Children’s TV legend Andy Day is calling on young visitors to Bristol Zoo Project to turn detective this half term and investigate some rather suspicious activity.
The week-long Zoo Detectives event will see families search for a mystery animal, which has crept through the zoo leaving a trail of clues at different ‘crime scenes’ along the way. From samples of fur to footprints in the mud, explorers will piece the clues together to find the culprit.
Andy, who is also frontman of the band Andy & The Oddsocks, has just become an ambassador for the zoo, which is run by conservation and education charity Bristol Zoological Society.
Getting a sneak preview of the trail, Andy said: “The Zoo Detectives half term trail is going to be so much fun for kids, it will give parents an excuse to get their little ones out at half term, enjoying nature while learning at the same time. As it focuses on British native species, it gives the young ones (and the big kids) an insight into fascinating wildlife on our doorsteps, whether that’s a water vole, a badger, a roe deer or even an otter.
“As well as having fun on the trail, of course there are also many incredible animals from around the world to see along the way at the zoo. The giraffes have always been one of my particular favourites, maybe because they are tall, us tall animals need to stick together!”
Starting at the Zoo Detective Headquarters, the trail, which includes interactive elements throughout, will enable young adventurers to examine the evidence left by the animal and then cross each suspect off their list.
Raija Hallam, Learning and Engagement Officer at Bristol Zoological Society, said: “Engaging young minds to broaden their understanding and appreciation of the natural world is our mission here at Bristol Zoo Project as we focus on Saving Wildlife Together. We want to nurture conservationists, who we hope will go on to support our wider conservation efforts all around the world."
“The trail will also share the latest news from our UK conservation projects, including our ongoing work to preserve white-clawed crayfish in local and national waterways”.
Bristol Zoo Project is located near Junction 17 of the M5 and is currently undergoing an exciting transformation with the creation of a new conservation zoo, where around 80 percent of animals will be linked to its conservation work in the UK and around the world.
The first phase will see the creation of a new Central African Forest habitat in the spring, which will become home to the zoo’s existing troop of Critically Endangered western lowland gorillas. They’ll be joined by Endangered cherry-crowned mangabeys, Critically Endangered slender-snouted crocodiles, Endangered African grey parrots and several extremely threatened species of West African freshwater fish.
Alongside this, there will be new visitor facilities, play areas and a conservation campus for students, vets, and the breeding of threatened animals.
The attraction will remain open throughout the work and is already home to animals from around the world including giraffes, cheetahs, zebras, wolves, bears, lynx, deer, ostrich, gelada baboons and lemurs.
Zoo Detectives runs during February half-term from Friday 9 February through to Sunday 17 February. Tickets can be purchased online or upon admission. Children dressed up as zoo detectives will receive 20% off admission, when tickets are booked online.
To find out more about Bristol Zoo Project and Bristol Zoological Society’s conservation programmes across the globe, visit www.bristolzoo.org.uk.
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