The world’s number one selling brand in home pregnancy and fertility tests has donated pregnancy kits – for orang utans.
The Clearblue brand helps over 20 million women every year – and now, a couple of broody female Bornean orang utans… Keepers at Paignton Zoo in Devon approached Clearblue because they hope their orang utans will breed this year.
Senior Head Keeper of Mammals Rob Rouse said: “We now have a male who is old enough to breed. As part of the European Endangered species Programme for Bornean orang utans, we’d like them to be trying for babies, but we need to...
The three South West zoos run by regional conservation charity Wild Planet Trust have a defiant message for coronavirus: “It’s business as usual”.
Staff and volunteers are prepared for the impact of coronavirus, but at this time the charity zoos remain open. Zoo spokesperson Phil Knowling said: “We’re monitoring the situation closely and will naturally continue to follow the advice of Public Health England and the Government. We will close if directed or if we no longer have the people to operate safely, but right now WE ARE OPEN!
Two ne-ne have hatched at Paignton Zoo in Devon. But what-what is a ne-ne?
It’s a species of goose - one of the rarest in the world. Found on the Hawaiian Islands, the Hawaiian goose or ne-ne is named after its call, a soft neh-neh sound.
It’s officially classed as Vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Paignton Zoo is home to eight adult ne-ne as well as these two goslings.
It’s believed that it was once common, but human activity put paid to that. The ne-ne is the official bird of the state of Hawaii.
Keepers at Paignton Zoo saved scores of animals after recent storms damaged a key building.
High winds ripped open a 36-metre-long air vent in the roof of Reptile Tropics at around 7.30 one morning, exposing vulnerable animals, plants and electrics. Staff rushed to save lizards, snakes, turtles, iguanas, chameleons and geckos as the temperature in the building dropped. Meanwhile, maintenance staff were able to carry out running repairs and prevent further damage.
In all, 65 reptiles and amphibians were saved, along with around 200 birds. It’s thought that no individuals...
A first-time London Marathon competitor is running so that her young children will be able to see wildlife when they grow up.
Franziska Bullimore has entered the 2020 Virgin Money London Marathon on behalf of conservation charity Paignton Zoo. Franziska, who has a background in working with animals herself, said: “I’m doing this for our children, for the next generation, in the hope that they will still be able to see amazing plants and animals in the world. It’s about respect for the environment. This is my little contribution.”
Paignton Zoo in Devon has hatched three very special – and very beautiful - youngsters. Keepers are hand rearing a trio of Chinese crocodile lizards. In 2018, Paignton Zoo became the first major zoological collection in the UK to breed this species.
You may not be familiar with the Chinese crocodile lizard. It’s not surprising; this small, semiaquatic lizard is found only in the provinces of southern China and northern Vietnam. It’s listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List due to severe population declines and habitat threats.
People with a range of disability and accessibility needs have started the new decade on a happy note thanks to Paignton Zoo. The conservation charity has joined forces with the National Lottery and accessibility experts Closomat to provide a new Changing Places toilet.
Changing Places toilets have more room and more equipment than standard accessible toilets. The zoo’s new facility is attached to the main Island restaurant overlooking the lake. Paignton Zoo spokesperson Phil Knowling said: “We aim to give all our guests the best day out we can and that means accessible facilities...
If you're having trouble making room for all your kids' new toys after Christmas, then Paignton Zoo can help.
The Devon zoo is hosting the Great Big Brick Safari from 28th March to 1st September. And before that it’s holding a great big brick amnesty, when people can donate unwanted plastic building bricks.
Zoo spokesperson Phil Knowling said: “We’ll take all those old plastic building bricks off your hands. Not to make the Great Big Brick Safari models – these are created by professional BRICKLIVE artists and contain a million bricks. We want them so that guests inspired...
Wild Planet Trust is the Devon-based charity that runs Paignton Zoo, Living Coasts in Torquay and Newquay Zoo in Cornwall, plus several nature reserves in Devon. While 2019 was not a great year for the charity, there are, says Trust boss Simon Tonge, some reasons for optimism:
“Last year was not the best for visitor numbers, though we still saw 700,000 people come to our three zoo sites. And it was the end of an era – Duchess, the last elephant in the South West of England, died.
“On the plus side, 2019 saw the lifting of TB restrictions at Paignton Zoo. Although it has...
This is an Nguru spiny pygmy chameleon. It’s just a few centimetres long. What could it possibly have in common with a black rhino? The answer is – Wild Planet Trust. The charity behind Paignton Zoo, Living Coasts and Newquay Zoo carries out conservation work in Tanzania, home to both species.
This minute chameleon - a species new to Paignton Zoo and sadly not yet on show to guests – needs all the help it can get. It’s Critically Endangered, largely due to the ravenous demands of the international pet trade.
The chameleon is well named – it comes from the Nguru Mountains of...
