Keepers at Whipsnade Zoo create winter wonderland for Asian elephant herd
A child elephant at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo has loved her first style of Christmas after keepers created a woody winter wonderland for the teenager to discover – formally starting the countdown to Christmas on the UK’s largest zoo.
Three-month-old endangered Asian elephant Nang Phaya was handled to a 20-foot-high forest of Christmas timber to discover, play with and snack on – with mum Donna, grandma Kaylee and the remainder of her herd becoming a member of within the festive enjoyable, kindly donated by The Christmas Tree Place, Berkhamsted.
Nang Phaya and her herd spared no time diving into their shock, with the older members of the herd main the way in which. The curious toddler initially approached the brand new timber with some warning, however quickly adopted her household’s lead, exploring the sensations of the prickly branches below her toes and along with her trunk.
The Christmas deal with was additionally filmed as a part of Channel 4’s “London Zoo at Christmas”, a household, festive particular following zookeepers at London and Whipsnade Zoos as they put together for Christmas – airing on Friday 16 December.
Playful younger calf Nang Phaya was born in August 2022 and named the Thai phrase for ‘queen’ after HM Queen Elizabeth II, who famously fed her mum Donna a banana throughout a 2017 go to to the Zoo.
Crew Chief Stefan Groeneveld mentioned: “Though solely three-months-old, Nang Phaya is the boisterous, youngest feminine within the matriarchal household herd, and so we needed her first Christmas expertise to be match for a queen.
“Plenty of us get pleasure from tree-decorating as a festive custom, however our herd of Endangered Asian elephants are thrilled with simply the prickly timber themselves. The spiky branches have a texture that elephants actually rubbing their thick pores and skin in opposition to. Plus, once they’re carried out enjoying with them, the timber make a scrumptious snack!
“Exploring the winter wonderland gave Nang Phaya additional follow utilizing her versatile trunk – a talent that has to be developed over time – as properly alternatives to develop pure foraging and investigation expertise. All these large Christmas timber to play with are simply paradise for a curious, energetic elephant calf and so all of our efforts have positively paid off!
“It’s not simply the elephants who will benefit from the festive season – with over 10,000 animals to find, households can stay up for a magical day exploring wildlife in the course of the Christmas holidays at Whipsnade Zoo.”
Asian elephants are categorised as Endangered by the IUCN Pink Record of Threatened Species and up to date estimates recommend that as few as 7000 are left in South-East Asia. Worldwide conservation charity ZSL works in Thailand, Nepal, Cameroon and West Africa to guard elephants and assist individuals dwelling alongside them thrive.
Guests to ZSL Whipsnade Zoo this Christmas will likely be in a position to see Nang Phaya along with her mum Donna and the remainder of the herd, alongside the conservation zoo’s 10,000 different animals. To guide a ticket and help the Zoo’s international elephant conservation work, go to www.zsl.org/Whipsnade.