Wednesday

Visit Santa At Paradise Wildlife Park


COME AND MEET SANTA THIS CHRISTMAS! 

Come and visit Santa this Christmas in his #fabzoolus grotto here at Paradise Wildlife Park, Hertfordshire’s NO1 attraction! 

He will be visiting every weekend from the 22nd November and everyday from 20th December until Christmas Eve! 


Santa will only be in his grotto between 11:30-12:30 and 3-4pm, as he will be very busy preparing presents.


To visit Santa and receive a gift costs just £4pp. Turn up on the day, but pre book your park tickets now and receive 20% off all online day tickets: https://www.pwpark.com/shop/cart/add/type/bookable/id/21


PS: And join us on Saturday 13th December at 2pm for our Annual Christmas Carol Concert in the Marquee. There will be lots of Christmas crafts and festive treats, such as mulled wine and mince pies! You can also meet our Reindeer!




Tuesday

Zoo News June



As you guys saw last month, we had two Cotton Top Tamarin’s born here at the park. We are now pleased to announce the birth of a REINDEER CALF! His name is Pluto and he was born on the 20th May! 

To see exclusive footage of Pluto, this months Keeper Cam, our new Rainforest exhibit, amongst various other awesome things from Paradise, check out this months Zoo News and don’t forget to subscribe to our channel to see the latest from us here at Paradise! 


Paradise Wildlife Park

Friday

What is the point of zoos?

It's Love Your Zoo week this week, so we thought we would ask a question that we hear a lot..

What is the point of zoos?

The answer to this question can be broken down into four main areas, conservation, education, research and animal welfare.

The Amur Leopard - Only 45 left in the wild.
Conservation:
Sadly, a species becomes extinct in the wild every twenty minutes, almost exclusively due to human activity through poaching and habitat loss. All wildlife is now under serious threat, with most wild populations of animals believed to be extinct within the next 50-100 years if nothing is done to save them.

Zoos play a vital role in the conservation of species in the wild. In fact, many animals would be completely extinct were it not for zoos as their populations and genetic material are protected within collections. In fact, these animals are so important, we refer to them as 'genetic lifeboats'. These specimens are kept as part of carefully controlled breeding programs where parents are carefully matched up to preserve the genetic diversity of the species for reintroduction into the wild at a later date.

Education:
Many of the animals in zoos will never be reintroduced to the wild and are not part of breeding programs to do so. But their role is equally as important as their breeding program cousins. This is because they help to educate the public about the need for conservation. They are ambassador animals that enable zoos to engage with the public, and to inspire them to change their behaviour for the better. Seeing the animals in real life and learning about them creates an emotional link to the plight of wildlife. Without this emotional connection, the general public would be far less inclined to choose environmentally safe products and services.

Research:
Zoos also fund many research projects for wildlife, both at home and in the wild. This knowledge is crucial in understanding the needs of the animals, their welfare, and what we need to do to protect them in the wild.

Many zoos wholly fund and operate their own research projects, which can sometimes last for many years. Smaller zoos donate towards larger projects or help with the projects run by other zoos. Without this research, the breeding programs would lack the necessary knowledge to make them successful, and we would be unable to track the decline in wild populations of species.

Fundraising:
There wouldn't be any point in breeding animals for reintroduction, if there wasn't anywhere for the animals to be reintroduced to. So a large part of the conservation work and fundraising that zoos do, is to fund habitat purchase through charities such as the World Land Trust. These charities are busy buying up as much rainforest and other vital habitat as they can afford.

It is within these protected pockets of habitat, that the reintroduced animals will have the best chance of survival. They also require ongoing support and monitoring to ensure that the reintroduction programs have the highest chance of success.

Questions and Answers:

Enrichment is essential to good care.
Are all zoos good zoos?
Sadly no, but organisations such as the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquaria set standards for all zoos to follow. These standards mean that the zoos exist for the right purpose, to protect and conserve wildlife. Look for zoos with the BIAZA logo to know that you are supporting a good cause.

Couldn't the money that zoos cost to run be better spent on conservation?
Of course! But the money only exists in the first place because the public pay to visit zoos. The public would not simply give that money straight to conservation.

Aren't zoos cruel?
Good, accredited zoos are not cruel. Their animal enclosure sizes and animal welfare standards are very high, and everyone who works within those zoos put the well-being of the animals as the top priority.

Aren't zoos a thing of the past?
Quite the opposite. With the extinction of the majority of wildlife expected within the next 100 years, zoos will be the only future that animals have.

Aren't the animals used to being free in the wild?
No, all animals in captivity in the UK, and almost all animals in zoos around the world were born in captivity, and stretch back many generations. The animals in zoos are habituated to their surroundings.

Aren't the zoo owners getting rich at the animal's expense?
No, the majority of zoos in the UK are now charities, and those that aren't seldom operate at any substantial profit due to the high costs and levels of tax that they have to pay. You can find out more about that here.


BIAZA facts:

1. More than 23 million people visit BIAZA zoos every year, learning about conservation and contributing to the cause.
2. BIAZA members support over 1000 field conservation projects every year.
3. BIAZA members facilitated over 800 research projects each year, many measuring behaviour with the aim of improving animal welfare – you are helping us learn about helping wildlife
4. More than 1.3 million people come to BIAZA member organisations each year on an organised educational visit – visiting your local zoo is a fun way to learn about animals!
5. They contribute about £12 million a year to fi eld conservation.
6. BIAZA members contribute about £658 million to the national economy.
7. They create about 11,000 jobs. (directly and indirectly)
8. You can visit more than 2,000 di fferent species of animal!
9. By visiting your local zoo or aquarium you are doing a good thing by taking the time to appreciate our wildlife and hopefully being inspired to make a diff erence.
10. By visiting zoos you are helping to safeguard the future of vulnerable, threatened and endangered species.

We hope this article has helped you to understand why zoos exist. If you have any other questions, please put them below and we will be happy to answer them.


Paradise Wildlife Park




Thursday

How to become a Zookeeper:


Do you enjoy being around animals and have the drive to make a difference? Well, have you ever considered becoming a zookeeper? Zoo keepers look after animals in zoos and safari parks, aquariums and sometimes in the wild. They work with all types of animals from goats and snakes, to big cats like White Lions, Snow Leopards and Tigers. Being a zoo keeper is an extremely rewarding job, yet it is very demanding, it isn't all about cuddling the cute animals and making friends with the Meerkats! Here at Paradise Wildlife Park we are often being asked "How do you become a zookeeper?", so today we are going to tell you just that! 



What do zookeepers do?

There are many tasks as a zookeeper:
  • Preparing food and cleaning animals
  • Helping to care for sick animals under the direction of a vet
  • Provide fresh bedding and food
  • Ensuring the animals exhibits are clean and safe
  • Monitoring conditions of enclosures, such as humidity and temperature
  • Checking for signs of distress, diseases, or injury 
  • Answering visitors questions 
  • Provide the public with educational and informative talks 
  • Keeping daily healthcare records
  • Cleaning out cages
  • Train animals
*Disclaimer: You will get dirty!*



What skills and interests do I need to have?

Firstly, if you want to be a zookeeper, it is defiantly not the job for you if you are squeamish or work-shy. However, if you have any similar interests and skills to those below, it might just be the perfect career for you.
  • Patience and confidence when working with animals 
  • Good observation skills 
  • Passion for all things animals, including care, conservation and preservation 
  • Good communication skills 
  • Hard working
  • Awareness of health and safety 
  • Able to remain calm in emergencies 
  • Organised
  • Able to work as part of a team 
  • Be reasonably fit and healthy 
How many hours will I work?

Be prepared to work long hours and miss out on a few weekends and bank holidays, as animals require care 24/7. We're not saying you need to work 24 hours, 7 days a week, but you could work up to 49-56 hours a week. 

Within a zoo you may work in a particular section, for instance you may work within the small mammals section, or reptile section etc.

PS. You must be prepared to work in all weather conditions, so get your waterproofs and SPF at the ready!

How much will I get paid?

Unless you are volunteering which is unpaid, the pay is very modest, salaries can start between £10,500 and £16,000 and senior keepers can earn from around £17,000 - £24,000 a year. 


What qualifications do I need?

There is no official way to become a zookeeper and you may not need any specific qualifications to start work in a zoo, but the more education and experience with animals, the more beneficial this will be. Some employers may expect you to have GCSE (A-C) including English and Science as a subject. A BTEC qualification in Animal Science or Husbandry is also acceptable. Furthermore, a keen interest in animal conservation is essential and you will find that you will get to work with like-minded people, who are just as passionate about such subject areas as you are. Zookeeping is surprisingly a competitive field, so make sure you have a great CV and cover letter to stand out from the crowd. One way many many of our zookeepers here at Paradise Wildlife Park got work, was through volunteering. Many zoos and wildlife parks offer volunteering schemes. These schemes are a great way to gain valuable experience. 


"You get a lot more hands on experience doing voluntary work. So working in the industry, even if it is voluntary it's good, like farm work and kennels, its all relative." Steve, Section leader of Primates at Paradise Wildlife Park.  

"Its the best job in the world. Study hard, if not do what I did and volunteer."Steve.S, cover keeper at Paradise Wildlife Park 

"Volunteer as much as possible, even through winter, stick it out and you'll get there. A good attitude is key." Steve.S Paradise Wildlife Park. 

There are so many places to gain experience with animals so don't dismiss your local pet shop! Just remember to be patient, a job as zoo keeper won't just land on your lap. You have to work for it.

To find out about volunteering opportunities See the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums website for contact details. Or find online at the Do-it website that has an easy search tool for all volunteering opportunities.

What will I gain from becoming a zookeeper? 


Once you have got the job as a zookeeper, you will receive a lots of practical training whilst working. And if you don't already have a qualification related to zoo keeping, you may find your offered the chance to complete a qualification such as a diploma in animal management, or worked based animal care. There are other qualifications that you might want to consider too, such as a foundation degree in animal/zoo management. You can search for these courses online here. Once you have completed your foundation degree you could develop your knowledge further by taking a masters degree.

We asked some of our keepers what they have gained and enjoy about zookeeping: 


"The most memorable moment for me, was when the Lemurs let me look after the babies in the nest for her and that was 9 years a go." Steve, section leader of Primates.

"When Jasmine the baby Gibbon was born, that was pretty awesome." Glen, Deputy section leader of Primates.

"Sloth's smell like an old blanket, the smell of him reminds me of a safty blanket like you get when you are young, or an old teddy bear. Its warm and musty, its comforting." Steve, section leader of Primates.

"Its hard work and dedication really to be honest, if you don't go to university start as a volunteer and work your way up the ladder. It's like any profession really, find something you love and just go for it." Aaron


Still curious about becoming a zookeeper?

Well, here at Paradise Wildlife Park you to can become a zookeeper for the day. You can spend the whole day getting to know the animals by cleaning, preparing food, walking the animals and helping out at daily events all whilst working beside our experienced keepers. 

Find out more about our zookeeper experiences here


Do you have what it takes to become a zookeeper? 
Let us know in the comment section below.

Paradise Wildlife Park


Tuesday

Zoo News May




If you wasn’t already aware Paradise Wildlife Park have a youTube channel! Every month we upload Zoo News where we tell you all about the latest happenings here at the Park and show you some behind the scenes footage! In this months episode, we take a look at World Tapir Day, Deejay our adorable Ouessant lamb and shed some spotlight on our rats and raccoons! Take a look and don’t forget to subscribe, like and share! 

What animals would you like to see in next months episode? 

Paradise Wildlife Park

Thursday

World tapir day: Sunday 27th April 2014

James Section Leader Of Paddocks with Tamra the tapir 
Did you know every year on Sunday the 27th of April it's World tapir day? Well, I spoke to James, Section Leader of Paddocks at Paradise Wildlife Park, to find out more about tapirs and World tapir day.

What is World Tapir Day? 
"World tapir day is to raise awareness for tapirs all the way around the world. Unfortunately tapirs aren't your textbook animal, so not an animal that everyone thinks is cute and cuddly, so not many people really know what tapirs are. We try and raise awareness for the tapirs so we can raise funds as numbers are decreasing in the wild. And also just to make more people aware of tapirs being around." 


What is a tapir? 
"A tapir is a large hoofed mammal (herbivore) they have a long snouts and they have a body shape like a pig and have a little bit of a mohikan and their closest relatives are horses and rhinos."

Where do they come from? 
"The tapirs we have here at Paradise Wildlife Park are Brazilian, so they come from Brazil. They live in the Amazon rainforest, but there are actually five different species of tapir in the world. Four are from South and Central America and one from Asia."

Tamra pictured here on the left when she was just a couple of weeks old.
What do they eat?
"They are strict herbivores so there is all different plant matter, their favourite food is leaves and bark of the trees. But they also like to eat a lot of fruit and vegetables as well, including carrots and cabbage, but our tapirs like the sweet things!"

What are Tapirs' largest threats? 
"They are decreasing in the wild due to habitat destruction. All five species of tapir live in the rainforest and with the rainforests being chopped down at such a huge rate all the way around the world, it is one of the main reasons for destroying their homes. But they are also being hunted for their meat and for their skin as well, as its a real thick and leathery." 



Tell me more about the tapirs we have here at Paradise Wildlife Park? 

"We have Brazilian tapirs also known as Lowland tapirs and we have four here. We have our breeding pair Temoko and Gabrielle and they will be 14 this year. We also have two of their offspring, we've got Teddy who's 6 this year, he's our young male and second successful offspring that we have had here and then we have got Tamara, who's our youngest fourth successful tapir that we had and she will be two years old on the 14th May. We can tell apart the tapirs from their size and markings and each one of our tapirs likes to be tickled in a different spot!"

How do you raise awareness at Paradise Wildlife Park for World Tapir Day?
"Here at Paradise Wildlife Park we have done World tapir day for two years running now. On Sunday the 27th of April we will have a stall just outside the tapir enclosure, selling all tapir themed gifts and there will be games, such as pin the nose on the tapir and tapir arts and crafts. Its a chance for people to actually come and meet and feed the tapirs and also discounted sponsorship for adoptions will be and a discount on our tickle a tapir experience will be available and all the money goes to charity."


Our tapirs here at Paradise are really friendly and fun to be around (once you get them out of their pool, as they do like a good swim!). As the leading Zoo in Europe for animal experiences, we offer the chance for the public to come and meet our tapir family and there is nothing our tapirs like more than a good scratch and tickle! Find out more about our Tickle a Tapir experience online here, or better yet come and visit us on Sunday the 27th of April where discounted rates will be available.




Paradise Wildlife Park


Friday

How much does it cost to run a zoo?

We don’t think you will believe the figure when I tell you just how much it costs to run Paradise Wildlife Park.

Ok, so here it is, it costs a whopping £8,500 per day, every day to run Paradise Wildlife Park. Now in your head try to multiply £8,500 by 365 days and you've got an astronomical amount, right?

So you may ask yourself how can it cost so much to run Paradise Wildlife Park for a single day, well that is exactly what we're about to explain.

Firstly we would like to point out that Paradise receives no grants or tax breaks. From our current entry fee of £19 per adult the government takes £3.80 in VAT leaving us with only £15.20. It is you, the visitor and your entry fee that funds all of our work and helps play an active role in conservation.

Now let’s take a look at how each £1 of your admission fee is spent:

  • 3% goes towards our advertising and promotions
  • 5% is spent on rent, services and professional fees
  • 6% on new animal enclosures and park facilities
  • 7% is used for premises upkeep and maintenance
  • 9% goes towards the animal food and their veterinary care
  • 17% on our conservation work and charity support
  • 21% pays for employment cost including National Insurance
  • 32% for VAT, income tax, corporation tax, rates and fuel duty.


From the breakdown of the different costs you can start to get an idea as to why it is expensive to run a zoo properly.

Of course conservation and animal welfare serve as our highest priority, but second to that is the happiness of you, the visitor of Paradise Wildlife Park. We are constantly looking to upgrade and install new facilities and add new attractions. In order to make sure you the paying guest keep coming back, time after time having a fantastic day out and supporting our conservation work.

We are currently in the process of renovating our indoor rainforest walk through enclosure, making it much more interactive and desirable for both you the visitor and our wonderful rainforest creatures.







Development is also taking place to build a new outdoor covered play area, next to the existing snake slide attraction. This will allow the fun to continue for you and your children come rain or shine.







Aside from making sure all of our animals are comfortable, the zoo must be built to withstand changing weather. The enclosure structures must be able to withstand heavy rain, wind or even heat. This requires sturdy materials and planning. Thankfully here at Paradise Wildlife Park we have an extremely hard working maintenance team who make sure this is all possible. Here you can see some of the damage from the big storm at the beginning of 2014. As you can see, there was widespread damage and a large cost to repair and clear up.









Bringing new animals into the zoo entails a lot of cost. Research has to be done on each animal, their habitats, food and drink, amongst other things. There are a lot of things that need to be taken into consideration. Some animals prefer open air whilst others shade or shelter. Does the animal need water to live in, or some other environment? All of these things have to be assessed before we can house a new animal. There are also veterinary bills to pay, as well as expensive transport fees and administration.

In this sequence, you can see the process when our two Amur tigers, Siberia and Aleena were moved to Paradise:







Here at Paradise we have over 400 different animals, so it requires a large amount of food to feed all of them. Naturally, every species of animal is different; therefore they have completely different diets and nutritional needs. As if the weekly family food shop isn’t stressful enough, imagine the amount of food needed to feed all of our animals. Luckily for our zoo staff the majority of animal food is given to us by Ocado and then prepared on site. Thank goodness for online food shopping!  

There is one specific group of animals we are going to focus on when it comes to the amount of food they eat, our big cats. Currently there are five species of cat that are classed as ‘big cats’, these include; lion, tiger, jaguar, Snow leopard and leopard. Here at Paradise Wildlife Park we have a total of 11 big cats, all with huge appetites. Our meat bill is one of our largest food bills. Some of our big cats, such as Moto our White lion, can consume as much as 20 kilos of meat in one sitting on his own. Over the course of a year, all of the cat's meals add up to a huge bill.




The cost of heating, light and power are quite significant, especially throughout the winter months. Obviously many of the animals housed at Paradise Wildlife Park are not native to the UK. Therefore we have to create an environment as close to their natural habitat as we can, usually much warmer than our climate here. This is where the need for heat lamps comes in. Some animals will use them more than others, but they appear to be a clear favourite with our meerkats. This winter was one of the highest heating and electricity bills on record. 


Here at Paradise we have a Bore hole well which provides all of our water for outdoor use, and is filtered for indoor use as well as consumption. We have a total of seven pumps which provide water across the site, for jobs such as cleaning animal enclosures and refilling animal water pools. Since we have our own well water costs are kept to a minimum. At the end of each month we have to send a report stating the amount of water we have used to make sure we aren’t using too much.


Finally to the cost of our staff. Paradise Wildlife Park wouldn't exist without the hard work and dedication of our amazing team. We do have many volunteers who also support our full-time staff, which is a huge help in keeping our costs down.

In the peak season, we can have anything up to 150 staff working for Paradise. From car parking to zoo keepers, everyone works hard to ensure that all of our animals and visitors are kept happy. Roles in the zoo industry are generally not very highly paid, with zoo keeper salaries starting from only £13k p.a. and most of the general park staff paid the minimum wage. However, as we're sure you can imagine, there are many up-sides to working at a zoo.


We hope this has given you a little bit of an insight into how the entrance fee to our zoo is spent. As you can see, zoos are not huge profit generating businesses. It's not a place to get rich! But the richness comes from how rewarding our work is, and what we do for the conservation of species.


So to answer our original question, the cost of running our zoo is £3102500 a year. More than you thought?

Paradise Wildlife Park