UK News

Paignton Zoo breeds beautiful endangered lizard

Paignton Zoo breeds beautiful endangered lizard

Authored by Paigntonzoo
Posted: Thu, 02/06/2020 - 6:54pm

Paignton Zoo in Devon has hatched three very special – and very beautiful - youngsters. Keepers are hand rearing a trio of Chinese crocodile lizards. In 2018, Paignton Zoo became the first major zoological collection in the UK to breed this species.

You may not be familiar with the Chinese crocodile lizard. It’s not surprising; this small, semiaquatic lizard is found only in the provinces of southern China and northern Vietnam. It’s listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List due to severe population declines and habitat threats.

They grow to around 40 to 46 centimetres (16...

New partnership to help  Bay’s underwater rainforest

New partnership to help Bay’s underwater rainforest

Authored by Paigntonzoo
Posted: Fri, 01/31/2020 - 10:28am

Two local names with international reputations are joining forces to help a very special - but largely unknown - species. Living Coasts, Torquay’s coastal zoo and aquarium, is linking up with Valeport, the Totnes-based underwater measuring instrumentation specialists.

The focus of their partnership is seagrass, a remarkable plant that flowers underwater and forms dense meadows in shallow coastal areas. These meadows capture carbon at a greater rate than tropical forests, making them important in combating climate change. Like coral reefs and rainforests, these underwater gardens...

Isabel dos Santos Focused on Women’s Rights, Corporate Social Responsibility in 2019

Isabel dos Santos continues to take a “front and center” approach to ensuring women have a place in the business world in Africa, as well as internationally. Her mission is also to ensure African businesses, no matter how large or small, continue growing in the digital economy.

Her work includes becoming a co-founder of Unitel in Angola, partnering with Fernando Teles to open Banco Internacional de Credito, acquiring a controlling share of NOS SGPS in Portugal, and partnering with Sonae to develop an Angola retail trading company.

Her most recent business venture, which she...

Trust's 2020 vision

Trust's 2020 vision

Authored by Paigntonzoo
Posted: Mon, 01/13/2020 - 12:43pm

Wild Planet Trust is the Devon-based charity that runs Paignton Zoo, Living Coasts in Torquay and Newquay Zoo in Cornwall, plus several nature reserves in Devon. While 2019 was not a great year for the charity, there are, says Trust boss Simon Tonge, some reasons for optimism:

“Last year was not the best for visitor numbers, though we still saw 700,000 people come to our three zoo sites. And it was the end of an era – Duchess, the last elephant in the South West of England, died.

“On the plus side, 2019 saw the lifting of TB restrictions at Paignton Zoo. Although it has...

All creatures great and very, very small

All creatures great and very, very small

Authored by Paigntonzoo
Posted: Fri, 01/10/2020 - 12:39pm

This is an Nguru spiny pygmy chameleon. It’s just a few centimetres long. What could it possibly have in common with a black rhino? The answer is – Wild Planet Trust. The charity behind Paignton Zoo, Living Coasts and Newquay Zoo carries out conservation work in Tanzania, home to both species.

This minute chameleon - a species new to Paignton Zoo and sadly not yet on show to guests – needs all the help it can get. It’s Critically Endangered, largely due to the ravenous demands of the international pet trade.

The chameleon is well named – it comes from the Nguru Mountains of...

Christmas dinners with a difference…

Christmas dinners with a difference…

Authored by Paigntonzoo
Posted: Tue, 12/24/2019 - 8:03am

Animals at Paignton Zoo will be getting their own festive dinners this Christmas – but you may not find them quite as appetising as your own…

So what’s on the menu? Well, the big cats could get a whole turkey, complete with feathers and entrails. Curator of Mammals Lisa Britton said: “It’s all good roughage, the bones, everything. It’s the sort of carcass they’d be eating in the wild.”

Ferocious carnivores tearing into meat may or may not remind you of your own Christmas lunch.

Meanwhile, Alfie Junior the Southern cassowary has a Christmas dinner, too – including...

How to train your…

How to train your…

Authored by Paigntonzoo
Posted: Fri, 12/13/2019 - 11:41am

If animal training makes you think of tricks and shows, think again. Top zoos use training to improve animal welfare, reduce the need for risky general anaesthetics and to keep both animals and people safe.

For example, bird keeper Sam Gray has trained Alfie Junior the Southern cassowary – as tall as a person and part bird, part dinosaur – to follow a target, which means she can get him in his house easily and safely. For reptile keeper Tom Wilkinson, training Pierre the mangrove monitor lizard to walk calmly into his crate means you don’t need to catch him up – a procedure that...

Exeter retirees step into Christmas!

Authored by LaurenBluck
Posted: Thu, 12/12/2019 - 12:36pm

Exeter locals recently joined residents at McCarthy and Stone’s Pinnoc Mews Retirement Living development on Bakers Way to get into the Christmas spirit at an exclusive free festive event.

Those who came along were treated to mouth-watering mince pies and a warming glass or two of mulled wine, all whilst enjoying a sparkling showcase by renowned jazz band The Hipcats, who performed live renditions of festive favourites.

The event was part of McCarthy & Stone’s series of ‘At Home’ events, which are happening at selected developments across the UK throughout December, and...

Trees in Trust

Trees in Trust

Authored by Paigntonzoo
Posted: Wed, 12/04/2019 - 10:15am

National Tree Week - from 23rd November to 1st December – is the UK's largest annual tree celebration, and marks the start of the winter tree planting season. One locally-based conservation charity is using the occasion to shine a spotlight on some of the many trees in its care.

Wild Planet Trust is the conservation charity behind Paignton Zoo. The zoo is more famous for animals than trees, although it is pleasantly-wooded. Often overlooked are the Clennon local nature reserve adjoining the zoo and the Primley public open space across the road, both managed by the Trust.

...

Gentle by nature?

Gentle by nature?

Authored by Paigntonzoo
Posted: Sat, 11/30/2019 - 9:45am

Paignton Zoo has welcomed a new species – the wonderfully-named gentle lemur. There’s more than a little of the teddy bear about them, with their thick, grey-brown fur and beady amber eyes. The babies are said to be especially cute – and the zoo certainly hopes to see babies in due course.

The gentle lemur – more correctly, the Alaotran gentle lemur - is the only primate that lives entirely in marshy habitat. In the wild it can be found in reed beds around Lake Alaotra, in north east Madagascar.

But why the name? Are they really gentle? It depends who you ask. Gentle lemurs...

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