This Vietnam pheasant chick – and others like it hatched recently at Paignton Zoo – could be the future of its species. Bird keepers at the charity zoo are based in the Avian Breeding Centre, commonly known as the ABC. The chick is being cared for here; while it’s preferable for chicks to be parent reared, keepers will step in to give nature a helping hand when needed. Another six (unrelated)...
The TB restrictions at Paignton Zoo have been lifted. The conservation charity has been constrained since August 2017, when a single case of TB was discovered.
A crucial final test has come back all clear. Head of Veterinary Services Ghislaine Sayers said: “We’ve been through a lot. Thank you to everyone who has worked so hard to care for animals during this difficult time and to help...
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...
Animal experts at Paignton Zoo have been battling around the clock to save a sick primate.
Keepers, vets and vet nurses responded swiftly when female orang utan Gambira was taken ill suddenly and sat with her long into the night after emergency surgery.
They found she had an infection of her air sac (a large pouch in the throat, thought to be used for vocalisation and connected...
The charity behind the region’s three top zoos has launched a new website with a new look and a radical new approach. Wild Planet Trust is the new name for the charity that runs Paignton Zoo, Living Coasts in Torquay and Newquay Zoo in Cornwall. The charity’s new website places a strong emphasis on highlighting the conservation and research work of the zoos. Trust spokesperson Phil Knowling...
Staff from a South West conservation charity have been on a 12,000-mile round trip to help secure the future of a strange nocturnal mammal.Animal experts John Meek (Newquay Zoo Curator) and Owen Taylor (Paignton Zoo Head Keeper of Mammals) and scientist Dr Andrew Bowkett (Wild Planet Trust Field Conservation & Research Programmes Manager) travelled to Vietnam recently on behalf of the...
The Devon branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England is seeking Devon’s Best Churchyard of 2019 and is inviting churches of all denominations to enter the competition, now in its 2nd year.
Devon’s churchyards form part of the county’s rich and varied landscape. They are much more than burial grounds. They are unique and special places. Green havens of sanctuary for people and...
Frogs come in all shapes and sizes – as these two demonstrate. Paignton Zoo photographer Eleanor Stobbart took this stunning image of a young Thao whipping frog on top of an adult of the same species to mark World Frog Day, on Wednesday 20th March. The species has just bred at Paignton Zoo for the very first time. Like so many species of exotic frog, this one goes by different names. It’s the...
Bays Brewery are brewing a special orangutan-themed beer for Paignton Zoo. The guest beer, simply called Orangutan Amber Ale, is a new recipe with a handsome tawny colour to match its name and the species. Orangutan Ale is being launched on Monday 4th March and will be available as a draught beer in selected local pubs until the end of May. The Paignton microbrewery is donating 10p for every...
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...
