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THESE LOVABLE LEMURS LOOK ALL SET FOR A CELEBRATORY BIRTHDAY CONGA!
1980s 1972 1931-1971
u Blackpool Zoo and the site on which it stands has had a long and varied history. In 1931 Blackpool Municipal Airport opened on the site. The former hangar and air traffic control building is still used today as the animal hospital and Education Academy. At the start of World War 2 it was requisitioned by the RAF and used as a parachute training centre. Four hangars were built to assemble and repair Wellington Bombers.
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It was following the closure of the Blackpool Tower menagerie that the forward-thinking council developed plans for a zoo on the 32-acre site. The zoo’s primary aim was, and still is, to conserve endangered species. It works with zoos in the UK, across mainland Europe and worldwide, to have successful breeding programmes to ensure a future for many species that would otherwise become extinct.
u The zoo was officially opened on the 6 July 1972 by Johnny Morris - the star of TV’s Animal Magic - riding on an elephant! He was accompanied by the Mayor who arrived in a more traditional Rolls Royce. The zoo originally housed two Asian elephants, three White Rhinos, two giraffes, sea lions, gorillas, chimpanzees, orangutans, lions, and many other species. Asian Elephant Kate and Giant Tortoise Darwin still reside at the zoo today!
There was a surprise birth in 1984 with the much heralded arrival of Vicky, the first orangutan to be born at Blackpool Zoo. 1990s This was a period of great development at the zoo including the opening of Lemur Wood and the bird display arena. The white rhinos and giraffes bid farewell to Blackpool to allow for greater facilities for the four female Asian elephants - two of which had been successfully rescued from the Berlin State Circus.
Feathery, furry, scaly, slimy, hairy, cuddly, cute, or just plain scary … if you love animals, you’ll love a day out at Blackpool Zoo. Celebrating its 50th birthday this year, our award-winning, family friendly attraction, has more than 1,000 incredible creatures.
If you’re looking to have a fun-filled, fact-fuelled day, you can’t go wrong with fabulous Blackpool Zoo. You won’t believe what’s waiting for you. Petrifying, prehistoric, animatronic reptiles for starters! The life-size models have pride of place in the Dinosaur Safari. Little ones can monkey around in one of the many play areas, including Orang-UTangle where they can climb, swing, and mimic the nearby apes.
You’ll find mammals, reptiles and birds of every shape, size, and colour from every corner of the globe at Blackpool Zoo. Learn all there is to know about them and the conservation work at the daily feeds and display. Get ready to go wild and join in the special anniversary celebrations!
And then of course, there are the animals!
ool Zoo s ahead for Blackp lie re tu fu g tin ci A very ex 2010s 2000s
u Exciting new developments continued throughout this next decade including the awardwinning Gorilla Mountain and Red Panda enclosure. Grant Leisure Ltd took over the management of the zoo heralding a promising future, starting with a spacious modern new entrance hall, exciting Dinosaur Safari and a walkthrough Amazonia attraction housing cheeky squirrel monkeys and freeflying birds. This period also marked the welcome return to Blackpool Zoo of muchloved giraffes and Magellanic penguins - the only ones of their kind in the UK.
So many highlights! These included:
u A complete refurbishment of the sealion pool, already the largest in Europe, providing the backdrop for the ever-popular sea lion displays. u Wallaby Walkabout - with marsupials including red and grey kangaroos and wallabies. u A new Children’s Farm with Somali black-headed sheep, ferrets, giant rabbits, and pygmy goats. u Wolf Ridge - a naturalistic enclosure housing Iberian wolves. u 2012 saw the first of many Western Lowland gorilla babies
arrive. Female Amur tiger, Alyona, came from overseas as a mate for resident male, Zambar, and produced two tiger cubs!
u The engaging Orangutan Outlook opening in 2014. u In 2017, Darwin the Aldabran tortoise - one of the first residents to arrive at Blackpool Zoo in 1972 - turned 100; Bornean orangutan Jingga arrived as part of the European Endangered Species Programme; and the zoo welcomed its 15 millionth visitor. u 2018 saw the opening of the multi-million-pound Project Elephant Base Camp, which combines the UK’s largest
indoor elephant house with a huge outdoor habitat. In September of this year, zookeepers and academics heralded the birth of the country’s only female Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra foal, described as a ‘miracle for the vulnerable species’ with just 9,000 left in the wild.
u 2019 was another incredibly exciting year as the zoo offered sanctuary to some of the world’s most endangered birds as part of an international Silent Forests awareness campaign run by the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Rainbow Landings also opened, featuring 50 of the beautifully coloured Australian Rainbow Lorikeet birds.
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Blackpool Zoo is open every day from 10.00 am. (except Christmas Day) Blackpool Zoo, East Park Drive, FY3 8PP T: 01253 830830 blackpoolzoo.org.uk E: info@blackpoolzoo.org.uk
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