Zoo news – June 2024

This month the park is finally open for 7 days a week! The zoo was full of primary school tours learning about the fascinating animals, all who have all had their vaccinations, for another year!

Lemur love: Meet Whitney’s adorable new arrival!

Exciting news from Emerald Park’s Lemur Woods! Whitney, a young first-time mother, has welcomed a precious newborn, and the little one is thriving. The baby is doing great, clinging to Whitney as she moves gracefully through the trees. This adorable sight is sure to melt the hearts of our visitors. Watching the bond between is a real treat, and it’s a fantastic opportunity for guests to witness nature’s wonders up close. So, come visit Lemur Woods and share in the joy of this new life. A must see for lemur lovers and a beautiful addition to our park family!

Grazing for good: how Emerald Park’s animals boost biodiversity

At Emerald Park, our Ouessant Sheep, Pygmy Goats, Alpacas, Valais Blacknose Sheep, and Donkeys have a grand old time grazing on our lush grass. This conservation grazing is crucial as it keeps the animals happy and healthy while naturally trimming the grass. We rotate them across different areas, letting patches of grass rest and regrow. This gives pollinators like bees a chance to thrive and encourages wildflowers to bloom, boosting biodiversity.

We even let them graze in the carnivore enclosures while the big cats are snoozing in their house. When the cats come out, they get a sensory and mental boost from the scents of prey walking in their territory, just like in the wild. It’s a win-win: happy animals, beautiful flowers, and a buzzing park full of life! Come visit and see our happy grazers and blooming wildflowers in action!

Paw-some care: Emerald Park’s clever carnivores

At Emerald Park, our zoo keeping team, including our brilliant vet nurse, have worked wonders training our carnivores to actively participate in their own medical care. From bush dogs and binturongs to meerkats and our magnificent Amur tiger and Amur leopards, these clever animals have been trained to voluntarily receive vaccinations and other medical treatments.

Through positive reinforcement and patience, our team has made vet visits an stress-free experience for everyone involved. This remarkable training ensures our animals stay healthy and happy, showcasing the incredible bond between our keepers and the park’s wild residents. Come witness this extraordinary teamwork and see our dedicated team in action!

BIAZA’s Love Your Zoo Week – Celebrating our Animal Champions!

At the end of May our zookeepers, along with the Discovery and Learning staff, were delighted to be involved with BIAZA’s Love Your Zoo (LYZ) week. This important campaign occurs every year highlighting the wonderful work of BIAZA member zoos. This year the theme was Zoo Champions, and our staff spent the week showcasing some of their animal champions through activities and engagement in the zoo.

Primary school tours: inspiring the minds of future generations

For the month of June, our Discover and Learning department are busy bringing thousands of primary school students on tours of our zoo. Our expert tour guides look forward to June all year round as it gives us the opportunity to engage with the next generation of conservationists and allows us to share our passion for the animals in our amazing zoo. From our Birds of Prey, to our Tayra, to Edward’s Pheasant’s, students learn about lots of important subjects from evolution, adaptations, habitats, diets, the work of zoos, and much more. The opportunity to learn these essential topics outside the classroom, has led to many schools returning year on year.

If you would like to book a school tour, please check out our education section here.

Thanks for reading. Check back next month for more zoo updates!

The Emerald Park Zoo Team