Year in Pictures 2024
30th December 2024
Join us a we celebrate 2024 in the wildest way and reflect back on the year!
January
2024 started with the first public appearance of Auckley the Amur Leopard, much to the delight of visitors. She quickly grew in confidence and was pictured exploring the climbing towers of Leopard Heights. Auckley represents a significant advancement for leopard conservation, as she was the only surviving cub of her species born in Europe last year. Her birth provides a major boost to the breeding programme for the most endangered big cat species.
February
The exciting introductions continued with the first sighting of baby Rocco the Black Rhino calf, one of the rarest mammals on Earth! He is the first of his kind to be born in the resort’s history, symbolising a huge milestone in our global conservation efforts. After her 15-month pregnancy, Mum Najuma proudly introduced her lively son to the ‘Into Africa!’ reserve and its 3-acres of grassland.
March
March saw the arrival of 4 Ukrainian lions rescued from their holding facility in Poland having escaped Russian bombs. During this time, Aysa spent the nine long months separated from her three cubs Emi, Santa and Teddi. Their rescue marked the final phase of a seven-month operation dedicated to bringing these war-traumatised lions to safety in Yorkshire. After an incredible journey spanning 2000 miles and crossing six continents, they arrived at their new home, where they could finally see the daylight.
April
This Spring’s baby boom kicked off with the birth of two Bactrian camel calves, Quill and Quaver. Mother, Elizabeth, and her daughter Darcy brought their boys into the world within hours of each other. It was just two weeks before the inquisitive calves ventured into the reserve and bonded quickly with the rest of the herd.
May
And so the flurry of springtime births continued with the arrival of two adorable cheetah cubs. Proud Mum Darcy gave birth just 9 months after arriving at the Park on the recommendation of the European Endangered Species Programme. With cheetah populations rapidly dwindling, these playful cubs, later named Kendi and Tafari, represent a significant success for their species conservation.
June
As temperatures climbed to 28 degrees in Doncaster, the animals welcomed some refreshing treats to help them stay cool during the first heatwave of the year. The lemurs enjoyed special fruit ice lollies, which they quickly devoured. These primates are among the most endangered species, and the park is a major supporter of conservation efforts to protect them. YWP is home to The Wildlife Foundation, a charity based in the park which is raising funds for the Greater Bamboo Lemurs. Located in the rainforests of Eastern Madagascar the species live under the threat of habitat destruction and human activity.
July
The Californian sea lion pups celebrated their first birthday in the sun with the rest of the family. They splashed about in their Point Lobos pool, the largest purpose-built habitat of its kind in the world. Born just 1 week apart, Coral and Stanley have bonded well with each other and the rest of the colony.
August
The Park gave a warm welcome to a special guest: Kora the two-and-a-half-year-old okapi who travelled from Chester Zoo. This is a crucial move to ensure the continuation of the valuable breeding of this critically endangered species. Kora calmly settled into the reserve, basking in the summer sun and exploring her new environment.
September
Just as autumn arrived, so did the reveal of a new litter of rare bush dog pups. They had stayed safely tucked away in their den for weeks before finally stepping out into their enclosure. Parents Belle and Gaston kept a careful eye on the four pups as they bonded with the rest of the pack and played together in their Atlantic Forest reserve.
October
The animals were all gifted with some bewitching presents for Halloween, but these proved too spooky for Yuma the polar bear! He was pictured throwing a large red spider toy into the lake in a fright but did later conquer his fears. The park continues to be at the forefront of polar bear conservation as climate change continues to threaten their habitat and ability to hunt.
November
The first snowfall of the year came to the delight of all the animals. However, Tschuna the Amur Tiger, in particular, had a lot of fun in the wintery weather. She curiously played with her new frosty snowman companion and roamed her new snowy sanctuary. Amur Tiger numbers have dropped to as low as 20 to 30 but conservation programmes such as YWP’s have helped to push their numbers back to over 500 in the wild.
December
It was finally time to get in the Christmas spirit and all of the animals received their favourite treats and toys. The adorable Red Panda trio, Alice, Ariel and Aurora, curiously played with their three elves who delivered their presents. Yorkshire Wildlife Park is dedicated to protecting this endangered species, as their total population has declined by 40% over the past two decades. Without intervention, they risk extinction.
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