2022 plans!
2022 is set to be a busy year for DZC as we celebrate our 85th anniversary!
And pandemic restrictions allowing, redevelopment work to our orangutan house, giraffe paddock and tiger enclosure all feature in our exciting 12-month plan as we continue to invest in the 40-acre site and improve facilities for our animals and visitors.
We’re set to complete our brand-new outdoor orangutan enclosure by Easter, which visitors have watched taking shape over the past year and we can’t wait to see Sprout, Jazz, Djimat and Benji exploring!
Construction work will then start on the giraffe house and paddock, where we’re set to transform vacant land at the rear of the house into a second paddock.
The two outdoor areas will be linked by the current house, which will be repurposed to allow our giraffes full access to the space, with a new visitor walkway and viewing area created alongside the outside of the building, which we hope to be ready for summer.
Later in the year, attention will turn to the tiger enclosure, which will see the outdoor paddock extended to include a new pool and stream, as well as an additional climbing frame and platforms. A new indoor tiger house will also be constructed to include visitor viewing and off-show dens.
And that’s not all…
We plan to create a new picnic area opposite the sloth enclosure with a view into the off-show Big Ben Cavern and we’re also hoping to secure funding for a Changing Places adult complex care facility to be located by Lorikeet Lookout.
We’ll also be carrying on with surveys and plans to restore four listed Tectons and we’re continuing to work alongside Dudley Council to form a maintenance plan for Dudley Castle.
And we may also be welcoming a few new animals too, so watch this space!
