Jul 12, 2015 - for used Christmas trees to be donated to provide ... received over 300 trees and the keepers are putting
ISSUE 12 SPRING 2015
AMC NEWS Animal Management Centre Newsletter
IN THIS ISSUE:
Exciting New Enclosures New Animals Make Our Zoo Their Home Find Out How You Can Do Your Bit In Our Conservation Projects
MEET OUR NEWEST LECTURER Stacey Bullock is a registered Veterinary Nurse who has gained a Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector. She has also gained a Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills status. “My favourite part of my new role is the students’ enthusiasm. I am very passionate about my profession. I love attending CPD, (Continuing Professional Development), to read up on advances in veterinary medicine, discovering new resources that I can deliver to the students but I learn just as much from them.”
MEET OUR LATEST ARRIVALS
Baby Bearded Dragons We have retired our older bearded dragons and have now got 4 new baby beardies They come from a private breeder in the region and will be on show soon once they finish their quarantine period.
Vietnamese Mossy Frogs We have now got a group of Vietnamese mossy frogs. These came to us from Paington Zoo. Cotton top tamarin These will be in quarantine for a while Goeldi’s Monkey before they go on show in the aquatics centre ready for the Easter break.
NEW ENCLOSURES! Our new lemur enclosures are coming along nicely!
All of our lemur species (The Ring-tails, the black and white Ruffs and the Red Fronted lemurs) are going to have their own individual heated indoor enclosures. They are also each going to have a new large central outdoor area. Work has also begun for our brand new Emu enclosure and Wallaby Walkthrough! The students at Northumberland College have been working hard to build the best homes for our animals.
The University Rook and Magpie Intelligence Aviaries are also showing great signs of progress!
Building work has begun in the beach paddock to make way for the Newcastle University rook and magpie intelligence aviaries! The projects carried out will be supporting a 4 year study to look into the birds’ intelligence and how they learn. A research centre will be also be built and four netted aviaries will be formed around it.
WHAT WE DO FOR CONSERVATION Here at Kirkley Hall Zoological Gardens we have a responsibility to operate in a sustainable manner. We achieve this by:
Increasing awareness of conservation, biodiversity and sustainable use issues Providing habitat or aids to native species in and around the zoo Encouraging environmentally responsible behaviour by visitors Forging partnerships with other zoos and other bodies, which are active in areas relevant to the conservation of indigenous wildlife
We gain full BIAZA Membership!
The zoo achieved the membership by completing a mentoring scheme with members of two BIAZA associated zoo collections. All areas of the zoological gardens were assessed during a series of mentor visits including record keeping, welfare of animals, ethical review process, licensing, diets, education and health and safety.
This membership places Kirkley Hall Zoological Gardens in a unique position alongside just two other college collections in the UK that have BIAZA membership and over 100 other leading zoological collections in the UK. In 2014, we gave £500 to establish a new conservation reserve out in Mexico paying for over 10 acres of prime forest. This year we are planning to contribute to a reserve in Peru! Find out more in later issues of our Newsletter!
We are lucky enough to have become members of the world pheasant association. By becoming members we support all the work the association does for all pheasant species in the world. We have a number of rare pheasant species such as the critically endangered Edward’s pheasants here at Kirkley along with a newly formed pair of Northern Helmeted Curassows. We are also a full member of the world parrot trust.
Cotton Top Tamarin Conservation Club Kirkley Hall Zoological Gardens are an active member of the Cotton top Tamarin Conservation Club. The club unites European Zoos working to help conserve the Critically Endangered Cotton top Tamarin. These tiny monkeys with a distinctive punk hairdo come from Columbia, where it is estimated that there are no more than 7394 left in the wild. You can come and learn about our growing collection of primates and hear all about Projecto Titi at our Primate Weekend, held on Saturday 11th July and Sunday 12th July 2015. Find out more about how you can help the club at www.proyectotiti.com
Lemur Conservation Association We have recently started supporting the Lemur Conservation Association. Working for Madagascar's highly endangered lemurs, through cooperation with the Malagasy people, the AEECL is a charitable organisation run by a consortium of European Zoos and Universities. One of AEECL’s priorities is the blue-eyed black lemur (Eulemur macaco flavifrons), one of Madagascar's rarest lemur species, and hence the species featured in their logo. Over the past years, AEECL have been working to create a reserve to help protect the heart of the blue-eyed black lemur population. This dream has finally been realised and management structures put in place. For further information go to The Lemur Conservation Association website at www.aeecl.org You can also find out more about our lemurs at our Madagascar Madness Weekend on Saturday 30th May and Sunday 31st May 2015, 10am-4pm.
KIRKLEY HALL ZOO JOINS BREEDING PROGRAMME FOR RARE MONKEY A Northumberland zoo has been given permission to house a pair of rare monkeys. The two male Emperor tamarins arrived at Kirkley Hall Zoological Gardens in early January, as part of a move to become a member of an endangered breeding programme. The process to become a member of the breeding programme for these rare monkeys started over a year ago and approval has just recently been confirmed. In 2014, Kirkley Hall Zoological Gardens became a full member of the British and Irish Association for Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and has since worked closely with a breeding programme coordinator to ensure that the zoo has the appropriate accommodation and skills to look after these endangered monkeys. The breeding programme, which is managed throughout all European zoos, ensures that the best males and females are paired together. This helps to ensure that there is a large population in captivity in case the wild population was to suffer great losses, or even extinction due to deforestation and the pet trade.
Steven Sykes, animal resource centre manager at Kirkley Hall Zoological Gardens, said: “We are delighted to have these Emperor Tamarins at the zoo and it’s great to be part of this programme to protect endangered species like these rare monkeys.” Kirkley Hall houses more than 200 species of animals including other small new world monkey species such as the critically-endangered cotton-top tamarin and endangered Goeldi’s monkey. Kirkley Hall Zoological Gardens was established as a realistic learning environment for students at Northumberland College’s Kirkley Hall campus and is also open to the public on weekends and school holidays.
CHRISTMAS TREE APPEAL
In December, the zoo put out a call for used Christmas trees to be donated to provide enrichment for the animals. Kirkley Hall Zoological Gardens houses over 200 species of animals including the critically endangered cotton-top tamarin and the endangered Goeldi's monkey.
ANNUAL ANIMAL COUNT
Keepers at Kirkley Hall Zoological Gardens have embarked on their annual count of every animal at the zoo, which houses more than 200 different species. The compulsory count is required as part of the zoo's license.
Steven Sykes, Animal Centre Manager at Kirkley Hall Zoological Gardens said: "The response has been fantastic, we have received over 300 trees and the keepers are putting them to very good use."
More than 500 animals were recorded at the last census, but staff have their work cut out this time, as they need to now count all the fish in the aquatics center that opeed in 2014.
At this time of year, the trees feature heavily in the zoo's enrichment programme which is designed to stimulate a range of natural behaviours in the animals.
Herpetology keeper Heather Prince said: "Counting up our large common boa or bosc monitor doesn't provide us with too much of a headache but trying to count the stick insects or mantids can be a bit more of challenge."
Apprentice Keeper, Mark Tabone said: "The trees are like a ready-made enrichment device. The natural texture, shape and scent of the trees lend themselves to a whole range of enrichment applications for the animals. Sometimes we use the trees to hide food or combine them with other stimulants, but for many of the animals the trees alone are enough to stimulate natural behaviours." Animal Keeper, Rachel Chapman added: "Enrichment plays a very important role in captive animal care. Using the trees to hide their feed makes the lemurs work for their food rather than placing it in a bowl for example."
The zoo's records coordinator Annie Gott added: "Records at the zoo are regularly updated to allow for any births, deaths, departures and arrivals – this allows the keeper team to manager all their animal breeding programmes to the best of their ability.” But it's all hands on deck as keepers help double check the data with a full headcount - a process which zoos must go through by law in order to comply with the Zoo Licensing Act 1981.
KEY DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Bunny and Chick National Nest Box Pirates and Princesses Day Weekend Day Thursday 19 February th
11-12th April 2015 10am-4pm
17th February 10-4pm
10am-4pm
INSIDE NEXT ISSUE Enclosure Updates
See how the new exhibits are coming on
Bush Dogs
Carnivores come to Kirkley Hall – Find out about our latest arrivals
