Keeper Laura Robbins thought she’d struck gold when she found an old coin while clearing out the bush dogs’ paddock . . . Her discovery turned out to be a 1957 halfpenny that had been stuck in the ground for several decades! She said: “I came across it when we were doing some work in … Continue reading All that glisters . . .
Trainee keeper, Hannah Follows, discovered she is continuing a family tradition when her great grandmother handed her an old photo. The black and white image reveals 93-year-old Emily Evans at the Castle Hill site on the day the zoo opened to the public in May 1937. Emily, then 18, was employed as a cook in … Continue reading Hannah’s family tradition
The best of luck to everyone taking part in today’s Arachnophobia Workshop. Here at DZG we offer a hands-on approach to help people overcome their fear of spiders. Arachno Workshops take place in the Rainforest Suite and see our spider experts taking groups through relaxed, informal discussions and education sessions. During the session people who … Continue reading Good luck everyone!
A great big Happy Birthday to Brazilian tapir, Tallulah, who is one year old today! She’ll be spending the day out in the tapir paddock with Mum Meena, Dad Chico, and big bruv Ronnie. The capybaras will also be bouncing around to wish her many happy returns, and there are several Keeper For a Day … Continue reading Happy Birthday, Tallulah!
Good luck to 18 members of 1st Marston Green Scout Group who will be taking part in a Bunk with the Beasts this evening and a Wake up the Zoo experience very early tomorrow morning. Hope the sealions don’t snore too loudly and make sure you get the right breakfast for our birthday girl, Brazilian … Continue reading Scouts Bunk with Beasts
Lorna Pass, from West Yorkshire, has notched up a decade’s worth of penguin adoptions for husband Robin. She purchased the initial adoption pack for Humboldt penguin, Pilkington, for Robin’s 18th birthday. Lorna said:?”Robin has always loved penguins, so I thought it would be a great idea to adopt one for him, and DZG allowed me … Continue reading A decade of adoptions
A healthy diet of mealworms, fruit and veg ensures Saki monkey Rio has beautiful teeth as he’s keen to show but too many treats could lead to a big tum. So keepers monitor Rio and his buddies, Obi and Deju, with regular weigh-ins and have trained the small primates to sit on the … Continue reading Saki smile of confidence
Primate keepers have had to fit an extra lock on the gate of Lemur Wood after a mischievous mammal worked out how to open it. Black and white ruffed lemur, Yoda, was recently spotted pushing open the exit gate and scuttling through into the holding pen, but then got stuck when he couldn’t work out … Continue reading New opening for Yoda
A goldmine of data has been unearthed at DZG via the creation of archives which will safeguard the site’s unique history for future generations. The project, which complements the move to new administration offices on the zoo site, has seen design historian and researcher, Catherine Gregg, sifting through documents, drawings, photographs and plans spanning nearly … Continue reading DZG data discovered
How do you help a porcupine move house? That was the prickly poser facing keepers when they transferred three crested porcupines to a new enclosure. Assistant Curator, Richard Brown, explained: “If disturbed, crested porcupines raise their quills to make themselves look bigger using muscles in their back. “When this happens they charge backwards towards their … Continue reading Porcupines’ prickly poser
