Animals get into the Christmas spirit at Bristol Zoo Gardens - 15/12/11

Submitted by lucy on Thu, 2011-12-15 15:52

Christmas has come early for some of the animals at Bristol Zoo Gardens as keepers hand out presents filled with tasty treats.

The Zoo’s squirrel monkeys, meerkats and rainbow lorikeet parrots will be given stockings and presents full of their favorite foods – fruit and vegetables for the squirrel monkeys, meal worms for the meerkats and sweet nectar for the lorikeets.

Bristol Zoo’s Senior Curator of Animals, John Partridge, said: “The stockings and presents are more than just festive decoration as they are also a form of enrichment, helping to keep the animals interested because they have to hunt and forage for their food, making dinner time a little bit more exciting.”

There’s plenty going on at Bristol Zoo Gardens this Christmas. Jingle and Belle the reindeer will be adding seasonal cheer to the Zoo when they fly in for the festive season on Saturday, December 17. Visitors to the Zoo can also visit Santa in his magical grotto every day from December 17-23 and take a ride around the Zoo on the Santa Express*.

For more information about Bristol Zoo Gardens visit the website at www.bristolzoo.org.uk or phone 0117 974 7300.

*please check Bristol Zoo’s website for prices and times.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ENDS

 

For more information please contact Bristol Zoo’s press office:

Lucy King, T: 0117 974 7306, or email: lking@bristolzoo.org.uk
Vanessa Hollier, T: 0117 974 7309, email: vhollier@bristolzoo.org.uk

Notes to the Editor:

BristolZoo Gardens

  • Bristol Zoo is open from 9am every day except Christmas Day. 
  • Bristol Zoo Gardens is a conservation and education charity and relies on income from visitors and supporters to continue its important work. 
  • In 2011 Bristol Zoo celebrates its 175th anniversary and wants to do more than celebrate.
  • Over that past 175 years, the Zoo has brought six generations of Bristolians closer to wildlife, helped save over 175 species from extinction, established over 30 field conservation and research programmes   all over the world, showed 40 millionschool aged children the wonder of nature and given more than 90 million visitors a wonderful day out.
  • Throughout 2011 we’re bring people, businesses, charities and wildlife together to share amazing experiences that raise awareness and funds to save threatened wildlife and places. To find out more, visit www.bristolzoo.org.uk/whats-on
  • Throughout 2011 we will be focusing our efforts on raising funds and awareness in support of gorilla conservation.
  • Throughout 2011 Bristol Zoo will support theEuropean Association of Zoos and Aquaria Ape Campaign.The campaign aims to make a significant and lasting contribution to the continued survival of apes and their habitats, and is being led by Dr Bryan Carroll, the Director of Bristol Zoo.
  • To find out more about the EAZA Ape Campaign visit the Zoo website at www.bristolzoo.org.uk/conservation-campaigns.
  • Bristol Zoo is involved with more than 100 co-ordinated breeding programmes for threatened wildlife species. 
  • Itemploys over 150 full and part-time staff to care for the animals and run a successful visitor attraction to support its conservation and education work. 
  • Bristol Zoo supports – through finance and skill sharing - 15 projects in the UK and abroad that conserveand protectsome of the world’s most endangered species.
  • In 2010 Bristol Zoo Gardens set up a Conservation Fund to raise vital funds to help care for threatened animals and plants – both in the Zoo and through the conservation work we do in the UK and around the world.
  • Bristol Zoo Gardens is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums. BIAZA represents more than 90 member collections and promotes the values of good zoos and aquariums.