photographs of chimpanzees in a region not widely recognised for its wildlife. The Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust, which runs Paignton Zoo, Living Coasts and Newquay Zoo, supports conservation work in the forests of South West Nigeria as a partner in the Omo-Shasha-Oluwa (OSO) Forest Initiative. The Initiative … 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
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
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
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
A new female cheetah has arrived at Paignton Zoo. Jahzara has come from Beekse Bergen Safari Park, in the Netherlands, where she was born on 7th December 2013. Paignton Zoo is now home to three cheetah: two year old Jahzara joins male Kasai, who is 11 and female Isantya, who is 4. Cheetah live on … Read more
A tiger named Fabi has arrived at Paignton Zoo Environmental Park. Eight-year-old male Sumatran tiger Fabi has come to Devon from Chester Zoo. Fabi moved to Chester from Prague Zoo in 2009. He is a proven breeder, having fathered seven cubs with Chester’s resident female, Kirana – who was born at Paignton Zoo in 2006. … Read more
Tis the season to be woolly… People love Christmas jumpers, so why not rhinos? Volunteers at Paignton Zoo in Devon have knitted an over-sized pullover for a life-sized rhino sculpture. A team of 13 volunteers started knitting and crocheting in July, in between their usual volunteer duties. Every knitter created at least 6 squares in … Read more
Paignton Zoo is sending rhinos to all corners of the UK. The full-size sculptures are part of The Great Big Rhino Project and are on their way to artists across the country thanks to Torbay Clearance Services. The company is delivering rhinos to expectant artists in the North West of England, London and the South … Read more
This little chap keeps on smiling, despite the dire threats to his species…. The black marsh turtle (Siebenrockiella crassicollis) is a freshwater turtle from South East Asia. Its powerful jaws have a jaunty upward curve to them, earning it the appealing common name of ‘smiling terrapin’. However, there’s not much to smile about. The species … Read more
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