We are open daily 12:00 - 19:30  |  01752 837645
Basket  

Author: Emma Thomas

Get ready to have the most magical Christmas for as little as £5!

Dartmoor Zoo are thrilled to announce our ‘Mega Christmas Bundle’ worth over £2500! We’d like to say a massive thank you to everyone that donated the incredible prizes below, we’re truly grateful for your support.

So, what’s up for grabs?

– PlayStation 5 (digital version)
– 1 night stay at Elfordleigh Hotel, in a premium room
– £200 voucher for a stay with Toad Hall Cottages
– Meet the Tiger Experience at Dartmoor Zoo
– Family Ticket to Dartmoor Zoo
– Bronze adoption (animal of your choice) from Dartmoor Zoo
– 4 x Feed the Turtle voucher at National Marine Aquarium
– Off-peak weekend stay at Golden & Dawlish Sands Holiday Parks
– Signed Plymouth Argyle football
– 2 x voucher to Nook Houseplants workshop
– 2 x Plymouth Gin Distillery tour tickets
– Golf voucher at Dartmouth Hotel
– ‘Win a Murray Car for the weekend’ voucher from The Murray Group
– Afternoon Tea at Welbeck Manor
– Round of golf for 2 at Welbeck Manor
– ‘Red Deer Rut’ photography experience in October 2025 with brsimages
– Seahorse Adoption from The Seahorse Trust
– Black and white wildlife print (of your choice) from Lazenby Images
– 2 x Aqua Spa voucher at China Fleet Club
– Dry stone/hedge steeping course with Just In Stone
– Selection of Hotel Chocolat goodies
– 2 x Plymouth Argyle Tickets – Burnley 22nd January, provided by Bidfood
– Signed women’s Chelsea football shirt – framed
– Signed Heather Knight OBE England cricket shirt

One FREE postal entry per person.

Enter today for your chance to win big!

 

Hedgehogs, once a common sight in our gardens and woodlands, are now classified as ‘Near Threatened’ on the latest IUCN Red List release. It’s a stark reality that in the last decade alone, observations indicate that their numbers have decreased by a whopping 30%, potentially more!

Urban development, agricultural expansion and road infrastructure is creating a huge fracture within the hedgehog’s habitat, giving them less space to survive and thrive, whilst factors such as road collisions, pesticides, poorly maintained gardens and events such as Halloween and Bonfire Night, are drastically contributing to their numbers declining.

Bonfire Night…Halloween? You may ask…Yes! Beloved events by many, are unfortunately contributing to the hedgehog population decline. Hedgehogs might get hold of your pumpkin leftovers which seems harmless enough, but they are unable to digest pumpkins, leaving them incredibly ill, or worse. Then there’s Bonfire Night. Woodpiles provide the perfect shelter for our spikey friends; however, these often go unchecked, meaning the new inhabitants get trapped and are unfortunately killed as a result.

So, what can we do to help ensure this incredible, native species survives?

  1. Properly dispose of your pumpkins – although perfectly suitable for some animals, this results in many unwanted hedgehog fatalities. By removing this food and their temptation, you will make more of a difference than you realise!
  2. Build and light your bonfires on the same day – the longer a woodpile is in your garden, the more likely a hedgehog is going to try and make it their new home! If left unattended at any point, make sure you check inside with a torch and listen out for any huffing sounds!
  3. Create hedgehog highways – you can purchase these premade, or just have gaps in your garden fence for hedgehogs to continue their journey safely through gardens, rather than on dangerous roads.
  4. Leave out water and food – freshwater and wet, meat based, dog or cat food is a saving grace for a hedgehog and something most people have readily available in their kitchen cupboards!
  5. Avoid using slug pellets – often unwanted guests in our gardens, hedgehogs take care of this issue for us, as slugs are a huge food source for them. By leaving a healthy supply of slugs in your garden, you’re helping hedgehogs stay nourished and healthy.
  6. Pond escape routes – if you have a pond in your garden, this can be dangerous for unsuspecting hedgehogs! Ensure your pond has gently sloping sides, or place a plank of wood leading out, so any caught hedgehogs can escape.

If you find a hedgehog that seems like it needs your help, please move slowly and calmly, make sure to wear gardening gloves to pick up the hedgehog and any nesting materials, or place them in a cardboard box lined with newspaper. Once moved, please ensure you’re leaving them in a safe location such as under a woodpile or a bush away from main roads.

Conservation of this species is more vital than ever before, unless we all take steps to help wherever we can, before we know it, it will be too late. Please do your part, spread the word and help create an environment where hedgehogs are safe and protected, so their numbers can steadily rise, rather than rapidly decrease. Together, we can make an impact.

End 2024, or begin 2025 with an absolute steal of a deal!

If you book a school visit to Dartmoor Zoo between Monday 4th November and Monday 31st March 2025, you’ll get an impressive 25% off!

T&Cs apply.

  • Offer only valid for EYFS to KS4.
  • Offer available for visits between 4th November and 31st March during school hours Monday to Friday, excluding Christmas (23rd Dec to 3rd Jan) and half term (17th – 21st Feb) and is subject to availability.
  • All visits must be booked in advance.
  • Discount will be applied to the number of students who visit on the pre-booked date and invoiced accordingly following the visit.
  • Usual adult ratios are included. Additional adults above the ratios must pay the discounted entry fee of £9.50.
  • This offer can be used for a maximum of 2 visits per school.
  • This offer is available on Explorer, Discovery and Adventurer packages only
  • A minimum charge of five students still applies for Discovery and Adventurer packages.
  • All other terms relating to school visits still apply.

To book, get in contact with our Education Team today!

Looking for the newest podcast to binge?

Find us on Spotify and listen to our biweekly updates about ‘What’s New at The Zoo!‘

With informative episodes looking at staff, volunteers and behind the scenes content with vet visits, whatever your animal interest – we’ve got you covered!

Arriving from Colchester Zoo, Dartmoor Zoo were thrilled to welcome a new resident on Wednesday 14th August, a critically endangered Amur Leopard named Lena. At 4 years and 8 months of age, Lena has been chosen as a suitable breeding mate for Freddo and this much anticipated pairing has been in the works since Freddo’s arrival in November 2023.

Colchester Zoo’s Carnivore Lead Emma commented: “Lena Is a feisty female Amur leopard with a big personality and a lot of character. She can be a little stubborn at times. She’s very inquisitive, enjoying all types of enrichment especially spices and perfumes. She will be missed by us all on the Carnivore team at Colchester Zoo but I for one can’t wait to visit her at Dartmoor.”

Dartmoor Zoo’s CEO David Gibson commented: “The arrival of a female Amur Leopard, to hopefully breed with our resident male Freddo, is the latest in our continued development of the animal collection here at Dartmoor Zoo. One of the many essential roles that modern zoos perform is the Conservation Breeding of Critically Endangered species such as Amur Leopards. We are delighted to be able to play our part in the continued conservation of this iconic and charismatic species.”

Lena will be moving into an off-show habitat while she adjusts to the move and the team will be regularly monitoring her welfare during this time. Observations will also be carried out to assess Lena and Freddo’s interactions, whilst plans will be made to work towards an introduction in the future.

Senior Keeper Ashley Matthews commented: “We’re all very excited to welcome Lena to her new home. We’ve recently had a successful lynx introduction, resulting in two kits being born this May, so we’re thrilled at the possibility of another, hopefully successful introduction here at Dartmoor Zoo. Introductions can often take a while, and this is not something we want to rush. Our top priority will always be focussed on the welfare of both Freddo and Lena, so regular observations will be conducted, both individually and together, to see how they are adjusting and interacting during this time.”

Predominantly found in the border areas between Russia, North-East China and even North Korea, Amur Leopards gravitate towards densely forested areas, avoiding grasslands or overpopulated areas. Much of this area, however, is regularly under threat from unsustainable logging, forest fires, agriculture and industrial development.

With around 200 in captivity and 100 left in the wild, Amur Leopards are considered the rarest cat in the world, so Dartmoor Zoo are incredibly proud to host a breeding pair and continuing to contribute to global conservation efforts through research, education and hopefully soon, some Amur Leopard cubs!

Love is in the air at Dartmoor Zoo and the new couple on the scene are Carpathian Lynxes, Flaviu and Emily, otherwise known as ‘Flavily‘.

We are all delighted to see that Flaviu and Emily have successfully pair bonded.
Emily, a 7.5-year-old arrived late February 2024 from Karlsruhe Zoo in Germany where she was born in 2016.
Flaviu is just under 10 years old and was born at Port Lympne Wildlife Park in 2014, he has been a resident at Dartmoor Zoo since July 2016.

The pair have already been observed mutually grooming and mating and our first little of kittens from the pair could be born as early June.

Conservation breeding of this species is extremely important for the future success of the species as, in the wild, their populations have been in decline for many, many years.

Mixing two members of any apex predator is always a nerve-wracking business and the team here at Dartmoor Zoo spent a considerable amount of time carefully getting the pair used to each other’s scent and presence before they were successfully physically mixed on Tuesday the 19th March 2024.

All this preparation was worthwhile as the pair immediately bonded and have been inseparable ever since.

Make sure to view the magic of this new couple in person and get your Dartmoor Zoo tickets today!

Like many other places, Dartmoor Zoo are feeling the impact of the cost-of-living crisis with electricity bills reaching new highs of £72,000 and animal feed surpassing £60,000 for the year. This has led to the creation of Dartmoor Zoo’s ‘Give us an Hour’ fundraising campaign, where the ask is for an hour of your time, whether that is wages, volunteering or fundraising.

This campaign struck a chord with violinist, Niobe, who is taking centre stage on Saturday 2nd March, 2:30pm at Dartmoor Zoo and performing in front of Dragan, a spectacular Amur tiger. Niobe, who is just 10 years old, has a special place in her heart for animals and wants to use her musical talents to raise much needed funds for Dartmoor Zoo.

Niobe commented: “I absolutely love Big Cats! They’re so amazing and majestic with all different personalities. My favourite are cheetahs because they’re beautiful, fast, and graceful. I really hope I can help all of the big cats at Dartmoor Zoo by earning money for them with my music.”

Aimee, Niobe’s mum commented: “Niobe’s two favourite things are Big Cats and playing her violin. Although she’s only ten, I’m so proud of her commitment and effort to achieve this well-intentioned goal and I sincerely hope she gets the support needed to make a positive difference to the zoo.”

This practice session leads up to her full performance in Ashburton where Niobe will take to the streets and busk for an hour. Cash can be given on the day, but an online fundraising account also exists, where people can donate in support of Niobe’s talents and Dartmoor Zoo.

Fundraising Lead Vanessa Apicella commented: “I’m thrilled that Niobe has chosen Dartmoor Zoo’s ‘Give us an Hour’ appeal as the platform to showcase her talents! The support we’ve received has been extraordinary, and we eagerly anticipate her complete performance in Ashburton. I’ll definitely be there to cheer her on, and I hope you will join me in supporting her.”

To show Niobe support, you can see her performance in Ashburton, outside of the Arts Centre (West Street) on Saturday 30th March at 11am, so make sure to bring some change and cheer on this amazing young fundraiser in the making!

To support Niobe online, you can donate via her fundraising page!

Travelling from Karlsruhe Zoo in Germany, Emily, Flaviu’s new love interest, arrived at Dartmoor Zoo on Tuesday 27th February. At 7 years old, Emily has been selected as a compatible match for Flaviu within the European Breeding Programme.

Director of Karlsruhe Zoo Prof Dr Matthias Reinschmidt commented: “We are very pleased that a very nice place has been found for this lynx bred by us as part of the studbook.”

Initial observations and health checks have been conducted and Emily seems calm, in good spirits and is settling into her new home well. These observations will continue to monitor her overall wellbeing after the move, whilst also conducting introductions between the new pair.

Emily and Flaviu are Carpathian Lynx, a subspecies of Eurasian Lynx, the largest of all 4 species. The majority of this species can be found in Romania, Slovakia, Poland and Ukraine, whilst the population in Hungary, Serbia and Bulgaria is scattered.

The total number of lynxes in Europe (including Russia and Belarus) is estimated between 17 – 18000, with the Carpathian Lynx species responsible for approximately 2100 – 2400 of this population.

Lynx were once native to the UK, being hunted to extinction some 1,300 years ago. Their last stronghold is thought to have been the Scottish Highlands, although some more recent cultural references can be found from Welsh poetry as late as the 9th Century.

Lynx have been successfully reintroduced into the wild in Switzerland, Germany and Slovenia and there have been formal proposals to reintroduce Lynx into parts of the UK. Many feel that they are the most suitable large predator for reintroduction in the UK. Proponents argue that they would help to naturally control deer populations and, therefore, their reintroduction would help restore habitats, particularly forests which are currently being over-grazed by deer.

CEO David Gibson commented: “We are very excited about the arrival of Emily our new female Carpathian Lynx. Emily was born in Karlsruhe Zoo in Germany as part of the European Breeding programme for this species. She is a very beautiful cat with lovely markings, and it is wonderful to see how calm she is exploring her new home. We are hoping that she forms a breeding pair with our male Lynx, Flaviu. It’s a huge privilege for us at Dartmoor Zoo to be part of the European Lynx breeding programme. We’re extremely excited at the thought of possibly welcoming new kittens, and with your support, this can be just the beginning of many more programs we can embark on.”

Here’s How You Can Help: 

Support Wildlife Conservation: Your donations directly contribute to our conservation efforts and support breeding programmes, ensuring a future for species like Flaviu and Emily.

Raise Awareness: Help us spread the word by sharing this news. The more people who understand the importance of wildlife conservation as well as how international breeding programs can help, the bigger the impact we can make.

Learn and Visit: Come meet Flaviu and our new arrival Emily! Witness their beauty and learn about the importance of conservation efforts in ensuring the survival of their species and that of others across the world.

Dartmoor Zoo are pleased to announce that Malu, a Palawan Binturong that managed to escape his enclosure, has now been found and returned safely to Dartmoor Zoo. Binturongs are incredible creatures, as well as being great climbers, they famously smell of popcorn!

Initial keeper observations would indicate that Malu hasn’t suffered in any way from his time in the Devon countryside, but Malu is being held in his house within his enclosure temporarily until a full health check can be carried out by the vets. His house has been confirmed as secure and Malu has access to heat, food, water and is comfortable and secure.

Welcomed to the site on Wednesday 5th July 2023 from ‘Get to know animals’ at Epping, Essex, London, Malu has become a much-loved resident on site and the entire team are delighted regarding his return.

Animal Manager Maddy commented:

“Malu is a shy boy and takes some time getting used to people. Bananas are considered a good way to make friends, although he loves all fruit and is his happiest self when munching! 

After receiving word of sightings by a local Cornwood resident in the evening of Tuesday 13th February the team gathered equipment and drove to the location. He was located in a small woodshed next to an allotment, so he had managed to find shelter and a food source. 

He was quickly secured and transported back to the Zoo, where he has been settling back in.

Malu has been eating well overnight and seems calm and in good health. The team will continue to monitor him to ensure he is doing well. 

At this time, the team are enjoying a very emotional reuniting with a much-missed Malu.”

Dartmoor Zoo will be reviewing Malu’s enclosure over the next 12 – 24 hours, to assess any changes that need to be made and Malu will be in a suitable, temporary enclosure until any works have been completed.

CEO David Gibson Commented:

“We are all obviously delighted that Malu has been found safe and well and our priority now is for his ongoing welfare and care. We will be working hard over the next few days to ensure that he is in good health and that there is no possibility of him escaping his enclosure again.”

Dartmoor Zoo has welcomed a new binturong to the DZS family. Not yet named, he’s happy, healthy, and settling into his new home nicely. The binturong was transported to Dartmoor Zoo on Wednesday 5th July from ‘Get to know animals’ at Epping, Essex, London.

Dartmoor Zoo’s Curator Scott commented:

“Binturongs also known as the Bearcat, Malay Civet Cat and are members of Viverridae, they are most closely related to Civets, Genets, and Fossa.

Predominantly found in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Philipines, Laos, Cambodia, Indonesia, Vietnam and some areas of China, the IUCN classifies them as Vulnerable due to the illegal pet trade, deforestation, poaching for furs and being captured to make civet coffee.  Unfortunately, binturongs are also captured and eaten in Laos as it is considered a delicacy.

Our binturong is a Palawan binturong from the island of Palawan in the Philippines and is a very unique subspecies that has been isolated for a while. They are smaller and more nocturnal than other subspecies and much rarer in captivity. There is a huge illegal wildlife trade problem in Palawan where many animals including binturongs are taken from the wild and then sold. Unfortunately, the punishments for this are negligent and do not deter the offenders from repeating the offense.

Our binturong was imported from Asia legally by an unknown source but most likely was taken from the wild due to the issues on Palawan, before leaving the private individual and finding a home at ‘Get to know animals’ where they gave him amazing treatment and helped settle him in and bring him out of his shell.”

Our binturong is a magnificent animal, a symbol of the diversity and beauty of our natural world. But this incredible animal has suffered greatly at the hands of those who did not understand the importance of protecting and respecting all living beings. For far too long, he endured neglect and abuse, living a life of fear and pain.

Here at Dartmoor Zoo, we are incredibly honoured to be able to give him this new lease of life and feel he deserves a new name to reflect this and that’s where you come in!

The keepers have shortlisted five names and with a minimum £1 donation you can pick your favourite. The name with the most votes will be announced on Facebook, with the bonus of one lucky donor who will win a family pass to Dartmoor Zoo, where they can see the binturong in person! The five names are:

  1. Mee-Noi which means little bear in Thai
  2. Malu which means shy in Indonesian
  3. Bao which means treasure in Vietnamese
  4. Mahina which means vulnerable in Filipino
  5. Irawan which is a river in Palawan

To pick your winner and give our binturong a new name for his new life, you can make your charitable donation here.

Join us for our very first ‘Coffee and Conversation’ event. A brand new networking breakfast series we’re launching here at Dartmoor Zoo!

On Tuesday 17th October our topic is ‘Marketing and fundraising’ and we’re welcoming THREE amazing guest speakers to discuss ways in which charities and companies alike have been impacted in the cost-of-living crisis and how we can brainstorm, think outside the box, and come up with new and exciting ways of marketing and fundraising!

We’re being joined by Toby Gorniak MBE, the CEO of Street Factory, Paul Courtney the Director of Fundraising for Children’s Hospice South West, and Phillipa Revest the Head of Marketing and Communications for The Ocean Conservation Trust, all with a huge wealth of knowledge in their respective fields.

Tickets to this event are £10 inclusive of entry to zoo, buffet breakfast and refreshments.

We recommend booking in advance as tickets are limited.

BOOK NOW

Treat someone you love to a Zoo day this Valentines!

Simply use code DZSVAL50 to get 50% off admission on adult tickets, valid from 11th – 14th February.

This code cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.

Dartmoor Zoo’s brand-new refurbished conference facility ‘The Jaguar Suite’ is open for business! To launch and promote our new facility we are offering clients new and old a FREE HALF DAY conference venue hire. To secure this unique and beautiful venue for free, all you need to do is purchase a catering package! (T&Cs below)

Catering packages

  • Tea / Coffee & Cakes @ £5.00ph
  • Tea / Coffee & Breakfast – Choice of Hot Bacon or Sausage Baps or Continental, Pastries, Muesli, Fruit, Yogurt @ £7.00ph
  • Tea / Coffee & Sandwich Platters & Crisps ‘Light Lunch’ @ £7.00ph
  • Tea / Coffee & Hot Buffet Lunch @ £9.50ph

 

T&Cs

  • Offer open Tuesday – Thursday ONLY from 3rd January until 9th February
  • Minimum group booking 12 people
  • Suggested* half day hire times are 8.30am – 12.30pm or 1pm – 5pm (*Timings can be negotiated when booking through events team, dependant on availability)
  • If you wish to extend your visit, the second half of the day can be booked at a discounted rate. Discounted venue hire pricing starts at £75.00 dependant on group size
  • Additional catering and animal experiences available – enquire for more details
  • Finish or start your conference with a guided Zoo tour for the whole group for only £60.00 (up to 30 people per tour, groups over 30 will need to book 2 or more tours)

 

Facilities include: Projector & White Wall, 70-inch SMART Screen, Bluetooth connective amp & surround speakers, LED lighting (various colours), Tables & Chairs

Conference set up suitable for: 100 x Theatre / 40 x Cabaret / 30 x Boardroom (advised not max)

  • Additional conference amenities including, flip chart, paper, pens, notepads etc. available on request when pre booking, and will incur a charge.

Email events@dartmoorzoo.co.uk

Looking for a way to make a difference in 2023? Why not try some of our Zoo Year’s Resolutions!

#1 Give 3 for 2023
For just £3 a month, you can contribute to the feed, welfare, and enrichment of our incredible animals here at Dartmoor Zoo. Set up your donations: Here

#2 Sign up to Amazon Smile
Every time you shop on Amazon, you can donate to us for FREE. All you need to do is enable Amazon Smile in your app and select us as your chosen charity, or use the smile link: Here

#3 Easy Fundraising
Similarly to Amazon Smile, every time you shop certain places will donate to us for FREE. Download the Easy Fundraising app, shop and raise – it’s really that simple! Find out more: Here

#4 Volunteer
Looking to share some of your time? We are always looking for volunteers to help out across our site and with our amazing animals. If you are interested, why not check out what volunteer options we have available: Here

#5 Save an animal from extinction
By adopting one of our magnificent animals, you can help towards our conservation efforts to literally save them from extinction. Adopt an animal today: Here

We have teamed up with the Plymouth Electron Microscopy Centre at Plymouth University, and they are bringing their portable Neoscope (microscope) for our visitors to look through. This is a rare opportunity to get an in-depth look at unique animal items under the microscope, including hedgehog spines, snake shed and plenty more!
 
Starting in the afternoon of Wednesday 26th October, the microscope will be on site until the end of the day, Thursday 27th October.
 
Perfect for those budding scientists and zoologists – this is definitely an event you don’t want to miss!