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Head down to Chessington Zoo this Christmas and join over 63 cuddly, furry, bouncy, jumpy, feathery, scaly and downright adorable baby animals as they celebrate their first ever Christmas between 12 December 2009 and 3 January 2010 (excluding Christmas Day).
Mbula the Western Lowland Gorilla, Smeagol the Ring Tailed Lemur and latest addition Ayu the Binturong are just three of the many babies on the list, which also includes an Andean condor, a pygmy marmoset monkey, a red-legged seriema, two red handed tamarin monkeys, two spider monkeys, four otters, four poison arrow frogs, four skunks, four capybaras, six polecats, seven meerkats, nine mara and fifteen hens! And that’s not to mention the many aquatic creatures born in the SEA LIFE Centre, which includes big bellied sea horses, jellyfish, dogfish and rays.
Marc Boardman, Zoo Manager at Chessington World of Adventures, said: “2009 has been our biggest baby boom EVER at Chessington World of Adventures, with everything from gorillas, spider monkeys and lemurs to frogs, seahorses and condors getting in on the action.
Most of the animals in Chessington Zoo are endangered or threatened species and the most important part of the work of the zoo is its contribution to conservation,” said Marc. “We can’t wait for more babies to be born next year to further establish Chessington as Britain’s Wildest Adventure.”
The baby animals are all ready to greet guests as Chessington World of Adventures is open for Christmas Zoo Days every day from 10-3pm between 12 December and 3 January 2010 (excluding Christmas Day).
Did you know?
• Ayu the Binturong is the first parent-reared binturong born in any Zoo in the UK for decades.
• Smeagol the Ring Tailed Lemur is such a fussy eater that children’s chef Annabel Karmel is creating a very special Christmas meal just for him!
• Two of the Skunks born this year were albinos and are completely white!
• The Andean Condor chick born in July is the first parent reared Condor born in the UK for 12 years, making Chessington one of only two zoos in the UK to have parent reared Condors.
• Chessington’s male Mara is called ‘The Stig’ and he has successfully fathered 9 youngsters in one year!