Within our Lost Kingdom section of our park there has been a boom of new arrivals both big and small! This section consists of a variety of different enclosures some of which have mixed species together. There is a standalone pride of 9 lions, which can regularly be soon out lounging around and sunbathing. You may have noticed a new giraffe calf called Sophie who is doing very well and has now been joined by a new male. Mylene gave birth to him on 1st of May and no doubt one day he’ll grow to be as tall as his huge and proud father George. He has already been introduced to his neighbours our two Addax Jackson and Miller. They are a critically endangered species of antelope, which has large spiral horns.

Next to our giraffes if you have visited us in the past few years you may notice our White Rhinos are a little smaller, this because we recently have received two new young males which we will be looking after for a few years. Our Lost Kingdom is a halfway house for Rhinos as they turn 7-9 years old they can move on to another zoo and be with females as they’ve reached maturity as well as built up their strength. Bruce who is slightly larger arrived from Blaire Drummond Zoo in Scotland whilst Mabasso came from Colchester – both aged 2!

Opposite our new Rhinos we have a mixed paddock of Ostriches, Zebras and more Giraffes. Xena one of our female Zebras has moved to Lake District Wildlife Park whilst our male Guinness and female Vendela now have a new daughter born on 25th of April. When Zebras are born they have very long legs for their body size and are able to walk and run within minutes. Having extra long legs helps her blend in with the adults and hides away her small body. Zebras are herd animals, highly social and dependent on the camouflaging effect of a mass of striped bodies for survival. It is very difficult for a predator to spot an individual in amongst the black and white confusion. They also coexist very well with our ostriches, which have currently laid two nests of eggs within the paddock. Both the male and three females will take turn sitting on top them.

It is always sad to say farewell to some of the animals we have cared for but they are all part of an international breeding program so it is vital to increase the numbers of endangered species. For up close and unforgettable views of our new additions to our park they can be seen on our Lost River ride, which a gentle riverboat safari with a 60ft log flume finale.