If you visited the zoo yesterday, you may have heard reports of an escaped animal. We can confirm that the rumors are true, but don't worry, it was all part of a drill. The escaped kangaroo was actually our Animal Registrar dressed in a costume!
This exercise, organised by our Health and Safety Manager, was part of a routine animal escape drill. Just like schools and businesses run regular fire drills, we conduct these drills to make sure all staff are fully prepared in the rare event that an animal escapes its habitat.
Weโre happy to report the "escapee" was safely returned to its "habitat," and no staff, visitors, animals, or costumed kangaroos were harmed in the process!
Lemurs
Summer may be over, but our lemurs are still striking their 'yoga' poses to soak up the autumn sun! ๐ They use the warmth to heat their bellies and regulate their body temperature, especially on cooler mornings.
Gen z writes marketing script
Our Ops manager, Ian, understood the assignment... slay ๐
Today we're celebrating National Wildlife Day ๐ง๐ฆ๐พ
With over 1,000 incredible animals in our care, our focus on education, conservation, and research is at the very heart of all we do. We're dedicated to conserving the natural world, and we hope it inspires you to join us in making a difference.
Our lilac-breasted roller is very demure, very mindful โจ
Today is Cotton-top Tamarin Day! ๐
We're thrilled to celebrate the recent birth of twin Cotton-top Tamarins, one of the rarest primates in the world! ๐ฅฐ
Sadly, these primates are classed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List with only an estimated 2,000 left in the wild due to habitat loss from deforestation and the illegal pet trade, making these births extra special!
๐น Keeper Amy
Elephant 'aqua-natal'
This World Elephant Day, Noorjahan and Esha, the pregnant Asian elephants in our care, are making a splash by keeping fit with daily โaqua-natalโ swims! ๐๐ฆ
Keepers have integrated โaqua-natalโ sessions into Noorjahan and Eshaโs daily prenatal care and both elephants are fully embracing these routines, making great use of the 225mยฒ pool at Base Camp. These swims help them stay active while supporting their overall health and well-being during this crucial period in their pregnancies.
Asian elephants have been listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List since 1986 and the population is estimated to have declined by at least 50 percent over the last three generations, which means that EEPs serve as a crucial lifeline for ensuring the survival of the species.
Read more ๐ https://tinyurl.com/5n792r37
Keeping cool ๐
๐น Keeper Emma
Elephant pregnancy monitoring
If you havenโt already HERD the newsโฆ two of our elephants are pregnant! ๐๐
As Asian elephants are listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List, zoos are essential in global conservation efforts to protect and conserve species by working together.
We've been closely monitoring the pregnancies in several ways, such as analysing their hormone levels through faecal samples by collaborating with Chester Zoo's endocrinology lab, where these samples will be sent for testing ๐ฉ
Fun fact: Fischerโs Turacos are the only species in the animal kingdom with copper pigments in their feathers, giving them their vibrant red and green colouring! ๐
During your visit, you can find them in our World of Wings habitat.
Weโd be lying if we said we werenโt a little jealous of the capybaras in this weather โ๏ธ
๐น Keeper Amy
Elefest 2024
The donations are in, and weโre delighted to announce that Elefest has raised an astounding ยฃ14,000 for elephant conservation! ๐โจ
This generous support will make a huge difference in enhancing elephant welfare and securing the future of these incredible animals.
A massive THANK YOU to everyone who attended, volunteered, and donated. You made Elefest a huge success! ๐
Football prediction
Hira's prediction is in... IT'S COMING HOME! โฝ๏ธ ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ
Happy Capybara Appreciation Day!
Show some love for the world's largest rodent ๐ฅฐ๐ฅ
Big Cat Habitat
It's double celebrations today as Alyona turns 16, and it's been one year since the opening of our Big Cat Habitat! ๐
Join keeper Charlotte on our YouTube channel for an exciting update to see how our lions and tigers are thriving in their home one year after the grand opening ๐ฏ๐ฆ
Watch now ๐ https://tinyurl.com/mpekwde3
Love Your Zoo Week
This week we celebrated BIAZA's #LoveYourZoo week! Here are just some of our amazing staff from various departments sharing why they love Blackpool Zoo๐
If you can, please visit your local BIAZA zoo or aquarium to support global conservation efforts and help protect wildlife ๐
Happy World Sea Lion Day ๐ฆญ
Ever wondered how we perform health checks on our sea lions? ๐ค
Join Khaled and sea lion Xanna as they demonstrate how our team conducts training sessions and daily checks to ensure their health and well-being.
To discover more about our sea lions, catch one of three daily demonstrations to learn all about these amazing creatures during your visit.
Preparing for super-sized arrivals!
As we get ready to welcome two elephant calves later this year, we've been preparing Base Camp for the upcoming births.
Specially selected oak tree trunks have been strategically placed around the indoor habitat. Not only can the elephants use these tree trunks to exfoliate their skin, but during labour, Noorjahan and Esha can choose to push up against the trunks to aid the births.
Then a SUPER-SIZED delivery of 500 tonnes of premium sand substrate was added, so not only can the elephants give themselves a pedicure while digging, it can also act like a memory foam mattress when they lie down to sleep!
Undulating sand mounds provide physical benefits that can help the elephants, including the calves, to develop and strengthen their muscles and joints, as demonstrated in this video.
Read more about the preparations here - https://tinyurl.com/2p9n5x5t
๐น Keeper Nathan
Maggie and Ollie found the perfect puddle for a refreshing dip to cool off in the warm weather! ๐ฆ
Emus bathe in wallows like this to keep their feathers clean, with the mud helping to maintain healthy skin.
๐น Keeper Amy
Splashing into World Tapir Day like... ๐ฆ
