FIRST AS RARE RED PANDA CUB BORN AT LONGLEAT

Red Panda Baby at Longleat PIC Ian TurnerA rare red panda cub has been born at Longleat after keepers launched an international lonely hearts ad to find a mate for their male. It’s the first time the famous Wiltshire safari park has successfully bred red pandas and keepers are delighted with how well the cub, which has yet to be named, is doing. Dad Ajenda, which means ‘King of the Mountain’, came to Longleat from Germany in 2012 and mum Rufina, meaning ‘red-haired’, arrived from Italy just over a year later, following an appeal by keepers. Full story: Read more

ICE LOLLY TREAT FOR LONGLEAT’S ‘ARCTIC’ MONKEYS

Longleat rhesus monkey with ice lolly four PIC Ian TurnerThere’s nothing like a cooling ice lolly on a sunny summer’s day – and it seems that it’s not just humans that enjoy the prospect of the frozen treats on a stick. A troop of rhesus monkeys at Longleat Safari Park in Wiltshire are also determined to chill out despite the heat with the help of fruit-based ice lollies supplied by their caring keepers. Longleat’s Ian Turner says that, as well as helping keep the monkeys cool on hot days, the ice-cold treats encourage them to utilise their natural foraging instincts. Full story: Read more