A half-term baby boom awaits visitors to the award-winning Yorkshire Wildlife Park.
28th May 2024
In a springtime baby boom, the UK’s No. 1 wildlife walkthrough adventure has recently welcomed new arrivals from its camel, cheetah, monkey and rhino families.
Cotton-Top Tamarin monkeys, Consuela and Maurice, are nurturing tiny twins. The distinctive monkeys, among the smallest primates in the world, are a critically endangered species and the park is a designated conservation hub to help save them from extinction. The adults share parental duties with Maurice as likely as Consuela to be carrying the youngsters on his back.
Baby Gelada monkey Kobo was born on the 23rd March to mum Feven and dad Obi, a ground-breaking moment in the breeding of the species.
The most recent conservation success for the park was the birth of four cheetah cubs to mum Darcy on May 13 and the cubs are getting used to their new surroundings in Cheetah Territory at the park at Auckley, near Doncaster.
Darcy was introduced to male Brooke as part of a European Breeding programme and the adorable litter represents a major triumph in the quest to preserve the species.
The cubs will be nurtured by their mother before they’re strong enough to be released into the reserve but visitors will be able to take a sneak peak of them in their house via cameras with a viewing screen set up on the Cheetah Territory walkway.
Another significant birth this year was that of Rocco, the baby Eastern Black Rhino born in January following a 15- month pregnancy. Growing fast, he is now trotting confidently around the expansive Rhino reserve. The rhino subspecies is listed as critically endangered with only around 1,000 believed to be alive in the wild.
YWP’s resident female Bactrian camels Elizabeth and Darcy gave birth within hours of each other in the second week of March and their sons are exploring their surroundings and become favourites.
Director of Animals Dr Charlotte MacDonald said: “We have been fortunate enough to celebrate many births so far this year, it’s great to feel like we’re making a difference in the future of these endangered species and being able to share these triumphs with our visitors is an honour
“Darcy and the cubs’ father Brooke are being kept separate in Cheetah Territory as they would be in the wild. The reserve has separate male and female savannah grassland inspired areas where they can run and roam and ‘homes’ where they can withdraw to rest and sleep.”
“This half term visitors will also be enjoying seeing the rescued Ukrainian lions out in their reserve – they have settled in so well and are usually found surveying the views from their highest rock in Lion Country. Aysa and her three youngsters Teddi, Emi and Santa have been at the park just 9 weeks but have adapted amazingly well to life in Yorkshire and progressed far quicker than we ever dared hope. “
Visitors of the Bank Holiday will be able to glimpse these latest arrivals along with more than 70 different species, including the opportunity to get almost face to face with some of the world's most beautiful and rare animals including Polar Bears, Leopards, Tigers and Giraffes.
The park, which is celebrating Love Your Zoo Week this half term, has a range of indoor and outdoor play areas and options for refreshments. Meanwhile youngsters can enjoy a variety of shows.
Special entertainment this Spring Bank Holiday includes Victor’s African Adventure, a fun family performance suitable for all ages, following a story about Victor the polar bear’s adventure with his best friends, Monty the Monkey, Lenny Lion, and Penny Parrot. They all visit their old friend Bob, the wisecracking Zebra for his Birthday Bonanza!
The classic Sleeping Beauty and The Jungle book pantos are also available as well as the Whose Poo? Interactive Live Show - a unique exploration into the wonderful (but oddly educational) world of poo!
There will also be educational daily ranger talks across the park and a daily carnivore feed.
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