It's Toddle time!

Thousands of youngsters from across the West Midlands stepped out in style when they joined the biggest ever Barnardo's Toddle at DZG.

The three-day event, now in its eleventh year at the Zoo, attracted more than 4,000 under-fives plus parents and teachers.

New arrivals woo Zoo visitors...

New arrivals at DZG are keeping staff busy .

Newcomers include Keyah, a highly endangered Rothschild's giraffe born on June 11, plus reindeer, meerkats, ducklings and four rare Lady Amherst's pheasants.

Chief Executive, Peter Suddock, said: "All of the babies are doing well and settling into their family groups."

"Keyah made her public debut this weekend and was an instant hit with the visitors. She is gaining confidence daily and loves to be out in the paddock where she can see everyone."

Keyah, an African name, means 'good health' and was chosen by Assistant Curator, Richard Brown, who was one of the first keepers to see the youngster just hours after her birth.

She is the offspring of Churchill and Kora. The gestation period for the species is almost 15 months (453 days).

Minister for the West Midlands, Liam Byrne MP, met rare Rothschild's giraffes at DZG when he visited the site as a guest of the biannual St Thomas's Community Games.

Plea for Zoo memories...

Staff at Dudley Zoological Gardens (DZG) are asking local folk for their memories of the leading Black Country tourist attraction as the Castle Hill site celebrates its 70th anniversary.

Chief Executive, Peter Suddock said: "Over the years we've heard all sorts of stories and anecdotes about the site, many of them dating back to the zoo's very early days, but the one era we're not sure of is the period during the war years, between 1939 and 1945."

"There are very few reports about that time, although we do know that military service released many of the keepers and their roles were filled by a Mums Army of local women who took over the keeping posts until the end of the war. There's even a newspaper cutting about chickens being kept in the enclosures either side of the lion house, oblivious to their neighbour's roaring!"

"Apparently, during that time the collection grew rather than diminished as the zoo acquired animals from private collections as owners struggled to cope with food rationing. But that never was a problem at Dudley as records reveal regular food donations from kind hearted locals who wanted to support the zoo during those hard times."

Opened in May 1937, the zoo was branded the most modern in Europe - boasting a 3,000-strong animal and bird collection many of them housed in revolutionary Art Deco Tecton buildings which promoted a 'zoo without bars'.

The official opening day attendance on May 18 was 50,445, but 30,000 were turned away, and press reports state more than 250,000 would-be visitors tried to gain entrance, with many of them giving up after sitting in a six-people-deep mile-long queue. The report adds there was general chaos in Dudley town centre as the entire police force was called on to deal with the crowds!

Mr Suddock added:"We've had all sorts of memorabilia donated to us over the years, including books, cine footage and photographs, plus old guide brochures. There's also been an assortment of crockery and cutlery handed in which visitors 'borrowed' from the tea rooms and restaurant."

"We're keen to hear anyone's memories of the zoo during that time, which, hopefully, will help us fill in the gaps of that period."

Last month's announcement of a £5 million boost secures a bright future for DZG as the award winning tourist attraction enters its 70th anniversary year, and came as zoo chiefs were planning a busy programme to mark seven decades at the Castle Hill site.

Mr Suddock, said: "The timing couldn't have been better, this money is key to a massive revamp which will transform DZG into a world class attraction, and for it to have come in our 70th anniversary year is the icing on the cake."

Mr Suddock added: "We have all sorts of exciting plans in the pipeline to mark our big birthday, including memorabilia exhibitions, the launch of associated retail products plus a summer concert by classical diva, Katherine Jenkins."

The revamp programme kicks off with the Easter opening of a £50,000 Monkey Tails walkthrough rainforest experience which has been designed in-house and will feature endangered primates.

Mr Suddock said: "Monkey Tails continues our response to visitors' requests to get closer to rare animals, and also carries on the transformation of DZG."

Dudley Zoological Gardens is open daily from 10am to 4pm. For further details contact 01384 215313.

Marketing Assistant, David Lavender, is aiming to raise cash for DZG's Madagascar Project through an eight-mile fun run around Sutton Park.

He said: "I have been working on the project with local schools for the past few months and know how much the cash is needed out in Madagascar, so I decided to do my bit to help with a sponsored run.

I'm hoping lots of animal fans will sponsor me to raise funds for the project."

The programme was launched last autumn at the Castle Hill tourist attraction and sees local pupils forming a partnership with the zoo and a school in Madagascar.

Members of DZG's Education Department visit schools across the Midlands spreading the message about conservation and highlighting the plight of lemurs who are a native species of Madagascar currently threatenened by habitat destruction and hunting on the island.

DZG has one of the largest collections of lemurs in Europe, based in a one-acre woodland walkthrough which is home to more than 30 of the enigmatic creatures. The group includes ring-tailed, collared, black-and-white and red-ruffed lemurs. The zoo also donates two-and-a-half thousand dollars each year to the project.

To sponsor David Lavender call 01384 215301 or email david.marketing@dudleyzoo.org.uk for more details.

Boo at the Zoo!

Marketing staff are hoping to sow seeds of success with their latest eco project.

Staff are urging local schoolchildren to test their green fingers and grow pumpkins for Halloween.

Marketing Manager, Julia Lockett, explained: "I know it seems very early to be thinking about Halloween, but the pumpkin seeds need to be sown NOW

"We are inviting schoolchildren to grow their own pumpkins and bring them to the Zoo on October 31 and November 1 to join our Halloween fun.

"The school with the best carved and biggest pumpkin will win a visit from our intrepid explorer, Dr Dudley along with a collection of small tame animals."

She added: "All pumpkins brought back to us will be used for enrichment purposes and to help feed our animals so they will be put to good use!"

There will be prizes for the best carved & biggest pumpkin including a 'VIP family day out' with an opportunity to feed our rare Rothschild's giraffes!

Pumpkin Seeds are on sale for £1 per packet from the Zoo's Safari Gift Shop.

Bears invade Zoo...

Staff at Dudley Zoological Gardens saw hundreds of bears in the courtyard as youngsters from across the West Midlands joined Paddington's Picnic.

More than 1,200 children and parents - plus teddies - signed up Bring Your Bear Day which celebrated Paddington's 50th birthday and raised cash for his favourite charities.

The £2 entrance fee was split between Touching Tiny Lives, which funds research to help prevent life-threatening pregnancy complications and reduce premature births, and DZG's vital conservation programmes with some of the world's rarest animals.

DZG CEO, Peter Suddock, said: "It was a busy day with hundreds of youngsters on site and lots of activities throughout the day including songs and games and storytime plus the chance to meet some of our animals."

"There were lots of bears in the courtyard, but there were plenty of keepers around to make sure they were all well behaved, and there was also an opportunity to see DZG's Dr Dudley feeding our own very rare Asiatic bears."

Pingu p..p..p..picked up a few pressies to celebrate his seventeenth birthday when the rare Humboldt's penguin and his large family, including a clutch of newly-hatched chicks, marked his big day with a special fishy breakfast.

And 24 hours later zoo staff celebrated World Penguin Day with Creature Features and feeds with the site's 80-strong colony.

DZG Curator, Matt Lewis, said: "Pingu was one of just five highly endangered Humboldt's penguins which started off DZG's successful breeding programme for the species in the 1990s, which makes him a great, great, great, great grandfather."

"The original group had to be hand reared to guarantee survival, but now we have one of the largest parent-reared colonies in Europe, and birds from DZG have helped start Humboldt�s families across the UK."

DZG's colony has had an extra boost this year with 14 chicks hatched this spring.

Matt added: "Our breeding programme is part os a major international conservation project for this species and we are very proud of our success. "

Three times a winner in tourism awards. . .

DZG staff celebrated a triple win in the prestigious Black Country Tourism awards.

Trophies included Silver in the Large Visitor Attraction section and Bronze in both Website of the Year and Successful Event (Halloween Trick or Treat).

CEO, Peter Suddock, said:
"We are delighted to have been successful yet again in these high profile awards. DZG has taken top awards every year since the event was launched in 2005 and we are proud to be a part of this important occasion."

Learning through play....

Youngsters from across the West Midlands were asked to spread a little animal magic with a series of workshops at DZG.

Holiday activities included constructing enrichment toys for some of the site's 165 species.

CEO, Peter Suddock, said:
"Around a hundred children from across the region joined the enrichment workshops where they used their imagination, and a variety of foodstuffs, to reproduce feeding in the wild."

"The workshops gave the children an opportunity to use their creative skills and learn about DZG's conservation projects with some of the world's rarest animals at the same time."

First lamb of spring....

meet baby Mia and her keeper

DZG1s first lamb of 2008 is settling in well with her family group.

Curator, Matt Lewis, said the Cameroon youngster, named Mia, had had a safe delivery and was getting used to her family members.

He said: "The baby has been accepted by the family group and is already a favourite with DZG1s visitors, particularly the children".

Mia is the offspring of Mortimer and Muriel.

Jorong celebrates St Patrick's Day at DZG...

Staff at Dudley Zoological Gardens celebrated St Patrick's Day with a special delivery from Ireland.

Twelve-year-old orang utan, Jorong, has transferred from Dublin Zoo as part of a breeding programme for this highly endangered species.

CEO Peter Suddock, said: "Jorong is a proven male and has a very important bloodline, as do our two females, Azzimat and Jazz."

"We have a good breeding record for this rare species and hopefully, this will continue with Jorong's arrival."

Primate keeper, Mark Dugmore, travelled to Dublin to meet Jorong and spent several days chatting to staff about the orang's history and care.

Mr Suddock added: "Jorong is a splendid creature with quite a character and has already settled in well with the group and will no doubt become a real favourite with our visitors."

International rugby player tackles spider fears...

Long legged hairy beasts usually pose no problem for International Rugby player, Lewis Moody.

But when the England flanker faced a Chilean red kneed spider at DZG he found himself on shaky ground.

Lewis, 29, was taking part in an arachnophobia session in a bid to tackle his spider fears. He said: "If I see a spider in the bath I shout for my wife to take it away - I just can't stand them."

The Leicester Tigers player spent four hours at the Castle Hill site where DZG Education Presenter, David Riley, talked him through his fears, explaining spider behaviour and anatomy before teaching him breathing exercises and a mantra . . .and introducing him to a tarantula named Chilli.

David said: "Lewis was in control throughout the session and there was a code for him to use if he wanted me to take Chilli away, but he was fine and remembered what we had covered in the session and he actually managed to hold her in his hands for several minutes."

Lewis said: "When the spider was placed on my hand I could hardly feel it it was so light. I couldn't bear to look at it at first, but I used the mantra to stay in control and I was OK."

Reporters, photographers and cameramen from The Times, Daily Star, Metro and an international news agency followed Moody through the session . . . but declined to take part!

CEO Peter Suddock, said: "It was fantastic to see how Lewis managed to overcome his fears. He was fine right up until the moment when the spider was brought out and then he started to panic, but with David's advice and encouragement he was able to conquer his arachnophobia."

The session was part of Wrigley's Airwaves Kick Up a Gear campaign which encourages people to take on a challenge.

For further details about DZG's arachnophobia sessions visit dudleyzoo.org.uk or call 01384 214313.