Battersea Park Children's Zoo

Bali starling bathtime 🛁🕊️ This half term we are shining a spotlight on our lesser-known animals with our “underdog week” at the zoo! Join our keepers everyday at 11:30am for our Bali starling talk, until Sunday 23rd February! 🔦 We are incredibly proud of the work we do to safeguard the future of the critically endangered Bali starling, but they are often sadly overlooked by those visiting the zoo! Today, we are one of the most successful zoos taking part in the European Endangered Species Breeding Programme (EEP) currently operating to save the species from extinction 💚 Bali starlings are one of the rarest birds on the planet and today they only exist because of the dedicated work of modern zoological facilities. Shockingly, there are now fewer than 50 Bali starlings left in their native forests as a result of trapping for the illegal songbird trade and habitat destruction. ⚠️ Be sure to pay our starlings a visit on your next trip to the zoo to learn about these true underdogs and their role in saving their species from extinction 🌟

Snack time with handsome Alonso and his perfect snoot 🥰 #Zoo #BatterseaParkZoo #conservation #sharesavvy #Coati #Alonso #London #Animals

🎉Celebrating 20 years since the reopening of Battersea Park Children’s Zoo! 🎉 Mark your diaries, as this May half term the zoo will be transformed into a festival of celebration, marking 20 years since its rescue from closure by the Heap family. With a rich history since our founding in the 1950s, the mission of Battersea Park Children’s Zoo was ignited by our reopening as a conservation zoo in 2005. Today, we are proud to be the only specialised children’s zoo in the United Kingdom. Home to over 100 animals, many of the species within our care are part of international conservation programmes to save them from extinction. Of the 45 species living at the zoo, those native to the British isles are incredibly close to our hearts, a legacy brought to the zoo by the Heap family and their history of rescue and rehabilitation for native wildlife. Connecting with our community, forming conservation collaborations and welcoming over 5000 school children to the zoo each year, sharing our passion for wildlife will always be our focus. This May half term, we welcome you to join us at the zoo for our festival of celebration where you can discover our history, and be a part of our future.

Ruth is off to meet her new boar-friend Ozzy!♥️🐷 Just in time for Valentine’s Day, one of our Oxford Sandy & Black sows has departed the zoo for a romantic holiday away - all to save her breed from extinction! ♥️ Our keepers are excited to share that Ruth has been spending a few weeks with her perfect match at a farm in Essex! He was specially selected for her in the hopes of producing piglets and increasing the genetic diversity within this native rare breed. This beautiful breed is classified as “at risk” of extinction by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST) with as few as 300-500 registered individuals remaining. Today we have just 13 female bloodlines and 4 male bloodlines remaining, meaning that breeding has to be managed carefully to improve their gene pool. Ruth will return to the zoo in a couple of weeks. It is hoped that her time away is a success and that one day soon we will have another healthy litter of piglets at the zoo. To learn more about the important work being done to save our native rare breeds, please look into the projects being carried out by the RBST and the Oxford Sandy & Black Pig Society 🐷 #pig #pigs #rarebreed #conservation #osbpig

Christmas has come early for our rare breed Bagot goats! 🎄✨ Thanks to our friends at Pines and Needles, not only did we receive a donation of beautiful Christmas trees for our Winter Nights at the Zoo event, but we’ve also been able to treat some of our animals to a festive snack! As you can see, our nanny goats, Pepper, Paprika, Nutmeg, Rosemary LOVE tasty pine needles! 🐐

Our BIAZA Secret Santa Has Arrived! 🎅🏼🎁 🐒As proud members of BIAZA, we are part of a network of over 100 zoos and aquariums across Britain and Ireland! Each year, to get into the festive spirit, we take part in their annual secret Santa! 🎄 Senior keeper Lizzy & keeper Jack were joined by Smokey, Dusty and Feather to open our amazing box of goodies, and we couldn’t be more excited! We’re sending a HUGE thank you to our fabulous friends at Tilgate Park for their thoughtful gifts! ✨ We’d like to wish all of the amazing zoos across the nation a very merry Christmas and big thank you for all of the incredible work being carried out each and every day to help make our world a better place for future generations ❤️ #BIAZASecretSanta2024

🌟 Fame has gone to Rico’s head! 🌟 Rico the prehensile tailed porcupine was a super star in his first ever public talk, and those who came to Winter Nights got to see him highly active, munching on his evening snacks 😍 You can see Rico in our exclusive evening feeding time talks at Winter Nights on 13th and 20th December ✨ #batterseapark #thingstodoinlondon #rico #porcupine #asmr #winternights

Winter Nights at the Zoo kick starts tonight and we cannot wait to welcome you all into the zoo after-dark! ✨ In true British December fashion, the weather could be a little damp - but that won’t stop us from getting into the festive spirit! ☔️ Gates open at 5:30pm - see you there! 🥳

🌟 Winter Nights at the Zoo kicks off this Friday 🌟 Preparations are well under way! We’re delighted to have this event sponsored by Pines and Needles Battersea Park, and they have offered 10% off trees from their Battersea Park site with a valid Winter Nights ticket! 🌲 Ticket link in bio 🎟️ #batterseapark #winternights #gifted #thingstodoinlondon #datenight #dateideas #christmastree

❄️This December, discover wildlife under the stars at our exclusive after-dark event Winter Nights! ❄️ Enjoy festive performances and carols, Christmas games and crafts, lantern-lit keeper talks, and delicious seasonal treats. Meet Rico the porcupine, harvest mice, donkeys, and sheep. Tickets are selling fast so be sure to get yours here: https://www.batterseaparkzoo.co.uk/whats-on/events/winter-nights-at-the-zoo/ #WinterNights #ZooLights #FestiveFun #FamilyFun #London

🚨More Snacks Needed For Feather 🚨

✨ Discover your favourite animals under starlight at Winter Nights at the Zoo! ✨ 🌙 This December there’s 3 special evenings to enjoy the zoo after the sun goes down. As darkness falls, the zoo comes alive with festive performances, seasonal treats and exclusive talks all about our amazing animals! 💛Included in your admission ticket, you’ll get the opportunity to meet and learn more about many of our animals after dark. You’ll join our keepers to discover the secret lives of our armadillos, harvest mice and Rico, the prehensile-tailed porcupine! Book your tickets here: https://tickets.batterseaparkzoo.co.uk/event-tickets/61434?catID=59091& #BatterseaPark #Winter #London #RicoThePorcupine #ChristmasEvents #LondonWithChildren #KidsDaysOuts #WinterNightsAtTheZoo