Twycross Zoo The Official Website

Frogs and Newts benefit from a “Party in the Pond”

£3467.49 was raised on Friday 11th July 2008 when Twycross Zoo held their annual fundraising evening to support the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) Amphibian Ark campaign. The focus of this year’s campaign is to raise public awareness and understanding of the amphibian extinction crisis and to generate funding for amphibian conservation. Numerous guests supported this event including The High Sheriff of Leicestershire, Mr David Wyrko and The Worshipful The Mayor of Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council, Councillor Geoffrey Banister.

The Amphibian Ark is the seventh major conservation campaign organised by EAZA. The campaign has been set up to involve European Zoos and their visiting public in conservation projects relating to amphibians. The main targets of the campaign are to raise public awareness of a deadly disease called Amphibian Chytrid fungus that is fatal for many frogs and toads, to collect funds for this conservation project and provide Arks, making it possible for the long-term survival of the species. All funds raised by donated gifts on the night will help support this worthy cause.

Executive Director, Suzanne Boardman said, “We are delighted to support this year’s EAZA Campaign. Frogs, toads, newts and other amphibia are severely affected by habitat loss, climate change, pollution and now they are threatened with a parasitic fungus. This disease is deadly to hundreds of amphibians and we need to act now to help save many amphibian species before they become extinct”.

The exotic side of Veterinary Science

The last ten years has seen a huge increase in the popularity of exotic pets. Among the weird and wonderful animals being kept in our homes are monkeys, tarantulas, iguanas, salamanders, snakes even hedgehogs.

And as animal collections and reserves around the world develop their conservation and captive breeding programmes there is an insatiable demand for expertise in the husbandry of exotic animals.

To help develop that expertise and broaden the horizons of students aiming to work in the veterinary profession - The University of Nottingham has joined forces with Twycross Zoo.

After five years in Asia studying the phenomenon of musth in Asian bull elephants, veterinarian and reproductive physiologist Dr Lisa Yon, a lecturer in zoo and wildlife medicine, now spends half her working week at the University’s School of Veterinary Medicine and Science and the other half at Twycross Zoo - just half an hour down the road in Leicestershire.

Lisa Yon’s unique ‘dual’ role will ensure that students graduate with the proper training in exotic animals and opens up new avenues for research which will benefit exotic animals in the wild as well as in collections across the world.

Dr Yon, who qualified as a vet at Cornell University and went on to study reproductive physiology in elephants at UC Davis, University of California, said: “I was keen to work with wildlife from the very start but there was no proper guidance and I had to make my own way. I don’t want that to happen to our students. I want to ensure that students have opportunities to explore any interests they may have in zoo and wildlife work, and to encourage that interest as best I’m able.”

Plundering the expertise based at the vet school Lisa is in the process of establishing a number of new research projects at the Zoo. The aim is to teach students the principles of research and developing hypothesis. When the first cohort of year three students return in the autumn they will be involved in exploring the spread of wild rodent diseases and the possible effect these have on captive animals, the DNA bar coding of various zoo species, a review of medical pathology records at Twycross to establish patterns and trends, nutrition and husbandry in the Red Fronted Macaw, and pathogen screening in captive primates.

In year five, their final year, all students will spend two weeks at Twycross as part of their clinical training.

Dr Yon, is currently working with the zoo’s resident vet, Nic Masters from the International Zoo Veterinary Group, to develop animal health protocols in preventative medicine and is assisting with the European expansion of a U.S.-based study into the severe heart problems that affect about a third of captive male Gorillas. She is working to develop links with colleagues across the UK and beyond to explore collaborative work on areas of mutual interest in zoo and wildlife health.

In 1972 Twycross Zoo became a charitable trust concentrating on conservation and education. About three quarters of the animals housed at Twycross are officially classed as endangered species and the zoo now takes part in many captive breeding programmes for endangered animals. It is a global centre of excellence in primate conservation and breeding.

The Twycross Zoo link is spearhead by its Director Suzanne Boardman who, as an experienced Zoo and wildlife veterinarian with a passion for education, said “I am delighted with this formal link with the University of Nottingham which will enable us to contribute to the education of veterinary students amongst whom will be the zoo and wildlife vets of the future”

Among the students who have already taken advantage of the links with Twycross is 1 st year student, Rebecca Amos, who is hoping to spend the summer working in Thailand at an animal rescue centre.

5th July 08

College working together with Twycross Zoo to promote management skills

NORTH Warwickshire & Hinckley College is working together with Twycross Zoo to provide management training for the Zoo's employees.

20 employees from Twycross Zoo are undertaking a course in First Line Management to give them a greater understanding of management skills. To help the employees with their studies the College has also donated a number of management books to the Zoo's library.

Melvyn Hopkins, Business and Management Studies tutor said: "We are really happy that we are able to work together with a local organisation such as Twycross Zoo. We feel the course will promote lifelong learning and career development and hope that more employees will want to take part in the future."

Suzanne Boardman, Director of Twycross Zoo said, “The First Line Management course is an excellent training opportunity for senior members of staff. It allows them to gain skills essential to the management of staff under their supervision, enabling them to communicate well, solve problems and make good decisions.”

14th May 2008

Twycross Zoo Blooms

Enthusiastic horticulturalist, Ben Potterton, is the new Curator of Plants at Twycross Zoo. Ben is an award-winning nurseryman, garden designer, plant collector and garden writer. His aim at Twycross Zoo is to promote plant conservation both within gardens and the wider countryside. Within this role, Ben will keep a significant plant collection at Twycross Zoo and will also plant the animal enclosures with both beneficial and geographically relevant plant species.

BBC Gardeners’ World has recently been at Twycross Zoo filming Ben for the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. Ben will be on BBC Gardeners’ World programme on Friday 11th July at 8.00 pm, explaining what his ideas are for Twycross Zoo in the coming months and years.

The first project within the Zoo will be to develop the area surrounding the Chilean flamingos using South American plants, one of these being Bidens atrosanguniea, which is an attractive brown flower perennial but is now extinct in its native Mexico. We hope that alongside our endangered animals we can maintain an important collection of threatened plants that will be housed in attractive garden settings so that visitors will visit the Zoo to look at the gardens as well as the animals.

14th May 2008

Tiny Twin Meerkats

Two tiny cute baby Meerkats are now on show to the general public at Twycross Zoo. The pups were born on 27th April 2008 and their parents Tallula and Timmy are keeping a watchful eye on the new arrivals.

The meerkat is a type of mongoose. It has a long banded body and short legs. It has a slender black-tipped tail, pointed face and black patches around both eyes and lives on the dry open plains and scrub of southern Africa. The word meerkat is a South African Dutch word, which means 'lake cat' as they are often found near stretches of water.

Meerkats stand upright in the early morning sun to warm up, sniffing the wind to check out their surroundings. They take communal living very seriously indeed and each member of the pack has a specific task. Meerkats are widely regarded as the darlings of the animal kingdom; they look incredibly cute and are remarkably social, living in large groups which work together to survive.

Some stand on sentry duty, finding a convenient vantage point where they can watch for predators, such as eagles. If any danger is sighted, the sentry will give a warning bark, then all the meerkats will flee to the safety of their burrows. While the sentries keep watch, the other meerkats take care of the very young and supervise the older members of the playgroup. Those meerkats that aren’t on duty can take a nap in the shade, or rest in a cool underground burrow to escape the midday heat.
When meerkats meet a predator on the ground, these plucky little animals immediately huddle together. This show of strength often drives the attacker away. They have a very high immunity to venom and stings, which is just as well because they like to eat snakes and scorpions! Meerkats have a clever way of dealing with scorpions by nipping off the sting before eating the body. They also feed on insects, birds, roots and fruit.
Meerkats are extremely industrious and in a single morning may dig several hundred holes in search of food, moving about 50 times their own bulk in sand. They can close their black ears when digging to keep the sand out

Date 12th May 2008

Happy Birthday Twycross Zoo

Twycross Zoo is celebrating its 45th birthday over Whitsun Bank Holiday. To celebrate we will be offering a free child’s return ticket with every two full paying adults, (to be used later in the year) to all entrants who visit over the Bank Holiday weekend.

There are numerous babies and new animals for visitors to see and photograph. Take a ride on the Rio Grande train and look out for the two white baby alpacas. Walk along the paddock section to see the young vicuna and photograph our latest arrivals - their close relations, the guanaco. For the young members of the family, call in at Pets’ Corner to see the triplet and twin pygmy goats and whilst there, take a glimpse at the many baby degus as they quickly run around their enclosure.

Joe the gorilla will also be celebrating this Bank Holiday with a special anniversary cake to celebrate the start of his 45th year here at the Zoo. Joe was one of the first animal residents at Twycross Zoo after Miss Molly Badham and Miss Nathalie Evans relocated from their original bungalow in Hints near Tamworth to the current home of Twycross Zoo.

Miss Badham recently passed away and to celebrate her life and achievements, a special commemorative booklet has been produced. The booklet is full of many wonderful old photographs and is on sale in the gift shop for just £1.50. All proceeds will go to the Molly Badham Chimpanzee Fund.

22nd April 2008

Pitter Patter of 14 feet

Dashing around Pets’ Corner at Twycross Zoo is the new litter of fourteen baby degus. Are you quick enough to count all of them as they play and run around their burrows?

The degu is a small rodent that is native to Chile. They are closely related to the chinchilla and guinea pig. Degus are highly sociable animals and live in communal burrows; by digging together they are able to construct larger and more elaborate burrows than they could on their own. Degus spend a lot of their time foraging for food on the surface; this is an excellent opportunity for you to count them.

10th April 2008

A Celebration of the Life of Miss Molly Badham, MBE

In October 2007, one of Twycross Zoo’s co-founders, Miss Molly Badham, MBE, sadly passed away. To commemorate her life and achievements, we will be holding a “Celebration of Life” exhibition at Twycross Zoo, for one weekend only on Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th April 2008.

This special weekend is an excellent opportunity for the visiting public to hear and see how the Zoo started forty five years ago. The story of two rival pet shop owners in Sutton Coldfield who joined forces to eventually become the most comprehensive collection of primate species in the world will be told to all who visit.

Everyone who pays to visit the Zoo is welcome to attend. For this very special celebration, a marquee will be situated within the Zoo grounds. A gallery of pictures, newspaper cuttings and a rolling screen of news articles including the famous PG tips commercials, courtesy of ITV Central Nottingham, will be shown. Over the weekend several short informative talks will take place and staff will be on hand to answer any questions. A book of condolence will be available for anyone who wishes to record their messages and thoughts.

A commemorative booklet will also be available at a small charge for anyone who wishes to purchase it. All profits from the booklet will go to the “Molly Badham Chimpanzee Fund”.

11th February 2008

Two-for-one at Twycross Zoo

FAMILY fun comes even cheaper at Twycross Zoo through an exciting new offer with Kellogg’s.
Twycross Zoo is just one of 40 zoos and aquariums across the UK and Ireland to sign up for a two for the price of one ticket offer through cereal giants Kellogg's.
A free ticket offer (when accompanied by a full paying adult) will be available on every pack of Kellogg's cereal bought up until Sunday 23rd March 2008. The money saving voucher is redeemable at any time except on Bank Holidays throughout this year, so eat sensibly and enjoy a fantastic day out.

11th February 2008

The “Mane” attraction leaves Twycross Zoo

One of Twycross Zoo’s “mane” attractions, Kamal the male Asiatic lion, will head off from the Zoo at the end of February to woo Moti the lioness at Bristol Zoo and Gardens.

It is hoped that Bristol Zoo will soon hear the pitter patter of many tiny paws. Asiatic lions are critically endangered and are part of an internationally co-ordinated conservation breeding programme. It is estimated that there are only approximately 350 Asiatic lions left in the wild and they can only be found in the Gir Forest Sanctuary in Northern India. Any cubs would be classed as a roaring success to the breeding programme.

The breeding programme for the European population of Asiatic lions is co-ordinated by Neil Dorman, Curator of Twycross Zoo. Neil commented, “Asiatic lions are critically endangered, both Moti and Kamal have produced cubs in the past. It is hoped that they will have at least one litter in the future, which would be wonderful for Bristol Zoo and the breeding programme as a whole”.

At the end of March 2008, Twycross Zoo will receive two female lions from Edinburgh Zoo: Kyra born in April 2006 and Asha born in May 2006. The lionesses will be matched up with an attractive blind date when he becomes available to join his partners.

As part of the redevelopment plans Twycross Zoo is currently planning a new enclosure for the Asiatic carnivores which will include the Asiatic lions and dholes in a naturalistic, state of the art exhibit.

12th February 2008

Ring-tailed lemurs at Twycross Zoo

The latest edition to Twycross Zoo’s collection of primates is a family of ring-tailed lemurs. The new family consists of parents, three young males and a female which came to Twycross Zoo from Fota Wildlife Park Ireland, two weeks ago they have settled in to their new surroundings extremely well.

Ring-tailed lemurs are only found on the island of Madagascar. Although threatened by habitat destruction and therefore listed as vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) the world's main authority on the conservation status of species. The ring-tailed lemur is the most common lemur in zoos worldwide as they thrive in captivity, producing and rearing offspring

These lemurs are mostly grey with white fur under their necks and stomachs; they have a slender frame and their narrow face is white with black lozenge-shaped patches around the eyes, which can be either bright yellow or orange. The lemur’s trademark is the long bushy tail which is ringed with twenty six black and white rings. The tail always begins with a white stripe and ends with a black one and their tails are longer than their bodies. They have hind limbs longer than their forelimbs and the palms and soles are padded with soft black leathery skin. Their fingers are slender and semi-dexterous with flat human like nails. Lemurs have specialized lower front incisors and canines which are called “tooth combs” and used to groom their soft fur.

Ring-tailed lemurs are found in the southwest of Madagascar. Their diet consists primarily of fruit and leaves, particularly those of the tamarind tree. They are also known to eat flowers and herbs. They are diurnal (active by day) and inhabit both the ground and the trees, forming troops of up to twenty five individuals. They live in a female dominated society similar to some other primates such as the Bonobos (pygmy chimpanzees).

Like many humans, lemurs enjoy sunbathing. Lemurs will ritually sunbathe, usually in a group, to warm themselves in the morning, facing the sun and sitting in what is described as a “sun-worshipping” or Lotus position.

Twycross Zoo houses four other species of lemurs within the Zoo grounds, the red bellied, the black and white ruffed, the red ruffed and the crown lemur all waiting to see you and your family over the Easter holidays.

1 February 2008

A BUMPER LOAD OF EASTER FUN
in The National Forest

A whole host of Easter events are taking place across The National Forest.

Visitors to Rosliston Forestry Centre can embark on an Easter Egg Hunt on Monday 24th March. There will then be a whole raft of activities to join in on later in April to coincide with Derbyshire schools’ half term dates.

These include drop-in sessions between 2-4pm to try out the following activities:
• Laser Clay on 7th and 14th April (£2.50 for 10 clays)
• Crafty Creatures on 8th April (£2 per person)
• Woodland Combat on 9th 11th and 16th April (£2.50 for 15 minutes)
• Archery on 10th and 17th April (£2.50 for 10 arrows)
• Pond dipping on 15th April to discover what lives beneath a pond’s surface.

And on 18th April, between 12 noon and 5pm, the centre will be hosting its popular ‘Five for a Fiver’ days where youngsters can choose up to five of the exciting activities including archery, laser combat and climbing wall for only £5.

Conkers will be celebrating new beginnings this Easter with a trail around Conkers Waterside to see the animals and their babies from 17th-19th March. On 20th and 21st youngsters can have fun with the rangers making an Easter Bunny hat. Then on the Easter weekend 22nd-24th there will be an Easter Egg Treasure Hunt. Clues found around Conkers Discovery Centre will open a treasure chest for a surprise. There are lots more activities taking places around Easter at this interactive visitor centre including arts and crafts, pond dipping and nature trails. For more information visit the website www.visitconkers.com Based upon life in a British woodland and with more than one hundred indoor and outdoor activities themed around Forest life and the environment, families enjoy hours of fun at Conkers.

Easter is a fantastic time to visit Calke Abbey as it is Lambing Time. Visitors can see the young lambs with their mothers and meet the wardens as they care for the flock. There will also be an Easter Trail on 21st and 22nd March where the Jemima Puddleduck Trail will lead to an Easter prize. (11am–3.30pm £2 per child).

On 6th April (11am-4pm) will see Kite Flying Day at Calke where the Midland Kite Flyers will show off their skill and visitors can bring their own kites, buy one at the event or make one in a workshop. Then on 1st, 9th, 12th and 16th April (12.30pm–4pm) Calke ‘comes alive’ with the characters that lived in the house in 1940.

Both Donington le Heath Manor House and Twycross Zoo will be hosting Easter Trails. The zoo’s Easter bunny will hand out cream eggs to each visitor who has completed the trail. And don’t forget to see the new kids on the block at Twycross Zoo - the triplet baby pygmy goats in Pets Corner.

Swadlincote Ski and Snowboard Centre has Kids Easter Fun Activity Days from 17th March-17th April (10am-4pm). This includes skiing or snowboarding, tobogganing, Sno-Tubing, lunch, certificate and badge for just £24.50. People are advised to pre-book for these popular sessions.

There will be an Easter Egg Hunt at Snibston Discovery Park in Coalville over the Easter weekend (21-24 March) and Easter activities for children on 19th and 26th March.

As well as these special Easter activities, The National Forest contains a wealth of things to do and see throughout the whole year. For more information on attractions, activities, events and places to stay in and around The National Forest, the 2008 visitor guides to the Forest and Beyond are bursting with great ideas. These are available from Tourist Information Centres or from the National Forest Company.

The National Forest spans more than 200 square miles across parts of Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire and one of England’s most ambitious environmental projects – to create a new Forest for the nation. Already more than seven million trees have been planted in The National Forest, which offers more than 700 miles of paths to explore in over 400 woodlands. The gentle undulating landscape is perfect for walking, cycling and horse-riding. And through the creation of new habitats, The National Forest is an ideal location for bird and wildlife watching.

14th February 2008

Twycross Zoo Jumps to save frogs

Twycross Zoo staff have jumped into action this leap year to raise awareness of the plight of the frogs worldwide; a deadly fungus is killing them!

Amphibians (frogs, toads and newts) are severely affected by habitat loss, climate change, pollution and pesticides, introduced species, and over-collection for food and pets. While habitat destruction is the major threat, the most immediate threat is a parasitic fungus called amphibian chytrid, a disease that is deadly to hundreds of amphibian species and has quickly spread from Africa across the planet over the past 30-40 years. Global climate change is believed to have made the problem worse. The amphibian chytrid was discovered about ten years ago and since then dozens of frog species have become extinct because of it.

Since the 1930s, African clawed frogs (likely resistant carriers of the fungus) have been shipped around the world in their thousands for human pregnancy tests and lab studies, spreading the disease worldwide. Recently, the food and pet trade may have contributed to the problem as well. Amphibian chytrid is currently unstoppable and untreatable in the wild, even in protected areas. In the environments where it thrives, a high percentage of UK species will be susceptible, leading to widespread amphibian extinctions when the fungus hits the UK.

After thriving for over 360 million years, one third to half of the world’s approximately 6,000 known frogs, toads and salamanders could become extinct in our lifetime. Earth is facing the single largest mass extinction since the disappearance of dinosaurs.

So, what can we do to help? For those animal species that cannot be saved in nature, the plan is to rescue them before they are gone, and to protect them in captive facilities until the threats to the wild populations can be controlled. Twycross Zoo is one of many Zoos worldwide that is taking part in the Amphibian Ark Campaign. The Ark plan is simple but requires at least £25 million in funding. An example of where funds may be distributed to is the El Valle Amphibian Conservation Centre. Recently, Twycross Zoo donated funds to this centre in South America; the aim of this centre is to provide a safe haven for amphibians until the chytrid fungus has passed. During 2008, Twycross Zoo is aiming to raise funds to go towards the cause by, organising children’s colouring activities along with an exhibition of the frogs’ life cycles in the Zoo Centre. Alternatively you can contact our Conservation Officer Mrs Claire Pipe on 01827 880 988 or email conservation@twycrosszoo.org to obtain a funding pack and advice on amphibian habitat in your back garden.

The Amphibian Ark is a program coordinated by the World Conservation Union (IUCN)/Species Survival Commission (SSC) Conservation Breeding Specialist Group, IUCN/SSC Amphibian Specialist Group, and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) and supported by a worldwide network of zoos and aquariums, to help keep threatened amphibian species afloat.

Pictured below is a blue poison arrow frog which can be viewed in the South American Tropical House at Twycross Zoo.

8th January 2008

Counting the animals two by two

Zoo keepers and aquarists around the country will be counting each and every animal in their collection at the beginning of the year, as part of their compliance with zoo legislation that requires them to keep precise records of every animal birth, death, arrival and departure.

Of course, keepers are fully aware of how many animals they have in their care – especially large mammals such as lions, gorillas or rhinos - but this annual ‘stock take’ provides a valuable record. And some of the smaller creatures – like snails, frogs, fish – take some patience and plenty of double-checking!

The data is submitted to the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA), the national professional body offering advice and guidance on all aspects of zoo management and animal welfare. The records are also available for scrutiny by local authorities who issue and renew the licences for zoos and aquariums.

BIAZA’s Director, Dr Miranda Stevenson, commented: “This annual stock take, although time-consuming and sometimes quite difficult – meerkats just don’t stay still very long! – is just one of the many ways which zoos and aquariums in this country demonstrate their professionalism and attention to detail. Keeping precise records of the animals in their care is fundamental to good animal management and contributes hugely to effective conservation breeding programmes, for example.”

1st January 2008

Twycross Zoo contributes to global biodiversity

Twycross Zoo has pledged to contribute positively to global biodiversity by signing up to the Countdown 2010 declaration.

Biodiversity is the web of life on earth. It is essential to vital process of the earth and so to our quality of life. It is a crucial element in the social and economic elements of all societies worldwide. However, biodiversity continues to decline with thousands of animal and plant species threatened with extinction worldwide.

Twycross Zoo has pledged to Countdown 2010 which aims to pull organisations together to help prevent the decline of biodiversity. We are aiming to do this by increasing public awareness and participation for biodiversity conservation, promotion of exemplary activities towards the 2010 biodiversity target, integration of biodiversity considerations into all areas of our business and to significantly reduce our own impact on biodiversity.

Twycross Zoo is also hoping to help other local institutions to do the same. Your help could be as simple as providing bird boxes or installing energy saving light bulbs. If you are a local business, school or organisation you can contact our Conservation Officer Mrs Claire Pipe on 01827 880 988 or email conservation@twycrosszoo.org to find out how you can help local biodiversity and join Countdown 2010.