Dogs just love to run free on the beach whatever the weather and a perfect day out with the family is not complete without a visit to one of the three dog-friendly Venus beach cafes across South Devon. Here you will find a warm welcome for both you and your best friend, who will be well cared for with the launch of Venus’ canine menu.
With three different natural chews specific for small, medium, and large dogs, Venus can cater to every size. The tasty dog treats are fully digestible and sustainable, naturally made from by-products of the meat industry. Individually wrapped in...
The three South West zoos run by regional conservation charity Wild Planet Trust have a defiant message for coronavirus: “It’s business as usual”.
Staff and volunteers are prepared for the impact of coronavirus, but at this time the charity zoos remain open. Zoo spokesperson Phil Knowling said: “We’re monitoring the situation closely and will naturally continue to follow the advice of Public Health England and the Government. We will close if directed or if we no longer have the people to operate safely, but right now WE ARE OPEN!
Keepers at Paignton Zoo saved scores of animals after recent storms damaged a key building.
High winds ripped open a 36-metre-long air vent in the roof of Reptile Tropics at around 7.30 one morning, exposing vulnerable animals, plants and electrics. Staff rushed to save lizards, snakes, turtles, iguanas, chameleons and geckos as the temperature in the building dropped. Meanwhile, maintenance staff were able to carry out running repairs and prevent further damage.
In all, 65 reptiles and amphibians were saved, along with around 200 birds. It’s thought that no individuals...
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.
Two vets from Indonesia are the first to benefit from a unique new scholarship programme run by a Cornish vet charity. OVAID – Orang utan Veterinary Aid – is run by Nigel and Sara Hicks, based in Launceston. They help hard-pressed orang utan rescue centres and sanctuaries with veterinary support and donations of equipment.
The new OVAID Bronwyn Scholarship meant that two South East Asian vets were able to make the 12,000 kilometre (7,500 mile) journey to the UK to exchange techniques and information on the care and welfare of orang utans.
England’s chances in the Rugby World Cup would be greatly improved if they had this chap in the line-up.
Male Western lowland gorilla Pertinax lives at Paignton Zoo in Devon. He‘s around 6 feet from head to toe – modest for a professional rugby player these days, but he weighs in at a hefty 190 kilos - and it’s pretty much all muscle. At 37 he’s a bit of a senior now, but even the All Blacks might think twice about tackling him…
Impressively, this strapping lad follows a strict vegetarian diet that features peppers, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, beetroot, kale, leeks,...
Swimming trunks, a fishing rod and part of a car exhaust system were among the surprising items found on the latest beach clean organised by staff at Living Coasts.
The charity zoo’s Events Coordinator Hayley Gibson said: “We had 72 volunteers on the day, which was fantastic, and we collected 4 large bin bags full of litter. Goodrington is a fairly well-kept beach, but if you look beneath the surface you will find lots of rubbish!
“Some of the more peculiar item included a pair of Speedos, a fishing rod and part of a car exhaust pipe. There were as usual lots of crisp...
There are baby red ruffed lemurs at Paignton Zoo – and just look at them!
The charity zoo is a professional science and conservation body working internationally to help save these Critically Endangered primates – but sometimes all the serious stuff is pushed to one side by incredibly cute baby animals.
Head Keeper of Mammals Owen Taylor said: “When we were sure she was close to giving birth, we put some ropes up at the indoor viewing area to give her some additional privacy and the best opportunity of raising her offspring.”
Local schoolchildren recently teamed up with coastal conservationists to help tackle the theory and the reality of waste plastic in Torbay.
Pupils from Roselands Primary in Paignton learned about marine pollution with education staff from Living Coasts, Torquay’s coastal zoo and aquarium, then helped clean Goodrington beach with the Torbay Cleaner Coasts Initiative and staff from Torbay Council. In addition, the school raised money by making gifts from items normally thrown in the bin - such as glass jars, paper and odd socks - and selling them to families in their very own pop-up...
This is a vampire crab. With its purple body, orange pincers and piercing pale eyes, it’s a nightmarish vision. And a crab that’s also a vampire? Days out at the beach will never be the same…
You may not have heard of a vampire crab, though it’s a species popular with aquarists – in fact, illegal over-collection for the pet trade is a real threat to the species.
As alarming as it looks, this amazing photo, taken by Paignton Zoo photographer Eleanor Stobbart, betrays the true size of this tiny crab. It’s found in India, South East Asia and the islands of the Pacific. The...
