Colchester Zoo Magazine Autumn 2015

Colchester Zoo ISSUE 5

ACTION FOR THE WILD

AUTUMN 2015

© Stacey England

FREE

© Orangutan Foundation

! s l a m i n A e h t Mee t

UmPhafa Reserve

CLOSE UP ANIMAL EXPERIENCES!

Unique Gif ts!

ORANGUTAN RESCUE

Christmas Experiences Treat your friends, family and colleagues this Christmas with one of Colchester Zoo's BRAND NEW Christmas experiences!

CHRISTMAS ANIMAL

You and your loved one can venture behind the scenes to share three magical, close up animal experiences before tucking into a delicious Christmas meal!

EXPERIENCES

ING EVENTS

M BUILD CHRISTMAS TEA

CHRISTMAS ‘DO AT

Whether you are organising a work’s meal, a club lunch or just a group of friends catching up for Christmas, Colchester Zoo will make your festive celebrations a roaring success!

Package includes: Entry for the whole day An array of close up animal experiences Exclusive access behind the scenes Premier 3 course Christmas meal Individual gift wrapped souvenir presents

©K

at hr

yn M

ajor

THE ZOO’

Perfect for the smaller group, this package offers an array of amazing close up animal experiences followed by a sumptuous three course Christmas meal.

For more information on our Christmas Experiences visit

www.colchesterzoo.org

Pick up your copy ENJOY A DAY OUT FOR Win tickets to THE MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS ofLESS! the ColchesterZoo Magazine for fantastic money off vouchers 15% OFF E-TICKETS ZOOMAG and competition information.

Visiting Colchester Zoo between the 3rd November 2015 – 2nd February 2016?!

Enjoy a discount of the promo code

by simply entering before purchasing E-tickets online via our website!

Terms and conditions apply. Offer not valid on special event days.

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To WIN a family ticket to one of Colchester Zoo’s ever popular Magic of Christmas events simply email your name and postcode to competitions@colchesterzoo.org Winner receives 2 adult & 2 child complimentary day tickets for use before 24.12.15; including 2 presents from Santa.

Please let us know in the email if you don’t want to receive regular updates from Colchester Zoo, with special offers and news on all the developments. We do not pass these details on to any third parties. Closing date 20.11.15.

Further terms and conditions apply.

HELLO!

HELLO! The Colchester Zoo Magazine gives you a fascinating insight into not only the work of Colchester Zoo, but also updates from all over the world from its charity, Action for the Wild and the UmPhafa Private Nature Reserve in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. © Kathryn Major

We hope to see you soon at Colchester Zoo, to enjoy a fun-filled day out, and every visit you make assists Colchester Zoo’s vital conservation work. Colchester Zoo has once again been listed in the top 2 best rated zoos in the UK in the Travellers’ Choice TM awards, announced by TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel site. The zoo also rated the sixth best zoo in Europe and eleventh in the world, according to millions of traveller reviews and opinions. mpen your British weather da l ca pi ty e th t le t Don’ undercover a number of warm ve ha e W ts iri s! zoo sp g the cooler month areas to enjoy durin

e top tips to see, we’ve got som ies ec sp 0 27 er ov With e winter visits! in this issue for thos

There is plenty of opportunity for kids to release their wild sides, including at our indoor soft play complex, Jungle Tumble. You can also hand feed our elephants and giraffes!

To advertise in the next edition of the Colchester Zoo magazine, contact: David White, david@chalkandcheese.com, Telephone: 01473 221000

*Terms and conditions apply

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Spag Bol with a twist of Coffee Ingredients

• 2 rashers of reduced salt bacon • 1 onion, finely chopped • 1 carrot, finely chopped • 1 celery stick, finely chopped • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped • 500g 5% fat lean beef mince • 400g tin chopped tomatoes • 1 tsp oregano by Sainsbury’s • 1 tbsp olive oil by Sainsbury’s • 250ml beef stock, made with half a stock cube • 1 tsp instant coffee, dissolved in the hot stock • Freshly ground black pepper • 300g spaghetti • Parmesan, to serve

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1 2

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan.

3 4

Reduce the heat to medium.

5 6

Add the mince and fry until browned.

7

Cover and simmer on a very low heat for around 45 minutes until the sauce is thick and nicely reduced.

8 9

Season with freshly ground black pepper.

10

Grate over some parmesan and serve immediately.

Fry the bacon over a high heat for a couple of minutes until it is browned and crisp.

Add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic and fry for 8-10 minutes until soft.

Add the tomatoes and oregano, along with the stock and coffee.

Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti to the packet instructions. Divide the spaghetti between four plates and spoon over the bolognese.

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Helping the environment We’re ready for the change in the law on single use plastic bags.

From 5th October, the carrier bag levy, already in force in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, became law in England, bringing with it a 5p charge for single use carrier bags.

We replaced the free bags with reusable 5p ‘Bags for Life’ with proceeds being used to boost our stores’ community budgets.

We’ve also been introducing a bagless option for our online deliveries, where customers can pay 40p per delivery or choose bagless. “Around 50% of customers are choosing bagless deliveries – that’s around 48 million fewer bags being used by this time next year!”

‘Calling all young Farmers’ Sainsbury’s is calling on young adults to consider a career in farming as their applications for its horticultural and agricultural apprenticeship programme opened during September 2015.

Sainsbury’s is the first retailer to launch an apprenticeship scheme for horticulture and agriculture.

DID YOU KNOW!?

Research reveals

The Sainsbury’s apprenticeship that over a third of 16 programme, which is run in 24 year olds match the partnership with Staffline, gives those criteria for a modern aged 16 and above the chance to work day career in with some of the retailer’s most farming progressive food suppliers, many of whom use the latest innovations and technology The industry in the sector – from learning the digital will need 60,000 infrastructure of glasshouse computer new employees by 2020 just to systems to managing crop growth through replace retiring the use of drones and smart phone apps. farmers Every 12 weeks the apprentices visit other growers in the Sainsbury’s supply chain, gaining access to 44 days of off-the-job training. In between these visits the apprentices will be back at work learning the practical aspects of their chosen career from harvesting; identifying and dealing with pests, diseases and disorders; planting; monitoring moisture and nutrients; pruning and use of state-of-the art equipment and digital tools.

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Top Tips!

There’s still plenty of fun to be had at Colchester Zoo throughout the colder months! Here are our top tips for exploring the many undercover areas and enjoying a great day out at Colchester Zoo this winter!

Colchester Z oo’s Ark Sho p sells a selec tion of ponc h os and umbrellas so you can enjo y your visit wh atever the weather!

- Our Discovery Centre is open daily with plenty of tunnel fun activities and crafts to enjoy as The sealion is the largest well as bug handling and touch tables! straight underwater tunnel in Europe at 24m long and is the perfect way to view the Patagonian sealions during cooler weather!

Enjoy a hot drink in the indoor soft play area, Jungle Tumble, whilst the kids go wild!

All new Jungle Tumble

ets at the Australian Meet the rainbow lorike exhibit whilst keeping Rainbows walkthrough nforest atmosphere! warm in the tropical rai

Hot drinks, snacks and seasonal meals are also available around the park with indoor seating to warm up and plan your route!

Bears of the Rising Sun is home to the two sun bears, with undercover viewing areas filled with information for you to learn all about this amazing species!

Explore Orangutan Forest, s home to our 2 male orangutan and and just the place to relax study this fascinating pair!

The Discovery Centre is open daily with plenty of fun activities and crafts to enjoy as well as bug handling and touch tables!

The Kingdom of the Wild complex is home to a range of African species, from the pygmy hippos to the colony of ants!

COLCHESTER ZOO IS OPEN DAILY, EXCEPT CHRISTMAS DAY! 6

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Stay warm by popping into our Sensation Station and get up close to a number of small species in this fantastic interaction centre!

Pick up your copy of the Colchester Zoo Magazine for fantastic money off vouchers and competition information.

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SAVE!

BUY A ZOO PASS INSTEA D OF ADMISSION! PASSHOLDERS ENJOY • Unlimited entry all year round (except Christmas Day)*

• 10% off in Ark and Acacia gift shops* • 5% off in selected catering outlets* • Entrance to selected major zoos free of charge • 20% discount off animal experiences* • Exclusive Passholder Adoption opportunities • PLUS, complimentary day tickets for Platinum Passholders only

JOIN OUR FAMILY OF OVER

70,000 VAL

*Further terms and conditions apply.

VISIT MO THAN TW RE A YEAR AICE IT’S CHEA ND PER TO BUY A ZOO PASS !

. . . a nd e e th becom f one ro owne eatest gr of the o passes zo va l u e u n d ! a ro

© Scott Davey

UED ZOO PASSHOLDERS

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Available from the App Store or the Android Market Place

Development continues at full speed as the area undergoes some dramatic changes …including a new name!

The redevelopment of this area is coming along well with work on the new entrance and the wooden cladding giving the main building a much needed facelift!

The new porch-like entrance consists of tropical planting and pathways making it spacious and exciting!

As well as improvements to the home of our chimps, the redevelopment also includes an extension of our slender snouted crocodiles’ enclosure. The walls to the old cave style enclosure have been knocked down to make the whole area more spacious and light; making room for a larger enclosure and brand new, off show training area!

Chimp World has been renamed to ‘Chimpanzee Lookout’, reflecting the fantastic heights the new outdoor area creates for our chimps, with climbing towers reaching 12.5m high!

Check out Colchester Zoo’s website for more information on the build and how you can help support it by purchasing one of our chimp hand prints for £50 which will be displayed in the new enclosure for years to come.

www.colchesterzoo.org

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UNIQUE EXPERIENCES!

Colchester Zoo’s incredible range of close up animal experiences offer the opportunity of a lifetime! ers With amazing animals, a dedicated team of keep truly and a fantastic range of packages available, there is something for everyone at Colchester Zoo.

• VIP Experience Whether you are celebrating a special occasion, an outing with friends, a corporate away day, a hen party with a difference or simply treating the kids, the V.I.P Experience is the complete package!

• Keeper for the Day With three different experience days with the animals to choose from, there’s something for everyone!

• Keeper Shadowing Mad about meerkats? Crazy for cats? Love lemurs? For anyone who is passionate about a particular animal, this could be the ideal package for you!

• Perfect Partners Whatever the occasion, a shared, close up animal experience with a partner at Colchester Zoo will give you memories of that special day that you will treasure together forever!

• Kids’ Zoo Academy With expert tuition from the keepers, this experience Flick to gives children aged from 6 – 13yrs the chance to step page 22 to find behind the scenes and enjoy a ‘hands on’ lesson.

• Team Building With different activities available, teams can focus on communication, planning, time budgeting, design, debating skills, reasoning, all whilst having fun!

out how you could win a Kids’ Zoo Academy Experience!

• Birthday Parties Choose two amazing close up animal experiences, enjoy a two course party meal with friends and receive a fabulous present and certificate!

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NEWS FROM UMPHAFA PRIVATE NATURE RESERVE • NEWS FROM UMPHAFA PR

Internships ARE YOU READY FOR AN ADVENTURE? Internships at the UmPhafa Reserve are open to anybody with a genuine love of the natural world; whether you are looking to pursue a career in conservation or would just like to have the experience of a lifetime!

Days as an intern on UmPhafa are always varied but all interns get the opportunity to take part in game counts, tracking, bush walks, night drives as well as other ongoing management projects, with the chance to see some amazing animals such as giraffe, kudu, zebra and other fantastic species in their natural environment!

This unique experience is one you will never forget so pack your bags and we’ll see you in Africa!

BECOMING AN INTERN

For the full information pack on internships at Colchester Zoo’s UmPhafa Reserve check out the UmPhafa website.

www.umphafa.org

Brand new wetland area created at UmPhafa!

Water is one of nature’s greatest commodities and is never taken for granted in Africa. With access to water in mind we decided to undertake an exciting new project that will most definitely bring new life and a new dynamic to the reserve. We have decided to flood a low lying plain and create a wetland area.

The wetland area will create islands so that birds in the area will have the opportunity to nest. Already with just the very foundations established we have seen large numbers of blue cranes, spur-winged geese, ibises and many very noisy frogs and toads exploring our new area.

We will monitor the area during wet and dry seasons to see how the habitat changes, documenting the various species and their nesting behaviour to see how best to develop the area and increase populations.

n Four different leopards have bee g kin loo by identified on UmPhafa at their spot patterns

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Over 200 zebra live on the reserve; these are vital in helping to keep grass levels low in order to stop runaway fires UmPhafa started its giraffe population with 10 individuals and now has over 20 The UmPhafa Reserve is named after the buffalo thorn or UmPhafa tree which can be found all around the reserve.

RIVATE NATURE RESERVE • NEWS FROM UMPHAFA PRIVATE NATURE RESERVE

Fire devastates land at Colchester Zoo’s UmPhafa Reserve.

Sadly, Colchester Zoo’s UmPhafa Reserve was involved in fighting a fire on 25th September which had broken out on the top of the mountains in the area.

It took over 4 days for the fire to be extinguished with the amazing staff at the reserve having to compete with strong winds, which not only helped the fire to spread over the land very quickly, but also made it extremely difficult to get the flames under control. Thanks to the team’s amazing effort, all the animals on the reserve have so far been accounted for but it is unknown what other low-lying reptiles and burrowing animals, not monitored by our staff, may have been affected.

Although the team were able to prevent any animal casualties, a vast amount of good grazing land has now been destroyed, but staff will not be defeated and have been busy looking into other ways to feed the wildlife and having already begun the process of bringing in feed to make sure that the animals remain healthy and strong.

Unfortunately incidents such as this are not uncommon in Africa and fire outbreaks happen quite often, however this is on a much larger scale than usual and has devastated large parts of the reserve.

Find out more about how Colchester Zoo’s UmPhafa Reserve assists conservation and how you can help by visiting www.umphafa.org

ADOPTIONS

Adopt a species at Colchester Zoo’s UmPhafa Reserve! By purchasing an adoption for just £25 you have the unique opportunity to play a part in our vital conservation work with your sponsorship going directly to UmPhafa Reserve in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa.

By choosing to support our reser ve either via an adoption or simply by donating you will help to fund uniform costs, monitoring equipment such as cameras as well as other vital equipment such as binoculars for our staff. With so many costs involved in the running of a Reserve, your supp ort is vital in helping to secure our animals’ future.

Flick to page 18 to find out how you can adopt and help this vital work

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ACTION FOR THE WILD NEWS • ACTION FOR THE WILD NEWS

Giving animals a helping hand!

© Orangutan Foundation

Colchester Zoo works hand in hand with its charity, Action for the Wild, to give animals a hand in the wild and at the zoo. Every visit you make to Colchester Zoo contributes to this conservation work. We’ve already donated over £1,500,000 to various projects but there is so much more to do.

THEIR FUTURE IS IN OUR HANDS!

Helping to rescue Orangutans Action for the Wild has donated £23,000 to the Orangutan Foundation since 2010 which helps to assist with their conservation efforts at the Lamandau Wildlife Reserve, in particular with the veterinary health care programme for rescued orangutans.

One such orangutan rescued and released by the Orangutan Foundation was Paula, who was just six years old when she was released into the Lamandau Wildlife Reserve back in 2003. In August 2015, she gave birth for the second time, this time to a male infant named Pele. Paula's young is the third within Lamandau this year - a remarkable stage of progress for this ever-increasing orangutan population. Reproduction within reintroduced populations is of the upmost importance, and with a species that only reproduces every 8 years, it is no mean feat!

continuing to assist Penguins in Peru Action for the Wild has been supporting the Punta San Juan Penguin Project since 2006, donating a total of nearly £16,000 to date.

In September 2015, we made an additional donation of £1,525 which will be used to assist with the organisation’s census count and health assessment of Humboldt penguins in 2016; necessary to monitor population trends in the future. Census counts have been combined with a health assessment of penguins at Punta San Juan, which is Peru’s largest population.

To date, approximately one-fifth of the Punta San Juan population has been evaluated. Thankfully analysis of skin, feather and tissue samples have not shown anything unusual.

© Punta San Juan Penguin Project

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ACTION FOR THE WILD NEWS • ACTION FOR THE WILD NEWS

Nearly 200 bear cubs rescued

The 187th sun bear cub has now been rescued since Free the Bears started collaborating with the Cambodian Forestry Administration in 1997. At the time of rescue in July 2015, the 2 month old female weighed just 3.7kg, she has since doubled her weight and has been given the name Soriya - meaning 'sun' in Cambodian. Soriya will continue to receive around-the-clock care for several more months in the Free the Bears’ Cub Nursery and soon be able to meet some of her fellow cubs at the facility!

Some of the Cambodian sanctuary groups will soon be moved to their brand new facility, supported by Colchester Zoo's Action for the Wild in 2014 as part of their Year of the Bear campaign. This new location will offer the energetic youngsters more space to run, play and explore. Their semi-wild forest home will offer them ten times more space than they currently have, with each area packed with climbing towers, swimming pools, caves and a host of other enrichment toys.

Exciting developments at Elephant orphanage Recently, the younger orphans had a close encounter with a wild bull elephant during their daily walk. Maramba and Rufunsa were ahead of the herd together with their keepers.

Without taking any notice of the keepers, the bull started touching and smelling them, Rufunsa and Maramba were a little scared and quickly moved to join the rest of the herd!

Interactions like this one can be daunting for the young elephants but they are very important as any bonds they are able to make with wild elephants will help with their integration into the wild population.

The herd of release-phase orphans at the facility has now grown to four, with Batoka, age seven, and Kafue, age six, joining ten-year-old Chodoba and nine-year-old Chamilandu. They show no signs of wanting to rejoin the younger orphans, however they have paid an unexpected visit and spent a morning socialising with the younger orphans before resuming their excursions in the wild. They have settled close to a river with plenty of browse, not too far from the Release Facility.

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You can help too with a donation to Action for the Wild, every little helps and gives hope to a number of endangered species around the world. Visit www.actionforthewild.org

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ADOPT AN ANIMAL Adopt an animal at Colchester Zoo and you are helping to fund our work, as well as our charity, Action for the Wild, which assists conservation projects worldwide.

To purchase or make an enquiry colchesterzoo.o rg 01206 331292 ext. 232/237

You can choose any of the animals at Colchester Zoo to adopt and receive a photograph and information all about your new charge, including a personalised certificate!

Or why not adopt a species on our UmPhafa Reserve to help assist with the conservation work which we complete in South Africa.

s, of your adopted specie You’ll receive a photo at our e on the roll of honour a certificate and featur kept ilding, as well as being bu ild W e th of m do ng Ki rve! est news from the rese up to date with the lat

OUR TOP TIPS FOR CAPTURING THE PERFECT PHONE PICTURE!

Close up claws!

As many phones still don’t feature the ‘optical zoom’ needed to avoid your images becoming pixelated when zooming in, getting close when photographing from a mobile phone is key to capturing the perfect moment!

Some animals at Colchester Zoo are perfect for this, particularly those animals whose enclosure you can enter!

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Or why not adopt a species with one of our Adoption Boxes, which includes a keyring, soft toy and photo of your adopted animal along with information about your adopted species! © Scott Davey

Get face to face!

We all want to get face to face with our favourite animal but sometimes glass has to come between us! Although many of our animals can be photographed out in the open, there can sometimes be no way to avoid the glass.

One top tip to avoid reflections on your image is to shoot from as close to the glass as possible and shield the area around the phone with your other hand!

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Winter Warmers!

Seasonal shopping at A variety of handmade chunky knitwear to keep you warm during the winter for all ages!

It’s the time of year to get out your warm clothes and woolly hats!

Colchester Zoo has some beautiful scarves available in our Acacia gift shop alongside some handmade chunky knitwear for all ages!

Action for the Wild clothing range available in all sizes!

Wide range of scarves for a colourful, winter-proof way of accessorising!

Keep warm and dry with our great range of animal-themed ponchos and umbrellas!

If you’re looking for some stocking fillers or a small souvenir, we’ve also got some for wonderful gift ideas all for £10 and under!

A wide range of beautiful Christmas decorations to add a sparkle to your festivities!

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Great Value Gifts!

All the good stuff, none of the bad stuff. That is the Naked Bee’s motto

Colchester Zoo sparkle eye range is a must have this Christmas!

We’ve got a range of zoo branded gifts to fill your stocking with!

A fun game for little ones to help identify species they see at the zoo!

Colchester Zoo

From Christmas gifts to seasona l souvenirs, Colch ester Zoo has s ome fantastic produc ts available acro ss its 2 shops so y ou can find the perfect treat fo r a loved one or even for you rself!

From Colchester Zoo’s very own cuddly toy collection

Spoil Someone!

to our selection of jewellery and modern animal sculptures; we’ve got just the thing for that special someone!

adoption boxes

Follow us app!

Download our fun, f ree interactive Place. or Android Market Available on the iPhone app store

Have a crackling Christmas with these beautiful scented soy candles

A variety of zoo characters offers a fun way of learning to read the time!

The ultimate close up experience the whole family can enjoy

SELECTED

Zoo Passes

For the lover of the graceful giraffes of the African plains

A challenging, fun and rewarding gift all in one!

Providing an enjoyable aromatherapy bathtime!

VIP

10%VOOUCFHEFRS!*

The Colchester Zoo Keeper Bear is the perfect gift this Christmas!

Great as a gift for any animal lover this Christmas!

Treat someone to a gift of their choice!

Memorable Gift Vouchers!

With a wide variety of gift vouchers available from monetary vouchers to Animal Experiences and Zoo Passes, treat someone special to an unforgettable gift with long lasting memories!

animal experiences

A wide range of close up experiences are on offer for ages 6 upwards!

The gift that keeps on giving!

Visit as often as you like with a Zoo Pass and receive amazing benefits!

Perfect Partners Memories for a pair to treasure together forever

shops These are just a smal l selec tion of produ cts on offer ! Visit our gift * Terms and conditions apply

For more information on Animal Experiences visit page 10 of this magazine.

for our full rang e of gifts and chris tmas item s!

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Activity Time Use the clues to match the animal to its description.

(Answers at the bottom of the page)

pion p scor w hi

1.

ess Tail-l

Flamingo

2.

© Scott Davey

“I am part of the arachnid family”

© P. A. Ivory

Follow the path to get the bee back to its hive!

Who am I?

© Tom Smith

Help the bee find its hive

“I’m the last surviving species of a once widespread group of grassgrazing primates”

t rka

Mee

3.

“I’m one of the slowest animals in the world”

Sloth

4.

abo

on

5.

“I have a hair-like “comb” inside my beak which acts like a filter”

GElad

ab

“My ears can open and close to keep dust and dirt out when I’m burrowing”

Colouring in competition WIN a Kids’ Zoo Academy Experience!

Colour in the scene and send it to us at Colchester Zoo to be in with a chance of winning a Zoo Academy Experience!

Entrants must be between 6 and 13 years old to be able to take part in the experience.

Child’s Full Name ......................................................................

Date of Birth ................................

Parent/Guardian’s Name ..........................................................

Parent/Guardian’s Tel ..............................................................

Parent/Guardian’s Email ...................................................................................................

Bring this with you to Guest Services on your next visit!

Closing date: 01.02.2016

1. Tail-less whip scorpion, 2. Gelada baboon, 3. Sloth, 4. Meerkat, 5. Flamingo

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Find out more about Zoo Academy Experiences online at www.colchesterzoo.org

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NEWS FROM AROUND THE ZOO • NEWS FROM AROUND THE ZOO

Two new giraffes arrive!

Late in the evening on the 7th September we welcomed two female giraffes from the Netherlands, Vera and Nzuri, to join our two resident females, Lili and Isha, to create a tower of four!

Did you know?!

Giraffes only sleep for 20 minutes every 24hours.

Vera and Nzuri are both young giraffe and are currently quite a bit smaller than Lili and Isha! The four giraffe were introduced to each other in the first week of their arrival and have been getting on well. When they went out into the paddock for the first time, they all enjoyed galloping around as they were being shown their new pad.

Keepers have already noticed that although she is the smallest of the 4, Nzuri is bursting with confidence and keen to meet new animals and people, Vera is a little more reserved and shy but is content with her new surroundings.

The next step will be to gradually introduce them to the other African species who they will share their new home with!

The Kingdom of the Wild exhibit hasn’t only welcomed new giraffes, but female ostrich Doris too!

She came from Chessington Zoo to join our male, Lewa and other female, Kosi.

Did you know?!

Ostriches only have 2 toes on each foot and can run at speeds of approximately 35-40mph.

Calypso gets the girl!

After some competition between our two male sloths over our lone female, Gallina, we moved male, Calypso, to our ‘Rainforest Walkthrough’ and introduced a second female sloth to the collection to join him – just like a long term blind date!

Calypso’s new friend doesn’t have a name yet but keepers are working on it as they get to know her personality – watch this space!

Our newest addition has already settled into her enclosure. She and Calypso will gradually be introduced and we’re sure it won’t be long before they are out in the enclosure together, happily climbing the various ropes and posts in their home.

Meanwhile over at ‘Worlds Apart’, male Tucurui is back in his stride, happily living alongside female Gallina without any further interruptions! As we have now established two pairs, it is hoped that in time we may welcome some young – fingers crossed!

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Did you know?!

The sloth is one of the slowest animals in world, moving at an average speed of 0.5km per hour!

NEWS FROM AROUND THE ZOO • NEWS FROM AROUND THE ZOO

Boomerang and Tequila welcome chick to their family

There may be love in the air for male Cheetah Jack!

On the 22nd July male penguin, Boomerang and female, Tequila, became parents again for the 3rd time!

Penguins lay 1 to 2 eggs in burrows over 2-3 days. They take 40 days to hatch, after being incubated by both parents.

On the 5th August, we welcomed 2 year old female cheetah, Sia, from Burgers Zoo in the Netherlands!

The chick hatched in Boomerang and Tequila’s nest at Penguin Shores. After being looked after and fed by Tequila and Boomerang, their chick fledged the nest in late September and at the beginning of October took its first dip in the pool!

Once a penguin has lost its juvenile feathers it very quickly learns to swim, something our young already seems very good at!

Before keepers can name the new arrival they have to wait for the results of a DNA test of a feather sample to determine whether it is a boy or a girl – watch this space!

Did you know?!

We’re sure resident male, Jack is very pleased to have a new lady in his life after the sad loss of our older female Uria.

Sia is settling in well and can be seen at our cheetah enclosure at the Edge of Africa on alternate days to Jack, as in the wild cheetahs live a solitary life apart from during breeding season. It is hoped that Jack and Sia become proud parents to cubs in the not too distant future!

Not all species of penguin live in the coldest parts of the world, for example, the Humboldt penguin comes from Peru.

Meet the new kids in town!

Once again our breeding meerkat pair, Pippa and Robbie, have welcomed another litter!

On the 2nd August, 4 tiny pups were born into our ever growing group and so far they are doing extremely well! Here you can see them at just a few days old when their eyes still hadn’t opened! Visit Suricata Sands on your next trip to the zoo to see them along with the rest of the mob busy exploring every inch of their home!

Did you know?!

Did you know?!

From a standing start, cheetahs can reach a top speed of 95km/h in about 3 seconds!

ED SHEERAN

enjoyed a day out with us at Colchester Zoo in August!

STAR VISIT!

Meerkats have ears that can open and close, allowing them to keep dust and dirt out of their ears when they are burrowing.

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and d Weir derfu n l o !

W

Our sloths can be found at our Rainforest walk through and in Worlds Apart.

LINNE’S TWO-TOED SLOTH © P.A.Ivory

Choloepus didactylus

This unu leaf-eatin sual g anim carries out mos al t of its activitie s, s sleeping uch as eating, and birth ha even giving ngin down, in g upside the fore canopy! st Their fur also has special grooves in it that allows algae to grow in. This helps camouflage the sloth by making them green in colour, and also provides a handy snack if they get hungry.

Spiny mice have very fragile skin, which can break off when a predator grabs them, so they can escape.

Our spiny mice can be found in the viewing area overlooking the lions.

TURKISH SPINY MICE

Acomys cilicius

They have amazing healing abilities and can regrow their skin with little or no scarring. They can completely regrow over 1/3 of their skin in less than a month!

Their tongues are also a funny colour, purple-black! This colour acts as natural sun block and prevents the giraffes from getting a sunburnt tongue!

FENNEC FOX Vulpes zerda

Other th food they an the eat, the d ew in their u n dergroun burrows d is the only water the fox gets.

Th adaptatio ey have special ns in their kidne to preven t water lo ys (which m eans they ss rarely need to p ee).

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Our giraffe can be found in the mixed African animal paddock with our white rhino and zebras, as well as several other African animals.

RETICULATED GIRAFFE

Giraffa camelopardalis reticulate

© Tom Smith

© David Marsay

Their unusually large ears, which can be up to 15cm long, are an adaptation to help them lose heat in the baking hot deserts where they live - they are full of blood vessels which allow the blood to lose heat, so cooling the animal. Another adaptation to the heat is the soles of their feet, which are covered in fur to protect them from the hot sand.

Giraffes are the tallest animals in the world, up to 5.3m tall!

Giraffes have the same number of bones in their necks as humans (7 bones). The bones in the giraffe’s neck are much greater in length, which is what makes their necks so long!

Pick up your copy of the Colchester Zoo Magazine for fantastic money off vouchers and competition information.

Pick up your copy of the Colchester Zoo Magazine for fantastic money off vouchers and competition information.

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NEWS FROM AROUND THE ZOO • NEWS FROM AROUND THE ZOO

Gelada group grows in numbers!

2015 has been a very exciting year for our gelada group!

On the 21st July, Thandi gave birth to a healthy baby girl who has been named Mucha, followed a few weeks later by Keecha's healthy baby who is also female and has been named Adanna. Both mums and their new arrivals are doing well. At such a young age, the babies will spend most of their time clinging to mum, occasionally being put down to explore as they get a little bigger and stronger.

Tail-less whip scorpion breeding success!

It’s not just the furry animals who have been welcoming young, our tail-less whip scorpions have also bred and we now have a number of these unusual scorpions!

These scorpions are spider-like in appearance and as the name suggests, they are also lacking the usual scorpion tail! Our young tail-less whip scorpions are currently off show in an incubation room as they continue to grow, but you can see our adults in our Discovery Centre.

Did you know?!

Gelada baboons are not true baboons and are the last surviving species of a once widespread group of grassgrazing primates.

Did you know?!

Despite being part of the arachnid family, they only use 6 of their 8 legs to walk on and instead have adapted to use the front pair as sensors.

Pob celebrates 1st birthday!

Our first ever successfully hatched flamingo chick celebrated his 1st birthday in August!

Named Pob by his keepers, he has proven to be a true character within the flamingo flock. To ensure Pob’s survival, he was hand reared and slowly integrated into the group before he could imprint on his human parents so that he knew he was a true flamingo. Keepers celebrated his 1st birthday with a ‘pink party’ on the bridge including party hats and birthday cards for their fellow feathered friend.

#pinkforpob

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Did you know?!

Flamingos have hair-like “combs” inside their beaks, which act as a filter to separate food from muddy water.

NEWS FROM AROUND THE ZOO • NEWS FROM AROUND THE ZOO © Scott Davey

Rajang becomes an internet sensation!

You may have seen the video of our popular resident male orangutan, Rajang, kissing a visitor’s baby bump, as after a few days of the video being uploaded, it became viral!

Did you know?!

Orangutans are the largest tree dwelling species, and have an arm span of about 6ft.

This is something a number of visitors have mentioned or had a similar experience with in the past, including Rajang expressing interest over bruises and scars. After this video was posted online by a visitor and shared on the Colchester Zoo social media pages, it has now been seen across the world! It has featured on the Daily Mail, Metro, Huffington Post as well as a number of American shows, including Good Morning America and CNN and been shared

by Ashton Kutcher online to name just a few! Rajang truly is a special orangutan and, at over 47 years old, has built up an amazing fan base with the zoo keepers and staff being his biggest fans of all!

Bringing learning to life!

The education team are responsible for providing engaging, unique and exciting opportunities for learning around the zoo. The team teach around 22,000 students at the zoo each year!

The team also play a large role in visitor education, designing activities for holiday periods. They bring a wide range of experience to our programmes; from teaching field craft skills in Canada to teaching conservationists about public engagement and from working in archaeological digs to being Zoo keepers! We have a range of free education sessions to offer schools from Habitats, Africa and Maths sessions at primary level, right through to Wildlife forensics, Zoo as a Business and Classification at post 16.

New sessions that have recently been created for schools include:

Christmas Penguins for primary students!

Maths for KS1 and 2 – An exciting look at maths in the animal kingdom. The students will use our animal artefacts (skins, skulls, bones and other props) to measure averages, work out speed, distance and time using live cockroaches and lots of other exciting activities.

This Christmas why not bring your KS1 or KS2 class to the zoo to get up close to our penguins and find out how they are adapted to their environment, as well as say ‘Hello’ to Father Christmas himself as he joins the class to ask you a question or two about penguins. As you leave, Father Christmas has a lovely little present for each of your group.

Your class will also be given a slot to sit down and have your lunch in the warm.

Animal Care Modules – This is for all college-based animal care students and will give them the chance to talk to keepers and take a peek behind the scenes to see how a modern zoo ticks.

For more information, contact the Education team at www.colchesterzoo.org and click on the education tab or email education@colchesterzoo.org

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Winter food

Colchester Zoo has a number of delicious new meal and snack options this winter!

From our brand new range of homemade sandwiches on offer across the site, our locally sourced Wicks Manor sausages at our new Sausage Hut, through to our range of warm chocolate brownies at Naughty and Nice, we have something for everyone!

All English breakfast - A brilliantly warming start to your day!

With locally sourced Olde English sausages and back bacon both from Wicks Manor Farm, golden crispy hash browns, mushrooms, oven roasted tomatoes, baked beans, fried toast and eggs prepared just as you like them! Served at Cafe UmPhafa every day until 11.30am.

Luxury Hot Chocolate and Oreo Cheesecake

Our Oreo cookie cheesecake is made with the finest ingredients to leave you in no doubt that you have just had a little slice of heaven!

Our deliciously velvety hot chocolate is topped with whipped cream, and your choice of marshmallows or a Cadbury’s flake, or both for those who don’t like to have to choose!

Both are available all day from our Patisserie or as take away option from Meerkat Hangout and Playa Patagonia Coffee Shops.

Sharing Platter at Patisserie

- Warm up at our Patisserie this winter and indulge in one of our sharing platters!

We highly recommend our warmed Camembert, topped with a delicate blend of thyme and rosemary, infused with garlic and splashed with maple syrup to give it the perfect oozy, gooey goodness that just has to be dipped into.

The Sausage Hut

Short on time and hungry but want to continue enjoying the park? Our new and improved hotdog is a locally sourced, eleven inch Wicks Manor Farm Olde English sausage served in a nine inch warmed buttery brioche roll and offered with a choice of cheese and range of chutneys!

NEW ! PIZZA AND PASTA RESTA URAN T COM ING 2016 30

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your r e v o c s i d Re-

inner

We’re

© David Marsay

and help conservation!

We raised awareness of giraffes with ‘Stand Tall’ in 2013, bears with the ‘Year of the Bear’ campaign in 2014 and all threatened species under one umbrella with our ‘Hand in Hand’ campaign during 2015.

So with the redevelopment work at our chimp house and the future unveiling of the new ‘Chimpanzee Lookout’ in 2016, we thought next year would be the ideal time to focus on

We have some exciting events and activities in mind for our new and exciting campaign revolving around great apes, so watch this space!

great apes!

© Lwiro Primate Sanctuary

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for Conservation to help our charity Action for the Wild! With the success of raising awareness of our charity Action for the Wild through our ‘Hand in Hand’ campaign in 2015, we are moving into the New Year with a fresh campaign called ‘Going Ape for Conservation’.

Not only will Going Ape for Conservation raise awareness of chimpanzees but it will also focus on orangutans who are also an endangered species of the great ape family! Our charity, Action for the Wild, raises funds for the Orangutan Foundation to help orphaned orangutans in the wild, as well as chimps at the Lwiro Primate Sanctuary.

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© Lwiro Primate Sanctuary

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PL E A S E MAKE NG R SU E YOU N ARE CHILDRE ED SUPE RVIS AT ALL TIMES

CONSERVATION AT HOME During the colder months, it’s important to continue to fill your feeders and provide food for wildlife, such as birds as hard ground and frost make it difficult for them to forage! Here are two easy to make hanging feeders perfect for birds!

Make a peanut You will need:

How to make it:

WIN!

Share your photos of your creations on our social media pages and direct message us your email address for your chance to win a family ticket to Colchester Zoo!

butter feeder

• String to hang your feeder with • A toilet roll tube • Bird seed and peanut butter

TOP TIP!

Smooth peanut butter is easier to spread!

If you do not wish to use peanut butter, softened lard is a good alternative.

Step 1

Cover the toilet roll in peanut butter – a favourite for birds!

Step 2

Pour bird seed onto a flat surface such as a tray and roll your tube in the seeds.

Sprinkle over some extra seeds to make sure the tube is nicely covered.

d n la r a g it u fr e v ti s fe Make a

How to make it:

Step 3

Thread the string through the middle of the tube and hang the feeder from a garden tree or bird table.

You will need: • Thin wire • Grapes, apple, plain popcorn, sultanas or other seasonal fruits .

TOP TIP!

You can also use string and a large yarn needle to thread your treats on.

Step 1

Cut a piece of thin wire (about a foot long should do it!)

Step 2

Thread your choice of fruit and bird treats onto the wire in any order until the wire is full, leaving a small amount to use when hanging.

Step 3

Hang your garland from a tree! If you want to make this feeder more festive try using red fruit such as berries with the popcorn!

#wendyswednesdays Tips for conservation at home and around your garden!

Now watch as the birds enjoy these delicious snacks throughout the winter!

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10%

OFF WHEN YOU SPEND £30.OO

AFTERNOON TEA ON THE LAWN AT BOURGEE! Bourgee Restaurant in Southend offers a fantastic selection of delicious menus, including afternoon tea with a Bourgee twist on tradition!

Our delicious and unusual take on this classic English treat is served on your very own piece of lawn offering a selection of sweet and savoury treats, and of course cake! All served with your choice of cloudy lemonade, tea, coffee or even add a glass of prosecco!

Bourgee Southend is also taking bookings for a number of special events! Whether you want to celebrate Christmas in style or bring in the new year with that special someone!

Available daily from 12pm - 5pm

Receive 10% discount off your food bill on presentation of this voucher at Bourgee.

Pick up your copy of the Colchester Name: ______________________ Email:Zoo ______________________ Magazine for Please do not add me to the Bourgee mailing list  fantastic money off vouchers and competition information.

Valid Mon - Thurs. Offer excludes drinks. Food bill must total £30 or more. Voucher must be presented when you place your order. One voucher per visit. Not valid in conjunction with any other offer or special events.

Further terms & conditions apply. Valid until 01.02.2016.

Visit www.bourgeerestaurants.com for more information.

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Zoo Events 24th October 1st November

24th, 26th, 28th, 29th & 31st October

Shriek Week

Fright Night

The darkness of ‘Shriek Week’ is set to return to Colchester Zoo... are you brave enough?!

For those of you brave enough to stay after dark, our Fright Nights are returning to offer hair-raising screams and fits of laughter!

Why not join in and enjoy plenty of spook-tacular fun during October half term with themed displays and activities throughout the day!

Fright Nights take place on selected dates in Shriek Week & DO NOT take place every night of October half term.

Animal viewing cannot be guaranteed after dark.

26th November

Do bring a torch for extended opening events.

Late Night Shopping

OPEN UNTIL 21:30!

This year, Colchester Zoo is kick starting its Christmas events with an exclusive opening of the Colchester Zoo shops from 18:00 - 21:00, with the chance to buy our products with an amazing 20% OFF EVERYTHING!* NB Please note that late night shopping will see the opening of our shops ONLY. Entry into the zoo itself will not be permitted. * Selected items only

28th & 29th November 5th, 6th, 12th, 13th, 17th - 24th December Magic of Christmas

Meet Santa’s reindeer and enjoy many festive activities.

Get into the Christmas spirit with our staff pantomime!

Warm up with some delicious treats at the Elves’ Kitchen.

PLUS, have the chance to meet Santa in his Enchanted Grotto where there is a gift waiting for every child who pays full admission!** **A Santa Gift Ticket can be purchased for child Zoo Passholders or under 3s.

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Zoo Events 28th November

29th November 5th, 6th, 12th, 17th, & 18th December

Christmas Lights Switch-On

Our spectacular illuminations are set to be turned on at 17:00

Breakfast with Santa Wake up Santa and meet his real live reindeer. Enjoy a tour of his Enchanted Grotto and a delicious Elven breakfast, PLUS receive a wonderful gift from Santa himself!

will be here too!

Other dates fully booked.

‘The Snowman™ and The Snowdog’ © Snowdog Enterprises Limited 2015

NEW!

Must be pre-booked in advance.

8th & 9th December Lunch with Santa

Take part in a magical workshop and lunch time experience with Santa at Colchester Zoo! Santa is falling behind with his schedule and needs some help to catch up!

Your little ones are invited to join the elves in the workshop and help get ready for Christmas!

Must be pre-booked in advance.

19th & 23rd December Christmas Eventides Stay after dark to enjoy the Christmas magic at the zoo as the festivities continue into the evening until 20:30.

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Mother Christmas Mother Christmas will be on hand on these dates at Santa’s Enchanted Grotto for those children who would prefer to meet her instead of Santa.

BOOK E-TICKETS FOR COLCHESTER ZOO’S EVENTS ONLINE AND SAVE! Whether it’s for a general visit or for special events, by booking online, in advance, you’ll receive fantastic savings on the cost of admission!

For more information: 01206 331292 www.colchesterzoo.org enquiries@colchesterzoo.org

Flick to page 2 to find out how you could win tickets to THE MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS!

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