It's a baby boom as Drayton Manor celebrates new arrivals
A Staffordshire-based zoo is celebrating something of a baby boom with a host of animals born in a short space of time.
Drayton Manor Resort, has welcomed a number of new babies to its resident four-legged families, including several vulnerable species.
Among the arrivals is Felix, the newest member of the zoo’s South American Tapir family. Now globally categorised as a vulnerable species, the birth of Felix is a particularly important part of conservation as his mother, Fifi’s, genes are not widely represented in the captive population.
South African Dik-Diks have welcomed new addition Lu’ay while Maggie, a Northern Tree Shrew has also been born.
In the Reptile House, new hatches from the exotic Cameroon Day Gecko have been welcomed into the world as well as a special new member of the Madagascar Girdled Lizard family – whose natural habitat is under serious threat due to deforestation.
Chris Mitchell, head of zoo operations at Drayton Manor Resort, said: “We couldn’t be more delighted to have welcomed so many wonderful new additions to our animal families over the past couple of months, and it’s been great to see how well our new residents are settling in so far.
“Our zookeepers work incredibly hard to make sure each and every one of our animals receives the best care for their development needs, and our commitment to conservation is vital for many endangered species from across the globe.
“We're dedicated to preventing the extinction of beautiful animals worldwide, and being able to watch adorable babies interact with their families whilst knowing we are helping to boost the numbers of a number of vulnerable species is just fantastic.
“We can’t wait to watch our new residents grow and develop, and we hope to continue expanding our families in the future!”
The 15-acre zoo is home to more than 500 animals from all over the world, and the latest additions are a crucial step in the conservation of at-risk species.
Animal-lovers can now take a wintery walk through nature with the resort’s brand-new Winter Zoo tickets, starting at £9 per person, and under-2s go free. Tickets are now available at https://www.draytonmanor.co.uk/tickets/zoo-only-tickets
