NEWS
AT THE Z OO
BAT BABY BOOM 2019 was a successful year for Livingstone’s fruit bats at the zoo, with eight adorable pups joining the colony. These critically endangered bats are found only in the Comoros archipelago in the western Indian Ocean. Earlier last year, Tropical Cyclone Kenneth hit some of the main roost sites of the bats, which were thought to number around 1,000 individuals before the storm hit. The captive breeding programme at the zoo is essential as climate change will likely bring more of these cyclones with ever greater intensity over the coming years.
A NEW HOME FOR RARE TUR TLES This summer construction has been underway in our Amphibian and Reptile House to create an enclosure for our Madagascar big-headed turtles, which arrived at the zoo last year through a confiscation in Asia. The turtles stayed behind the scenes to grow accustomed to their new home before going on display to the public. Known locally in Madagascar as ‘rere’, they are thought to be one of the most endangered turtles in the world. Since 1998, our team have been breeding and releasing turtles and working with local communities in Madagascar to halt hunting and the loss of wetlands, which are threatening the survival of the turtles.
TRACKING RED-BREASTED GEESE Red-breasted geese are becoming increasingly threatened by climate change, habitat loss and hunting along their migration route. To better understand where the problems occur, we need to know more about their wintering and breeding sites, and where they stopover on migration. We are helping to trial specially made neck collars fitted with solar-powered satellite transmitters on our geese at the zoo. The collars weigh no more than 2% of the bird’s weight. Some will be live and transmitting, and others are dummies. Our team are watching the birds closely to see if the collars affect their daily lives, particularly their feeding, preening and sleeping.
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LEMUR BREEDING SUCCESS On 20th December 2019, we were delighted to welcome a baby Alaotran gentle lemur, the first to be born at the zoo in 10 years. Born to first-time mum Miora and dad Nova, the new arrival is a vital addition to the captive breeding programme for the species. Alaotran gentle lemurs are critically endangered in the wild due to the increasing destruction of their marsh habitat around Lake Alaotra in Madagascar.
