Keeper Josh Luxton is itching to try out new techniques with our sea lions after attending a workshop in Wales. The 24-year-old keeper has recently returned from the BIAZA (British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums) Seal and Sea Lion Workshop which took place at the end of last month at Welsh Mountain Zoo … Continue reading Studying sea lions
DZG gardeners have been busy clearing truckloads of leaves from paths, steps and banks across our 40-acre site. The team has used leaf blowers to gather leaves which then get collected up and either recycled into compost or some dry leaves get stored for our animals. Head Gardener Carl Stevens said: “Leaf clearing is our … Continue reading Leaf it to us!
It was wheely generous of the garage owners at the centre of Channel 4’s Car SOS to give us dozens of spare tyres. The 24 used tyres were offered to DZG by Keeper Harley Hunt’s mechanic dad Tony Hunt, who works at Fuzz and Tim’s SOS Workshop in Oldbury, for use with our animals. Workshop … Continue reading Wheely generous gesture!
Giraffe keepers have filmed our long-legged duo from new heights after attaching a camera to their feeding winch. The fascinating footage shows DZG’s two gracious giraffes, 17-year-old Kubwa and nine-year-old female Josie, feasting on every last leaf from a huge branch hung up high in their paddock. Keeper Josh Luxton said: “This is the first … Continue reading Giraffes from new heights
DZG meerkats had a blast bursting bubbles thanks to a generous zoo supporter who bought a bubble machine for our animals. The meerkat mob darted about their den chasing the bubbles and popped them with their noses and paws. The bubble machine was kindly purchased from the Amazon wish list created by Dudley Zoo for … Continue reading Cheers for the bubbles!
Today is International Zookeeper Day and we’re going wild for zookeepers around the globe and our very own here at DZG. We have 34 dedicated zookeepers – aged 18 to 51 – who work on a full and part-time basis and love what they do looking after our collection of amazing animals. International Zookeeper Day … Continue reading It’s zookeepers’ day!
It was watermelons all round as our chimps celebrated Binti’s 28th birthday today. The mouth-watering fruit was donated by one of the chimps biggest fans, zoo member Wendy Gray from Coseley, who also sent in a bag of treats for the birthday girl. Senior Primate Keeper Jodie Dryden said: “Wendy very kindly gave us a … Continue reading Binti the birthday girl!
Our two Sumatran tigers had a rip-roaring time when they tore apart an enrichment device made by their keeper. Big Cat Keeper Cheyenne Darkins put smelly giraffe bedding around a block of wood and wrapped it in a woven enrichment toy she made from old fire hose. And we caught the big cat couple on … Continue reading A rip-roaring hour
DZG’s lar gibbon family soon got stuck in to snacks on sticks which their keeper made as a fun way to give them their five a day! Senior Upper Primate Keeper Sian-Leigh Simner used pieces of bamboo to make natural skewers for chunks of apple, pear, banana, sweet potato and carrot, which the family of … Continue reading Sticking to five a day!
Male sealion Oba enjoyed some emergency rations when keepers tucked treats into old fire hose donated by West Midlands Fire Service. The 18-year-old Patagonian sealion, who weighs in at more than 37 stone, loved freeing sprats from the plaited hose feeding device, which was made by Keepers Cheyenne Darkins and Josh Luxton to make his snack … Continue reading Emergency rations
