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Get closer to the world’s rarest animals
www.dudleyzoo.org.uk SPRING 2023
Inside
At a glance • Animal Focus • In memory of Paul Durber • Conservation Matters •
Stationery Photographic Competition• Farewell to Kubwa • Red tape hampering
on Conservation • Nooz in Focus • Ringing feathered Friends • Retail Therapy • Events
AT A GLANCE
SPRING 2023
Derek Grove, Zoo Director
Dear members,
& adopters
Welcome to the 2023 spring
edition of ZooNooz, with a
slightly new look!
What’s been happening at DZC over the last few months…
• Work is continuing to extend and improve the facilities
for the giraffe, parma wallabies and red panda, while the
construction of a Changing Places facility within the
Lorikeet Lookout toilet block is nearing completion
• Plans have been submitted to the local authority for a
new Visitor and Education Centre and we have been
fortunate to have been match-funded by the Black
Country Local Enterprise Partnership in the delivery
of this initial design and development phase.
• Following many months of notable births, sadly we’ve
recently lost a few of our older animals, including
Kubwa the giraffe, Bactrian camels, Charles and
Jimandi and Yasmin the red panda. Staff and regular
visitors who have known these animals for many years
can take solace that their offspring are continuing
conservation programmes both here at DZC
and at collections throughout the UK.
Animal in FOCUS
Cameroon sheep
Ovis aries
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and legs.
3
In memory of Paul Durber
Paul Durber
We’re remembering with fondness DZC gardener, Paul Durber.
Paul, who was part and parcel of zoo life for more than 30 years, tending the 40-acre site as part of our gardening
team, sadly passed away at the end of last year, aged 60.
Zoo Manager Matt Lewis, said: “We were all incredibly saddened to hear of Paul’s passing.
“Personally, I had the pleasure of knowing him both as a work colleague but also as a friend for 33 years.
“He always had a smile on his face and was a genuinely nice person who always took the time to say
hello as well as asking how you were.
“Not only was he a much-valued colleague, he was also friendly face for many of our visitors too.
“He will be sadly missed.”
Our poison dart frogs have made themselves very much at
home in one of our recent Amazon wishlist gifts!
Thank you to those generous supporters who purchase enrichment
items off our online list, it’s greatly appreciated by our animals big
and small!
Recent deliveries included seeds, feeding bowls and festive treats
for some of our smaller animals in the farm barn.
If you’d like to take a look at our Amazon wishlist, you can easily access
it by clicking on the yellow star at the bottom of our website homepage.
There’s a large variety of fun and practical items on there, which have
been specifically chosen by our zoo keepers to benefit the animals in
their care, which once purchased from the list, get delivered directly
to us.
Current items on the list include herbs and spices for our big cats, tasty
lick treats for our giraffes, artificial plants to decorate our Reptile House
exhibits and wax worms for our birds.
4
FAReWELL TO Kubwa Thank you for all the kind letters, cards, messages and flowers we received following the death of Kubwa, our male giraffe, earlier this year. Your support has been greatly appreciated by everyone at DZC, and especially his keepers at this sad time. The Ungulates team were particularly touched by a gift and card from the Africa Team at Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm in Bristol, where Kubwa’s son, Kito, transferred in 2018. The staff also sent a lovely video of Kito, who is now aged eight, adding his own special message to the card in the form of a few licks! However, we’re proud to say Kubwa’s legacy will live on, as a sample of skin from his flank has been sent to an animal Living Biobank, where it has been cryogenically frozen, joining hundreds of biological specimens of endangered mammals, birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles preserved for future animal regeneration. Curator Richard Brown, said: “Here at DZC we’re committed to the education and research of animal species in a bid to save them from extinction. “Kubwa was such a big presence at DZC for over a decade and we’re pleased, even in death, he is still able to contribute to such an important project.” 5
Conservation
Matters
As we move forward into our 86th year,
we’re building upon our commitments as a
21st century zoo with the launch of a new
conservation strategy, which is a five-year
roadmap outlining the necessary steps to
achieve a series of ambitious conservation
projects, helping to protect the world’s
rarest animals.
6
Through our new strategy we hope to........ Six strategy goals
INSPIRE - by connecting our 300,000 annual visitors to the
natural world as well as highlighting native habitats and species. Conservation Education &
Behaviour
Based Research
Change
EMPOWER - by enabling staff and visitors to act positively and
make a change for nature and conservation.
PROTECT - by supporting conservation locally and Staff
E
Empower
I
Inspire Breeding
internationally through facilitation, partnerships, action and Development Healthy
Populations
leading by example.
We will achieve this through six strategy goals
P
Protect
– Conservation Partnership (P) Conservation Sustainable
Partners Practice
- Breeding Healthy Populations (I)
- Conservation-Based Research (E)
- Education & Behaviour Change (I) (E)
- Staff Development (E)
– Sustainable Practise (P)
And we’ve already got to work…
We’ve created new and exciting education activities and
workshops for the 18,000 learners that attend each year
on school visits, as well as strengthening our partnership
with local colleges and universities and we’re in the
planning stage for a new visitor engagement and
education centre which will enable us to welcome
more learners on site.
Our native species management plan is currently in
development, which will help ensure our site is the best
possible home for native wildlife.
And we’re ever-growing our contributions to overseas
conservation projects who are helping create a sustainable
future for wildlife in their native areas.
Last year alone was the largest financial commitment to
field conservation we’ve ever made, donating around
£40,000 to in-situ projects across the globe.
So where in the world are we supporting…
New supported project for 2023, find out more
in the Summer edition of ZooNooz!
7
DZC joins call for an end to red tape hampering conservation Love might be in the air for our newest breeding pair, Arctic foxes, Tommy and Grace, but red tape is making animal conservation programmes really difficult at the moment. We’ve joined over 75 other conservation organisations in an open letter, issued to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, to call on the British Government to negotiate with the European Commission and enable the transfer of zoo animals between Britain and the EU. Since leaving the EU, zoo animal transfers have plummeted by 85 per cent and transfers are down from 1,400 transfers per year, to just over 200. Here at Dudley Zoo and Castle, we’ve seen a number of animal transfers affected due to long processing times of necessary paperwork and documentation post Brexit. And DZC Curator Richard Brown, who manages the black lemur European Endangered Species Programme (EEP) and International Studbook (ISB), making recommendations about which lemurs are suitable for exchanges or breeding, has also felt a direct impact of the red tape, with recommended moves out of the UK proving challenging. Maintaining carefully managed healthy populations of species is vitally important for the long-term survival of so many endangered species across Europe, with these delays only threatening their future. BIAZA, the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums, has been working with officials to resolve the issues so that its members can continue contributing fully to international breeding programmes. However, without an agreement between Britain and the EU that removes unnecessary red tape, the number of animal transfers will never reach the levels seen before the UK’s exit from the EU. BIAZA CEO, Dr Jo Judge, said: “Government has not replaced the framework that lets zoo animals move easily between Britain and the EU. The red tape swamp has made it extremely difficult for zoos and aquariums to fully partake in the international conservation programmes that are so important to many species.” 8
Curator Richard Brown pictured with Black Lemurs which are part of the
European Endangered Species Programme.
“We are facing a biodiversity crisis and need to be coming together more than ever to
save species from extinction.”
Species that are extinct in the wild are completely reliant on breeding programmes to survive
and animals born in zoos require close international cooperation to ensure a species can
thrive as a vital back-up to declining wild populations.
The BIAZA campaign calls for the negotiation of an EU-UK Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS)
agreement which would enable more zoo and aquarium species to be moved as part of
vital conservation breeding programmes.
9
Nooz in Focus
Josie and Kira obviously thought
their tea tasted better from each
other’s troughs this day!
In addition to daily leafy browse, our
girls also tuck into bran and oats, as
well as carrots, apples, banana and
cabbage. Work is progressing well
on the new giraffe paddock – make Can you help us by donating potted
sure to check the next ZooNooz for or rooted bamboo for our new red
more updates! panda exhibit?
A large portion of the red panda diet
consists of bamboo and we’d like to
ne’s
juvenile Lin
Button, our
use any donations to build up our
me
h, has now co
two-toed slot
own supply on-site.
.
off mum, Flo
Other animals who are fans of the
s
h ot o w as when keeper tasty green leaves include our
This p se lf
ing all be her chimpanzees, tapirs and giraffe.
found her sitt y fi rst
x for the ver If anyone has any potted or rooted
in the nest bo
tucking into Alpha male gelada, Ebano, has bamboo and are able to deliver,
time, happily
breakfast. been showing off his red chest patch, donations can be dropped off at the
looks pretty Safari Gift Shop.
We think she nd which earns them the species
her newly-fou nickname ‘bleeding heart baboon’.
chuffed with
! As the only grass-grazing primate And speaking of red pandas, our one
independence
in the world, who move around year-old female, Ember, has topped
using a shuffle gait, geladas can’t the list of DZC’s most adopted
display their reproductive status animal of 2022! She only joined us
via their bottoms like other primate last spring, but has already amassed
species, hence this hairless a legion of fans, resulting in her
heart-shaped area on their chest, knocking both of our Linne’s
which indicates the individual’s two-toed sloths off the top spot
hormone levels. over the festive season!
The brighter red in colour it is
shows they’re looking for love!
Our baby orangutans, Jim and
Joe, are getting more and more
confident and independent each day
and we love these photos taken by
DZC visitor Maureen Allen, of them
getting to grips with the climbing
frames and webbing in the outdoor
enclosure.
They’re now at the age when they’re
starting to venture away from Jazz
to go and explore, but she’s always
got a close eye on them!
If you haven’t been
on site to spot
her yet, say hello to
Loki, our
newest addition in
the Small
Primate House.
The six-year-old fem
ale white-faced
Saki monkey, on the
left of the photo,
has arrived from Dr
usillas Park in
East Sussex to pair wi
th our resident
male, 21-year-old Ri
o.
And keepers have re
ported they’ve
been getting on very
well!
10Spring is a busy season for
our feathered friends.
Over the coming season they’re going to be finding a mate and building nests in readiness
to raise their young over the warmer months and our gardens, parks and green spaces
start coming alive with the sound of their beautiful birdsong!
We have hundreds of native birds living in and around our 40-acre site all year round and
Upper Primates Keeper, Emma Dingley, is helping us conserve them through bird ringing.
Emma, who is a licensed bird ringer with Belvide ringing group, volunteers her time for the
early morning activity, where she catches birds in mist nets in off-show areas, before
recording information including their weight and sex.
Amongst other birds, during her latest ringing session, she caught this stunning nuthatch
and gorgeous goldfinch.
After recording their specific details, she then rings them with a small identification tag on
their leg, which will allow us to track them if they’re caught in the future.
How can we look after our garden birds during the spring?
Birds need a lot of energy during the coming months, so continue feeding them good
quality seed mixes and mealworms.
Avoid food waste by feeding bruised or excess fruit, such as apples, pears, berries
and grapes to birds.
And as the weather gets warmer, avoid using peanuts, fat and bread.
Find out more about feathered friends by visiting the RSPB –
www.rspb.org.uk or the British Trust for Ornithology - https://www.bto.org/.
Nuthatch Goldfinch
Upper Primates Keeper
Emma Dingly pictured
holding a Great Tit.
11I O N E RY
STAT MPETITION
TO G R A P H I C C O
PHO
Calling all budding photographers
Following the success of last year’s DZC photography
calendar competition, we’re now on the hunt for a
fabulous animal image to put on a variety of stationery
items for the Safari Shop!
We’re asking zoo visitors to submit up to two portrait
animal photos from their visit over the last 12 months
and our judges will pick their favourite to feature on a
new stationery range, including a notepad, acrylic
keyring, magnet, book mark and eraser, which will be
on sale in time for the summer holidays.
The competition is open to all ages, but there’s not long
to apply, as the closing date is Sunday, April 30.
Happy snapping!
COMPETITION RULES
• The competition is open to all ages.
• The closing date is 30 April 2023.
• Entries must be emailed to photos@dudleyzoo.org.uk
• Files must be saved as a JPEG in the entrant’s name.
• Up to two entries per person.
• Files must be at least 1MB in size.
• Images must be portrait.
• There must not be people in the photo.
• Images must be natural. They may be enhanced to
make it brighter or clearer, but not manipulated in any way.
• No watermarks or signatures should be included on the image.
• Images must have been taken within the last 12 months.
• The photographer retains copyright.
• By submitting your images to the competition, you consent
to them being used across all DZC platforms (print, digital
and social media).
12p I N TO S P R I N G !
put a ste i Gift Shop
o u r S a far
Retail th e r a p y f r o m
HOODIES
DZC Branded
A Jog in the
park or BE COOL
in the gym
Dudley T
Dudley Tiger Hoodie Hawaiiganer Hoodie
Dudley Tiger Hoodie Hot Pink £32.99Blue
Mocha £32.99 100% Co
100% Cotton tton
£32.99
100% Cotton
bags for life
RECYCLED
Orangutan
oval jute bag
£6.00
Recycled Snake
beakers Jute bag
£9.99 £4.00
t o p u r ch a s e o nline
All available leyzoo.org.uk
visit www.dud 13cute c u d d l i e s
Cassowary £12.99
Rainbow Boa £15.99
Binturong
£21.99
Tapir
£12.99
Axolotl £14.99
purchase online
14 All available to
visit www.dudleyzoo.org.ukCASTLE TOURS
We’re offering the chance for visitors
to discover more about Dudley Castle
with five after-hours talk and tours.
Led by former Castle Keeper, Adrian
Durkin, each two-hour event will
focus on a different theme relating
to the 11th century castle’s history.
Tuesday 30th May – Medieval Knights
Friday 30th June – Bows & Bangs Tickets for the evenings which all start at 6.30pm, cost £5 for adults
Wednesday 26th July – English Civil War and £2.50 for children aged (8-15yrs)
Wednesday 16th August – Elizabethan Era A family ticket for two adults and two children is priced £12 and
Wednesday 30th August – Medieval Times all All funds raised from these events will go towards the ongoing
upkeep and restoration if the Castle.
WAKE UPHaveTHE ZOO
you ever wondered what it’s
like to wake up some of the rarest
animals in the world at one of the
country’s busiest zoos?
Sunday 7th May 2023 I Sunday 10th September 2023
We are offering an early morning guided tour giving visitors the opportunity
to go behind the scenes and get close to a variety of exotic animals.
Follow the Keepers as they go about their daily duties of feeding, cleaning
and caring for some of the rarest animals in the world and learn about the
vital conservation work carried out at the award winning tourist attraction.
Animals vary and subject to change.
Wake up the Zoo tour lasts approx. 2 hours (starting at 8.45 am) and you are
welcome to spend the remainder of the day on the Zoo at your leisure.
Cost: £49.50 per adult and £39.50 per child (minimum 8 years)
including Zoo admission.
Finish your tour with a breakfast bap
and hot drink in our Queen Mary
Restaurant, included in the cost..
BOOK ONLINE WWW.DUDLEYZOO.ORG.UK 15
or call 01384 215313 LIMITED AVAILABILITYOur annual Under Just weeks after stepping off the stage,
Wolverhampton Grand Theatre has announced
5’s day is back! popular panto pair, Tam Ryan and Ian Adams,
will be returning for this year’s festive
WEDNESDAY
28th and
THURSDAY pantomime, Snow White, which DZC is once
UNDER 5’S 29th JUNE
2023
again sponsoring!
And they’ll also be joined by popular
CBeebies Presenter and local
Kingswinford girl, Evie Pickerill, who
is returning to the title role of Snow
White, after wowing audiences as
Cinderella in 2021.
• Meet Monty the Monkey & Jambi
We’re delighted to have extended
the Tiger our partnership with the attraction
* Goody Bags for another two years and we’re
• Craft Activities already looking forward to this
* Tombola year’s Christmas show, which is
• Zoo Admission also being written by Tam and
Ian Adams &
• Minibeasts Encounters Ian, promising laughs aplenty! Tam Ryan feeding
nectar to lorikeets
• Flip/Dippy the Clown Chief Executive and Artistic Director of in lorikeet lookout
* Face Painting Wolverhampton Grand, Adrian
* Extra charges apply Jackson said: “We are delighted to
welcome Tam, Ian and Evie back this year.
Evie is an incredibly talented performer
and was a huge hit with our audiences –
BOOK ONLINE NOW she truly makes a pantomime magical.
Snow White promises to be our most
www.dudleyzoo.org.uk exciting pantomime yet. We are busy
or call 01384 215313
preparing many surprises that have
never before been seen in a
Wolverhampton pantomime and
GO WILD!
together Tam Ryan and Ian Adams
are already working on a fabulously
funny script. We are commissioning
brand new sets and costumes to
AT DZC!
create a lavish family pantomime
that will be the unmissable festive
event this Christmas!”
Tickets for Snow White are already on sale at
www.grandtheatre.co.uk with further casting
set to be announced soon.
CALLING ALL BEAVERS Join us for a fun-filled day at Dudley Zoo & Castle &
learn about some of the world’s rarest animals
BROWNIES, RAINBOWS
& CUBS!
as you go!
Activities include:
SYAD
DISCOVERY DAYS • Guided Zoo Tour
• Environment Workshop
• Self-led Trail around the Zoo
3202 YLUJ
SATURDAY 8TH & 15TH
JULY 2023
Prices
£8.00 PER CHILD
£9.00 PER ADULT
1 free Adult admitted with
every 7 paying children.
Details are correct at time of going to press. We reserve the right to close parts of the Zoo and Castle
as necessary. Please call prior to visiting. Dudley Zoo and Castle cannot be held responsible for any
Minimum of 10 paying children. GIRL GUIDES & SCOUTS
error, subsequent alterations or inconveniences arising therefrom.
WELCOME
BOOK ONLINE NOW
www.dudleyzoo.org.uk or call 01384 215313You can also read
