Love Your Zoo (borns) 2018!

25/05/2018 in RZSS

To mark BIAZA's #LoveYourZoo week 2018, we thought we would celebrate some of this years incredible new arrivals across RZSS Edinburgh Zoo and our Highland Wildlife Park. Enjoy!

Polar bear cub

RZSS Highland Wildlife Park is home to Victoria, the only female polar bear in the UK, our two males Arktos and Walker, and Hamish, the first polar bear cub to be born in the UK for 25 years. We are proud to have some of the best and most naturalistic polar bear facilities anywhere in the world.

 

Baer's Pochard chicks

For the second year in a row, we were delighted to welcome Baer's Pochard ducklings at RZSS Edinburgh Zoo, particularly as they are listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. We are part of the European Breeding Programme and births such as these really help to safeguard the future of this extremely rare species.

  

Japanese macaques

A favourite with visitors to our Highland Wildlife Park, Japanese macaques are famous for their use of hot springs in their native habitat of the Nagano mountains in Japan.

 

Kangaroo joey

Visitors to Edinburgh Zoo this year can catch a glimpse of Scotland’s only western grey kangaroo joey, thanks to young 'Thor's' arrival in December 2017.

Binturong cubs

This years binturong cubs were a first for RZSS. It is incredibly difficult to breed the quirky animals, which smell like popcorn and have the appearance of a small cat-like bear, so zoo staff have been delighted by the arrival of the youngsters. Binturongs are classified as vulnerable in the wild, where their numbers are estimated to have declined by around a third over the past 18 years, due to habitat loss and hunting.

Scottish wildcat kittens

Did you know that RZSS is working to save the Scottish Wildcat as a project partner in Scottish Wildcat Action? We also have a dedicated off-show breeding facility at our Highland Wildlife Park. Three rare Scottish wildcat kittens have recently begun to emerge from their den at the Park. The trio, born in March to mother Ness, may look similar to regular tabby cats but they are important additions to a breeding programme which aims to protect this iconic Scottish species from extinction.

 

Przewalski’s horse foals

Keepers at our Highland Wildlife Park have been delighted to welcome several new additions to our herd in 2018. Although still classified as Endangered, the Przewalski’s horse was previously extinct in the wild, but thanks to ongoing reintroduction programmes the species has been returned to its natural environment.

 

Northern rockhopper penguin chicks

Building on the success of last year, we were delighted to welcome three Northern Rockhopper penguin chicks during the 2018 breeding season! The Northern rockhopper is an endangered species so we hope that our newest arrivals will go on to play their role in helping to safeguard the future of the species.

 

 

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