This week, I wanted to show you how we zookeepers get creative by turning everyday, unwanted household items into exciting enrichment for our animals. You might be surprised to learn that what you see as rubbish is absolute gold dust to us! From old water bottles to cardboard boxes, these simple items can make a…
Training is one of the most important and rewarding parts of being a zookeeper. Seeing an individual overcome struggles, and the feeling of pure joy when it all finally clicks is something I hold close in my heart. All of our great apes are trained to present a combination of body parts. This could be…
This week we celebrated International Ungulate Awareness Day. Ungulates account for the vast majority of large herbivores currently on earth. Their influence stretches across nearly every biome. With the help from humans, ungulates have expanded into nearly every corner of the globe. With over 215 different ungulates species in the world, each one of these…
For World Parrot Day this year I would love to talk about our charismatic group of Galah Cockatoos (Eolophus rosicapilla). With their striking pink and grey plumage and playful antics, the galah is one of Australia’s most iconic and widespread parrots, and one of my favourite species to work with here at Wingham Wildlife Park….
28th May is World Otter Day! We are lucky to be home to 2 species of otter, the smooth-coated otter and the Asian short-clawed otter. Smooth-coated Otters These otters come from south and south-east Asia, living alongside rivers, rice paddies, swamps and lakes. These semi-aquatic mammals are as comfortable in water as they are on…
May 16th is Endangered Species Day! A day all about bringing awareness to species that are struggling in the wild and to celebrate conservation efforts which aim to protect them. This day was created by the Endangered Species Coalition in 2006 to help with their mission to stop human-caused extinction to species and to help…
When you visit Wingham Wildlife Park, it’s easy to get caught up in the joy of watching lemurs leap around, penguins waddle along their paths, or meerkats stretch lazily in the sun. But beyond the fun and fascination, there’s a deeper story at work—one that makes modern zoos not just important, but essential. Conservation at…
We’re home to two little families of glorious Goeldi’s monkeys, and I’d love to introduce you to them! Family One Housed upstairs in the Chimp House (next to the sloth enclosure). Maggie is the matriarch of the group and the oldest at 23 years old. In the wild, Goeldi monkeys have a life expectancy of…
What a week to do my blog, there has been so much to celebrate over the course of this week! Monday 21st April kicked off the week with National Tea Day! Tea is the world’s second most popular drink (after water) I am a huge tea drinker and my go to brand would be Yorkshire…
Hello again, it’s me Ava! And welcome to my final article as Wingham Wildlife Park’s 2024/25 Junior Journalist. I hope you enjoy it as much as I’ve enjoyed exploring and learning about the zoo over the last year. In this article, I’ll be writing about what it’s like to be a “Keeper for the Day”,…
