Getting to experience our gorillas outside on the island is truly special🦍✨ Every day our keepers set out food in various places around the island that the boys can search around and forage for! This is timed with our Ranger Talk so you get to listen to our expert rangers talking all about our Western lowland gorillas and their wild cousins, whilst watching them eat their lunch in the Devon sunshine! 📍Outside the Ape Centre | 2:30pm Daily 🎟 Plan your next zoo visit: https://paigntonzoo.org.uk/plan-your-zoo-visit/ (fb)

It's that time of year again when we join the national conservation efforts reintroducing hazel dormice into woodland areas of the UK alongside Twycross Zoo and ZSL 🐭🌳 Nine hazel dormice arrived at the zoo a few weeks ago as part of an ambitious ongoing conservation programme to reverse the alarming decline of one of Britain’s most endangered native mammals. These little mice are native to the British Isles, but have become extinct in many areas. According to the State of Britain’s Dormice 2023 report, published by People's Trust for Endangered Species, populations have plummeted nationally by 70% since 2000. The hazel dormice – instantly recognisable by their fluffy tails and bright black eyes – will spend eight weeks in quarantine and will undergo key health checks before being released into a secret woodland location as part of PTES annual reintroduction programme. Their arrival at the zoo is an important part of the programme as it ensures that only healthy dormice are released into the wild. These tiny creatures might not seem important, but they’re a critical indicator species for our woodland ecosystems. When dormice thrive, it tells us the entire habitat is healthy with an abundance of plants and insects! 🐭🌼🐜 🔗 To read the full article click here: https://paigntonzoo.org.uk/news/one-of-britains-rarest-mammals-gets-boost-as-zoos-expand-efforts-to-recover-nature/ 📸 The photos show our dedicated mammal keepers carrying out a crucial part of the process - refreshing bedding, food, and water, sanitising enclosures, and weighing each dormouse to monitor health. This careful care helps us tailor diets and ensure each individual is strong, healthy, and ready for release. People's Trust for Endangered Species Natural England (fb)