A Special Time At Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm
30th Oct 2014
It’s not often you get three reasons to celebrate, but this week is proving to be a very happy time for us here at Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm. Not only are we celebrating fifteen years since we first opened our doors to the public, but it’s also our elephant Buta’s 30th birthday! As well as this, we are getting ready for our country-themed day on Friday 31st – pumpkins at the ready! Here’s a brief rundown of the three reasons we’re so excited this week:
Our 15th birthday party celebrations As we mentioned in our last blog post, Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm opened for its first full season in 1999, and we can’t believe it’s been 15 years – it feels like yesterday! Back then, our main attractions were our farm animals, and it wasn’t until the start of the millennium that the building work really got underway. Now we’re known for being home to some of the most amazing and exotic animals in the world. We’re also very proud of our extensive indoor and outdoor adventure playgrounds as well as our maze (the longest hedge maze in the world).
Buta turns 30 Our first African Elephant, Buta, arrived with us in February this year, but it feels like we’ve known her forever. Born in 1984, she has recently turned 30, so what better time to come and visit our Elephant Eden and wish her many happy returns for yourself?
Buta came from Knowsley Safari near Liverpool, but has made Elephant Eden her own and loves the spacious and rich environment it provides. As we expected, she is getting on extremely well with Janu, our adorable nine year-old African bull elephant who arrived just last month. If you want to learn more about our elephants, visit the Elephant house at 12.30pm and 3.30pm daily to hear the Keeper Talk. Or why not treat someone this Christmas to a once-in-a-lifetime experience and let them spend the morning as an Elephant Keeper?
Pumpkin Fun & Country Crafts Day This Friday, 31st October, come and spend a country-themed day with us at Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm. There’s going to plenty to keep your children happy, including animal enrichment activities, country games and craft stalls. From 10.30am there will be a country craft fayre, as well as pumpkin carving and decorating. And look out for the animals getting their very own pumpkin treats! Some fun pumpkin facts for you:
- Pumpkins are not a vegetable – they’re a fruit! Like other varieties of squash, they are members of the Cucurbitaceae family, which also includes gherkins, cucumber and melons.
- Pumpkins are usually orange, but can sometimes be white, yellow, red or green.
- Some pumpkins (usually grown for competitions) can weigh over 1,000 pounds!
- Humans aren’t the only ones to love pumpkins; they are also very popular with pigs, lions, tigers and bears!
