Red Panda Super Softies
£13.99
In stock
Experience Overview
Meet and feed our incredible pride of lions!
Red Panda Super Softies
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LION FEED
Speak to our Experiences Team regarding what dates and times are available.
Phone 01299 406461 or Email experiences@wmsp.co.uk
WEST MIDLANDS SAFARI PARK REVEALS NEW LOOK…
West Midlands Safari Park has announced it will be having a new look this year, by teasing a brand-new logo, with the help of some of its resident animals.
The award-winning tourist attraction celebrated its 50th anniversary last year, so the Park felt like it was the right time to embark on a rebrand and truly mark the start of a new era.
Since being taken over by the Looping Group in 2018, the Park has grown substantially, with the addition of unique onsite accommodation, upgraded animal habitats and brand-new attractions.
The Park’s logo has had a complete revamp, with a new, fun font, vibrant colours and the addition of a giraffe icon, which reflects the attraction’s exciting offering of up-close animal experiences.
Head of Marketing, Rochelle Zare, explained, “We have grown so much as an organisation, especially in the last four years, so we felt that we needed a new logo and brand identity, that can grow with us into the future.
“After thorough research, in which we invited feedback from various stakeholders, including regular guests to the Park and prospective customers, we gained valuable insight into why people love our attraction and why guests want to visit. This showed we have one of the best, immersive animal experiences in the country, so we wanted our new brand identity to reflect that, hence the addition of a giraffe icon.”
She continued, “As a family attraction we wanted to get the seal of approval from our core audience, so we tested the new logo with hundreds of local school children, aged 4-11 and it was a big hit! We hope all our guests love it as much as we do.”
Ahead of unveiling the new logo to the public, the Park gained important feedback from some of its esteemed judges – the animals!
It was a hit with the lemurs, with the whole troop running straight over to investigate, whereas Rhianna, the reticulated python, was a bit slower to approach, but quickly gave it the ‘ssssssseal’ of approval by using it as a resting stop.
The new logo’s ambassadors showed appreciation the only way giraffes can – with prolonged staring, although Henry did give it a big lick!
Finally, the logo was presented to the family of Sumatran tigers and first to approach was dad, Nakal, who took a big swipe at it, knocked it over, then sat on it, fiercely protecting it with snarls and growls.
When he finally moved on, mum, Dourga approached with baby, Lestari. The logo was such a hit with Dourga, she picked it up and dragged it into her sleeping quarters, expertly navigating it through the entrance hatch.
When keepers managed to retrieve the logo, it was left with the memento of four magnificent tiger teeth impressions!
Alongside the logo, the Park will adopt a new brand identity and although their name is not largely changing, they have added the ‘s’ back into Midlands (it was West Midland Safari Park for 50 years)!
From next month, guests can expect to see the logo change across the Park’s signage and digital channels, including a brand-new website, shortly followed by the release of a range of new retail products as well as staff uniforms.
As well as the rebrand, the Park has announced new attractions and events for 2024, including a family ride called Jungle Jeeps, a refresh of its playground, the chance to see cheetahs on foot in an extension of the Park’s African Walking Trail as well as new hippo and wild dog lodges.
There will also be the chance to see the Park’s latest arrivals, including tiger cub, Lestari, month-old rhino calf Malaika and a troop of tiny pygmy marmosets, who will be venturing outside for the first time this Spring.
Managing Director for West Midlands Safari Park, Chris Kelly, added, “This is an exciting time for all of us here at the Park and we’re delighted to be sharing our new look after months of hard work behind the scenes. This definitely signifies a new chapter and I’d like to take the opportunity to thank all our guests, past and present for supporting us. Without them, we couldn’t continue to take the best care of the animals who call the Park home and all the conservation efforts we support for their counterparts in the wild.”
MEET BLUEY AT WEST MIDLAND SAFARI PARK THIS HALF TERM…
West Midland Safari Park is excited to announce that popular children’s character Bluey, will be entertaining guests during February half term.
Bluey will be making personal appearances with her sister Bingo, at intervals throughout the day from 12 to 16 February.
Fans will be able to take part in ticketed ‘Meet and Greet’ sessions, at selected times in the Safari Academy, in the pedestrianised area of the Park.
PR & Events Officer, Bethan Davis, said, “We’re really excited that Bluey and Bingo are returning for five days this half term. Bluey is a favourite for both children and parents and it’s great that we can allow guests to meet the characters, included as part of their day out.
“Bluey and Bingo will be making five appearances throughout the day for ‘meet and greets’, where families will have the opportunity to interact and take photos. Due to this event being so popular last year, we have introduced a ticketing system, so guests can guarantee meeting Bluey and Bingo.”
As well as the opportunity to see Bluey this half term, the Park will be opening daily again for its summer season, including the Adventure Theme Park.
There will also be the chance to see the newest arrivals, including some tiny pygmy marmosets and the latest babies.
Bluey appearances, the four-mile safari, walk-through exhibits, animal talks and encounters, are all included in the admission charge.
Guests are encouraged to book online in advance for the best prices, and a pre-booked time slot for the meet and greet sessions is essential.
WATCH THE MOMENT A RARE BABY RHINO IS BORN ON CCTV…
The amazing moment a rare baby southern white rhino was born at West Midland Safari Park, has been caught on CCTV.
Keepers watching the live footage behind-the-scenes, saw the female calf arrive at 1:48am on 11 January 2024, following a tricky breach birth, for 15-year-old mum, Keyah.
After a few attempts, keepers noticed that the calf was struggling to get to her feet, so stepped in quickly to get her standing, enabling her to tentatively walk to her mum to have her first feed.
Now at a week old, the calf is doing really well and has been given the African name Malaika, meaning ‘angel’.
Head Keeper of Ungulates, Lisa Watkins, said, “The team are absolutely over the moon with the safe arrival of a female white rhino calf. After a long wait, having had two male calves born in 2021, a female was a very welcome addition to the crash. Mum, Keyah, is doing a fantastic job of caring for the newborn with older brother Jumani eager to meet his little sister.
“I am really proud of the team for all their daily hard work and dedication, to allow this calf to arrive safe and healthy. We all look forward to showing the new arrival off in the near future, but for now, both mum and calf are spending some important time bonding in the warmth and comfort of their house.”
Malaika is the sixth baby white rhino to be born at the Park in the last eight years, marking another success for the Park’s involvement in a collaborative European breeding programme, conserving threatened species.
Katie McDonald, Research and Conservation Officer, said “Like all wildlife attractions, we believe it is extremely important for us to contribute to the conservation of the species we hold. White rhinos are one of the species for which there is a European-wide breeding programme and WMSP has been a strong contributor. This is the sixth white rhino calf born since 2016.”
She continued, “Having safe and healthy populations in zoos and parks is extremely valuable when the situation in the animal’s natural habitat is precarious. White rhinos are threatened in the wild by poachers, who kill them so they can sell rhino horn on the black market.
“Through our amazing conservation partner, Save the Rhino International, we actively support rhino conservation by helping to fund anti-poaching activities in uMkhuze Game Reserve, South Africa, where dedicated ranger teams work every day to monitor and protect rhinos across the reserve.”
Southern white rhinos are classed as ‘near threatened’ by the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature), with around 16,000 remaining individuals.
The population of white rhinos has recovered greatly since almost becoming extinct in the early 1900s, but despite being somewhat of a conservation success story, they are the subspecies of rhinos most threatened by poaching.
Malaika will be kept in the warmth of the house while she settles in, then will slowly be introduced to the rest of the herd, including brother Jumani, half-brothers Granville and Jambo and dad, Barney.
She brings the number of white rhinos at the Park to nine, who can be seen on the safari drive-through.
BOOKINGS OPEN FOR SAFARI PARK’S WILD NEW LODGES…
Bookings are now being taken for West Midland Safari Park’s brand-new luxury lodges, which include overnight stays with views of hippos and African wild dogs.
Following planning being granted last month, work has now started on the development, which will see the instalment of eight lodges, alongside new habitats for the animals.
First of its kind in Europe, four lodges will offer incredible views of African wild dogs, whereas four more lodges will be the only place in the UK where you can stay overlooking hippopotamus.
The African Wild Dog Lodges will be single-storey and can sleep up to six guests, offering incredible views into the dogs’ habitat through the huge windows spanning the bedrooms, living spaces and outside decking area.
The Hippo Lodges will be two-storey, with open-plan living spaces, covered outdoor viewing areas, spacious balconies and two bedrooms, sleeping either five or six people.
Two of the Hippo Lodges will be accessible for wheelchair users, with a double or twin singles downstairs, as well as a wet room, wide doorways and car parking outside the lodge.
Neil James, Project Manager, said, “As with all our lodges, we take influence from the animals themselves when it comes to the designs and the interiors. For the African wild dog lodges, we wanted to create a different style to represent the world’s most prolific land predator. These animals are perfectly designed to cope with the harsh African environment and these lodges will feel like they are born from the earth, but with a chic finish.
“Overlooking the pool and natural landscape, the tones throughout the Hippo Lodges will really complement our group of hippopotamuses. We have blended a natural and neutral palette with African textures and patterns. These lodges are warm, welcoming and stylish and the perfect place to sit back and relax whilst watching the charismatic animals.”
Guests will be able to watch the UK’s largest pod of hippopotamus, from the comfort of their lodges, as the four animals explore their new environment, which will be upgraded with 24-hour access to both their indoor and extended outdoor habitats.
The new hippo house will also be suitable for future breeding programmes, with an indoor pool, mud wallows and evening pools which offer close access viewing for guests from their lodge balconies.
The wild dogs’ habitat will be expansive, allowing the pack of four dogs to explore, socialise and play, with integrated enrichment points to stimulate natural behaviours.
Both habitats will integrate into the Park’s pedestrianised African Walking Trail, which will allow day guests to view the wild dogs from a split-level viewing point, with additional viewing along the trail for the hippos.
This will be the first time in the Park’s history, that guests will be able to see the African wild dogs on foot.
African wild dogs are classified as ‘endangered’ and common hippos ‘vulnerable’, by the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature), with both species facing threats in the wild such as poaching and habitat loss.
Both species are part of an EEP (EAZA Ex-situ Programme), a breeding programme supporting the conservation of their wild counterparts by creating a reserve population. The new facilities will enable the Park to continue its important work with the EEP.
Safari Lodges short breaks include breakfast and dinner, spectacular views of the animals, admission to the Park for two days and Theme Park wristbands, during the summer season.
Guests can now book their Hippo Lodge or African Wild Dog Lodge stay, via the Safari Lodges website, where they can choose dates from 19 July to 30 September 2024. Prices will start from £515 per night, based on two guests.
TREE-MENDOUS TREAT FOR CUB’S FIRST CHRISTMAS…
A Sumatran tiger cub at West Midland Safari Park has been involved in the festive celebrations by being given her very first Christmas tree.
Five-month-old Lestari will be experiencing her first Christmas at the Park and will be spending it with her mum, Dourga and her keepers, who at this time of year are often using seasonal items as forms of enrichment, for the animals in their care.
This may be stockings full of hay for the rhinos, bauble pits for the meerkats, or in this case, offering the textures and scents of a small, tiger cub-sized Christmas tree, donated by the Park’s events team.
Head Keeper of Carnivores, Chris Hodgkins, said, “As it’s Lestari’s first Christmas, to make it extra special she was given a Christmas tree as enrichment. Enrichment is important for all our animals, as it gives them something to explore and encourages natural behaviours.
“Lestari loved the tree and it didn’t take her long to realise she could play with it, especially after her mum had pulled it out the ground! We loved watching her stalk and pounce on it, then drag it around her habitat. I think it’s safe to say she has been a good girl this year and will be getting a nice present from Santa! The keepers are thrilled to see how much she has grown and developed her own little personality!”
At this time of year, there are over 300 trees at the Park, being using as decorations for the Park’s Santa Safari and Safari Skating events.
In the new year, the trees will either be donated as enrichment for the animals or recycled as part of a ‘treecycling’ campaign for the Park’s partnership with local charity, the Grace Kelly Childhood Cancer Trust.
Volunteers, including staff members from the Park, will be collecting used Christmas trees from people’s homes and dropping them at the Park where the trees will be chipped on site to be used as bedding for some of the animals.
Donations from the treecycling service will support children and their families in the area, fighting childhood cancer. More information can be found here: www.gkcct.org/treecycle
The Park will be open daily over the Christmas period until 7 January 2024, closing only for Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
Guests can see the animals on a winter safari, or on foot in the Park’s pedestrianised areas, including Lestari and Dourga in Tiger Tropics.
SAFARI PARK PRESENTS TO PARLIAMENT…
A member of staff at West Midland Safari Park has had the honour of presenting to members of parliament, about the amazing work the Education Team do at the tourist attraction.
Chloe Walton-Stenson, Senior Education Officer, was invited to speak at the All-Party Parliamentary Group, on behalf of BIAZA (British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums) and chaired by Labour MP, Sarah Champion.
Peers and MPs listened to how the Education Team at the Park, actively engage learners of different ages, why there is a need for age-diverse education within zoos, with the example of Chloe’s award-winning Amateur Zoologist Club.
Chloe’s award came from BIAZA for the Education Team’s Amateur Zoologist Club, which was set up in 2022, working with the Park’s local ‘University of the 3rd Age’, providing members with chances to learn a variety of zoological topics and get closer to nature.
Chloe said, “Being invited to share the fantastic work we do as part of education at West Midland Safari Park, with members of parliament was an honour and a very exciting opportunity. Bringing conservation education to learners of all ages, but especially mature learners, is one of my favourite parts of my job role, so it was incredibly special to share this with a new audience. It is vitally important that zoos value everyone who wants to learn about biodiversity, as we can all play in part in protecting the natural world.”
Alongside Chloe, there were presentations from Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm on their fantastic work, improving accessibility at their site and Dr Jo Judge, CEO of BIAZA, lead discussions on behalf of the zoo members present.
Dr Jo Judge said, “The extinction and climate crisis means it’s more important than ever our politicians are thinking about how to empower people of all ages to take action. Chloe did a fantastic job representing the work of good zoos and aquariums, to inspire people to take care of the natural world and then help them to take action to protect the planet. BIAZA members such as West Midland Safari Park are committed to creating a better world through conservation and education.”
As well as the Education Team’s involvement with mature learners, Chloe also talked about the Park’s commitment to supporting local schools and charities, and opportunities for the Park’s animal care students, who take part in courses onsite at the Park’s Safari Academy.
The All-Party Parliamentary Group was held at Portcullis House, a government office for Parliamentary staff, in London, on 5 December.
SAFARI PARK’S SANTA AND SKATING SPECTACLE UNVEILED…
West Midland Safari Park is pleased to announce that its popular Christmas event starts tomorrow and this year there is an exciting new feature – Safari Skating.
From 24 November and running daily until Christmas Eve, guests will have the chance to see Santa in his magical grotto during the day, or on selected dates, visit Santa during the evening.
Alongside seeing the big man himself, the Park is inviting guests to try out their skating skills on its brand-new Glice® rink, which is open until 7 January 2024.
This eco-friendly ice rink alternative is suitable for all the family and doesn’t require any water or energy, meaning it’s more sustainable (and not a soggy bottom in sight!).
Ahead of opening, who better to test the new feature than Santa, who grabbed his Head Elf (and a stability aid), then was seen zooming around the rink and enjoying the frequent ‘snow’ flurries.
Head of Marketing, Rochelle Zare, said, “Christmas is one of the best times of the year to visit West Midland Safari Park, and this year is no exception. After the tremendous amount of work that’s been put into this year’s event, the team here cannot wait to see the faces of families entering the Park, seeing the beautiful winter wonderland we’ve created, and experiencing our magical grotto and new Glice® rink.”
Guests looking for some extra festive fun, can choose to purchase a skating only ticket or add Safari Skating on to their Santa Safari or winter visit to the Park.
There will also be the opportunity to purchase some winter gifts or some festive food and drinks, at the new outlets next to the rink.
For the Christmas season, the Park has been magically transformed into a winter wonderland, with over 300 Christmas trees, new illuminated characters, lights, baubles, photo points and even thick layers of ‘snow’.
Guests to the grotto will be greeted by Santa’s team of friendly elves who will magically transport families to the North Pole on Santa’s newly refurbished sleigh featuring a talking owl and enchanting northern lights.
Disembarking the sleigh, they will follow a path through a magical winter wonderland, busy elf workshop and reindeer stables, finally reaching the grotto to pay a visit to the big man himself.
Children will receive a memento of their day by having a picture taken of themselves with Santa which they can then take home, alongside being able to choose their very own present from the elves’ workshop.
Also included in the package is a visit to Mrs Claus’ Kitchen, where children can enjoy a drink and cookie, whilst adults are treated to a hot drink and festive treat.
There will be a chance for children to write their letters to Santa and post them in his friendly talking postbox, with a chance of winning a family annual pass.
Additionally, guests visiting this winter can add on a virtual reality sleigh ride – a magical 4D adventure to the North Pole, helping Santa to test out his sleigh before his big journey on Christmas Eve.
PAW-SOME PUMPKIN PLAY FOR PARK’S BABIES…
Something spooky is in the air at West Midland Safari Park, as the animal keepers have been treating the Park’s newest cubs and pups to their own pumpkins.
For Sumatran tiger cub, Lestari, red panda cub, Lushan and meerkat pup, Lily, this is the first time they have experienced pumpkins and there were mixed reactions to the large, seasonal fruits!
Lushan and Lestari seemed to be very wary to start with, approaching the pumpkins with extreme caution and then retreating hastily, leaving their mothers to enjoy them instead.
Lily the meerkat pup however, had her paws straight on the prize, led by the rest of the mob, who were very excited to see this novel form of enrichment and frantically started to scratch and nibble at the tasty, orange flesh.
Katie McDonald, Research and Conservation Officer, explained, “We use enrichment to allow our animals to exhibit natural behaviours. This might be to give the animals different foraging opportunities, or sometimes it exercises muscles they might not always use. It may also increase exploration of the environment by using interesting scent trails.
“Novel objects such as pumpkins allow our animals to investigate something that looks, smells and feels different. Some species, like our meerkats can use their cognitive skills to find food inside them, whilst other animals such as our tigers, like to stalk and capture them! Enrichment is very important for our young, developing animals. They need varied environments to develop their movement and thinking skills, just like human babies, so it was great to see how each one reacted.”
For the red pandas, keepers hollowed out their pumpkin and filled it with bamboo, which was enjoyed by Lushan’s mum, Mei Lin, whereas the meerkats’ was filled with wriggly meal worms.
As the Park is currently themed with hundreds of pumpkins for their Spooky Spectacular Halloween event, any surplus are donated to the animals, so the tiger keepers also offered Lestari a complete, uncarved pumpkin.
Presented in this way was an instant hit and the four-month-old cub ‘stalked’ the pumpkin before pouncing on it and attacking it with her tiny claws, teeth and feet!
She was also seen fiercely protecting her precious plaything from her mum, Dourga, who was warned off with a few playful pats to the face.
Guests to the Park may spot pumpkins in some of the other animal habitats, on the safari and in the pedestrianised areas, some of which make up spooky photo points for guests to snap a picture.
During Spooky Spectacular (running until 5 November), guests can take part in a trail to win a tasty treat, enter a competition to win a Rhino Lodge stay, meet Patch the pumpkin-headed scarecrow, or take part in a brand-new ‘silly science show’ with new mascot, Mitzy Monster (from 28 October).
Lestari, Lushan and Lily can be seen in the walk-through areas of the Park and along with Spooky Spectacular activities, are included in the admission charge.
WORK STARTED ON SAFARI PARK’S SECOND PHASE OF LUXURY LODGES…
Work has started at West Midland Safari Park for their second phase of luxury accommodation, including overnight stays with giraffes and white rhinos.
Following planning being granted last week, the Park can now go ahead with building eight two-storey lodges, integrated into the white rhino and giraffe habitats, giving guests a truly unforgettable and immersive experience.
The white rhino lodges will sleep four people and will be the only experience of its kind in the UK. The ground floor will provide an open-plan living space with a balcony offering ground-level views of the rhinos. Two bedrooms and a bathroom will be located on the first floor, along with a balcony providing panoramic views of the rhinos and Safari.
In the giraffe lodges, guests will be able to come eye-to-eye with the Park’s charismatic tower of eight giraffes from the balcony on the first floor, which is where the living room, kitchenette and dining room are situated. A bathroom and two bedrooms will be downstairs, providing accommodation for four people.
The introduction of the new lodges also enables the Park to update and improve the habitats of the animals, giving them 24-hour access to both their indoor and outdoor environments.
Managing Director, Chris Kelly said, “We’re thrilled that planning has been granted for the next stage of our development. This will see new habitats, housing and facilities being built for our giraffes and white rhinos, enabling our brilliant team of wildlife keepers to continue the high standard of care they provide for our animals.
“Alongside the new animal facilities, we will be installing eight new lodges, four of which will offer spectacular views of the white rhinos, with the other half bringing you face-to-face with our beautiful giraffes, from the second-storey balconies.
“We’re hoping that we have the same guest reaction for the new lodges as we had for our elephant and cheetah lodges and our Red Panda Cottages, which has been outstanding. We look forward to releasing more information on booking and an opening date, later in the year.”
White rhino and Rothschild’s giraffe are classified as “Near Threatened” by the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature), with both species facing threats in the wild such as poaching and habitat loss.
The Park’s white rhino and Rothschild’s giraffe are both part of an EEP (European Endangered Species Programme), a breeding programme, supporting the conservation of their wild counterparts by creating a reserve population. The new facilities will enable the Park to continue their important work with the EEP.
As well as the new accommodation and habitats for the animals, the Park will also be installing pathways so that day guests can go to see the giraffes and African elephants on foot – a first for the Park in its 44-year history. These will be accessible from the Park’s current walk-through areas.
The new lodges will be integrated into the four-mile Safari and will sit alongside the elephant and cheetah lodges which opened earlier this year and quickly sold out. More recently, the Park opened two Red Panda Cottages, which still have some dates available for 2022.
Safari Lodges short breaks include breakfast and dinner, spectacular views of the animals, admission to the Park for two days and Theme Park wristbands, during the summer season.
Bookings for the new lodges will hopefully be available at the end of the year, but guests can book the Red Panda Cottages and find further information on the Safari Lodges website: www.safari-lodges.co.uk.
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