Region's zoos welcome two new arrivals

It may not be one of the most photogenic creatures, but staff at Banham Zoo think its beautiful.

The Norfolk zoo are celebrating after the Ruppell’s griffon vulture chick hatched as part of its captive breeding programme.

The vultures are seriously endangered due to habitat loss, poisoning and hunting. Numbers have plummeted by up to 97% over the last half-century.

Ruppell’s vultures typically roost on cliffs in large numbers where one white egg is laid and incubated for around 55 days. The chick will then stay in the nest for at least another 150 days. 

Banham Zoo videoed the chick with mum Verity, and dad Foster.

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Mike Woolham, Head of Living Collections at Banham Zoo, said the zoo was proud to be able to run a successful breeding programme:

Hoping for similar success - though on a rather different scale - is Africa Alive in Suffolk.

The park has just welcomed a female southern white rhino named Belle from the  Cotswold Wildlife Park where she was born on 2nd October 2017, it's hoped she'll breed with Zimba, Africa Alive’s male southern white rhino.

The species is a classed as near threatened in the wild.

 Terry Hornsey, animal manager at Africa Alive, said:

There has been something of a baby boom recently at the region's zoos and animal parks:

• First for Suffolk as Jimmy's Farm welcomes baby tapir

• Baby steps for Margaret the giraffe at Whipsnade Zoo

• Staff at Whipsnade create Easter egg hunt for zoo's youngest elephant