Visit rare Painted Dogs at Wildlife Park

An adorable litter of endangered Painted Dogs will be thrilling visitors at Yorkshire Wildlife Park this February half term.
Painted Dog at Yorkshire Wildlife ParkPainted Dog at Yorkshire Wildlife Park
Painted Dog at Yorkshire Wildlife Park

Visitors will be mesmerised by the seven three-month-old African Painted Dog pups, who are already showing their mischievous charm as they explore their 8,000 square metre reserve, featuring pools, caves, woodland and dens.

The birth of Painted Dog puppies to mum Thabo was a landmark in the conservation programme, as they had become one of the most endangered canine species on the planet. Numbers have dropped from 500,000 in the 1900s to dangerously low levels of less than 5,000.

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The jam-packed schedule at Yorkshire Wildlife Park this week includes fun activities for all the family, an all-day programme of ranger talks and feeding times that will bring wildlife conservation to life, and the new Big Bugs and Deadly Bugs interactive shows.

The park will also be celebrating International Polar Bear Day on Sunday, with a Polar Bear Trial to highlight the damage global warming is causing to their Arctic habitat.

A spokesman for the park said: “Victor, the polar bear, is in fine form after his recent health and dentist check up which was completed successfully with a 30-strong team, including South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue officers.

“The meticulously-planned two-hour operation saw the 18-year-old, who weighs in at 530kg, carefully lifted onto a special table for the veterinary team and specialist dentist Peter Kertesz, of Zoodent, to carry out extensive tests.

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“Victor got a clean bill of health and, once the anaesthetic wore off after 30 minutes, he got back to life in the world’s biggest polar bear reserve as if nothing had happened.”

The amazing sights at the park this week continue with new stars, rare Black Rhinos, Hodari and Dayo, who have settled in at the extended African Plains reserve. There will also be the chance to see mur leopards and tigers, Bactrian camels, Guinea baboons, Grevy’s Zebras, Giant otters and the park’s tallest residents, the giraffes.

The weather proof 600 square metre Monkey Play Barn allows adults to sit back and relax with a coffee while children enjoy three levels of play with a range of climbing frames, dens, slides and rope bridges - in full view of the baboon reserve through a glass wall.

The brave can try the Zoom Super Slide Barn providing hours of adrenaline filled fun, with an Astra slide and two drop slides.

Visit www.yorkshirewildlifepark.com