The movement of animals from zoo to zoo happens on a regular basis, and last week we did a monkey swap!

The good zoo community can easily transfer animals if they are part of BIAZA (British and Irish Aquaria and Zoo Association) or EAZA (European Aquaria and Zoo Association). In these communities we are safe in the knowledge that our animals are going to a good new home! So last week our female saki monkey went to a new zoo and in return we got a new female. This week sees her final quarantine health check by our vet Matt Brash. Once all the results of this final check come back we will be able to introduce her to her new partner and her new island…

Here in Flamingo Land we have outlined to readers what it is like to be a zookeeper for a day – hard! But now is the turn of another member of staff without which our animals would not be as they are today. Our zoo vet, Matt Brash, takes care of all 125 different species of animals here on site.

The job of a vet is not an easy one, they have to make tough decisions and the health of the exotic animals housed here at Flamingo Land is on his shoulders…

Here at Flamingo Land Resort we take part in the David Bellamy Conservation Award Scheme, one of the longest running green tourism awards in the UK, and have just been assessed once again.

Flamingo Land Resort is regularly assessed by the scheme’s team of local wildlife experts. The assessors look at the steps holiday parks are taking to manage their land as a haven for wildlife, reduce their use of energy, water and other resources. They investigate our reduce, reuse, recycle waste protocols while also assessing how parks support their local communities. The assessment is not easy – this year I took part in the assessment to really get to grips with the award. Together with the Director of Conservation, Dr. Andy Marshall, our assessor spent a full day here at Flamingo Land Resort, and didn’t even have time to try out any of the rides!

The assessment looked at what we had done in the past year to impact native wildlife and to build on our previous awards. Last year we received gold so we were hoping to add to Britain’s gold medal tally!

We love autumn – the change of colour of the trees from green to a fantastic bright orange, the bright days with a nip in the air, the warm scarves and big jumpers.

Walking around the zoo, the change in seasons is noticeable, especially in our South America section where there are a high number of big trees looming over the animals’ enclosure. This also signals one thing… Halloween is coming! So what are we doing in the zoo?

This month saw the beginning of our surveys on how well villagers have taken to the introduction of alternative sources of fuel. Our first survey of 28 households across four villages found that one quarter of people are now using some kind of alternative fuel to firewood. One innovative lady has even decided to invent a new form of stove for burning the fuel briquettes more efficiently!

Here at Flamingo Land Zoo we are very proud of all our animals. This summer has seen a baby boom throughout the park – from our capybara litter to both meerkat mobs adding to their families. However, as many may think, the flamingos hold a special place close to our hearts. Here at Flamingo Land we have two different species of flamingos, Chilean and Caribbean. And it is with great pleasure that I announce the birth of flamingo chicks.

The nest of a flamingo is nothing like any other bird’s nest. They create mounds in the mud to safeguard their eggs. In the wild, this is very useful as they live in the muddy edges of lakes and tidal areas. With so much water around it is imperative that the eggs and the newborn chicks are kept warm and dry. The parents will come together after an array of dancing that signals the start of the courtship…

With a new work plan in place, and two new staff members (more on them later), this month has seen a flurry of village activities…

Flamingo Land Resort’s conservation project, the Udzungwa Forest Project (UFP) is carrying out groundbreaking research into forest restoration techniques in the tropical Magombera forest. Like most of Tanzania’s forests, Magombera suffers continued degradation from having an unsustainable amount of its natural resources removed by people in surrounding villages.

Magombera forest is important both to the surrounding villages and wildlife, as it acts as a climate stabiliser and provides much-needed habitat for rare species. There are currently ten villages known to be using the forest for its natural resources, principally fuel and building materials, over time leading to a reduction in size and quality…

The summer seems to have passed in the blink of an eye and now, with schools reopening next week, it’s an ideal time to reflect on the last few months. So, how’s the North Yorkshire summer treated us this year? Well, in between the rain, blue skies prevailed, bringing glorious sunshine and temperatures in the high twenties!

The animals have been moving in and out with the changing weather. The ducks loved the rain, as did the hippos, who were delighted to roll around in the resulting mud! However, the rhinos and giraffes proved themselves once again to be dedicated sun worshippers.

Our zookeepers saw the birth of a camel calf and two Humboldt penguin chicks, plus two ring-tailed lemurs who are already fantastic climbers…

Good zoos are now powerful forces for conservation and some of the world’s most extraordinary species would not be surviving without them! Flamingo Land’s Director of Conservation, Dr Andrew Marshall, has played the lead role in creating a list of the top ten species most reliant on zoos.

The work was carried out on behalf of the British and Irish Association for Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA), which promotes the value of good zoos and aquariums. The top ten list includes species on the very brink of extinction including two that are close to our hearts at Flamingo Land. The Scimitar-horned Oryx, now extinct in the wild, is thriving at Flamingo Land, where we reared yet another calf this year. Verdcourt’s Polyalthia tree is also on the list, an endangered plant from Tanzania, protected as part of Flamingo Land’s forest conservation initiative, the Udzungwa Forest Project.

Last month Flamingo Land’s Director of Conservation Dr Andy Marshall, Zoo Manager Ross Snipp and Tropical Conservation Research Assistant Jennifer Archer (myself) visited Tanzania to work on the Zoo’s conservation project, The Udzungwa Forest Project (UFP).

Flamingo Land has been supporting the project in its conservation, research and educational work in rural Tanzania for the past four years and is aiming to break new ground for zoo-funded conservation.

For Ross and me it was a fascinating first visit, full of new experiences. We participated in all things UFP, including environmental education classes with schoolchildren, forest restoration work and monkey surveys. The highlight of the trip was the project’s annual UFP Day in one of the local villages, packed full of fun and educational environmental activities, presentations and school performances…

Here in the zoo we try and combine our activities, teaching people about our animals but also keeping our animals active. That is why, when Zoo Academy participants were learning about our Hamadryas baboons, the keepers and the education staff put their heads together. The keepers wanted to ensure that we could give the food to the baboons in a safe way and the education staff wanted to highlight the foods the baboons eat and introduce the zoo troopers to the concept of animal enrichment.

And what did we come up with? Baboon balloons! You can even try this at home and place them in your garden for the native wildlife that may be visiting! The zoo troopers blew up a balloon, dipped edible paper into a mixture of flour and water (we could not use PVA glue which is usually used for papier mâché because the baboons might eat it). We covered the balloon with 3 layers of the dripping paper. Once the entire balloon was covered we put it on a cup to dry. Once dry we filled the baboon balloons with hay, nuts and dried fruit: a tasty treat for our baboons!

This week we are focusing on a very impressive bird. Hamerkops are no ordinary bird and especially here in Flamingo Land zoo they hold a special place close to our hearts.

The hamerkop bird is a large African water bird; they can live in a variety of habitats, from arid semi-deserts to farmland to forest. The main factor for a good habitat is water. They forage in reed beds and along shallow waters near sand beds. They feed on a diet of amphibians, small fish, worms and insects. But the most interesting and exciting aspect of the hamerkop is their nest. The nest is an elaborate hollow structure of sticks usually built in a fork of a tree. The male and female spend weeks collecting twigs and suitable nesting material, incorporating it into a fantastic extravagant arrangement. Again as water is a main priority in their life, hamerkops will build their nests in a tree overhanging the water or near a lake or river.

Here in the zoo, we try to replicate life in the wild as much as possible…

Here at Flamingo Land we are very proud of our zoo, and we hope you enjoy it just as much as we do. But who is responsible for how great the place looks? Our keepers of course! All the keepers here at the zoo are extremely dedicated to the work that they are doing. Come rain or shine they are always working hard for the animals and for the members of the public.

The keeper’s day starts off with the zoo morning meeting. This is a chance for everyone to get together and update each other about what is happening in the different areas of the zoo. There are five sections in the zoo ranging from South America, Paddocks (which includes the rhinos, giraffes and ostriches), and Farm to Children’s Planet. Each section will have a group of keepers that work only on that section. Once everyone has been briefed, the real work starts.

Our white rhinos have been under close watch over recent months. In order to ensure their wellbeing, we monitored them and their behaviour before, during and after the construction of our brand new ride, Pterodactyl.

Visitors to the park are in for an extra thrill here at Flamingo Land with our brand new ride, Pterodactyl. On this thrilling, high altitude, swooping ride you can get a great view of the Lost Kingdom (if you can keep your eyes open). You are able to see the tall necks of the giraffes, the grazing zebras, the remarkable dinosaur-like ostriches and the rumbling rhinos. It is these white rhinos that were under close scrutiny over the last few months, with research being carried out on them and their behaviour before, during and after the construction of the new ride. As Pterodactyl is close to the rhino quarters, zoo staff wanted to ensure that the new thrill was not affecting their behaviour.

After much speculation, Flamingo Land Resort’s latest ride opened just a few weeks ago.

Instantly becoming a real must for extreme ride fans everywhere, Pterodactyl doesn’t just close on its sister tower ride, Cliff Hanger, at a height of 151 feet, but also combines its high altitude thrills with the soaring, swooping motion of Wave Swinger.

Walking around Flamingo Land Zoo it can sometimes be a bit overwhelming. An endangered rhino, a critically endangered giraffe, an endangered lemur, an extinct in the wild scimitar-horned oryx and a near threatened penguin. So is there hope? The answer of course is yes!

This week’s news headlines told about the first ever captive UK hatched spoon-billed sandpipers. These birds are critically endangered with only 100 breeding pairs left in the wild, so any new hatchlings are extremely exciting! So what now? With any breeding programme, the ultimate aim is to release animals back into the wild where they belong.

Here in the zoo we work whatever the weather. However, as with most people, we prefer to do so in the sun. Especially as it is summertime…

This week however, we have seen a glimpse of the sunshine we associate with summer. The sun came out, the animals, staff and visitors emerged and smiles were seen all around. Our visitors were also sporting less waterproof ponchos (unless taking part in the Lost River Ride where a poncho is always deemed necessary!)

For us here in the Education Centre there is a change in the air. As the schools break up for their holidays our days are no longer spent with schoolchildren on days out. Workshop materials and zoo trails for all ages are tucked away for the summer. However, things don’t stop there. Here at the zoo we take the school holidays as an opportunity to put on Zoo Academy! This is a fun-filled week where kids aged 8-11 become part of the team. Backstage views of the zoo, up-close encounters with our exotic residents, exploring the wild and the native animals we have, and exhilarating games to fill your senses.

A couple of weeks ago myself (Marie, the education research assistant) and the other CIRCLE research assistants headed off down south in order to give presentations at the annual BIAZA (British and Irish Aquaria and Zoo Association) research symposium.

It is with great pleasure that I announce that all lectures went off without a hitch. We even came back with ideas to put into practice here at the zoo. And that is what it is all about – sharing ideas and information to ensure the maximum amount of research is taking part in our zoos.

Our resident capybara population has just seen an increase!

The capybaras are one of Flamingo Land’s most interesting residents. They are the world’s largest rodents and can easily be mistaken for giant guinea pigs! They can reach up to 1.3 metres in length and up to half a metre tall. In the wild they are found in South America. Here in the zoo they can be found in our free-ranging South America section together with alpaca, tapirs and maras.

In the wild the capybaras can be found in thick vegetation close to water. They are excellent swimmers and spend a lot of their time in the water, when they are not grazing on the land. This is why our Mum decided to have her litter right next to our big lake. The first European explorers to see capybaras originally named them water pigs!