NEWS
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland is a partner
in a number of conservation projects around Scotland,
one of which is the Cairngorms
Wildcat Project. This project is working to secure
the future of the Scottish wildcat through practical
conservation; raise awareness of the plight of this
iconic species and promote public support of its conservation.
As part of this partnership, the Society will be placing
camera traps around the Cairngorms National Park in
the hope of catching a glimpse of this rare, native
mammal.
The
staff here are currently testing the new camera traps
to make sure they work and to get to grips with the
technology. Over the last weeks, the cameras were placed
around the Park to catch what wild creatures wander
around after the gates close. One morning, while going
through the footage, staff were surprised to get a picture
of what looks very much like a wildcat. They are a difficult
species to identify (looking very much like a tabby
cat), but the one in the image has the striped tail
and the size is right. Fingers crossed that the success
will continue when the camera traps go out into the
wider world.
POLAR WINTER
"Mercedes" the polar bear is now well settled
in her huge new 4 acre enclosure and seems to be enjoying
all the new sights and sounds, particularly the snow
(photos courtesy of Andrew Smith). She moved from Edinburgh
Zoo to the Highland Wildlife Park, arriving here on
the 19th of October.
After a massive fundraising campaign and the help of
the Royal Engineers who constructed a fantastic viewing
platform, having already dug out a huge pond earlier
in the summer, her enclosure is one of the largest in
the world for polar bear. We hope that she will thrive
in her new home. For more on Mercedes, please click
here.
GREAT VALUE
OFFERS
Why not buy a season
ticket which lets you visit the Park and Mercedes every
day of the year for just £20 (adults) or £12
(children)? Valid for a year from date of purchase,
simply fill in the application form at the gate on your
next visit.
Scotrail
Kids go Free Ticket
Up to two children aged between five and 15 can travel
free with each adult who purchases a Kids
Go Free ticket on any route within Scotland. Show
your Kids
Go Free ticket at the Highland Wildlife Park or
Edinburgh Zoo and get a free child place with each full
paying adult.
OTHER ANIMAL NEWS
Sadly our female European otter had to be put to sleep
at the end of January. She was very old and had been
suffering from ill-health for a few weeks. Her enclosure
is temporarily being used to hold a young male beaver,
prior to his transfer.
Our three tiger cubs born on the 11th of May 2009 are
now very active and have grown! We have one male, Vladimir,
and two females, Natalia and Dominika. We currently
have talks at the tigers at 2.15pm.
The wolf enclosure has been extended down the hill
and the Bactrian camels arrived from Edinburgh Zoo in
the summer and are now on show in the Entrance Reserve.
Beaver
Reintroduction
On Friday the 29th of May,
the first beavers for 400 years were released into the
wild in Knapdale, Argyll. This project is a partnership
project between the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland,
the Scottish Wildlife Trust and host partner, the Forestry
Commission Scotland. We are very excited to be involved
in this landmark project and also now have two new beavers
at the Park. Read
more here.
Win a Family Membership to the
Royal Zoological Society of Scotland!
We hope that you enjoy a great
day out at Highland Wildlife Park, and we would love
to hear from you after your visit. Please complete our
online Visitor
Survey here and you and your family could be visiting
Edinburgh Zoo and the Highland Wildlife Park every day
of the year! The survey will take just 5 minutes of
your time and will ensure that we continue to provide
a first-class visitor experience.
Beaver photograph courtesy of Arron
& Kirsty Barnes ©
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