Marwell Zoo News Summer 2017

Welcome 4 Keeping you in the Lemur Loop! 6

Cute, cuddly, furry or feathery? 44 Photographic Experience Days Raising the Roof: Tropical House Build Update

48

In Profile: Philip Riordan

52

Go Wild in our Gift Shop

56

We all Scream for Ice Cream

60

WILD Explorers CLUB Dates

62

24

Kids Get Crafty: Make your own Money Box

64

Zoo Births

26

Members’ UPDATE

66

NEW to the zoo

30

Fond Farewells

34

Comparing the Meerkats

36

Marwell Conservation

38

Follow the LEGO® Brick Trail

10

What’s on?

14

The Great Brick Safari Top Tips

16

®

Book a LEGO Brick Evening

18

Attention Eagle-eyed elves

20

Happy 45 Birthday to us!

22

Keeper in Action

th

Cover © Jason Brown Photography. Issue no:156.

Copyright: Marwell Wildlife. Editor: Emily Slater editor@marwell.org.uk Design: Mel Hewitt.

Correct at upload 24/08/17. Marwell Wildlife, Colden Common, Winchester, SO21 1JH UK. 01962 777407. Registered charity no. 275433, VAT no. 631 9661 30. ISSN: 1757-3378.

1 of 5 Loopy Lemur toys!

Find all the leaves, spell the word & enter here!

H

ello and welcome to the summer edition of Marwell News.

It has certainly been a busy start to the summer here! Last month we opened our new lemur walkthrough exhibit, ‘Lemur Loop’. A section of the giraffe house has been transformed to accommodate four species of lemur in a beautifully planted and immersive environment.

Guests have enjoyed some unique encounters with these fascinating primates and learnt more about the evolution of the species.

More recently we welcomed 81 colourful new characters to the zoo, in the form of life-size animal sculptures, made entirely from LEGO bricks.

The Great Brick Safari is a UK zoo exclusive and we are delighted to be hosting this fun and interactive event until 1 October.

Our friends at Bright Bricks in Bordon have pulled out all the stops to create the stunning pieces for our family-friendly trail.

What’s more, guests young and old have been flocking to our Great Brick Building Zone, in front of Marwell Hall, to get creative by taking part in a range of LEGO-building activities. I’m particularly impressed by the efforts being made to contribute to our ‘Python Marathon’, with LEGO enthusiasts building segments to join onto the snake’s body.

We’re hoping to achieve a record breaking LEGO brick snake by the autumn!

Find out more about the activities on our What’s on page.

In this edition of Marwell News you can also enjoy news updates on some of our more animate new arrivals. Over the last few months we have had some exciting births and welcomed some fabulous new species to the zoo. Find out about the new additions in ‘Animal News’.

You can read about how the construction of our new £7.8m Tropical House is coming along. As the build continues apace, the theming of this hotly anticipated new attraction is also underway. I’ve been keeping a close eye on the development with a prime view from my office window as well as regular visits to the site and I am hugely impressed by the rate of progress.

As the state-of-the-art roof takes shape and internal features are being installed, it’s becoming clear to see what an impressive feature this is going to be.

Elsewhere we bring you news of our latest conservation successes, which include reaching a landmark quarter of a century of successful sand lizard reintroductions.

Talking of milestone moments, in May we also marked our 45th anniversary, having first opened to the public on 22 May 1972.

We have achieved so much in this time but there is still so much to come.

Our new Tropical House will be open before we know it and there are further plans to develop a new exhibit in the next few years, allowing guests to get closer to some of the wonders of nature and the plants and animals that inhabit water and wetlands – watch this space!

As always, thank you for your support and we look forward to seeing you here at Marwell again soon.

James Cretney Chief Executive

Read all about our exciting new exhibit! © Jason Brown Photography

© Jason Brown Photography

Keeping you in the Loop as our Lemurs Leap into Action! ur Lemur Loop is now open! The first guests have been immersing themselves into our exciting new walkthrough exhibit.

O

Over the past few months our four different species of lemur have been getting used to each other’s company, in preparation for the move to their exciting new home.

The exhibit is now up and running, allowing guests to get up close to these playful primates, like never before.

Critically endangered Alaotran gentle lemurs (Hapalemur alaotrensis), blackand-white-ruffed lemurs (varecia variegata), endangered crowned lemurs (Eulemur coronatus) and ringtailed lemurs (Lemur catta) are joined in the exhibit by a new species for Marwell – an endangered Green peafowl (Pavo cristatus).

See animal news for more on this exciting new addition to the zoo!

For the keepers it’s been a labour of love preparing the animals for the move to their new home, which will closely esemble their natural habitat in the wild.

Animal Collection Manager Ross Brown said: “We’ve designed the enclosure in a way that promotes natural behaviours, which is a key part of it”.

Ross and team have also been taking a close look at the lemurs’ diets as the different sub-species have distinct requirements. Alongside this the groups have also gradually been getting used to sharing their space with humans, with members of staff spending small amounts of time in their enclosures to ‘test the waters’.

L

The exhibit has been designed with distinct sections which take guests on a journey through the primates’ plush new home.

Take the pathway through the beautifully landscaped outdoor habitat filled with Madagascan tropical plants, a pond, areas for foraging and sunbathing.

Soak up the knowledge of our Education team as you learn about the origins of this fascinating and engaging species in a new, themed indoor exhibit, focussing on the evolution of these primates. Educational groups will benefit from sessions planned around the school curriculum.

The new exhibit is part of a 10 year £17million investment programme, which will continue to take shape over the next few years. The programme will create new and improved habitats for the animals and offer more immersive experiences for our guests.

To celebrate our new exhibit, we’ve introduced a NEW explorers trail with a lemur stamp to collect.

Pick up yours from the Info Cabin for a suggested £1 donation.

Watch our primate keeper Amy introducing this exciting new exhibit!

Find out what our first guests thought of their immersive experience!

Š Jason Brown Photography

Follow the LEGO® Brick Trail!

© Jason Brown Photography

O

n 1 August, 81 stunning sculptures, representing 27 different species, were unveiled around the zoo, creating an exciting and unique trail to connect our guests with nature. This makes us the first UK zoo to host a collection of giant LEGO® brick animals.

Professional LEGO® builders from Bordon-based Bright Bricks spent more than 6,000 hours and used over two million bricks to make the incredible sculptures.

Among them you’ll find a 1.5-tonne elephant, a Bengal tiger and a majestic lion with his playful cubs. Other sculptures are inspired by our own diverse collection of animals, with an ostrich, a pair of warthogs and a mob of animatronic meerkats all featuring.

Sean Mannie, director of Guest Services said: “We are so excited to be hosting this amazing event at Marwell. The LEGO brick trail is an interactive and engaging way of highlighting some of our really important species, as well as welcoming some wonderful new animals to the zoo!”

“To be the first UK zoo to host an interactive LEGO brick experience is a real thrill.

LEGO is so iconic and continues to appeal to both adults and children and we are delighted to have the sculptures complementing the 100s of animals that live in our 140 acre park.”

LEGO fans of all ages can also try their hand at making their own brick creations in The Great Brick Building Zone. The ‘zone’ has been set up in a marquee in front of historic Marwell Hall and is home to three different LEGO activities. For £3 you can build your own mini LEGO figure to take home. There are also two free-of-charge activities; a LEGO brick pit for keen builders to let their imaginations run wild and a ‘Python Marathon’ where LEGO enthusiasts can contribute to a record breaking LEGO brick snake by building segments to join onto its body.

As part of the Great Brick Safari, sculpture spotters can find out the number of builders, hours taken, weight and bricks used for each of the LEGO animals featured, apart from the elephant, ‘Earl Grey’, as named by public vote.

A free spotter’s guide, available at the zoo entrance, will give trail-goers the chance to guess the number of bricks used to build him and win a family tour of Bright Bricks. The free Marwell Zoo app now includes The Great Brick Safari map, Spotter’s Guide and fun LEGO facts! The Great Brick Safari is included with general admission and runs until 1 October.

12

Follow us for all the latest!

Post your sculpture selfies for a chance to win a LEGO brick frog during every week of the event. #GreatBrickSelfie

What’s On?

The Great Brick Safari Spotter’s Guide!

See if you can spot all these LEGO® animals & tick them off! Available at the Info Cabin or go paper free & download our FREE app ‘Marwell Zoo’ which now includes The Great Brick Safari Spotter’s Guide!

12

Great BRICK Building Zone In front of Marwell Hall 11am – 4pm Build your own Mini Figures Create Mini Figures to take home! Only £3 each

Piper the Python World Record Attempt With your help we can build the world’s longest LEGO® Brick python!

WIN a tour at Bright Bricks!

How many bricks do you think were used to build ‘Earl Grey’ the Elephant?

Guess & enter on the Spotter’s Guide or online at marwell.org.uk/lego

Pop into our Gift Shop to complete your trail and pick up your FREE sticker!

70x50 Brick Safari sticker.indd 1

e

25/07/2017 09:00:46

The Great Brick Safari

Top Tips

Also, check out our full list of Zoo Top Tips for making the most of your day!

Please don’t climb on the sculptures – they (or you!) could be damaged.

Bring a pen or pencil – you’ll receive a FREE Spotter’s Guide on arrival from our Info Cabin to tick off the sculptures as you embark on your Great Brick Safari.

Download the Marwell Zoo app – the latest update includes a Great Brick Safari section, allowing you to tick off each sculpture as you head around the zoo.

Don’t forget your camera – we’re offering a LEGO frog every week for the winner of the most popular #GreatBrickSelfie submitted to our social media.

Make your own Mini Figure Head to the Great Brick Building Zone between 11am - 4pm to build your own LEGO Mini Figures (£3 charge applies). Also contribute to our record breaking LEGO python or play in our brick pit.

Count the LEGO penguins on our ‘March of the Penguins’ iceberg also in the Great Brick Building Zone, and Tweet or post your guess to us on Facebook using #HowManyPenguins for a chance to win a £50 LEGO set.

Walk the trail in reverse order (anti-clockwise, not backwards silly) On particularly busy days consider this route to avoid overcrowding.

LEG A m O ® ust f en thu or sia s

How to Build a Great Brick Safari!

ts!

Are you a LEGO fanatic?

Would you like to find out about the process of ‘building big’?

J

oin Ed Diment, Creative Director at Bright Bricks, for an exclusive and interactive evening of stories, facts and ‘have a go’ building!

Ed will reveal what life as a LEGO® master builder is really like and share some of the secrets of the trade. The lecture will include welcome refreshments, a build session before finishing with a question and answer session.

Saturday 9 September

7pm – 10pm

£39 per person (Suitable for 10 years + to adult)

Places are limited!

Book online now!

Alternatively call 0844 7364215 or email us here!

Join

“Attention

Eagle-eyed elves!”

4 We know it’s still summer BUT.. it’s *almost* that time of year!

M

embers! Put 4 September in your diary!

For 3 weeks only: 4 - 24 September, we’ll be offering our annual members exclusive access to tickets for our popular event ’Christmas at Marwell’ which runs from 18 November - 24 December.

Members

6

2

3

7

8

5 9

You’ll have the first 19 dates to pick from and 9 of these dates will be discounted. Please note discounts are now only available during this 3 week window.

Not a member? From the 25 September, all tickets will be going on sale, including the final 9 dates which will be available to everyone.

Or buy membership online now!

Non-Members

Make your family’s Christmas magical this winter and join in our festivities as we celebrate with a few special friends.

Join the elves in magical Marwell Hall and warm yourself with a glass of mulled wine or blackcurrant and a festive reindeer cookie.

Be charmed by Mother Christmas whilst she reads an enchanting tale inspired by The Nutcracker.

Take part in our Christmas craft, and decorate a Christmas Eve plate to take home ready for Father Christmas’ and Rudolph’s snack.

Meet the big man himself and pose for a family photo before receiving a special gift.

Click here to BOOK on 4 September or visit our website!

Happy Birthday to us!

I

n May we celebrated our 45th anniversary and reflected on Marwell Zoo’s story so far.

Marwell’s doors were first opened to the public on 22 May 1972 by John Knowles OBE. 45 years on, we marked the occasion both on social media and in the park.

Within the grounds, staff were treated to a slice of a special Victoria sponge cake – made by The Oven Door Bakery in Fair Oak.

Elsewhere, on Facebook, we charted the history of Marwell Wildlife with events such as the filming of the 1993 movie Fierce Creatures – starring the likes of John Cleese and Ronnie Corbert – and many royal visits.

This included the multiple trips to Marwell from HRH the Princess Royal, who opened exhibits from Penguin World to ‘Into Africa’.

Since we opened our doors, the zoo has seen thousands of animals come and go including rare species that have helped raise awareness for conservation work all over the world.

This included the first African wild ass to be born at a British zoo back in 1996.

The foal was the first in a long line of successful births for the critically endangered species at Marwell.

In recent years the park has had many successful big cat births including a remarkable double celebration last year.

Two critically endangered Amur leopard cubs were born to Kaia and Akin – named Anik and Kazimir – which was coupled with the birth of endangered Amur tiger triplets.

With our new, immersive Lemur Loop just opened, as well as an impressive new Tropical House next year, the park is set to go from strength to strength as we race towards our landmark 50th anniversary.

Keeper in Action

Back by popular demand!

E

very day at 2.30pm until the end of October, you can catch up with our keepers in action. Discover a different animal on every day of the week and put your questions to our knowledgeable animal team.

Arrive early since space is limited!

Thursday Gila monsters are the largest lizard species found in the United States. Young Gila monsters will eat more than the adults, up to half of their body weight!

These lizards are able to store fat inside their tail and survive on this for months.

Monday

Friday

Okapi feed: Okapi house These elusive, endangered herbivores are the closest living relative of the giraffe and eat up to 27Kg of plants every day!

Come and check out their 35cm long tongue as they enjoy their feed.

Primate feed: World of Lemurs See our trio of loveable primates.

White-faced sakis are joined in their lush environment by silvery marmosets and a pair of golden headed lion tamarins.

Tuesday

Saturday

Sun conure feed: Fur, Feathers & Scales The sun conure is also known as the ‘sun parakeet’. They will feed on different foods depending on what is available, such as fruits, flowers, berries, seeds, nuts and sometimes insects.

African wild ass feed: Paddock at the top of the zoo – this species has its own road train stop!

These critically endangered equines are herbivores and graze on grasses, bushes and leaves from low hanging branches.

African wild ass can survive a few days without water; as they gain moisture from their food.

Wednesday

Sunday

Beaded lizard feed: Cold Blooded Corner at Fur, Feathers & Scales The beaded lizard eats birds and their eggs, reptile eggs and small mammals.

They use their forked tongue to pick up scents and then locate their prey. They are venomous and closely related to the Gila monster, which is also kept at Marwell.

Aviary feed: Walkthrough aviary at Fur, Feathers & Scales See our incredible range of exotic birds in action as they establish a pecking order for their food. Look out for the sleek brown hamerkop, which builds the world’s biggest bird nest, the stunning Schalow’s turaco and the industrious village weaver bird.

Z births

African Wild Ass Foal

S

Say hello to the latest arrival at Marwell, a critically endangered African wild ass (Equus asinus somalicus)! The birth gives a huge boost to one of the rarest animals in the world. Nine year old Nadifa, who was born at our zoo, gave birth on Friday 14 July and our keepers have now determined the sex of our youngster – it’s a boy!

We chose four suitable names for the youngster, which went to a public vote. The name chosen by our Facebook fans was ‘Rooble’, meaning ‘brings rain’ or ‘rain man’.

See Rooble racing around the paddock at the top of the zoo.

otage Watch fo ergetic of the en here newborn

© Mark Fryer

Painted Dragons

W

We’re celebrating a Marwell first! We’re delighted to announce that four painted dragons (Stellagama stellio brachydactyla) hatched on 29 May - this is the first time we’ve bred this species of reptile. The little lizards can be found next to the Partula snails at Fur, Feathers & Scales, along with three curly tailed lizards that also hatched in May.

Z births

spring Chicks I

n March we were delighted to welcome a new addition to the collection, with the arrival of a beautiful hamerkop (Scopus umbretta).

The chick was born on 23 March and is said to be doing brilliantly.

At six weeks old he was already outweighing his parents! At eight weeks old the bird was able to fly the nest to join the rest of the flock in the walkthrough aviary.

‘Baby bird boom’

B

irths continued when, at the end of April, keepers were thrilled to discover three moustached laughingthrush (Garrulax cineraceus) chicks in their nest in the walkthrough aviary.

The two males and a female chick became the first of this species to be born at Marwell. They are all doing really well and beginning to feed more and more independently. A warm welcome to the trio!

Did You Know?

Hamerkop nests are an elaborate hollow structure of sticks usually built in a fork of a tree overhanging water.

Did you know?

Moustached laughingthrush tend to live in thickets and brambles at the edges of forests. They like to forage on the ground and have been seen turning over heaps of buffalo dung whilst looking for food.

a

to the zoo There’s a new boy in town!

Green Peafowl

ur new male Grevy’s zebra (Equus grevyi) ‘Fonzy’ arrived from Woburn Safari Park in Bedfordshire on Friday 23 June and is settling in well. The 9 year-old zebra joins two of our female Grevy’s in the Roan antelope paddock behind Marwell Hall. With a bit of luck, Fonzy will be a successful breeder and contribute to the European Endangered species breeding Programme.

oining our lemurs in the brand new Lemur Loop is a male green peafowl (Pavo muticus). The pretty bird came to Marwell from ZSL London Zoo. Native to south-east Asia and China, the male of this endangered species has a beautiful train (not tail!), which can be 140-160 cm long.

Early morning visitors to the zoo might be lucky enough to catch them calling out from the roost site with a “ki-wao” or “yee-ow” type noise.

O

J

“yeeow”

“ki-wao”

Watch them in action! © Arjan Haverkamp

Cusimanse

L

ike meerkats and mongoose?

Then you’ll love our new species, the cusimanse (Crossarchus obscurus)!

Four of these small mammals (two males and two females) recently arrived from Newquay Zoo. These fascinating animals are typically found in the rainforests of southwest and southeast Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast and Ghana.

They enjoy a varied diet including snails, insects, spiders, small reptiles, birds, eggs, small mammals, and fruits. See the active and highly social group on the back lawn of Marwell Hall, where they’re broadcast live on a video webcam.

Listen out for their characteristic chirps, churrs and twitters, as they communicate to one another through an assortment of vocalisations!

Squirrel Monkeys

A

slightly bigger group of primates also joined us this summer with the addition of some super Guianan squirrel monkeys. Like the pygmy marmosets, they are found in the Amazon and can live in groups of up to 50. Find them next to our red ruffed lemurs.

Did you know?

Males have no involvement in rearing the young within their group. This role is shared between the mother(s) and other females in the group, in particular the young females. It is thought that this helps them to learn skills of rearing offspring from a young age.

Pygmy Marmosets

N

ot only did we welcome the cusimanse to Marwell, we also saw the arrival of the smallest monkey in the Americas – a group of pygmy marmosets (Cebuella pygmaea).

Found in the Amazon, these primates have an incredibly varied diet that ranges from invertebrates to nectar. They are also most active during the day, so are worth spending time with them opposite our fossa, before they move into our new Tropical House in 2018.

p When visiting both of these new primates, please ensure your childen are quiet & don’t bang on the glass as they are particularly sensitive to noise!

Fond Farewells

Kwame the giraffe

W

e were extremely saddened by the news that our 7 year-old male giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) Kwame died following a vet procedure on 23 May. Will Justice, Head of Plants & Animal Management said: “Kwame was undergoing corrective hoof work under anaesthesia to treat a foot abnormality. Unfortunately, towards the end of the procedure, Kwame stopped breathing.

Despite every effort, the vet team was unable to resuscitate him and, very sadly, he passed away.”

Kwame was born at Marwell to mum Isabella and dad Kismet on 6 June 2009. He was a popular character among staff and guests.

Animal Collection Manager Ian Goodwin said: “We are all devastated by the loss of Kwame. I will miss his larger than life character and cheeky antics, as will all those who’ve worked with him over the years. Keepers will remember him as an inquisitive and gentle animal, who acted like a big brother to our youngest giraffe, Ruby.”

© Keith Talbot

Randy the Otter

O

ur 11 year-old male Oriental small-clawed otter (Aonyx cinerea), Randy, very sadly died on 29 April.

“Otters are deceptively cute but they can be extremely tenacious and ferocious for their size and Randy was no exception!

Randy will be fondly remembered as a good, steady animal, who was a pleasure to look after.”

Randy was born at ZSL London Zoo on 8 September 2005 and came to Marwell in August 2007 with his four brothers. His two sisters, Trinny and Susannah, were already at Marwell in a separate enclosure. He and his brothers were named after members of the Jackson 5.

After an initial couple of days of being slightly unsettled, Susannah has adapted extremely well to being on her own and is enjoying the extra enrichment and attention she is now receiving from her keepers.

Over the years some of the other siblings have moved on to other collections, leaving just Randy and Susannah, who lived together in our large naturalistic enclosure.

Update!

Carnivore Section Team Leader Marc Fox said: “Randy was an inquisitive otter, always exploring his habitat, searching for frogs, tadpoles and newts.”

She has now been joined by a mate to keep her company in her enclosure opposite the Siamang. Emerald arrived recently from the New Forest Wildlife Park.

Watch this space for more otter news!

Comparing the Meerkats

It is not only us humans who need to watch our cholesterol levels.

Health Check

C

aptive meerkats (Suricata suricatta) are also at risk of developing high cholesterol, typically caused by their diet. Koba, Caesar, Monty and the rest of Marwell’s meerkat mob were recently brought to the zoo’s surgery to have their cholesterol levels checked.

Veterinarian Justine Shotton led the procedure, with assistance from fellow vet Sarah Jayne Edwards, Vet Nurse Wendy Irvine and Carnivores Team Leader Marc Fox. The meerkats were anaesthetised with anaesthetic gases, the same ones used in human hospitals, making them relaxed and sleepy enough for blood samples to be taken. The samples were then sent to a laboratory where clinical tests checked for cholesterol levels.

While Marwell’s nutritionists and keepers try to mimic the diets the animals would have in the wild as much as possible, high cholesterol in meerkats is thought to be a common problem related to the diet they have in captivity.

Vet Justine said: “In the wild, meerkats tend to eat a diet rich in invertebrates (such as insects, scorpions, spiders and millipedes). To keep our meerkats as healthy as possible, we try to replicate as closely as possible their diet in the wild, which is much lower in cholesterol.”

The trip to the vets was also an opportunity to give the animals a full health check, which involved everything from listening to their heart and lungs, to measuring their fat and muscle cover. The vet team also inspected their nails and teeth and had a feel of their tummies to ensure there were no abnormalities with their internal organs.

Following the results from the lab, vet Justine added: “We are pleased to report that our meerkats are generally in very good health, and have lost weight since their last health check, showing that they are now leaner and fitter. However, we did discover that some of the meerkat boys did have higher cholesterol than we would like.

We are addressing this by adjusting their diets and by educating the public about how dangerous for their health it can be to feed them.

“We would urge members of the public not to feed any of the animals in the zoo” They all have very specific needs and our team of nutritionists work really hard to ensure we are giving them the best possible diets for a healthy and happy life!”

Unfortunately some members of the public have been feeding our meerkats extra ‘goodies’ outside of their natural diet.

Food items such as bread sticks, chocolate and crisps have reportedly been offered to the animals, which is really concerning.

‘Treats’ which are high in saturated fat can result in the build up of cholesterol.

The consequences of this in meerkats can be really severe; it can affect their blood vessels and masses can form in their brains leading to seizures and brain disease.

Watch our vet team in action!

Marwell Conservation - Grevy’s zebra update: Marwell’s drought response in northern Kenya

A

s well as being devastating for people across this region, endangered wildlife is also suffering.

Long-term degradation of their habitats, largely as a result of persistent over-grazing since the 1980s, has limited the ability of these ecosystems to recover from further impacts and so wildlife is ever more affected by increasingly depleted food and water resources.

Marwell Wildlife has been undertaking emergency action to deliver additional feed to sustain the endangered Grevy’s zebra population in northern Kenya.

Working closely with communities, whose livestock also benefit from this much needed food, Marwell is ensuring the last remaining Grevy’s are able to survive through this drought period.

During similar conditions in 2009, when no interventions took place, the Grevy’s zebra population suffered a huge loss. In response, Marwell and colleagues from the Grevy’s zebra Technical Committee provided hay for the species for the first time in 2011, which succeeded in minimising reported losses. As this is a very direct species management method, we are monitoring its impact on the Grevy’s closely, to ensure that it has no detrimental effects.

i

Due to ever more frequent drought conditions across the Grevy’s zebra range, the Disease Response Committee within the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has produced guidelines on supplementary feeding. They stipulate that the decision to intervene should be made in consultation with KWS, the National Reserves, the community conservancies and the Grevy’s Zebra Technical and Disease Response Committees.

So far, over 100 bales of hay have been provided for Grevy’s zebra at seven sites across the region.

Our conservation biologists are monitoring the uptake of feed using camera trapping and a local scout network to understand how best to deploy this vital resource.

As well as providing manpower on the ground, Marwell retains an emergency fund out of donations from European zoos to enable it to contribute to such crises rapidly and transfer funds to cover supplementary feeding without any delay.

Numbers of Grevy’s zebra have declined from an estimated 15,000 in the 1970s to as few as 2,000 now, with the vast majority of these in northern Kenya.

This makes the Grevy’s zebra even rarer than the black rhino – one of the worlds’ most endangered large mammals.

Marwell Wildlife has been working for Grevy’s zebra conservation for over 30 years, through management of captive breeding programmes and practical field conservation in Kenya. During this time it has developed and supported innovative survey techniques, such as using stripe patterns to identify individuals and improve population assessments. Marwell also uses GPS satellite tracking to follow the movements of Grevy’s zebra across these vast areas and to understand the factors that influence their distributions and monitor the survival of individuals.

Valuable information emerging from these approaches has helped to identify how Grevy’s zebra are affected by human communities and competition with livestock for resources, particularly water.

Understanding these relationships has allowed the development of targeted conservation actions, such as the provision of community managed water resources that benefit Grevy’s zebra, alongside other wildlife, people and their livestock.

Further engagement with communities has resulted in Marwell Wildlife employing local people as community scouts, who monitor key wildlife species in their area and act as ambassadors for conservation. Nomadic pastoralist communities are often astute land managers and appreciate the need for biodiversity and ecosystem protection.

The wealth of indigenous local knowledge is a vast resource that Marwell is tapping into through their inclusive approach.

Marwell and partners celebrate a quarter of a century of successful sand lizard re-introductions

A

breeding colony of sand lizards (Lacerta agilis) first established at Marwell Zoo in 1989 has now led to the re-establishment of 26 populations of this rare reptile across the south of England.

Writing in the International Zoo Yearbook, a joint Marwell Wildlife, Amphibian & Reptile Conservation Trust and Natural England team reported on the successful outcome of releasing captive bred lizards on heathland and coastal dune sites. Nearly 2,000 juvenile sand lizards were reintroduced to their indigenous habitats over the duration of the project, with a number of populations now persisting for over two decades since the founder animals were released.

Despite occurring widely across Europe and Asia, the sand lizard is threatened in the north western part of its range and had disappeared from much of its former habitat in England and Wales prior to concerted conservation efforts. Phil Riordan, Marwell Wildlife’s Head of Conservation Biology said: “Understanding the biological outcomes of conservation action is critical for determining success and learning from these experiences. The project has also helped us learn more about the biology of this enigmatic species which is important for planning future conservation efforts.�

The authors of the publication highlight that coordinated collaborative actions and longterm institutional commitments were needed to bring about successful reintroduction of sand lizards. The conservation of the species in the UK will continue to rely on this support to ensure habitats are maintained in favourable condition and that populations of sand lizards remain protected.

Reintroduction of Species into the Wild

T

he world faces a biodiversity crisis and conservation efforts are needed to protect species from extinction.

Reintroductions using source populations from zoos and aquaria offer an opportunity to re-establish species in the wild following extinction or substantial reductions in population size.

However, there has been little evaluation of the role that zoos and aquaria play in reintroducing animals to the wild.

With this in mind, Rachel Gardner, one of our students on the joint Marwell Wildlife and University of Southampton MRes in Wildlife Conservation, designed her research project to assess the current role played by zoos and aquaria with reintroductions, and provide insights to aid further improvements.

Initial results from this research were recently published in the International Zoo Yearbook in a paper evaluating historical contributions to this area of conservation.

Whilst zoos do provide animals for reintroduction to the wild, their greatest contributions were funds, staff, expertise, equipment and project coordination.

Zoos and aquaria have an important role to play in reintroductions especially as emphasis shifts away from the traditional zoos versus wild dichotomy and towards the integrated conservation management of species.

Tania Gilbert Conservation Biologist

Cute, cuddly, furry or feathery If wildlife photography is your thing then why not capture life through a lens on one of our unique Photographic Experience Days?

M

arwell Wildlife’s PR Assistant Josh Donaldson enrolled on the unique day and shares his memorable experience.

The button is pressed, anticipation rises.

The photo flashes up onto the small screen, the anticipation rapidly evaporates. It’s fuzzy, frayed and the frustration levels are on the up.

This is nature photography for the uninitiated. It is a difficult world where a moment of hesitation sees the perfect shot gone in the blink of an eye. But, on Marwell’s photographic experience day you are given the tools, as well as some top advice, to aid you on your quest for photographic excellence.

BOOK!

When you arrive in the morning you are greeted, along with a selection of breakfast items, by Jason Brown – the zoo’s resident photographer – who specialises in wildlife and sport snapping.

He talks you through the day and which animals you will be seeing.

Pictures secured, it was time to walk up into the aviary as the multitude of birds that call it home presented a very new challenge. Their fast, short flights called for a quicker shutter speed and a faster eye – something that not all in the group were able to master.

Throughout the experience you are given special access to many of the enclosures, which allows you to get even closer to some of Marwell’s special species.

Our tour of the zoo continued past Mei Mei the red panda and on to Wild Explorers before a quick stop at Marwell Hall for lunch. The afternoon was dedicated to the big cats of Marwell. First were the critically endangered Amur leopards.

They were seen jumping around their exhibit meaning a focused shot was difficult to come by, however that only added to the charm of the challenge.

First up was a trip to see the meerkats, so the party could all get their eye in.

With everyone limbered up, it was onto the first experience of the day as we came face to face with the ring-tailed lemurs.

After being briefed on where we could stand by the friendly keepers, we were able to snap away to our heart’s delight, as we gained some insightful tips from Jason.

As he was talking, one of the five ring-tailed lemurs to inhabit Marwell came right up to him and sat inquisitively by his knee.

In all of the enclosures there is no pressure to grab the right shot straight away. You are given time to explore within your area as well as with the camera itself. This gives you the time to experiment, changing apertures and angles to find what works for you.

After saying goodbye to the lemurs it was on to meet the siamangs, who were enjoying their breakfast. With the sun beaming down on the gibbons’ black coats, it presented a whole different challenge for the photographer, especially as we were all weaning ourselves off the automatic setting.

But, after some patience – the key weapon in any photographer’s armoury – the group were all able to get some fantastic shots. Jason was on hand, once more, to give his opinion on position as well as the odd anecdote about his time snapping these incredible creatures.

There are many photographers that come to Marwell most weeks and spend hours lovingly observing these animals looking for new and interesting perspectives of the park’s top predators.

To find all of those in just a few hours was a tough ask, but after spending time just centimetres from the Amur tigers – in a controlled environment – as well as clambering through trees to get the right shot of the snow leopards you begin to get a real love of the animals and the shots that are created.

In essence, the day is a lesson in wildlife camera skills from a true professional, a truly incredible experience!

Raising the Roof: Tropical House Build Update

CEO James Cretney gave us the lowdown on the build Click here!

See

AMAZING

artist’s impression fly-through footage!

Recent visitors to Marwell will have noticed significant progress being made in the build of our brand new Tropical House.

T

he latest development in the 18-month project has seen huge white steel arks erected, forming the framework for a plastic ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) roof, which allows natural daylight to shine through. ETFE is 100% recyclable and is a popular product for green, sustainable construction having previously been used on the Eden Project in Cornwall.

Other recent progress includes the installation of two rainwater harvesting tanks, and the pouring of the aquarium. The complicated process involved an intricate lattice of supporting shuttering before the concrete could be poured. As development continues apace, cladding is now being erected on the western gable end and internally the mechanical and electrical contractors are continuing to fit all the services, heating elements and technology.

The ÂŁ7.8m project marks the second phase of a ÂŁ17m investment programme for the zoo over a 10-year period, creating improved habitats for animals and more immersive experiences for our guests.

Hot on the heels of Wild Explorers, which opened in 2015, this is the latest development in the decade-long plan. The Tropical House is, in part, being funded by a grant from the Local Enterprise Project (LEP).

Continued overleaf...

n

NEW for 2018

h ou s e

This exhibit is planned to open early 2018.

The award was granted as recognition of our contribution to the local economy, commitment to rural employment and focus on green technology.

The huge, indoor exhibit will be the largest ever built at Marwell and denotes a significant step change for the zoo. It will span two levels offering fantastic views across a rich landscape and the opportunity to experience the captivating life of the forest floor.

Marwell’s vision to build the unique new attraction was dreamt up during discussions about how to best recycle our waste.

Marwell Zoo’s Chief Executive James Cretney said, “We’ve been working with consultants, architects and planners who’ve helped put all our dreams together to come up with something really special that fits our animals, our staff and our guests who come here for a great day out.

“The undercover nature of the exhibit will help to reinforce Marwell’s status as an all-year-round, all-weather attraction.”

The rich, immersive landscape will allow guests to take their time enjoying uninterrupted, close-up views of new wildlife; colourful and charismatic mammals, free-flying birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and insects. We are also delighted to be welcoming a sloth to the zoo for the first time in Marwell’s history!

As well as being a spacious, indoor, contemporary exhibit, the new Tropical House heating system will be powered by Marwell’s animal waste (dung, soiled bedding and leftover hay), and wood chip from our woodland management operations.

This will significantly reduce our carbon footprint and take us a big step closer to our goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2021.

Philip Riordan is Head of Conservation Biology at Marwell Wildlife. He is responsible for managing and developing our conservation and research programmes in the UK and around the world.

His wide-ranging job takes him from designing research to assess sand lizard reintroductions in Hampshire, through to developing global snow leopard conservation strategies in Central Asia.

His passion comes from linking understanding of the components that make up our world and bring together opportunities for a sustainable future for people and nature.

Phil Riordan Head of Conservation Biology

When did you join the Marwell family and what were you doing before?

I joined Marwell Wildlife in January 2016.

Before that I was a research scientist at The University of Oxford, where I’d been working on a variety of wildlife ecology and conservation projects for 16 years. My work life up to that point had been a somewhat convoluted journey through I.T., banking, cinema, and managing a nature reserve in Zambia. Despite the twists and turns, my underlying direction was always towards wildlife and nature conservation.

What does a typical week look like for you as Head of Conservation Biology?

My typical week is usually varied and somewhat unpredictable. As Head of Conservation, I have the enviable task of putting conservation actions into practice and managing our programmes in the UK and around the world. For example, this week, so far, (and it is only Tuesday as I write) I have contributed to projects ranging from Spiky Yellow Woodlouse conservation on St Helena, to snow leopards in China, to intergovernmental policy support for biodiversity and ecosystem services across the Asia-Pacific region, and many other things besides. Given the global reach of our work, I frequently find myself travelling to far-flung locations to develop conservation solutions and assist with fieldwork (if I’m lucky).

Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in your chosen field?

If I’d have known my job existed when I was a child, then I would have set my sights on it back then. I was (and still am) fascinated by wildlife and nature, so there has not been a part of my life where I did not want to work in this field in some capacity. As I went through school and onto university it became apparent that I was able to shape the work I wanted to do. A traditional

childhood diet of David Attenborough, zoo trips, London’s Natural History Museum and a life outdoors exploring gave me firm foundations. A constant curiosity and enthusiasm for everything led me further towards research. As I read more I encountered some of the great natural historians and explorers, such as Charles Darwin, Alfred Russell Wallace, Konrad Lorenz and Eric Shipton to name a few, whose adventures spurred me on further.

What research projects are you currently working on?

At Marwell Wildlife we are developing a focus on the adaptation of species to a changing world and how we might predict better the future faced by nature and ourselves, since we are inevitably linked to our planets as a life-support system. We are approaching this research from perspectives of habitat change, for example grazing ecology of white rhinos in Zimbabwe or survival of the endangered Grevy’s zebra, which is a species that has evolved to live in the harshest desert environments in northern Kenya and southern Ethiopia. We are working on climate change impacts on human activities in the mountains of Central Asia and the consequences for snow leopard conservation across their range. We have long had an interest in reintroduction programmes for returning species to the wild and so much of our research examines the challenges faced by these approaches, such as which individuals are chosen to be reintroduced and how prior captivity affects the ability of animals to further adapt to new natural settings. This involves working with a wide range of international partner organisations, who often generously contribute more effort than would be expected from the increasingly limited funding we are often forced to work with.

These are truly synergistic team efforts.

What are the biggest challenges you face working in Conservation?

How can our readers help?

The biggest problem we often face is apathy. Not you dear reader, as you are clearly demonstrating a keen interest and provide essential support for our work. No, it’s trying to get sometimes uncomfortable messages across to people who have other concerns. We rely on our politicians to enact the changes we need to maintain our lives. Sadly, many of the world’s countries are looking at somewhat shortterm goals centred on economic growth or have a focus on migration and insecurity.

I am certainly not trivialising these concerns, but without a functioning lifesupport system (our natural environment) we have nothing. Environmental actions such as recycling, using water wisely and purchasing ethically and sustainably sourced produce are immense helps. Think global, act local to coin a phrase. Eating less meat is one of the most important steps you could take. But what will really drive the change we need? You can help by being more aware and more informed, by engaging others and applying social pressure for them to become more aware and more informed. You can then ask questions of your leaders and determine whose cause they are serving.

What ambitions do you have for the future?

To make a difference. I’ve done more than most, but less than some. I can do more to protect this incredible sphere on which we live. Conservation is not about returning the world to some previous state before humans arrived. It’s about us learning to respect our planet and, having developed the ‘skills’ to destroy it, choose not to use them and instead employ our evolved intellect to protect our Earth and in the process, ourselves. You never know, the life you save might just be your own.

Philip Riordan & Zeke Davidson working with the local team in Kenya

Go Wild in our Gift Shop this Summer!

With summer in full flow, we’ve added a plethora of colourful items to our gift shop range, to give your visit to Marwell a splash of style.

O

ur new collection features brand new children’s clothing including baby grows, sun hats, backpacks and t-shirts from French supplier ‘Coq en Pate’.

If you purchase any of the Coq en Pate range you will be donating 3% to an IUCN conservation project helping endangered species called SOS (Save Our Species).

Also new to the gift shop, quirky homeware design brand ‘Rex London’ has created some beautiful brightly coloured lunch boxes and bags, as well as kids’ aprons and mugs.

Find the perfect gift in this stylish range.

If comfort is your thing, we have a new cushion in the gift shop inspired by Tim Archer’s beautiful photograph of Milla, one of our female Amur tigers, which was runner-up in last year’s Photographer of the Year Competition.

There are still plenty of other items to find in the shop including the vast array of animal toys, so why not take home a special memory of your day out at Marwell.

Fancy your own mini Ralph?

Just when you thought there could be nothing cuter than a Humboldt penguin in a wetsuit, we bring you a miniature, cuddly version of our zoo superstar ‘Ralph’!

The toy penguins come complete with their very own removable wetsuit, modelled on Ralph’s trendy, personalised O’Neill suit.

Ralph soft toys are now available to buy in our gift shop for just £8.50 each.

© Mark Fryer

© Mark Fryer

Children’s adoption package What’s included: 1 free child ticket Cuddly toy Personalised adoption certificate Photo of your adopted animal Animal fun sheet, stickers & bookmark Exclusive access to our online adopter zone Marwell News online – packed with animal features & updates Click here or call our Adoption Team on 01962 777988 Standard and Premium Adoptions are also available.

I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Ice Cream! *ice cream lovers = everybody

Exploring the zoo is certain to work up an appetite and when the sun’s out it’s hard to resist a delicious, cooling ice cream.

Well, we’ve got good news for *ice cream lovers!

In addition to our Tropical Ice Cream Parlour (close to the snow leopards), we are delighted to have a brand new Ice Cream Pod, selling a selection of Marshfields, soft scoop ice cream.

The choice of seven flavours includes mint choc chip, strawberries in clotted cream and white chocolate with honeycomb. Soft drinks are also available to buy in the pod.

The outlet is situated at Wild Explorers playground next to the indoor picnic hut – perfect for a postlunch treat! The Ice Cream Pod is open every day throughout summer, weather permitting.

Follow us! If you're on Instagram, we'd love to see you there.

Enter now!

Click here or search for 'Marwell Zoo' and catch up with all our best moments this summer. Tag us in your best pictures from the zoo and we may even share them with our network.

Become an annual member and join our Wild Explorer’s Club Each junior member is invited to collect a welcome pack from the membership cabin, chock full of trails; animal facts; activities and games. Alongside this, there’s a flashy new ‘I’m a Wild Explorer’ pin badge, celebrating their membership of the club. Continue junior membership and there will be a shiny new badge to add to their collection every year!

Don’t miss out!

Join as a member today!

p rs x o I l D r E e WL

Club dates

Family annual members’ Day 10 September There’s a build theme! Create animal enrichment, play our wildlife game & make an impact on wildlife conservation!

Book a session with a LEGO® master builder & build a mini LEGO elephant to take home! There is a £5 charge for this activity.

Book now to avoid disappointment - only 150 slots available!

How animals prepare for winter?

15 October Zebra Scouts (4-8 yrs) Stock up, slow down and huddle together. Find out how animals adapt when temperatures drop & food is scarce.

Seeing things differently 19 November Rhino Rangers (9-12 yrs) What does the natural world do for us? Can you put a price on nature? Join us to find out which of Marwell’s animals are most helpful to humans.

Festive Fun for the family 17 December Join us for animal themed games, crafts and pre-christmas celebrations!

Pre-booking is essential!

Click here to email! *All dates correct at upload, but are subject to change.

Kids, Get Crafty: Make a BRICK Money Box

You’ll need:

Instructions: Choose a container for your Money Box and wash it out.

A non glossy box would be best.

With an adults help, carefully cut a money slot and if your box has a cap, cut it off and tape over the hole.

Glue on 6 or 8 bottle tops then select your favourite colour and paint your Money Box.

Members’

UPDATE

Hop on board!

T

he M1 Bus service between Southampton and Eastleigh to Marwell Zoo has been extended to run all weekends in September until 1 October.

Access to other zoos

O

ne of the many benefits of being at annual member at Marwell is our reciprocal arrangement with other zoos. Members are entitled to one entry per year at the following attractions: Bristol, Chester, Colchester, Edinburgh, Highland Wildlife Park, Paignton (including Living Coasts), Newquay, Twycross and Rotterdam.

No card, no entry!

P

lease remember to bring your membership card on every visit.

Membership cards are the only accepted proof of membership and must be shown to the member of staff at admissions to guarantee free entry.

If you lose your card please call us on 01962 777960 in advance of your visit to organise a replacement at a cost of ÂŁ2.50 per card. Please be aware that if you arrive at the zoo without your membership card you may have to wait until someone in the membership team is available to help you.

© Jason Brown Photography

Your memory... ...their future The natural world is changing rapidly around us and our conservation efforts have never been more urgent.

By leaving us a gift in your will, you can help us ensure a better future for endangered wildlife for years to come.

Every single gift, no matter how large or small, makes a genuine difference to the work we can do.

Please contact us now on 01962 777977 or via email for more information on what your gift might support.

Registered charity number 275433

Download our FREE Marwell Zoo app!

Now includes The Great Brick Safari Spotter’s Guide!

Great BRICK Building Zone