We’re saying a big thank you to gardener, Ivor Norris, who has reached his 30th year here at DZC. Ivor has been a familiar face on site for three decades, diligently helping tend the zoo’s 40-acre grounds in all weathers. Zoo Director Derek Grove said: “We’re proud to have such dedicated members of staff … Continue reading Thank you, Ivor!
We’ve discovered our Head Gardener, Carl Stevens, has hidden talents… He may spend his days making our 40-acre site look blooming lovely, but by night he becomes a kickboxing champ! The 53 year-old has just secured his 4th Dan black belt in Lau Gar freestyle kickboxing, after committing to 2,400 hours of training at Dudley’s … Continue reading Hidden talents!
Our gardening team proved to be a cut above the rest when they were praised for their work in helping prepare the enclosure for our new Arctic foxes. And one of our newest employees, Gardener Steven Needham, who has worked at DZG for six months, was even handed Employee of the Month, alongside a certificate … Continue reading Superb work Steven!
DZG’s gardeners are tending special plants which are providing tasty treats for Reggie, our Linne’s two-toed sloth. Our three-year-old sloth can’t get enough of hibiscus flowers and our Head Gardener, Carl Stevens, pictured below, has purchased a variety of the plants for the site’s greenhouses so Reggie can enjoy his fill of freshly picked beautiful … Continue reading Beautiful blooms are tasty treats
Two DZG gardeners are celebrating after clocking up 60 years’ service between them. Antony Gwilt has tended the site’s grounds for 35 years, while Paul Durber has reached his 25th continuous year of service today and both said it had “flown by”. The pair were presented with vouchers and thanked for their green-fingered efforts by Zoo … Continue reading A diamond celebration!
Trainee Gardener Jordan Share proved to be a cut above the rest when he was named Employee of the Month. Jordan, who joined the gardening team in 2017 through a horticulture apprenticeship scheme, was chosen for the top title after impressing Zoo Manager Matt Lewis with his diligence and was presented with a certificate and … Continue reading Jordan’s a cut above!
It’s Global Recycling Day and we’re thrilled you’re helping us put the planet first by using our new bins. The colour-coded recycling centres were installed across the 40-acre site last summer encouraging visitors to recycle plastic bottles and aluminium cans and they’ve proved to be a huge success. Conservation Officer Chris Leeson, said: “We’re really … Continue reading Putting the planet first
We’re enormously grateful to a Dudley-based builders merchant for some jumbo sacks to help keep our site spick and span. The Dudley branch of Selco Builders Warehouse, based on the Coneygree Industrial Estate on Coneygree Road, donated the giant sacks to make it easier for us to gather up fallen leaves. DZG Assistant Curator Jay … Continue reading Bags of help!
Two of DZG’s giant beech trees have been felled and branches given to some of our tiniest creatures – three spiny mice. The 100ft-tall tree at the golden pheasant enclosure has been severely cut back and the beech near the giraffe feeding platform, which was around the same height, has been removed completely. Other offcuts … Continue reading Giant trees for minute mice
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!
