THANK YOU to everyone who has donated sheets, towels and duvet covers for our primates – but we’ve got enough for now! We’ve been inundated with bags of linen from generous supporters since we appealed for help in providing our chimpanzees and orangutans with enrichment. Lower Primates Senior Keeper, Jodie Dryden, said: “Thank you to everyone … Continue reading Successful sheet appeal!
Our four dogs went wild with papier mâché zebra enrichment. Keepers got crafty to make the zebra – a natural prey animal of the dog – which they sprayed with an array of tantalizing scents, before adding it the paddock and letting out the siblings – brothers Diallo, Ochi, Gamba and sister, Subira – to find … Continue reading Zebra sends dogs wild!
Spooky carved Halloween treats didn’t scare DZG’s exotic animals who have been enjoying pumpkin playtime. Many of our species, from little Lumos the albino pygmy hedgehog, to our cotton-top tamarin and rainbow lorikeets have been tucking into the seasonal hollowed-out vegetables which staff filled with favourite foods. Assistant Curator Jay Haywood, said: “The Halloween treats, … Continue reading Halloween pumpkin playtime
Fallen autumn leaves provided ideal seasonal enrichment for gelada baboon, Gimbi’s first birthday party! Using four bags of dry leaves collected from around the zoo site, keepers covered the gelada’s indoor den flooring and mixed in some of their favourite primate pellets before letting the seven primates in to explore. Keeper, Jade Reddall, said:“The geladas … Continue reading Gimbi turns one!
Mirrors donated through Amazon’s Wishlist are being put to use with various DZG bird species. Trainee Keeper, Jess Jones, said: “We’ve put the Perspex mirror in with Oz the toucan who loves it and will sit and chat away to his reflection for ages. “We also put it into the penguin enclosure for a few … Continue reading Mirror, mirror on the wall…
Lower Primate Keepers got crafty to celebrate chimpanzee, Binti’s 27th birthday. Staff devised an exciting enrichment device for the group, which all seven chimp girls could use at the same time, using ply wood, plastic bottles and a few tasty treats! Senior Keeper, Jodie Dryden, said: “I made holes in a piece of plywood to … Continue reading Crafty keepers for Binti’s birthday!
Juicy pear kebabs were on the menu for our meerkat mob this week. Apprentice Jessica Edwards cut up chunks of the fruit before threading them on to a small branch and popping them into the meerkat enclosure. Assistant Curator Jay Haywood, said: “The kebabs didn’t last long, as the meerkats soon ate them up and … Continue reading Fruity meerkat meals
Pruned native tree branches became tasty treats and playful games for several species on site. Ungulate keepers cut back sycamore and ash trees in the red panda enclosure as part of a general maintenance programme, with the likes of our barbary sheep, tapirs, reindeer, kangaroos and capybara all enjoying the extra browse. Senior Keeper, Sam … Continue reading Browse boost
DZG’s saki monkeys weren’t left puzzled by their latest challenge by keepers. Following a generous donation of an acrylic foraging toy from our Amazon Wishlist, primate keepers have put it to the test in the Small Primate House with great success. Keeper Sian-Leigh Simner, said: “I filled it with peanuts and hung it in the saki … Continue reading No puzzling our sakis!
Final touches are being put to an extension of giant anteater, Romy’s enclosure, which includes a two-metre-tall termite mound. The one-year old anteater moved into her new paddock last month, but only had access to one half, as keepers built her a swimming pool and artificial termite mound Assistant Curator Jay Haywood, said: “We wanted … Continue reading Termite fun for Romy
