Dudley Zoo visit 01.03.26

 My next adventures from the weekend was to Dudley Zoo and Castle, not far from where i live, i would class it as cosy and welcoming, the staff are wonderful, very knowledgeable on their animals, always have time to answer questions and a very friendly place. A 25 min drive and always try to get there when it opens at 10am

Some of my photos below, i have taken over the last year to date, chosen a few groups, will do some more post of the other animals that live there and how the Zoo does so much for the wider conservation

Bit of info

Dudley Zoo & Castle was conceived in 1935 by William Humble Eric Ward, the Third Earl of Dudley. The zoological gardens opened to the public on 6th May 1937 and two weeks later the front page of the Dudley Herald reported, “Bewildering Bank Holiday Traffic Scenes on Castle Hill. Estimated 150,000 visitors – 50,000 admitted”.  By the end of that first summer the zoo had welcomed approximately 700,000 visitors.

In 1978, the Dudley and West Midlands Zoological Society became a registered charity (No. 507221), aiming to inspire and excite people in the natural world, in the history and geology of the site on Castle Hill and to encourage and promote support and a better understanding of wildlife and nature conservation. Entering its ninth decade, the site now cares for approximately 150 species and welcomes over 300,000 visitors per year.

Dudley Zoo & Castle continues to progress under the guidance of a five-year development plan and an associated Conservation Strategy. Recent animal habitat developments include the extension of the orangutan facilities and the construction of a new painted dog habitat. Both are closely linked to associated conservation projects

It is great value for money, as you can buy a year long pass, which i have, so get to see all my favourites as often as i can-WONDERFUL!!

Some of the guys from the reptile house

Some of their snakes

The wonderful Meerkats- always make me smile

This pair of Red Panda's are just the cutest, if you can manage to see them up and about, they do love their sleep

In the wild, the red panda prefers a solitary and nocturnal lifestyle. It is mainly active during the twilight period and until the early hours of the morning. During daylight hours, they can be found resting or snoozing above the ground, lying dangled or curled up on tree branches depending on the weather.

In the wild, the red panda prefers a solitary and nocturnal lifestyle. It is mainly active during the twilight period and until the early hours of the morning. During daylight hours, they can be found resting or snoozing above the ground, lying dangled or curled up on tree branches depending on the weather.

Red pandas are currently listed as endangered species by the IUCN, and their numbers are believed to be less than 10,000 individuals in the wild. However, the exact figure remains unknown.

Habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation are major threats to wild red pandas. Poaching is also one of the threats to this species, as red pandas are killed for food, medicine, pet trade and their distinctive red fur. Apart from poaching, the surviving red panda populations are also vulnerable to disease, natural disasters and the effects of climate change. For example, as temperatures rise, the red panda will need to move to higher elevations.

Another favourite, these are adorable

Orangutans are critically endangered, intelligent, red-haired great apes native to the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra, sharing 97% of their DNA with humans.

Orangutans are the slowest breeding of all primates. On average, they give birth every 7 to 8 years - the longest interbirth interval of any land-based mammal.

They also have the longest infant dependency period compared to all mammals except humans. The bond between mother and infant is special and young orangutans will usually stay with their mother until the age of around 7 or 8. Female orangutans will normally have no more than three offspring.

Their low reproduction rate and long interbirth intervals puts them at considerable risk of extinction, particularly in local populations.