Imperial Exotic Animal Encounters

25/12/2023

Merry Christmas from Imperial! 🎄

02/12/2023

It’s the 2nd of December, which means are Christmas countdown continues!

Today we have sweet little Tim, the White’s tree frog explore some of our festive lighting. Longs limbs and sticky toe pads make these frogs excellent climbers!

Know someone who jumps for joy when they think of frogs? Well one of our frog meet and greets may make the perfect gift! For more details on this and our other exotic animal meet and greets be sure to check out https://www.imperialexoticanimalencounters.com/meet-and-greet

29/11/2023

If you’ve visited our centre recently you would have known last month out skunk Primrose gave birth to a litter of four sweet baby skunks.

They are now old enough to start venturing out of our nest by themselves, though they also make sure to see what mum is doing!

Want to meet these kits? If you book one of our skunk meet and greets before the 19th of December you will also get the opportunity to meet our baby skunks as apart of this, all under the supervision of Mum! More details can be found at https://www.imperialexoticanimalencounters.com/meet-and-greet

29/10/2023

Happy National Cat Day! Here’s a few fun facts about our resident servals, Hunter and Annie!

Though larger than your average house cat, servals are not considered ‘big cats’. They are in fact an African species of wild cat!

Speaking of big, long legs allow them to jump over 9 feet high, whilst large ears give them such great hearing they can hear the ultrasonic squeaking rats make to each other!

You can actually meet and feed our servals on your very own meet and greet! More details on how you can get a voucher can be found at https://www.imperialexoticanimalencounters.com/feed-the-serval-experience

24/10/2023

This Halloween half term we thought we’d share some ‘spooky’ facts around some of the animals you would find at our centre.

Bats are synonymous with Halloween, especially vampires. It is very likely the association between these two parties came from the the bats nocturnal nature, as well as the observation of certain bats drinking other animals’ blood.

However not even 1% of known bat species are sanguivores (blood drinkers), with most opting for insects, or like the the Egyptian fruit bats at our centre, fruits and nectars. Despite this, due to the spooky associations bats have, bats are not always seen in the most positive light. However bats offer key services, such as reducing pest invertebrate levels, as well as pollinating and spreading the seeds of many types of plants.

Fancy meeting our bats up close, maybe even offering them a healthy snack? Details on all of our meet and greets, including feeding our bats can be found at https://www.imperialexoticanimalencounters.com/meet-and-greet

23/10/2023

This Halloween half term we thought we’d share some ‘spooky’ facts around some of the animals you would find at our centre.

Frogs and toads have been associate with witchcraft and supernatural activities for a very long time. This has spanned from biblical plagues; the prediction of weather; signs of good fortune; poisonous ingredients in a witches potion as well as traditional medical cures for illnesses and diseases.

Though not all of it is true, frogs can have very ‘magical’ properties. The mucus White’s tree frogs secrete does not just help to keep their skin from drying out, but protected from harmful microbes. Scientists have looked at its composition as potential ways to fight certain bacteria strains, as well as in potential biofuel research!

Love frogs? Did you know we offer opportunities for you to meet some of our frogs up close and personal? Details on all of our meet and greets can be found at https://www.imperialexoticanimalencounters.com/meet-and-greet

21/10/2023

Did you know today is Reptile Awareness Day?

As well as being absolutely stunning animals, reptiles provide an array of different services to our ecosystems. From dealing with pests that may eat crops, dispersing the seeds they eat in their waste and ensuring soils remain healthy through their movements and activities, reptiles are really important members of their habitats.

Though certain members in this grouping are not always seen or portrayed in the most positive light, or not always at the forefront of our minds when considering wildlife, it’s thought a fifth of reptiles species on the planet face the real risk of extinction. A positive mindset towards these remarkable animals can really make a difference in their preservation.

Want to learn more about reptiles? Then you may want to take a look at our cold-blooded experience. You’ll be able to meet and interact with a range of fascinating scaled animals. More information can be found at https://www.imperialexoticanimalencounters.com/cold-blooded-experience

04/10/2023

Happy International Zookeeper Day! We would like to take this opportunity to thank our staff and volunteers for all the work they do. They really go above and beyond to ensure our animals have the best care possible, and our visitors have an experience to remember!

Speaking of experiences, International Zookeeper Day is the perfect day to remind you that we offer a couple of experiences that provide a glimpse into the life of a zookeeper. For more details check out https://www.imperialexoticanimalencounters.com or scan the codes below!

17/08/2023

White’s tree frogs are a rather remarkable species. The mucous they produce to keep their skin healthy is actually the inspiration for research into the development of biofuels and antimicrobial substances. Plus they have an endearing smile!

If you or someone you know loves frogs why not purchase a voucher for our ‘frog meet and greet’. Information on this as well as all our other meet and greets can be found at https://www.imperialexoticanimalencounters.com/meet-and-greet

23/07/2023

01/07/2023

Skunks do not have the best eyesight, but they do have an excellent sense of smell. Chip demonstrates this perfectly whilst he searches for food on one of his ‘walks’.

If you think you’d like to meet our charismatic skunks then you’re in luck, as we offer skunk ‘meet and greet’ sessions. For more details on this be sure to check out https://www.imperialexoticanimalencounters.com/meet-and-greet

15/06/2023

12/06/2023

If you’ve visited our Egyptian fruit bats recently you may have seen a smaller resident! This little one is growing stronger every day, still holding onto mum as well as perching alone!

If you want a chance to spot this little one you may want to consider our ‘bat meet and greet’. On this experience you will get the opportunity to enter our bat enclosure and offer them some of their favourite treats! For more details check out https://www.imperialexoticanimalencounters.com/meet-and-greet

08/06/2023

If you have seen one of our demonstrations, you may have seen Dandy the red-legged seriema having some fun with his rubber snake. Not only does this highlight the way this unique bird species subdues their prey, it also allows Dandy to exhibit some of his natural behaviours!

Want to support our animals in a slightly different way? Recently we have had a few visitors asking whether we have an Amazon Wishlist. We didn’t. But now we do! If you like to provide resources that will aid the day to day running of the centre, as well as for our animals to enjoy, then feel free to check out oourwishlist. We would be greatful for any ‘gifts’, as would our animals!

Our list can be viewed at https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/3N8DCZJW38ORW?ref_=wl_share

23/05/2023

Happy World Turtle Day!

Today is a day to appreciate tortoise and turtle species across the globe. You can wander across our larger sulcata tortoises in our wallaby walkway, or if you want to meet our tortoises more exclusively why not consider a ‘tortoise meet and greet’. More details of this can be found at https://www.imperialexoticanimalencounters.com/meet-and-greet

11/05/2023

Though wallabies do not have the best eyesight, they have an incredible sense of smell and hearing. You could probably guess that from the rather large ears on this handsome Bennett’s wallaby!

During our new ‘Zookeeper’ experience you will get the opportunity to work in our wallaby walkway, where you will get to enjoy the wallabies bouncing around! For more details check out https://www.imperialexoticanimalencounters.com/zoo-keeper-experience

09/05/2023

New to 2023 - Zookeeper Experience!

If you love animals then we have the experience for you! On our new ‘Zookeeper Experience’ you will spend the day with our team helping us to care and train the birds of prey, reptiles and exotic mammals that call the centre their home.

For more details of this exciting experience check out https://www.imperialexoticanimalencounters.com/zoo-keeper-experience

26/04/2023

Did you know our wallaby walkway isn’t home to only wallabies? A ‘creep’ of sulcata tortoises have also moved in! With both groups of animals being herbivorous
grass eaters, and plenty of grass for everyone they all get along fine!

Love tortoises? Did you know you can meet our tortoise! All the details can be found at https://www.imperialexoticanimalencounters.com/meet-and-greet

24/04/2023

Hunter the serval really does love a scent enrichment. This time we went with some fresh basil!

Want to have the opportunity to feed our servals? All the information can be found at https://www.imperialexoticanimalencounters.com/feed-the-serval-experience

22/04/2023

Target training not only allows for us to stimulate our animals, it also allows us to more easily perform health checks and move animals. With a tasty treat involved when the animal interacts with the target, there’s no wonder our meerkats have taken to the training so well!

17/04/2023

Did you know today is International Bat Appreciation Day? Bats do not always get the best representation, and as a result people do not always see them in the most positive light.

But bats are incredibly important animals. With there being over 1400 different species of bats, they provide a multitude of services. These include pollinators, seed distributors and pest controllers. Even their waste, know as guano, makes a great fertiliser!

Want to learn more about bats? You can meet and feed our ‘cloud’ of Egyptian fruit bats on one of our experiences. Find out more at https://www.imperialexoticanimalencounters.com/meet-and-greet

04/04/2023

Happy World Rat Day! Though rats don’t always have the most positive reputation, they are incredibly intelligent and affectionate animals. We love our family of Gambian pouched rats here at the centre, especially with their reputation as ‘hero rats’, with individuals of this species being trained to detect landmines to be safely disarmed!

But don’t just our word for it. Did you know you can meet our rats on our ‘rat meet and greet’ experience? For more details check out https://www.imperialexoticanimalencounters.com/meet-and-greet

01/04/2023

As we mentioned yesterday our wallaby walkway is a mixed species enclosure. We have another little resident living in this space! We’re not entirely sure what he is, and he’s quite shy so you may not alway see him. What do you think we should call him?

31/03/2023

We have some new additions! Two Bennett’s wallabies and two Parma wallabies! This bouncy gang can be seen in our new mixed species walkway, which you will be able to visit after you’ve completed an experience with us!

Keep an eye on our socials tomorrow for another update of what you might see in this mixed species walkway 👀

29/03/2023

Did you know a group of ferrets is known as a business? And did you know you can meet our business of bouncy ferrets on one of our ferret playtime sessions. All the details for this can be found at https://www.imperialexoticanimalencounters.com/meet-and-greet

28/03/2023

Barry the African Bullfrog loves to pamper himself, be it having a soak in his water bowl or having a mud bath. Did you know the African bullfrog is one of our largest species of frog on the planet, and one of three species of frog that actually has ‘teeth’?

25/03/2023

With the Easter Holidays coming up, we thought we'd put together a guide highlighting some of our experiences that would be perfect for any child whilst school is out!

For a full list of experiences, check out https://www.imperialexoticanimalencounters.com

22/03/2023

Whether you are into all things feathery, scaly or furry, there's something for everyone with our 'Ultimate Experience'. In this session you will spend the afternoon interacting with a whole host of different exotic animals and birds of prey.

Interested? Then why not check out https://www.imperialexoticanimalencounters.com/ultimate-experience

19/03/2023

Happy Mother’s Day from our cheeky mob of meerkats! If you come to visit them soon, you may even see a pair of little paws!

To find out more about meeting our meerkats and take advantage of our current deals check out https://www.imperialexoticanimalencounters.com/meerkat-meet-and-greet

17/03/2023

Servals have incredibly long legs which they will use to leap upon and subdue their prey. They long legs also seem to help them snuggle up to some enriching wool!