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Today is World Lion Day and what better way to visit these majestic creatures than in the wild in South Africa. Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, which covers 441 square miles of the southern Kalahari, has opened its new Loapi tented camp in the country. Tswalu is unique in that it has a foundation dedicated to research that … Read more
Witches and wizards, creatures of the night and gruesome creepy-crawlies; read our pick of the best places to visit to keep your little horrors entertained this Halloween and half-term holiday! Please note: all venues covered in this guide require tickets to be booked in advance – see individual websites for further details. Join West Midland Safari Park … 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
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
West Midland Safari Park has started work on the first phase of a brand-new development, due to open this summer, offering guests the opportunity to stay overnight within its cheetah and African elephant reserves. A first for the UK, eight luxury ‘Safari Lodges’ will be integrated into newly-updated animal habitats, designed to give guests an … Read more
Great Island Adventure Safaris is based in Antananarivo in Madagascar and offers tailor-made tours to explore the island, still relatively unknown to visitors from the UK and Europe. The company specialises in birding, wildlife watching, trekking and ‘off the beaten track’ wilderness adventures. Fifty National Parks and nature reserves provide ample opportunity for nature discovery … Read more
Africa is perhaps the first destination one thinks of when considering where to view endangered species in the wild, whether that be on a safari drive or a jungle trek. Abbe Bates explores the opportunities. West Africa Namibia Namibia is the last place on the planet where black rhino roam freely – one of the … Read more
Visitors to ZSL Whipsnade Zoo will come face to face with a collection of huge, animal LEGO brick creations this Easter. The Great Brick Safari opens to the public on Saturday 6th April and features some unbelievably realistic LEGO brick beasts including a silverback gorilla, hyena, meerkats, penguins and a lion with two playful cubs. … Read more
Bespoke tour operator Vivid Travel is offering an alternative take on the traditional Kenyan safari as they focus their holiday experience from the skies. For the perfect way to view the Great Migration, hop aboard a hot air balloon in the Maasai Mara for an awe-inspring safari in the clouds. During the summer up to … Read more
The Little Book of Safari Animal Sounds by Andrea Pinnington and Caz Buckingham landed on our desks in the Discover Animals office recently and I took it home for my two children (5 and 1) to review! Through this fact-packed guide, readers can discover the unexpected call of the Plains Zebra, feel a chill when listening … Read more
One of the biggest litters of successfully reared cheetahs in the UK will make their first public appearance at Longleat later this month. The four cheetah cubs, who were born at the safari park in August, are all being cared for by their mum Wilma and making excellent progress. This is the largest number of … Read more
A group of male spotted hyenas – collectively known as a ‘cackle’ – can now be seen in a new drive-through enclosure at Longleat Safari Park. These magnificent sub-Saharan hunters are known as ‘laughing’ hyenas due to the bizarre giggling sounds they make when excited. The ‘laugh’ is one of up to 12 different vocalisations the … Read more
Knowsley Safari in Merseyside will be launching their brand new £1.4 million Amur Tiger Trail to the public this Friday 25 May, just in time for half term. The new 10,000 m2 habitat, the biggest development Knowsley has made since launching, will be home to big cat sisters Sinda and Bira. The pair has been busy exploring their … Read more
Longleat in Wiltshire will be home to some of the planet’s most remarkable predators from this weekend, Saturday 24th March. Visitors to the safari park will be able to watch in awe as a dozen highly-realistic animatronic creatures come to life as part of the thrilling new Predators attraction. Let your imagination run wild as you come face … Read more
Knowsley Safari in Merseyside celebrated the arrival of an endangered white rhino calf last weekend. Following a 16 month pregnancy, the new yet to be named male was born to mother Meru. Weighing in at a whopping 10 stone, the new arrival is Meru’s eighth calf and joins the crash of seven white rhino at … Read more
Keepers at West Midland Safari Park welcomed a tiny new addition earlier this month — a baby pancake tortoise. The little one, who hatched on 3rd July and is a first for the park, has been named Finn and is about the size of a 50 pence coin. The pancake tortoise is known for being slow … Read more
Colchester Zoo will be running a series of late night events over the summer as they extend their opening times and offer visitors the chance to see wildlife after hours. As the heat of the day subsides, watch animals like the Amur leopards, tigers, hyenas and anteaters spring to life in the cool evening air, … Read more
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 … Read more
West Midland Safari Park will be hosting a week of fundraising activities this month dedicated to the protection and conservation of lions. Protect Lions Week runs from 17-25 June and aims to highlight the threat lions face in the wild and also bring attention to the important work the safari park does with its own … Read more
Keepers at Longleat Safari Park in Wiltshire have put six month old rare cheetah cubs, Poppy and Winston, through their paces to test how fast they can run. A speeding lure was set up, similar to those used at greyhound races, to allow the cubs to try out their hunting skills. Cheetahs are the world’s … Read more
West Midland Safari Park have been busy preparing for their annual Easter event, and the animals have been getting involved in the celebrations too. For this year’s Easter Eggstravaganza, which runs until the 23rd of April, keepers have been tasked with making Easter-themed enrichment for the animals in their care. The park’s mob of mischievous … Read more
A rare Rothschild’s giraffe has been born at West Midland Safari Park in Worcestershire – the third baby welcomed into the herd in just six months. The six-foot-tall baby boy is son to first time mum, five year old Arusha. He joins playmates, Embu and Emali, who were born in August and September 2016. Rothschild’s … Read more
Following the success of last year’s ‘Animal Park: Summer Special’, which celebrated the 50th anniversary of Longleat Safari Park and won viewing figures of 1.65 million, presenters Kate Humble and Ben Fogle return to Longleat to film a major 15-part series of Animal Park for the BBC. Longleat’s CEO, Bob Montgomery, said: “We’re delighted to … Read more
‘Safari’ is a Swahili word for ‘to travel’. And because of that etymology, the term is most closely associated with wildlife-spotting journeys in Africa. But it’s possible to head north, to the countries closest to the Arctic Circle, for a snow safari or ‘snowfari’. Explore the winter wildernesses of Scandinavia, Lapland, Iceland and Alaska by … Read more
West Midland Safari Park enlisted some extra help this year for the festive season in the form of 60 elves, who have been very busy indeed! Lead by a completely new role — head elf — the team of Santa’s little helpers worked extremely hard transforming the park’s Discovery Trail into a winter wonderland, ready … Read more
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