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Author: Emma Thomas
Love is in the air at Dartmoor Zoo and the new couple on the scene are Carpathian Lynxes, Flaviu and Emily, otherwise known as ‘Flavily‘.
We are all delighted to see that Flaviu and Emily have successfully pair bonded.
Emily, a 7.5-year-old arrived late February 2024 from Karlsruhe Zoo in Germany where she was born in 2016.
Flaviu is just under 10 years old and was born at Port Lympne Wildlife Park in 2014, he has been a resident at Dartmoor Zoo since July 2016.
The pair have already been observed mutually grooming and mating and our first little of kittens from the pair could be born as early June.
Conservation breeding of this species is extremely important for the future success of the species as, in the wild, their populations have been in decline for many, many years.
Mixing two members of any apex predator is always a nerve-wracking business and the team here at Dartmoor Zoo spent a considerable amount of time carefully getting the pair used to each other’s scent and presence before they were successfully physically mixed on Tuesday the 19th March 2024.
All this preparation was worthwhile as the pair immediately bonded and have been inseparable ever since.
Make sure to view the magic of this new couple in person and get your Dartmoor Zoo tickets today!
Like many other places, Dartmoor Zoo are feeling the impact of the cost-of-living crisis with electricity bills reaching new highs of £72,000 and animal feed surpassing £60,000 for the year. This has led to the creation of Dartmoor Zoo’s ‘Give us an Hour’ fundraising campaign, where the ask is for an hour of your time, whether that is wages, volunteering or fundraising.
This campaign struck a chord with violinist, Niobe, who is taking centre stage on Saturday 2nd March, 2:30pm at Dartmoor Zoo and performing in front of Dragan, a spectacular Amur tiger. Niobe, who is just 10 years old, has a special place in her heart for animals and wants to use her musical talents to raise much needed funds for Dartmoor Zoo.
Niobe commented: “I absolutely love Big Cats! They’re so amazing and majestic with all different personalities. My favourite are cheetahs because they’re beautiful, fast, and graceful. I really hope I can help all of the big cats at Dartmoor Zoo by earning money for them with my music.”
Aimee, Niobe’s mum commented: “Niobe’s two favourite things are Big Cats and playing her violin. Although she’s only ten, I’m so proud of her commitment and effort to achieve this well-intentioned goal and I sincerely hope she gets the support needed to make a positive difference to the zoo.”
This practice session leads up to her full performance in Ashburton where Niobe will take to the streets and busk for an hour. Cash can be given on the day, but an online fundraising account also exists, where people can donate in support of Niobe’s talents and Dartmoor Zoo.
Fundraising Lead Vanessa Apicella commented: “I’m thrilled that Niobe has chosen Dartmoor Zoo’s ‘Give us an Hour’ appeal as the platform to showcase her talents! The support we’ve received has been extraordinary, and we eagerly anticipate her complete performance in Ashburton. I’ll definitely be there to cheer her on, and I hope you will join me in supporting her.”
To show Niobe support, you can see her performance in Ashburton, outside of the Arts Centre (West Street) on Saturday 30th March at 11am, so make sure to bring some change and cheer on this amazing young fundraiser in the making!
To support Niobe online, you can donate via her fundraising page!
Travelling from Karlsruhe Zoo in Germany, Emily, Flaviu’s new love interest, arrived at Dartmoor Zoo on Tuesday 27th February. At 7 years old, Emily has been selected as a compatible match for Flaviu within the European Breeding Programme.
Director of Karlsruhe Zoo Prof Dr Matthias Reinschmidt commented: “We are very pleased that a very nice place has been found for this lynx bred by us as part of the studbook.”
Initial observations and health checks have been conducted and Emily seems calm, in good spirits and is settling into her new home well. These observations will continue to monitor her overall wellbeing after the move, whilst also conducting introductions between the new pair.
Emily and Flaviu are Carpathian Lynx, a subspecies of Eurasian Lynx, the largest of all 4 species. The majority of this species can be found in Romania, Slovakia, Poland and Ukraine, whilst the population in Hungary, Serbia and Bulgaria is scattered.
The total number of lynxes in Europe (including Russia and Belarus) is estimated between 17 – 18000, with the Carpathian Lynx species responsible for approximately 2100 – 2400 of this population.
Lynx were once native to the UK, being hunted to extinction some 1,300 years ago. Their last stronghold is thought to have been the Scottish Highlands, although some more recent cultural references can be found from Welsh poetry as late as the 9th Century.
Lynx have been successfully reintroduced into the wild in Switzerland, Germany and Slovenia and there have been formal proposals to reintroduce Lynx into parts of the UK. Many feel that they are the most suitable large predator for reintroduction in the UK. Proponents argue that they would help to naturally control deer populations and, therefore, their reintroduction would help restore habitats, particularly forests which are currently being over-grazed by deer.
CEO David Gibson commented: “We are very excited about the arrival of Emily our new female Carpathian Lynx. Emily was born in Karlsruhe Zoo in Germany as part of the European Breeding programme for this species. She is a very beautiful cat with lovely markings, and it is wonderful to see how calm she is exploring her new home. We are hoping that she forms a breeding pair with our male Lynx, Flaviu. It’s a huge privilege for us at Dartmoor Zoo to be part of the European Lynx breeding programme. We’re extremely excited at the thought of possibly welcoming new kittens, and with your support, this can be just the beginning of many more programs we can embark on.”
Here’s How You Can Help:
Support Wildlife Conservation: Your donations directly contribute to our conservation efforts and support breeding programmes, ensuring a future for species like Flaviu and Emily.
Raise Awareness: Help us spread the word by sharing this news. The more people who understand the importance of wildlife conservation as well as how international breeding programs can help, the bigger the impact we can make.
Learn and Visit: Come meet Flaviu and our new arrival Emily! Witness their beauty and learn about the importance of conservation efforts in ensuring the survival of their species and that of others across the world.
Dartmoor Zoo are pleased to announce that Malu, a Palawan Binturong that managed to escape his enclosure, has now been found and returned safely to Dartmoor Zoo. Binturongs are incredible creatures, as well as being great climbers, they famously smell of popcorn!
Initial keeper observations would indicate that Malu hasn’t suffered in any way from his time in the Devon countryside, but Malu is being held in his house within his enclosure temporarily until a full health check can be carried out by the vets. His house has been confirmed as secure and Malu has access to heat, food, water and is comfortable and secure.
Welcomed to the site on Wednesday 5th July 2023 from ‘Get to know animals’ at Epping, Essex, London, Malu has become a much-loved resident on site and the entire team are delighted regarding his return.
Animal Manager Maddy commented:
“Malu is a shy boy and takes some time getting used to people. Bananas are considered a good way to make friends, although he loves all fruit and is his happiest self when munching!
After receiving word of sightings by a local Cornwood resident in the evening of Tuesday 13th February the team gathered equipment and drove to the location. He was located in a small woodshed next to an allotment, so he had managed to find shelter and a food source.
He was quickly secured and transported back to the Zoo, where he has been settling back in.
Malu has been eating well overnight and seems calm and in good health. The team will continue to monitor him to ensure he is doing well.
At this time, the team are enjoying a very emotional reuniting with a much-missed Malu.”
Dartmoor Zoo will be reviewing Malu’s enclosure over the next 12 – 24 hours, to assess any changes that need to be made and Malu will be in a suitable, temporary enclosure until any works have been completed.
CEO David Gibson Commented:
“We are all obviously delighted that Malu has been found safe and well and our priority now is for his ongoing welfare and care. We will be working hard over the next few days to ensure that he is in good health and that there is no possibility of him escaping his enclosure again.”
Dartmoor Zoo has welcomed a new binturong to the DZS family. Not yet named, he’s happy, healthy, and settling into his new home nicely. The binturong was transported to Dartmoor Zoo on Wednesday 5th July from ‘Get to know animals’ at Epping, Essex, London.
Dartmoor Zoo’s Curator Scott commented:
“Binturongs also known as the Bearcat, Malay Civet Cat and are members of Viverridae, they are most closely related to Civets, Genets, and Fossa.
Predominantly found in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Philipines, Laos, Cambodia, Indonesia, Vietnam and some areas of China, the IUCN classifies them as Vulnerable due to the illegal pet trade, deforestation, poaching for furs and being captured to make civet coffee. Unfortunately, binturongs are also captured and eaten in Laos as it is considered a delicacy.
Our binturong is a Palawan binturong from the island of Palawan in the Philippines and is a very unique subspecies that has been isolated for a while. They are smaller and more nocturnal than other subspecies and much rarer in captivity. There is a huge illegal wildlife trade problem in Palawan where many animals including binturongs are taken from the wild and then sold. Unfortunately, the punishments for this are negligent and do not deter the offenders from repeating the offense.
Our binturong was imported from Asia legally by an unknown source but most likely was taken from the wild due to the issues on Palawan, before leaving the private individual and finding a home at ‘Get to know animals’ where they gave him amazing treatment and helped settle him in and bring him out of his shell.”
Our binturong is a magnificent animal, a symbol of the diversity and beauty of our natural world. But this incredible animal has suffered greatly at the hands of those who did not understand the importance of protecting and respecting all living beings. For far too long, he endured neglect and abuse, living a life of fear and pain.
Here at Dartmoor Zoo, we are incredibly honoured to be able to give him this new lease of life and feel he deserves a new name to reflect this and that’s where you come in!
The keepers have shortlisted five names and with a minimum £1 donation you can pick your favourite. The name with the most votes will be announced on Facebook, with the bonus of one lucky donor who will win a family pass to Dartmoor Zoo, where they can see the binturong in person! The five names are:
- Mee-Noi which means little bear in Thai
- Malu which means shy in Indonesian
- Bao which means treasure in Vietnamese
- Mahina which means vulnerable in Filipino
- Irawan which is a river in Palawan
To pick your winner and give our binturong a new name for his new life, you can make your charitable donation here.
Join us for our very first ‘Coffee and Conversation’ event. A brand new networking breakfast series we’re launching here at Dartmoor Zoo!
On Tuesday 17th October our topic is ‘Marketing and fundraising’ and we’re welcoming THREE amazing guest speakers to discuss ways in which charities and companies alike have been impacted in the cost-of-living crisis and how we can brainstorm, think outside the box, and come up with new and exciting ways of marketing and fundraising!
We’re being joined by Toby Gorniak MBE, the CEO of Street Factory, Paul Courtney the Director of Fundraising for Children’s Hospice South West, and Phillipa Revest the Head of Marketing and Communications for The Ocean Conservation Trust, all with a huge wealth of knowledge in their respective fields.
Tickets to this event are £10 inclusive of entry to zoo, buffet breakfast and refreshments.
We recommend booking in advance as tickets are limited.
Treat someone you love to a Zoo day this Valentines!
Simply use code DZSVAL50 to get 50% off admission on adult tickets, valid from 11th – 14th February.
This code cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.
Dartmoor Zoo’s brand-new refurbished conference facility ‘The Jaguar Suite’ is open for business! To launch and promote our new facility we are offering clients new and old a FREE HALF DAY conference venue hire. To secure this unique and beautiful venue for free, all you need to do is purchase a catering package! (T&Cs below)
Catering packages
- Tea / Coffee & Cakes @ £5.00ph
- Tea / Coffee & Breakfast – Choice of Hot Bacon or Sausage Baps or Continental, Pastries, Muesli, Fruit, Yogurt @ £7.00ph
- Tea / Coffee & Sandwich Platters & Crisps ‘Light Lunch’ @ £7.00ph
- Tea / Coffee & Hot Buffet Lunch @ £9.50ph
T&Cs
- Offer open Tuesday – Thursday ONLY from 3rd January until 9th February
- Minimum group booking 12 people
- Suggested* half day hire times are 8.30am – 12.30pm or 1pm – 5pm (*Timings can be negotiated when booking through events team, dependant on availability)
- If you wish to extend your visit, the second half of the day can be booked at a discounted rate. Discounted venue hire pricing starts at £75.00 dependant on group size
- Additional catering and animal experiences available – enquire for more details
- Finish or start your conference with a guided Zoo tour for the whole group for only £60.00 (up to 30 people per tour, groups over 30 will need to book 2 or more tours)
Facilities include: Projector & White Wall, 70-inch SMART Screen, Bluetooth connective amp & surround speakers, LED lighting (various colours), Tables & Chairs
Conference set up suitable for: 100 x Theatre / 40 x Cabaret / 30 x Boardroom (advised not max)
- Additional conference amenities including, flip chart, paper, pens, notepads etc. available on request when pre booking, and will incur a charge.
Looking for a way to make a difference in 2023? Why not try some of our Zoo Year’s Resolutions!
#1 Give 3 for 2023
For just £3 a month, you can contribute to the feed, welfare, and enrichment of our incredible animals here at Dartmoor Zoo. Set up your donations: Here
#2 Sign up to Amazon Smile
Every time you shop on Amazon, you can donate to us for FREE. All you need to do is enable Amazon Smile in your app and select us as your chosen charity, or use the smile link: Here
#3 Easy Fundraising
Similarly to Amazon Smile, every time you shop certain places will donate to us for FREE. Download the Easy Fundraising app, shop and raise – it’s really that simple! Find out more: Here
#4 Volunteer
Looking to share some of your time? We are always looking for volunteers to help out across our site and with our amazing animals. If you are interested, why not check out what volunteer options we have available: Here
#5 Save an animal from extinction
By adopting one of our magnificent animals, you can help towards our conservation efforts to literally save them from extinction. Adopt an animal today: Here
We have teamed up with the Plymouth Electron Microscopy Centre at Plymouth University, and they are bringing their portable Neoscope (microscope) for our visitors to look through. This is a rare opportunity to get an in-depth look at unique animal items under the microscope, including hedgehog spines, snake shed and plenty more!
Starting in the afternoon of Wednesday 26th October, the microscope will be on site until the end of the day, Thursday 27th October.
Perfect for those budding scientists and zoologists – this is definitely an event you don’t want to miss!