Blackpool Zoo is hosting a wonderful week of additional animal antics this half term!

Making ice lollies for the ele’s (elephants), helping to design a feature art wall for the Ape House, getting hands on with amazing animal experiences and being involved in a Love Your Zoo video competition are just a few of the really wild activities planned!  From Saturday 25^th May until Sunday 2^nd, visitors will get the chance to help keepers make special treats for some of the zoo’s 1500 residents.

Making willow balls full of delicacies for the lemurs, painting cardboard boxes for the big cats to hunt down, filling paper sacks of veggie delights for the river hogs and making special ice lollies for the zoo’s three elephants are all on offer.

Blackpool Zoo is also supporting the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums mission raise money for its South East Asia Campaign.  Throughout the half term holiday visitors can buy and decorate a brick shaped piece of paper that will be used on a feature wall in the new Orangutan House, which will open to the public later this year.  It costs just 50p per brick and all proceeds will be donated to EAZA to help them protect endangered species, including orangutans, in South East Asia.

There will also be the chance to go behind the scenes of the Active Oceans arena to say hello to sea lions Gina and Anya.  With just a limited number of spaces available each day, on a first come, first serve basis, visitors are being urged to buy their tickets from the Amazonia shop next to the Elephant paddock when they arrive.  Hand feeding giraffes and meeting the many residents of the zoo’s Children’s farm are also on offer and a full programme of informative talks will take place throughout the week.

As part of National Love Your Zoo week visitors will also get the chance to get in front of the camera to tell everyone why they love Blackpool Zoo. Every video will be entered into a competition to win a great prize.

Jude Rothwell, PR and Marketing Coordinator at Blackpool Zoo, said: “We have a jam packed line up during half term and there is something for everyone to get involved in.

“From helping keepers to make enrichments for our animals to meeting some of our lovely residents in person, you are sure to have a really wild day!”

MEET THE SEA LIONS AND MUCH MORE THIS EASTER!

Blackpool Zoo’s sea lions are looking forward to personally meeting and greeting visitors this Easter!

The chance to go behind the scenes of the Active Oceans arena to say hello to sea lions Gina and Anya is just one of many really wild experiences that people can enjoy from Friday 29^th March to Sunday 14^th April.

With just a limited number of spaces available each day, on a first come, first serve basis, visitors are being urged to buy their tickets from the Amazonia shop next to the Elephant paddock when they arrive.

Hand feeding giraffes and meeting the many residents of the zoo’s Children’s farm are also on offer and a full programme of informative talks will take place throughout the holidays.

A fun for all the family Easter zoo baby quiz trail will also be available, meaning that really is something to keep everyone entertained at Lancashire’s local zoo!

Della Belk, Marketing and PR Manager at Blackpool Zoo, said: “Our sea lions are firm favourites amongst our visitors and the meet and greet sessions during the February half term were a big hit!

“We continually look for new ways to enable people to get the most out of their time here at Blackpool Zoo and hand feeding giraffes and contact sessions in the Children’s Farm have also been very popular.”

Sea lion meet and greet costs just £5 for children aged 3 to 12 and £10 for anyone over the age of 12. Giraffe feeding is £10 per person. Tickets for both of these experiences can be purchased from the Amazonia gift shop on the day of the visit.  Farm sessions are free.

Blackpool Zoo is open at 10.00am every day of the year except Christmas Day. Closing time is 5.45pm and last admission is 5.00pm. Visitors can save on admission prices by booking online at www.blackpoolzoo.org.uk.

Following the success of the conservation presentations for Zoo Members in 2011, the new programme has now been finalised.  More details on each talk and times will be available nearer the time.

Talks are held in the Lecture Theatre in the main entrance and last approximately one hour.  Light refreshments are available.

Sunday, 9th December : Wolves

Sunday, 27th January  :  Zoo Keeper Academy

Sunday, 3rd March  :  Animal Training

Sunday, 28th April  :  Gorillas

Sunday, 2nd June  :  South East Asia Campaign

There’s no need to book – just come along.  You’ll be most welcome.

Following the success of last year’s Christmas Event, we’re doing it all again in 2012!

Santa’s Christmas Workshop will take place on the 15th and 16th December from 10.00 am – 12.00 pm.  You can leave the kids with our CRB checked staff for 2 hours of fun making presents for the animals, eating a HUGE breakfast and meeting Santa and his reindeer.  It’s too good to miss!  They even get a present if they’re good!

Children aged 4 – 11 years are welcome.   Only £10 for Zoo members or £12 for non-members, you can book with a credit / debit card by calling Jude on 01253 830812 (Monday to Friday between 9.00 am and 5.00 pm).

What a great way to begin the festivities!!  Spaces are limited so book soon.

Here are the answers to the Quiz.  Thank you for your entries.

40th ANNIVERSARY QUIZ – all these animals can be found in the Zoo.

1. TIGER     Big teeth, big feet and earns its stripes when hunting. (5)
2. POTOROO      Has a pocket but very close the ground. (7)
3. MACAW     Bright red or blue and gold, but gets in a flap. (5)
4. COCKROACH       The hoover of the jungle but not nice in the shower. (9)
5. ELEPHANT        Packs a trunk and will be over the weight limit. (8)
6. PYGMY GOAT          Pocket-sized milk supplier. (5, 4)
7. LORIKEET            Eddie Stobart’s parrot! (8)
8. CAIMAN           Toothy grin on a scale of one or two. (6)
9. SEALION           Sleek, shiny beach babes. (7)
10. LEMUR            Julien is King. (5)
11. RATTLESNAKE      Don’t let the baby play with his tail! (11)
12. AFRICAN LAND SNAIL           You don’t want this on the allotment. (7, 4, 5)
13. AFRICAN LION           King of his continent. (7, 4)
14. KANGAROO                   Red or grey – take your pick, Joey. (8)
15. IBERIAN WOLF            “What big teeth you have,” said Red Riding Hood. (7,4)
16. PELICAN                        Pay the big bill with lots of fish. (7)
17. GIRAFFE                        Who needs ladders? (7)
18. TORTOISE          Giant or small, slowly does it. (8)
19. WALLABY           Bouncy, bouncy, little man. (7)
20. BACTRIAN CAMEL         One hump or two? (8, 5)
21. AARDVARK                 Digs faster six men with spades! (8)
22. OTTER                       Riverbank fish eater here and abroad. (5)
23. BOA CONSTRICTOR            A long hug squeezes the life out of me. (3, 11)
24. PEACOCK              Eye, eye, it’s a tall tail, boys! (7)
25. RED PANDA            I’m a fox on fire! Actually, I might be a weasel. (3, 5)
26. TAPIR            Almost a mixed-up, sea-bound criminal. (5)
27. ORANG UTAN             It’s auburn. Believe me, I’m your cousin. (5, 4)
28. FLAMINGO              Not quite a Spanish dance. (8)
29. DONKEY                Jack and Jenny play in the barn. (6)
30. REINDEER           They have built-in hangers for Santa’s coat. (8)
31. GORILLA               Up high or down below, a close relative. (7)
32. EMU                         I’ll take the road – flying’s not for me. (3)
33. TARANTULA           You either love ‘em or hate ‘em – or are scared stiff! (9)
34. STICK INSECT         Is it a twig? No, it’s a … (5, 6)
35. MONKEY                  There are loads of these, animal and human, in our zoo. (6)
36. MINIATURE SHEEP        Teeny, weeny woolly jumpers. (9, 5)
37. PENGUIN               Smart suited waddler. (7)
38. ZEBRA              Love my stripey pyjamas! (5)
39. WATER DRAGON              Beware of St George in a submarine. (5, 6)
40. BARN OWL             Ghostly resident of farm buildings. (4, 3)

Children will be bewitched by the spooktacular array of events at Blackpool Zoo during Halloween half term!

The entire week will be a fiendishly fun packed celebration of Halloween, with extended opening hours and ghostly gatherings on the big day!

From Saturday 27^th October until Sunday 4^th November there will be daily activities including a brilliant bat & broomstick quiz trail, pumpkin carving and apple bobbing in the Children’s Farm, ghostly storytelling, Halloween talks and feeds with scary animal facts and special spooky dishes in the Lake View Cafe and Coffee Shop.

Everyone is being urged to really get into the ‘spirit’ of things on the most spine chilling day of the year by coming in scary costumes.

For one day only on Wednesday 31^st October there will be a fabulous fancy dress parade following the 2.00pm Sealion display and the winners will be decided by a special clap-o-meter system! The adult and the child that gets the biggest clap will win a family ticket to the zoo.

Pumpkin

There will also be trick or treat sweets given out at all the ‘talk and feeds’ sessions and little ghouls and goblins can get their face painted with all kinds of freaky designs!

Opening hours will also be extended to 5.30pm with a ghostly trail around the Dinosaur Safari from 4.30pm until 5.00pm and spell binding story telling in the display area from 5.00pm until 5.30pm.

Jude Rothwell, PR and Marketing Co-ordinator at Blackpool Zoo, said: “Halloween is set to be a real scream here at Blackpool Zoo!

“The pumpkin carving is always a firm favourite as the children can fill their creations with treats that are then fed to the animals.

“There really is something for everyone during the half term holiday and we are all looking forward to seeing everyone in fancy dress – including the keepers and staff!”

Our great supporter and member, Lynne Gorrie, has organised a disco night to raise funds for 21st Century Tiger on Saturday, 22nd September.

The event will take place at the No. 1 Club, Bloomfield Road, Blackpool and begins at 7.30 pm (until midnight).  It’s for over 18s and is only £2.00 per ticket – great value for such a great cause.  There’s also going to be Bingo for cash prizes, Limbo Dancing and a Grand Raffle.

Please support Lynne in this worthwhile venture by ringing 07521 322692 to order tickets.  You can pay on the door, but please ring and let Lynne know that you’re attending.

Donations for the Raffle will also be most welcome.

We are holding a very special event for our Zoo members and their family and friends.  Marcella, the Asian elephant, is 40 years old and we are taking the opportunity to raise funds for her less fortunate cousins via the Biodiversity and Elephant Conservation Trust.  This is a very worthwhile charity whose focus is on education of the local population into showing respect and support for wild elephants and working alongside them to maintain an ecological balance.

The event is being held on Wednesday, 22nd August from 6pm until 9 pm and admission is free to members on production of a current membership card.  However, if you wish to bring along family and friends, they will be most welcome for a small fee of £5 for adults and £3 for children aged 3 – 15 years.  (Guests must be accompanied on the night by a current member). All monies will go directly to the charity.

There will be loads of activities for all the family as well as most of the Zoo animals being on show as usual.  A Birds of the World display is   planned for 6.30 pm (weather permitting) and a sealion display at 7.30.  Marcella will receive a fantastic, elephant-sized birthday cake, too!    There will also be a programme of talks, face-painting, grand raffle (with fantastic prizes), a tombola, games and much more.  You can even buy a totally unique elephant footprint to frame for your wall – what a talking point!

Don’t miss this very special event! Bring the kids and granny, too!  No need to book – just make sure it’s in your diary.

We have a very busy summer planned for you here at the Zoo.  Activities over the holidays include a vast array of talks and feeds (make sure you pick up your leaflet at Admissions), Creepy Crawly Sessions (always popular with the adults!!), hands-on sessions in the Children’s Farm and new Animal Experiences.

There’s a trail to follow for the children, a quiz for the adults and other entertaining sessions to raise funds for our charity, the EAZA South East Asia campaign.

What are you waiting for?  Get those tickets booked online and save yourself some money, too.  Simples!

Along with many other zoos throughout the UK, we’re hoping that our visitors will love their zoo this half term.  Activities abound throughout the park, including face painting, colouring competitions, animal feeding and handling and trails.

You can visit our new attraction, Wolf Ridge, and watch the strange anteaters enjoying the sunshine.

Don’t miss out – LOVE YOUR ZOO!