Macaque Madness!!! So here at Wingham Wildlife Park we just celebrated International Macaque week (5th-11th May). This is an annual event to raise awareness about a much neglected group of primates. Not only do we celebrate this event to highlight the diverse range of species of macaques, but also what threats they face in the…
You may have heard zoos talking about enrichment for their animals but what does it mean? Enrichment is providing animals with different things to improve their environment based around their natural instincts and behaviours. As zoo keepers we want to stimulate the animals to get them to think about and enjoy their environment. We want…
At the end of last year we decided at the park that we would change all of our primate’s diets to fruit free to cut out as much sugar as we could and increase their fibre intake. This was a result of continuing research being carried out across zoo’s all around the world into what…
The 19th of January 2019 was a very special day for Wingham Wildlife Park, as it marked the day Elizabeth, our baby chimpanzee, celebrated her first birthday. To commemorate the occasion, I’ve put together this blog to share with you what happens during the first year of a baby chimpanzee’s life, and all the milestones…
There are over 20 different species of macaques (Macaca) and here at Wingham Wildlife Park, we have one of these – Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus). As we kick off International Macaque Week, I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce you to this wonderful, fascinating and charismatic species! Barbary macaques are classified as endangered on…
There are plenty of ways in which you are able to recycle a mobile phone, whether it be sorting it properly when taking it to your local recycling centre, sending it off to a recycling company or bringing it to us at Wingham Wildlife Park where we are able to exchange old mobile phones for…
I recently returned from the United States where I participated in a court hearing about the chimpanzee export from the Yerkes National Primate Research Center to the Wingham Wildlife Park (WWP). This post focuses on that hearing and next steps, inaccuracies some are saying and reporting about the chimpanzee donation and our park, and more…
Today is Endangered Species Day, a chance to raise awareness and educate about the plight of many of the world’s species that are at risk of extinction. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is responsible for the classification of species and their status, the most at risk being on the IUCN RedList….
People have many different perceptions of what working as a zookeeper actually involves, however by far the most overwhelming conception (or rather should I say misconception) I encounter is something along the lines of “Wow you get paid to play with/cuddle animals all day, you have the best job in the world!”. Now while the…
