Zoo news – January 2025

Although the park was closed in January there was lots going on behind the scenes, from health checks to enclosure maintenance the zoo team were kept very busy. Due to the diligent hard work of the zoo ensuring the animals were safe during storm Eowyn, the zoo suffered minimal damage and all of our animals remained safe during the storm.

Recruitment drive: Discovery and Learning visits Dunboyne College to talk about some job opportunities on the Zoo team!

January is a busy time for preparations, and we are busy getting ready for the 2025 season which includes searching for the best people to join our zoo team!

Our Discovery and Learning manager attended the careers fair at Dunboyne college of further education to chat to students about job opportunities for the summer. The Discovery and Learning team carry out a wide range of activities both formal and informal to engage with visitors and educate them on the incredible work of zoos and the amazing animals that live here.

Follow this link to read about some of the opportunities that we have for the 2025 season.

D&L manager Leah set up at the careers fair at Dunboyne College

Donkeys get a manicure: farrier visits the Sicilian Donkeys keeping them looking their best and keeping them healthy

This month our head of Sicilian donkeys had a visit from the farrier to check on their feet. This is an essential husbandry technique that ensures the donkeys feet are healthy. Regular checks from the farrier are a preventative measure to avoid the risk of infection or disease. Unattended hooves can lead to lots of different problems for ungulates (animals with hooves).

Did you know that hooves are toes?

Over millions of years ungulates, like donkeys and horses, have evolved to walk on their toes due to the lengthening of their legs, allowing them to run faster. These toes have become enlarged to become what we know as today’s hooves.

Jack & Delila playing with a bucket lid after having their hooves tended to by the farrier.

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

The Emerald Park Zoo Team