Paignton Zoo Environmental Park is marking the role South Devon played in the career of the man regarded around the world as the father of modern tree surgery.
John Davey served a six-year apprenticeship in horticulture and landscape gardening in Torquay. He moved to the US and became a leading tree expert, publishing his first book, 'The Tree Doctor', in 1901.
Now, Paignton Zoo is planting a tree to commemorate his Devon connection. Catherine Mortimer, Paignton Zoo Head Gardener, explained: “John Davey is almost unknown in this country, but in the US he is...
TV favourite Kirstie Allsopp has decorated a unique piece of three-dimensional charity art - a life-size gorilla.
The presenter, interior designer, crafts and property expert has come up with a design as part of Paignton Zoo’s Great Gorillas Project.
The project is celebrating the 90th birthday of the region’s largest and best-known zoo, Paignton Zoo Environmental Park, and is raising money for charity. Life-size model gorillas have been sponsored by businesses, painted in original designs by specially-commissioned artists and displayed in public, creating a unique free art...
Babbacombe Model Village is getting involved in Paignton Zoo’s Great Gorillas Project in a big way – by faithfully recreating the trail of life-size painted gorillas in miniature.
Thirty 5 inch-tall china gorillas have been placed around the Model Village for the summer. Some artists have painted their own miniatures, while others have been completed by Model Village staff.
In addition, Babbacombe Model Village has sponsored a full-size silverback gorilla that is more than ten times the size of the miniatures. Back of Beyond was painted by Peter Poole, from Hove, in East...
The tallest baby in the world has just been born at Paignton Zoo in Devon.
The Rothschild's giraffe calf stands at nearly six feet tall.
The as yet unnamed and unsexed calf was born to mother Janica and father Yoda on the morning of Tuesday 20 August.
Paignton Zoo Curator of Mammals Neil Bemment said: “The first thing that happens to a baby giraffe when it is born is a six foot drop onto the ground – it’s a hard way to start!”
The gestation period for a giraffe is between 400 and 460 days. The mother gives birth standing up – the fall breaks the...
A hotel in Exeter is serving gorilla-sized cocktails.
The Southernhay House Hotel in Exeter has created a special tipple to mark Paignton Zoo’s Great Gorillas Project.
Owner Deborah Clark, who also runs Burgh Island, came up with the idea. She has pledged to donate a sum to the campaign – aimed at raising awareness for gorilla conservation in Africa – for each cocktail sold.
“I heard about The Great Gorillas Project through social media and contacts in the finance sector in Southernhay. Then Not So Different, sponsored by Cathedral Financial Management, was placed...
Paignton Zoo Head of Education Lisa Stroud smiles a lot – but then, she has plenty to smile about. When she took up her post 16 months ago, she inherited a busy department with an enthusiastic team and strong partnerships beyond the gates of the Zoo. Now, she has won a major grant to help pay for a whole range of innovations. “I love my job!” she enthuses.
The conservation charity’s successful Education Department was built up from next-to-nothing over many years by previous incumbents, including her immediate predecessor Rob Lovell. She took over a team of 12, including six part-...
A gorilla has enrolled at the University of Exeter.
The giant primate arrived wrapped in pretend brown paper, tied with mock string and covered in air mail stickers, stamps and franks from South Africa, Canada, Indonesia, Australia and Cuba.
This striking piece of public art is named Takamanda, after a national park in the Cameroon set up in 2008 to help protect the endangered Cross River gorilla.
She is part of the Great Gorillas Project, which is celebrating the 90th birthday of Paignton Zoo. Life-size model gorillas have been sponsored by businesses and community...
The UK’s surface repair specialist Plastic Surgeon is going ape for charity. The company has pledged its expertise in support of Paignton Zoo’s 90th birthday Great Gorillas Project.
Plastic Surgeon has set up the Gorilla Preservation Squad to care for the host of life-sized fibre-glass gorillas spending the summer at major landmarks and locations across the region.
The model gorillas have been sponsored by businesses and community groups, painted in original designs by specially commissioned artists and displayed in public, creating a unique art trail around Exeter and the...
It's that time of year again! EDDC’s Countryside team kick off their annual Wet ’n’ Wild Summer Festival at 8pm on Thursday evening 15 August with Meet the Bats.
The Axe Estuary Wetlands is known as an excellent habitat for bats; more than half of our 17 native species of bat have been found there, including the rarest of our natives; the grey long-eared bat.
Visitors will have the opportunity to learn to use an electronic bat detector to identify the different species. The Meet the Bats session will be repeated on Friday evening 16 August at 8pm.
