NewquayZoo

Staff at Newquay Zoo are delighted at having been Highly Commended at the 2010 Cornwall Sustainability Awards.

The ceremony, which took place at the Royal Cornwall Showground, Wadebridge, was attended by over 200 guests, as well as local TV star Dick Strawbridge. Newquay Zoo received Highly Commended in the Low Carbon Business Category, which recognises organisations that have reduced the greenhouse gas emissions associated with their business, for example through energy efficiency, renewable energy, transport and supply chain management.
 
‘‘This is a fantastic achievement’’ said Sean Sanguinette, Environmental Officer at Newquay Zoo. ‘‘Running a business in its very nature is going to use carbon, through transport, energy, heating, water consumption - the list goes on. At Newquay we have always strived to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with running the zoo, and to have our hard work acknowledged in front of our peers is brilliant.’’

So how do you run a low carbon business? Well it takes hard work and a dedicated team. Staff at Newquay Zoo are encouraged to car share, or if possible to walk to work (even in the freezing temperatures!) and an extensive Environmental Management scheme has been written and put into practise.

Insulating all the enclosures has become a big priority after a thermal imaging report produced in 2009 showed a number of areas for improvement. Double glazing has helped reduce the amount of heat being lost from the warmer enclosures, and it is changes like this which has helped the zoo to keep its Green Tourism Gold status, alongside other awards.

Sean has a number of plans to be implemented in 2011 to help the zoo maintain its position as a Low Carbon business. The first is to install thermostats so that enclosure temperatures can be monitored and regulated. Timers onto heaters will also be installed to stop energy wastage, and a second thermal imagery report will be produced, enabling staff to compare with the previous findings and identify any areas which can be improved further.

Congratulations to all the winners! For more information on the Cornwall Sustainability Awards please click here 

The recent spell of freezing weather has caused the lake at Newquay Zoo to freeze completely over, as these two White Naped Cranes discovered one morning.

The Cranes, which are used to wading through the lake to look for tasty food, were seen tentatively crossing the ice, and after a few slippery moments became more confident - striding across the ice like true professionals!

Visitors to the Zoo have had fun watching their antics!

Newquay Zoo animals are snug, warm and safe in the cold weather, thanks to warm bedding, heat lamps, under floor heating and improved enclosure insulation.

Newquay Zoo is opening Café Lemur to Waterworld customers!

Need to relax and revitalize after a tough workout? Simply present your Waterworld membership card or a valid receipt for that days class or swim at the Newquay Zoo entrance and gain free entry to Café Lemur (please note that ‘free’ entry means to Café Lemur and the Zoo shop but not to the rest of the Zoo).
 

Last entry to Café Lemur is at 4pm, and don’t forget a visit to the gift shop for those last minute Christmas pressies!

WEAR A CHRISTMAS HAT AND RECEIVE £1 OFF ADMISSION

On 11th and 12th December the Zoo will be holding its Christmas Fair, with home-made crafts and produce to welcome the Christmas Season!

Visit Santa in his Grotto, drink mulled wine and take a self-guided tour on the Victorian Christmas Trail, where you can learn about Christmas past and present whilst eating roast chestnuts and minced pies!

Local artist Kim Holweg will be attending the fun filled event, providing a great opportunity for visitors to meet her and see her gorgeous wildlife paintings and gifts.

Throughout the weekend the animals will be receiving early Christmas presents at the keeper talks in the form of festive enrichment, and the Café Lemur will be serving delicious seasonal meals.

Children will get the chance to meet Father Christmas in his Grotto at the Village Farm. £4 per child includes an early Christmas present, with all money raised going towards conservation projects.

Visitors at Newquay Zoo can now see a striking new addition to the Tropical House.

Stewart Muir, Zoo Director, said ‘‘The milk snake is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful snakes in the world, so it is very exciting to have them at Newquay Zoo and to hopefully breed from them in the future.’

The central American milk snake gets its name from the popular urban myth that it would enter barns to suck milk out of cows. In actual fact it is more likely to enter a barn to look for rats! Their distinctive colour pattern mimics that of the deadly coral snake, providing excellent protection from predators.

The snakes join a wide array of species including mountain-horned dragons, tarantulas, boa constrictors, sloths, bats and a variety of exotic birds in the Tropical House, one of the zoo’s most popular exhibits.

About Milk Snakes
Milk snakes are a species of King snake, originating from Central America. They can be found in a variety of habitats – from rocky outcrops, brushy hillsides and river valleys, to woodlands, fields, and pine forests. Milk snakes have almost the same coloration and patterning as venomous coral snakes, making it easy to confuse them with this dangerous snake species. American schoolchildren are taught the phrase ‘if it’s white next to red you’re sure to be dead!’ This rhyme refers to the color of the bands on the snake, and the order in which they appear. The bands also provide them protection from other predators as they break up the snakes body outline, making them less visible. They eat mainly rodents, and are non-venomous, so kill their food by constricting.

Our latest blog posting on the World War Zoo gardens project focuses on the names on two zoo war memorials at ZSL London Zoo and Belle Vue Zoo Manchester (now closed) and the story of the men and families behind them.

Please read these names so they are not forgotten. They stand in for Zoo staff all over the world affected by war, and for the staff of aquariums and botanic gardens.

Spare a thought for these men and women at 11 o’clock on 11th and on Remembrance Sunday.

To view the latest blog posting and read the names on the memorials, please click worldwarzoogardener1939.wordpress.com

Staff at Newquay Zoo are delighted that the zoo has been shortlisted in the prestigious Cornwall Sustainability Awards 2010.

The Zoo is one of five businesses in the running for the Low Carbon Business Award – which celebrates organisations that have reduced the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the day to day running of their business.

Environmental Officer Sean Sanguinette said: ‘‘It is fantastic to have been short listed for this award – at Newquay Zoo we are dedicated to lowering our carbon emissions and reducing our environmental impact – so to be considered for this award is an achievement in itself.’’

This is third consecutive year that the zoo has been recognised in the Cornwall Sustainability Awards. Last year the zoo won the Best Managed Medium Company award and were highly commended in the Low Carbon Business category.

The awards ceremony will take place on 3rd December. For more information on the awards please visit www.cornwallsustainabilityawards.org

Animals at Newquay Zoo have received a late Halloween Treat – pumpkins!

The pumpkins were delivered in person by Mark Orchard, Managing Director of Cedar Croft Nurseries, to Newquay Zoo, where they were gratefully received by John Meek, Animal Collections Manager, and Alvin the skunk. Over 50 pumpkins were left over from the Charity Pumpkin Challenge, which helped raise money for Cornwall’s Air Ambulance.

John said: ‘‘We are very pleased to receive these pumpkins from Cedar Croft Nurseries. With hundreds of species with different dietary requirements, any extra help feeding them is definitely appreciated. The animals will love their belated Halloween Treat, and what is even better is that two charities have benefited from them – the Air Ambulance and Newquay Zoo!’’

The pumpkins will be used to feed a wide variety of different species at the zoo, including Yellow Breasted Capuchin monkeys, Tapirs and Capybaras.  

Mark Orchard said: ‘‘Cedar Croft Nurseries will hold the Charity Pumpkin Challenge annually due to its success – it has been great this year to help out two such worthwhile causes.’’

For more information on the animals at Newquay Zoo click here.
For more information on how your business can help click here.

CedarCroft Nursery’s Charity Pumpkin Challenge in conjunction with Cornwall Air Ambulance gave those with green fingers the chance to try and grow the biggest pumpkin! The winner was Katharine Blake whose pumpkin weighed in at 38kg. CedarCroft Nursery gave out over 1000 free pumpkin plants to those who wanted to enter, and have donated all surplus pumpkins to Newquay Zoo to help to feed the animals.

Newquay Zoo has been congratulated by the zoo world following a prestigious awards ceremony. The annual British and Irish Zoo and Aquariums (BIAZA) awards 2010 were held at Paignton Zoo Environmental Park, Devon on November 3rd, and recognised achievements by member zoos both in the UK and overseas.

Newquay Zoo was commended in the Best Sustainable Zoo and Aquarium category, in recognition of its dedication to green issues. The commendation highlighted in particular the Zoo’s efforts in reducing its carbon footprint and the continual improvement to its environmental management system.

Stewart Muir, Zoo Director, said: ‘‘At Newquay Zoo we always strive to ensure that we are leaders in the fields of conservation, education and environmental management, so to receive this commendation from our peers is fantastic. This recognises the hard work of our staff in all areas throughout the year.’’

Newquay Zoo was one of 23 to receive a commendation. Held annually for over a decade, the BIAZA awards recognise outstanding contributions and achievements in the fields of wildlife conservation, advances in animal welfare and husbandry, marketing, PR, education, research, and enclosure design.

Dr Miranda Stevenson, Director of BIAZA said: “The programmes demonstrate the huge investment of energy and resources made by our leading zoos to improve animal welfare and raise environmental awareness. We congratulate all on their achievements.”


About BIAZA
BIAZA is a conservation education and scientific wildlife charity, which acts as the principal professional zoo body representing the responsible zoo and aquarium community in the UK and Ireland. With about 100 members, its role is to develop and spread best practice within the UK and international zoo community, combining lobbying and campaigning with the development of policy in collaboration with the government and scientific organizations. Over the last 12 months, BIAZA members have supported around 700 projects by providing financial support in excess of £9 million and by supplying skills, staff and equipment for conservation programmes worldwide.
For more information please visit www.biaza.org.uk

Thank you to everybody who came to the Zoo Boo Halloween Party – it was a great night out for the whole family!

Lorraine Reid Events Co-ordinator said ‘‘It was such a fantastic evening – visitors loved the minibeasts encounters, face painting, Halloween trail – and the fancy dress was better than ever!’’

Pumpkins, monks, witches, wizards and vampires were just a few of the spooky and scary monsters at the zoo this year, and the delicious chocolate apples and goody bags kept everyone happy for the journey home.

For more information on all our events please click here

We look forward to seeing you next year!

CLICK HERE FOR MORE PHOTOGRAPHS

Winter doesn’t have to mean doom and gloom – the return of Newquay Zoo’s special winter prices means you can have a great day out for less!

From 1st November ‘Prams and Pushchairs’ and ‘Senior Citizens’ discounts return, making a great day out even better!

Every Monday one adult and one child under 3 can gain entry to the Zoo and have a great cup of tea for only £4.85. Senior citizens can enjoy the Zoo for the same price, including tea, every Tuesday. Set amongst sub-tropical gardens and home to over 130 species, there is plenty to entertain all ages at Newquay Zoo, with keeper talks, animal encounters and feeding times throughout the day, and the site is mainly level and wheelchair friendly.

These offers end 28th March 2011, so make the most of the special prices whilst you can!

PLEASE NOTE: The discounts only apply during term time and not during school holidays.

Since the anniversary of Eagle Day (Adlertag on 13 August 1940), you cannot fail to have noticed  some of the  commemoration and coverage of the Battle of Britain and the Blitz on British cities 70 years ago. The 15th of September, known as Battle of Britain Day, saw a corresponding rise in readership of our blog, 80 readers on that day alone has taken us well past 8000 + readers. By the 26th October we will have reached 10,000 readers plus, since we started writing about our wartime garden project blog just over a  year ago.

So forgive me, regular readers. It is over 6 weeks since my last confession or blog on the World War zoo garden project at Newquay Zoo. We’ve another bumper blog edition for you. However we know you will have been kept busy in the garden or watching the coverage of the many interesting wartime anniversaries in September and November.

CLICK HERE FOR FULL BLOG ARTICLE

Author and former Newquay Zoo owner Mike Thomas will be visiting the zoo on Friday 29th October and signing copies of his book ‘Strange Things Happened on My Way to the Zoo.’

Stewart Muir Zoo Director said: ‘‘It is great to have Mike back at the zoo with us, we are all looking forward to seeing him and reminiscing about old times!’’

Mike was born in Wales, but moved to Cornwall where a love of animals saw him become an owner of the Seal Sanctuary, before becoming an owner of Newquay Zoo. Over ten years of dedication, hard work, and a passionate concern for the welfare of animals made Newquay Zoo into one of the leading tourist attractions in Cornwall. A highlight of his time at the zoo was the revolutionary partnership with St. Austell College which established and developed an educational facility on land adjacent to the zoo, catering for BTEC and HND studies.

He will be at the zoo signing copies of his book from 12-4pm. Profits on the day from the book sales will be split between The Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust and the Precious Lives Appeal.

Halloween at Newquay Zoo promises to be better than ever this year with the return of the Zoo Boo party!  Spooky stories, ghoulish games and fancy dress competitions make this the Halloween event in Cornwall! Prizes for the scariest, most original costumes to be awarded to small children and big kids alike, plus animal encounters, ghastly, ghoulish games and witches brew with ‘Hubble and Bubble’ in their witches coven!

Lorraine Reid, Events Co-Ordinator said: ‘‘There are so many scary sights and spooky sounds to experience at the zoo on Halloween. With lots of activities to keep the kids amused, plus the opportunity to get close to some of the animals, it really is a great evening out for the whole family.’’

This is a ticket only event running from 6.30pm to 9.30pm – please call 0844 474 2244 (local rate) to book your tickets. Adults £9.95 and children £7.50 with under 3’s free. Tickets include Halloween themed drink and a cookie. New for this year the Café Lemur will be serving a delicious Chinese buffet on the night for an additional charge of £6 per adult and £3 per child, available to ticket holders only.

A Cornwall College Newquay graduate has been named Top Student by the Society of Biology.

Nicola Morris was presented with the award at Newquay Zoo by Cornwall College Principal Dave Linnell, for achieving the highest grade in her BSc Applied Zoology degree course. As part of her course Nicola attended lectures and workshops at the Zoo which inspired her to complete a research project about the behaviour and enclosure use of one of the Zoo’s many species, the Malayan Black Hornbill.

Stewart Muir, Zoo Director said: ‘‘We are very proud of Nicola’s achievement, and are pleased that the successful link between Newquay Zoo and Cornwall College continues to produce students of such a high calibre. We wish her every success for the future.’’

The Society of Biology is the voice of UK professional biologists - in academia, industry, education and research - with an effective membership of about 80,000. The Society rewards the achievements of outstanding undergraduate biologists through the Top Student Award programme. As well as a certificate documenting the accolade, Nicola was awarded with a year’s Associate membership to the Society of Biology and will now be invited to attend local branch events.

Dave Linnell, Cornwall College Principal said: “Nicola has set a fine example to her peers and the College’s current students in showing her determination to succeed.  She has achieved a great deal in her time with us and fully deserves the recognition that this award brings.”

Nicola achieved First Class Honours and will officially graduate at Truro Cathedral on 6th November.

For more information on Newquay Zoos partnership with Cornwall College, please click here.


Photograph
Nicola Morris (centre) pictured with her award and (L-R) Dave Linnell (Cornwall College Principal), Stewart Muir (Director of Newquay Zoo), Alvin the Skunk and Andrew Smart (Head of Cornwall College Newquay). Please click on the image to bring it up in full.

Visitors to Newquay Zoo are in for a real treat throughout half term, as a range of fun-filled activities will entertain the entire family!

Lorraine Reid, Events Co-Ordinator said: ‘‘Throughout half term we have a fantastic new animal experience, which gives visitors the chance to feed our friendly mob of meerkats for themselves – lots of fun as they are fed live mealworms!’’

The pots of mealworms will be on sale from 11am, for £1 a pot (please note there are a limited number of pots due to the meerkats diets). Money raised will go towards ‘Gems of the Jungle’, Newquay Zoos new fundraising project which will raise awareness of the threats to rare songbirds from Asia.

Author and former Newquay Zoo owner Mike Thomas will be visiting the zoo on Friday 29th October and signing copies of his book ‘Strange things that happened on my way to the zoo’. Money raised from the sale of the books on the day will go to The Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust and a percentage of the royalties from Mike Thomas will go to the Precious Lives Appeal.

Stewart Muir Zoo Director said: ‘‘It is great to have Mike back at the zoo with us, we are all looking forward to seeing him and reminiscing about old times!’’

And every day you can listen to ‘Witches Tales’, to get you suitably scared for Halloween! We hope to see you there!
 
About Gems of the Jungle

Newquay Zoo is planning an exciting new exhibit to bring to our visitors the experience of wandering through a forest glade, inhabited by these ‘gems of the jungle’ – rare Asian songbirds - enabling people to experience these joys of nature, free flying in an exuberance of tropical plants. A meandering walkway will bring the opportunity to see and hear the birds at close quarters with flowering shrubs and vines, trickling waterfalls and babbling streams.

As well as raising awareness and hopefully a sense of concern to the plight of these birds, the design of the aviary will enable us to participate in the conservation breeding programmes to protect these remarkable species for generations to come. A range of sheltered breeding areas will be incorporated into the facility to ensure that the exact conditions are provided for them to successfully raise their young. MORE INFO HERE

How you can help
The cost of this project is £50,000, and you can help in a number of ways.

Sponsor a leaf or a bird
The entrance wall of this new exhibit will feature a tree and you are invited to sponsor a leaf or a bird on which you can place your name. In addition to having your name on display you will receive a certificate of sponsorship and a free ticket to the Zoo.  All sponsors will also be entered into a draw to win complimentary tickets to the official opening of the exhibit. 

Pan for gems
Visitors to Newquay Zoo can pan for gems in our great new activity for kids.

Meerkat Feeding
Visitors can buy food to feed the meerkats from 11am each day.

About Mike Thomas
Mike was born in Wales, but moved to Cornwall where a love of animals saw him become an owner of the Seal Sanctuary, before becoming an owner of Newquay Zoo. Over ten years of dedication, hard work, and a passionate concern for the welfare of animals he made Newquay Zoo into one of the leading tourist attractions in Cornwall.

Staff at Newquay Zoo miss their old male meerkat Scampie after he passed away aged 12.

Head Keeper Sam Harley comments “He reached a fantastic age for a meerkat, and in the last two years he managed to father 15 babies, which is a great legacy to leave behind. There was just no stopping him! Our meerkats have gone from strength to strength and we now have a family of 11 including mum Peggy as some of the youngsters have moved to other Zoos. We will at some point bring in another adult male, but the family are very settled at the moment so we are not going to rush anything. Their enclosure, which is next to the childrens’ play area, is working extremely well, and there is plenty of viewing for the visitors to watch our mischievous meerkat family. They are so adorable and a favourite with everyone. The youngsters are called Bumble, Aleksander, Simples, Fraggle, Jambo, Peanut, Tilly, Taz, Maisy and Daisy” PLEASE NOTE 1st October 2010 - We are currently doing some work on the meerkat enclosure for a few days and so they will not be on view during this time.

Meerkats are part of the Mongoose family and adults stand approximately 30 cm tall. They are built to withstand dry desert conditions. Dark eye patches act as built in sunglasses to help to reflect the bright sunlight away from their eyes. They have non-retractable claws for digging and closable ears to keep sand out. Meerkats have dark skin on their bellies with very sparse hair that absorbs heat from the sun when they ‘sunbathe'. Meerkats live in groups of up to 30 individuals called a ‘mob' or a ‘gang'. Each mob is led by an alpha male and female who do most of the breeding.

Martial Eagles and Jackals are meerkats' main predators and each mob will have several members on look out or sentry duty to warn the rest of the group of danger. When on sentry duty, a meerkat will stand up on his hind legs using his tail as a tripod for balance. When danger is spotted, the sentry meerkat will give out a call to tell the others what sort of danger there is. There are various alarm calls for different predators. Meerkats are highly territorial.

To adopt one of our meerkats please click here.

Halloween ZOO BOO - Family Fun event! 
31st October

Come and join us and explore the Zoo in the darkness, listen for the Dungeon Master, meet ‘Hubble’ & Bubble’ in the witches coven to collect your bone crush cookie and blood red brew!

• Prizes for fancy dress • Gooey, ghoulish games • Animal encounters . . skunks, skinks & snakesssssss  •  Trick or Treat bag for the children •

Plus refreshments available in the Café Lemur & enjoy our brilliant Gift shop.

This is a ticket only event. Adults £9.95 and Children £7.50, under 3’s FREE.

Book your tickets now! Call 0844 474 2244 (local rate).

Pirate Day
19th September

Shiver me timbers . . . get down to Newquay Zoo on the 19th September 2010.

Explore the Zoo following in the footsteps of rascally pirates in search of natural treasures and booty.

PLUS talk like a pirate and claim your FREE parrot logo bug. When you enter the Zoo you will be given a special pirate phrases information sheet which will explain how you can claim your free logo bug during the fascinating talks at feed times throughout the day.

If you are feeling creative there will also be pirate mask making and face painting available (extra charge applies).

DRESS AS A PIRATE . . . Arrr me beauty!

All children who come dressed as a pirate will receive 50% discount on entry. So only £4.10 per ‘pirate’ child!

Staff at Newquay Zoo are over the moon with their most recent new birth, a Black Wildebeest, also known as a White-tailed Gnu!

Animal Collection Manager John Meek commented “We have a had fantastic summer of births this year, from meerkats and fishing cats to capybara and macaque babies. It has all been topped off by the successful birth in July of a little male Black Wildebeest.  He is doing extremely well and is now out in the main African Savanna exhibit on most days with his parents keeping a very close eye on him. The enclosure is a mixed exhibit and the parents ‘Malaga’ and ‘Lazar’ are very protective and making sure nothing gets too close to their precious new arrival.”

The Black Wildebeest arrived at Newquay Zoo back in March 2009 from Zoo Dvur Kralove in the Czech Republic to join the Zoo’s largest exhibit with Zebra, Waterbuck, Lechwe Antelope, Nyala, Grey Crowned Cranes, Guinea Fowl and White Storks. This much threatened species, which is now extinct the wild, is protected in conservation reserves in Africa. Black Wildebeest are smaller than the more familiar Blue Wildebeest from East Africa.

Wildlife painter Kim Hohlweg is the ‘artist in residence’ this summer at Newquay Zoo and visitors can watch Kim painting many of the animals that you can see during your visit.

Kim comments “It is a fantastic environment and atmosphere in which to work. Lions are roaring and marmosets are squeaking away in the background, it’s very inspirational. I have painted  the new Fishing Cats, the meerkats, Zebra, Red pandas, Peacock plus I am working on a large new montage of selection of animals at the zoo which is proving very popular. It is great to chat to the visitors and get their feedback, and people seem to really enjoy seeing a painting come to life. Some pop back to the tent during their visit several times to see how a painting is going. It’s wonderful.”

Kim will be at the zoo until the 10^th September and visitors can meet her and see her work between 9:30am and 4pm every day.

For more information please visit www.cornwallwildlifeart.co.uk

You can make a positive impact and raise money for Newquay Zoo by using a freepost envelope for your used empty inkjet cartridges/mobile phones. For every cartridge sent the Zoo, we will receive a generous donation from EAH Recycling (up to £1), and on average each workable phone is worth £6. Not only will you be helping to improve the environment, but assist us in our dedication to conserving global wildlife heritage and inspiring in its many visitors a life long respect for animals and the environment.

To donate your mobile, remove your sim card - please do not include mobile chargers. The envelope will hold up to 3 handsets. Why not ask friends and family to donate too? Please make sure envelope is secure.

PLEASE NOTE THEY CANNOT RECYCLE EPSON CARTRIDGES, BROTHER CARTRIDGES, LASER OR TONER CARTRIDGES.

Pick up envelopes from the zoo reception or for larger bags please call

EAH Recycling on 01473 658161.

Thank you.

The Red Panda enclosure at Newquay Zoo has undergone a significant refurbishment in recent weeks increasing in size to encapsulate a large tree for the resident Red Pandas to climb and re-landscaped to represent their natural Himalayan habitat. It also features a large quantity of glass panels which have improved the viewing of the enclosure.

In addition to this, two more animal exhibits have been incorporated into its design. The Zoo’s Cusimanses or ‘Black Mongooses’ who currently reside in the Zoo Farm will be relocated to a new area which has been developed adjacent to the Red Pandas and the tunnel that runs through the original Red Panda enclosure is being redeveloped to house a number of rare amphibian species.

John Meek, Animal Collections manager commented,

“This has been a really excellent project and everyone has been working really hard towards it. It’s been great to extend the Red Panda enclosure as they love climbing trees – but to re-develop the whole area to include some new species is a great opportunity.”

Newquay Zoo supports research work on Red Pandas in Nepal to better understand the conservation needs of the species.

Newquay Zoo welcomed more than 100 guests to its first baby shower event on Wednesday 21 July to celebrate the births of 29 animals over the past few months.

Twelve different species, including Ring-Tailed Lemurs, Fishing Cats, Meerkats and Visayan Warty Pigs have had babies since March, as part of Newquay Zoo’s involvement in conservation breeding programmes.  

The new baby animals, some of which are among the world’s most endangered, will stay at the Zoo for the next six to 12 months before they are relocated to other Zoos or wildlife parks to help in future breeding programmes and conservation efforts.   

The evening event at the Zoo was organised to give people the chance to meet the animals and their keepers, tour the Zoo after hours and hear from Zoo Director Stewart Muir about the Zoo’s plans for the future.

Stewart Muir, Director of Newquay Zoo said: “It was great to welcome people to the Zoo to celebrate the births of so many endangered species.  Our focus at the Zoo is all about conservation, animal welfare and education and this event was designed to showcase that.  

“Newquay Zoo has undergone considerable change in the past five years and we have a rolling programme of development in place. We are a charity so do rely heavily on supporters and sponsors so I hope this event highlighted the important work we are doing to conserve species as well as providing environments that animals feel at home in.”

As part of the event an auction was held to name three baby Visayan Warty Pigs, which had been affectionately known as the three little pigs.  The winning bid of £120 came from Mary Whittington from The Scarlet and Bedruthan Steps Hotel, who attended the event with her daughter and grandchildren.  After a huddled discussion with her garndchildren it was agreed that the pigs would share the same names as the children; Joshua and Raphaella with the third little pig being named Scarlet, after the family’s hotel.  

The money raised from the auction is the first donation towards Newquay Zoo’s next planned exhibit, which will focus on the conservation of song birds and highlight the illegal trade of birds in South East Asia.

TO SEE MORE PHOTOGRAPHS IN OUR GALLERY PLEASE CLICK HERE

An African Rhinoceros Beetle was recently taken to Newquay Zoo after falling out of the luggage belonging to a Newquay resident who had recently returned from a holiday in Africa.

The beetle was later taken to Newquay Zoo where Animal Collections Manager, John Meek identified it as an African Rhinoceros Beetle. The Rhinoceros Beetle is a member of the Scarab Beetle family.

They are among the largest of beetles, and their common name refers to the characteristic horns borne by the males of most species in the group. The male beetles use their horns in mating battles against other males. John Meek said, “This is a fabulous specimen, around 7cm in length. The ‘horn’ at the front of his head is most impressive. We’re glad it was brought it to us – we can give it a good home.”

Newquay Zoo is host to a number of delightful creepy crawlies including; Assassin Bugs, Madagascan Hissing Cockroaches, Emperor Scorpions, Stick Insects and African Train Millipedes.

Newquay Zoo has for the fourth year running maintained its Gold status under the Green Tourism Business Scheme. Auditors visited Newquay Zoo in March and were impressed with the further developments the Zoo has made towards sustainability. The GTBS report stated, “Much of this success is down to the hard work and enthusiasm of the staff. The most exciting development since the last audit has been the installation of PV and solar hot water systems.”

Sean Sanguinette, Environmental Officer for Newquay Zoo said of the award, “This is a fantastic achievement for Newquay Zoo. Everybody here works really hard to make the organisation run as ‘greenly’ as possible. We have made significant improvements to how the Zoo operates since the last inspection, so I was quietly confident that we would maintain the Gold award.”

Newquay Zoo installed fiftythree solar panels to generate green energy as part of its commitment towards renewable energy in October last year. The solar energy created by these panels works towards providing electricity for the zoo and even heat water used in the Café Lemur restaurant.

However the Zoo’s excellent waste management system, public transport incentives and improvements to the insulation of animal enclosures and office buildings were also high-lighted as key contributors to the winning the award.

The Cornwall Wildlife Trust has joined Newquay Zoo's Conservation Club as part of a reciprocal programme in wildlife preservation.

The aim of the club is to create an opportunity for businesses to engage with the Zoo and demonstrate their green credentials by helping to protect endangered species and preserve their natural habitats.
"We are proud to be working with Newquay Zoo to raise awareness of the importance of protecting our native wildlife as well as overseas, which the Zoo already does so well. Our Business Supporters scheme allows local businesses to support Cornwall WildlifeTrust, the only charity dedicated to protecting all of Cornwall's land and marine habitats for the benefit of wildlife. We are very happy that the zoo is now part of our growing membership," says Serena Pettigrew-Jolly, the Trust's Marketing and Fundraising Co-ordinator.  
Newquay Zoo Director, Stewart Muir commented, "It's great to have the Cornwall Wildlife Trust on board! Although the main focus of the Conservation Club is on wildlife preservation abroad, we know the importance of our native species and this is an area we are currently developing at the Zoo."
Money raised from the Conservation Club is put towards some of the Zoo's conservation projects abroad such as the Vietnamese Carnivore and Pangolin Programme, based at Cuc Phuong National park. Staff from Newquay Zoo have visited Cuc Phuong in order to help protect the rare Owston's Civet; offering financial and skills support, training rangers within the park and at the breeding centre.
You can see Owston's Civets at Newquay Zoo where they operate a successful managed breeding programme.

Newquay Zoo has won a national award at the Sustainable City Awards held at Mansion House, London. Dubbed ‘the green Oscars', the highly respected, RSA-accredited awards are staged by the authority for the Square Mile financial district and have grown to become the most prestigious sustainability awards in the UK, since their launch nine years ago. The award was given for Resource Conservation and further extends the Zoo's accolades for ‘green awareness'. By winning this award Newquay Zoo will be automatically entered for the European Business Awards for the Environment.  Environmental Officer Sean Sanguinette said, "This is really great for the Zoo - it's brilliant to be recognised for what we do and on such a big national stage too. We place a great deal of focus on environmental awareness so it's fantastic when we pick up awards."

Newquay Zoo invites its members its annual Members' Weekend on the 27th and 28th March.

This is a great opportunity for you to catch up with what has been happening at the Zoo and what we have in store for the future.

2010 is set to be an exciting year with a number of enclosures being re-designed and refurbished. The fabulous new Madagascan Walkthrough is the first of these to be completed. This exhibit features Crowned Lemurs, Striped Mongoose and Vasa Parrots, with more bird species to follow.


The weekend will consist of special talks and animal encounters specifically for our members within the VIP area as well as updates on our overseas conservation work. Free tea and coffee will be provided as well as mini beasts touch table and face painting for children.


If you are not a member of Newquay Zoo then click this link to see how you can join and the great list of benefits you will receive. ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP

CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The New Year saw the birth of a Sulawesi Crested Black Macaque at Newquay Zoo giving reason for extra celebration in 2010. Staff at the zoo were thrilled when mother Sorina gave birth to the tiny baby monkey who was expected to weigh no more than 2.5lbs (1kg). Head Keeper Sam Harley stated, "This was a great start to the New Year. We knew that Sorina had been pregnant for some time and were excited about the birth as it was her first baby!"

Crested Black Macaques originate from the Indonesian island of Sulawesi and are listed as critically endangered as their natural rainforest habitat is being destroyed. Newquay Zoo has been working with other zoo's from around the world to support the protection of this South Eastern Asian species.

The zoo's breeding programme for Crested Black Macaques provides a safety net for the diminishing wild population, and the latest addition to the Newquay family is settling in well. "Both mother and baby have bonded well and the group is very protective of them." maintains Sam, "We haven't named the baby yet as we don't know whether it's a boy or a girl - but either way, we're always delighted to bring these protected species into the world!" Talks on the Sulawesi Crested Black Macaques are given by keepers at Newquay Zoo everyday - for more details call 01637 873342.

Treat your loved one to a delicious home made meal at Newquay Zoo's Café Lemur this Valentines.
Special 2 for 1meal offers are running throughout the day for romantic couples.

Also receive free tea or coffee when you purchase a delectable slice of our Valentines Cake!

Come and join Newquay Zoo for European Carnivore Week, supporting the EAZA European Carnivore Campaign. Featuring fascinating talks on the Zoo's Carpathian Lynx and Bird of Prey displays by Countryside Hawking on 14th, 15th and 17th. Other children's activities include carnivore animal mask making and bird of prey kite making - making a kite from re-used plastic bags!

Newquay Zoo's Junior Keeper experience recently won a national award from BIAZA (British & Irish Association for Zoos and Aquariums) due to the depth and variation of tasks children get involved with.

The awards held at Knowsley Hall, near Knowsley Safari Park were presented by Lord Knowsley. Newquay Zoo Educator, Mark Norris stated, "This is a fantastic achievement for Newquay Zoo as we were up against some top competition from much larger zoos across the country. It really does show that Junior Keeper is a quality experience for children to get involved in."

Newquay Zoo's Junior Keeper scheme has become more and more popular each year giving children aged 8 - 14 the chance to get hands on experience in a fun and exciting environment. Enthusiastic Educator Robyn Silcock says, ""It really is great! The kids get one on one time with one of our expert education team and experience a private and behind-the-scenes tour of a working zoo." Animal feeds, preparing enrichment devices for the zoo's animals and getting to meet some of the reptiles up close is what makes it so popular.

For more information on how to take part in Junior Keeper click this link and watch the new Junior Keeper Video Diaries!

Royal Cornwall Show Winners

Thank you to everyone who visited the Newquay Zoo tent at the Royal Cornwall Show. We thoroughly enjoyed meeting everyone and telling them about the animals we brought with us. The ‘Walkthrough Tropical House’ was extremely popular as was our daily adoptions competition! The winners for each day are listed below – congratulations to all those who won.
 
Don’t forget you can adopt any animal we have here at Newquay Zoo and part of your adoption package includes a free visit! Click here to find out more.

Thursday 10th June

William Sully from Taunton

Alice Stotten from Portreath

Lewis Parker from Saltash

Donna Plant from St. Austell

Hilary Rumdee from Watford

Friday 11th June

Caroline Uttwood From Perranuthanoe

Jane Couch-Franemore from Ashburton

Abbie Garland from Camborne

Nicky Aston from Tintagel

Elizabeth Cray from Helstone
 
Saturday 12th June

Jess Chanter from Truro

Sue Curry from Bristol

Kailah Downie from Plymouth

Jack Wilsher from Wadebridge

Kieran Williams from Helston

Countryside Hawking visited newquay Zoo during the February half term and treated the visitors to some close encounters with a Harris Hawk!