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Following a bumper year for conservation breeding at Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire, keepers have begun the mammoth task of taking all of the weights and measurements across the zoo. From giant giraffes to tiny cheetah cubs, every weight and measurement is recorded to help keepers and veterinarians monitor the health and wellbeing of the animals … Read more
While stargazers were searching the skies for the Leonids meteor display last month, zookeepers at Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire were observing their own other-worldly spectacle – the birth of a giraffe calf. After a 15-month gestation period, the female reticulated giraffe calf was born to aptly named mum Luna at 8:50am on Tuesday 18th November, … Read more
A trio of rare Northern African lion cubs have been born at Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire, marking a huge conservation success for the vulnerable subspecies. Born to three-year-old lioness Winta, and three-year-old dad Malik, the litter of three arrived on 25th November 2024. Footage captured by the conservation zoo‘s ‘cub cam’ CCTV shows attentive mum … Read more
Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire has welcomed a second endangered reticulated giraffe calf, just a few weeks after the arrival of another. The baby boy, an important addition to the conservation breeding programme, was born to mum Luna and dad Bashu on Monday 15th July, just three weeks after fellow mum Ijuma had her baby girl … Read more
A Cape porcupine family at the UK’s largest zoo has grown from three to four, with a spiky new baby joining the prickle – with the little one starting to venture outside just in time for Mother’s Day. Mum Kimya gave birth to the baby, known as a porcupette, at 3.34AM on 13th February 2024 … Read more
Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire is inviting kids to live out their dreams and spend the night at soft play, with the launch of Hullaba-snooze – a brand new sleepover experience at Whipsnade Zoo‘s Hullabazoo indoor play. Spending the evening within roaring distance of the zoo’s amazing animals, groups of 20 or more can bed down … Read more
A tiny baby Cape porcupine has been caught on camera tucking into carrots and tomatoes and exploring its new home, as Whipsnade zookeepers shared behind the scenes video of the spiky new addition, which was born at the conservation zoo in Bedfordshire in August. Keeper Steve Merrick-White said the Cape porcupine baby’s birth in … Read more
In celebration of World Elephant Day today, Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire has released fascinating footage to offer a unique insight into their herd of Asian elephants‘ nocturnal habits and encourage support for their work protecting the Endangered species. Night vision cameras at Whipsnade Zoo‘s Centre for Elephant Care show 11-month-old Asian elephant Nang Phaya crawling … Read more
Wallabies backlit by the setting sun, rhinos enjoying twilight snacks and aardvarks scampering outside at dusk are all snapped in a set of photos taken by zookeepers that give a peek at life beyond closing time at Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire – something visitors will be able to experience for themselves on ‘Summer Saturday’ evenings. … Read more
A flamingo chick at Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire has been adopted by new parents after being abandoned as an egg – first spending a month in an incubator where dedicated zookeepers could ensure the hatchling’s survival. Whipsnade Zoo birdkeeper Emily Merrick-White said the team had rescued the abandoned egg and monitored it for 32 days … Read more
Have you got what it takes to win the Whipsnade Zoo Top Trumps crown? This May half term and beyond, families are invited to the conservation zoo to play the wildest game of giant Top Trumps yet. From Saturday 27th May to Sunday 2nd July, children can face-off against the conservation zoo in the ultimate … Read more
In a UK first, Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire is inviting visitors to get closer to wildlife and ‘Meet our Common Hippos’ Hodor and Lola – as part of an exciting new experience at the conservation zoo. From Thursday 4th May, hippo fanatics will be able to join expert zookeepers behind-the-scenes at the UK’s largest zoo … Read more
Aspiring young vets can put their animal care skills to the test at both Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire and London Zoo this February half-term with Vets in Action, an inspirational role-playing experience for children. From Saturday 11th to Sunday 19th February, during an action-packed week of activities, kids can experience first-hand what it takes to … Read more
With the welcome news that wildlife parks and zoos can reopen this month, we take a look at what’s happening where and report on our favourite places to visit to discover animals.
ZSL London and Whipsnade Zoos have extended their popular virtual story events until the end of March, offering families a unique opportunity to hear much-loved animal tales at bedtime. Giving the country’s home-schooling heroes a night off, zookeepers will read a series of six well-loved and new titles by Simon & Schuster Children’s Books, kicking … Read more
ZSL Whipsnade Zoo welcomed a six-foot-tall giraffe calf to the world last week on what staff are calling a ‘day of hope’. The female calf, born to mum Luna following a 15-month gestation period, arrived during the early hours of Tuesday 8th December – the same day the first COVID-19 vaccine was given to 90-year-old Margaret Keenan. In recognition of the … Read more
A nine-year-old Amur tiger named Botzman has been welcomed by Highland Wildlife Park after moving to Scotland last month from his former home at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo. Wildlife conservation charity The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland hope the park’s current female Dominika and the new arrival will breed in the future. Amur tigers are endangered … Read more
A colony of sea lions famous for appearing in a television documentary about life at two Zoological Society of London zoos will be heading to a new home in Yorkshire later this year. The six sea lions – male Dominic, 13, and females, Lara, 12, and Bailey,13, and two-year-old youngsters, Hanno, Oakley and Maui – … Read more
A pair of Asian short-clawed otters have been ‘otterly inseparable’ since being introduced to each other by keepers at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo two weeks ago. Six-year-old Ernie and two-year-old Carol arrived from separate UK collections as part of a breeding programme for the vulnerable species, with keepers hopeful they will produce young soon. Since arriving, two … Read more
Following the government’s announcement that zoos can reopen to visitors from Monday 15th June, staff at ZSL’s London Zoo and Whipsnade Zoo have been busy preparing to welcome guests back through their gates. After three months of closure and lost revenue, numerous measures are now in place to ensure that the Zoos are safe, inspiring … Read more
The arrival of an endangered Przewalski’s wild horse foal has been greeted with much excitement by keepers at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo who shared the first images of the youngster this week. Born to mum Charlotte behind closed gates on 13th April, during the nationwide lockdown, the female foal is doing well and often seen racing around … Read more
Looking for wildlife inspired days out with the kids next week? We’ve selected some great places to visit for unusual experiences this holiday. Children visiting ZSL London Zoo are in for a treat this half-term holiday as they get the chance to go behind the scenes and find out what it takes to be a zoo vet for … Read more
Each year, keepers at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo take on the mammoth task of counting every animal for their annual stocktake – a process every zoological collection in Britain undertakes as a zoo license requirement. Home to over 2,500 animals, Whipsnade is the UK’s largest Zoo and last week keepers dusted off their clipboards and calculators … Read more
Keepers at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo are celebrating the birth of a baby rhino this week, with the bundle of joy arriving just in time for Christmas! Born to parents Behan and Hugo on December 8th, the female greater one-horned rhino weighed 70kg on arrival – more than twenty times the average human baby! The new … Read more
A brand new Aquarium dedicated to conserving threatened and extinct-in-the-wild freshwater fish opened at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo this week. Ahead of the launch, award-winning wildlife photographer and BBC Countryfile expert Jack Perks captured some stunning shots of the Zoo’s newest residents. The new Aquarium – the first of its kind in the UK – includes … Read more
The UK’s first aquarium dedicated to conserving the world’s most endangered freshwater fish is due to open at ZSL Whipsnade this summer. Visitors will be able to explore ten of the planet’s most extreme and fascinating aquatic habitats, as they come face-to-face with some of the rarest and most unique fish species in existence. The … Read more
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