Over thirty teachers and their families spent time looking round the park and discovering how it had changed over the years. They listened to a talk by Richard and took the opportunity to ask questions and learn how the trips could be tailored to their topics and subjects. Richard said “it’s great to see how creative teachers can be and there were lots of ideas and suggestions as to how they could use the park, the animals and our habitats to engage with their pupils. Experiential learning is important and we’ve now got to make the most of these links and hope to make more school visits that link in with trips to the park.”

Sarah Ives a teacher from St Michaels Nursery and Infants School in Workington enjoyed exploring the park with her daughter and hopes to bring her pupils for a visit. Several other teachers had not been to the park for over five years and were pleased to see a wider range of animals and lots of information boards as well as the new under cover picnic area.

Kate Clarke from Borrowdale School said “I have been coming here for years and every time I come I remember what a good experience, great fun and interesting place it is.”

Summing up the day Richard said “the Teachers Day Out worked very well, it was great to engage with a relaxed audience that was keen to help us improve what we offer to schools. They have given us food for thought and we look forward to building better relationships and creating great days out that tie in with the messages the schools want to convey. Above all they want it to be fun – and that’s something we know we can deliver.”

Any teachers who missed out on the Teachers Day out can find out more about school visits by contacting Richard Robinson at Trotters World of Animals on 017687 76239, or by emailing info@trottersworld.com  or by visting www.trottersworld.com

One of these postcards should have landed on the doormat at YOUR school this week!

Have you seen it?

Call Cath on 017687 76239 or email cath@trottersworld.co.uk

]]> http://www.trottersworld.co.uk/calling-all-cumbrias-teachers/feed/ 0 http://www.trottersworld.co.uk/west-cumbria-game-fair-2012/ http://www.trottersworld.co.uk/west-cumbria-game-fair-2012/#comments Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:00:33 +0000 Cath http://www.trottersworld.co.uk/?p=1848 Hosted by Armathwaite Hall Hotel, tickets include free entry to Trotters World of Animals.

Find out more here!

We’d like to say sorry to anyone who was inconvenienced by this.

All is restored now so please enjoy!

The primary objective of Trotters World of Animals is wildlife conservation and the promotion of sustainable lifestyles through experiential learning. So, led by our professional keeping staff, when our Junior Keepers are getting up close with tapirs they will also be learning about the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP), and when they allow the lemurs to interact with them they will be finding out about the ex-situ conservation work Trotters supports in Madagascar. Junior Keepers will understand the importance of behavioural enrichment and the provision of natural enclosures which recreate ideal species specific environments. They will learn about diet and animal health and we hope they may just be inspired to become the conservationists of the future!

This ring tailed lemur soaks up the morning sun

Rio the Tapir drinking from the natural beck that runs through his enclosure

To find out more about the Junior Keeper experience, call 017687 76239

We have four zebra at Trotters World of Animals: Whinny, who is famous for appearing on national TV alongside Michaela Strachen, Leon, Kei and youngster Marty who was born in 2010.

Come along this Easter and enjoy the zebras as well as some of the more usual spring chicks, piglets and goat kids!

To celebrate our marvelous meerket mob we have had a whole week of meerkat fun, with a children’s trail, special keeper talks and even the chance to feed the meerkats!

And why meerkats? Because we have such a happy mob of meerkats here at Trotters that they had outgrown their old home and needed a bigger and better one. After much hard work this winter their new home has been completed and they have moved in. This has generated a lot of interest amongst the visitors this week who have enjoyed a special limited opportunity to feed the meerkats. We hope Dad Dave, Mum Judy and all the rest of the mob are very happy with so much space to explore.

Half term visitors can enjoy a Meerkat quiz trail, take part in craft activities, see the Meerkats in their new home and learn more about them from the keepers. It will also be their first chance to pre-book a ‘Meet the Meerkats’ experience. ‘Meet the Meerkats’ is the third visitor experience that Trotters World of Animals has introduced following increased demand for Lemur Encounters and Hawk Walks. ‘Meet the Meerkats’ promises to be even more popular.

Proud Meerkat parents Dave and Judy have been breeding since they were first introduced to each other in 2010 and they have had several litters of pups. Today there are 14 members of the ‘mob’ who are very inquisitive and very spritely. Now well established, the family are set to meet their public in a very up close and personal way.

Richard Robinson, Park Manager said “The Meerkats are a firm favourite with families visiting the park and they are fun to watch. They are quick, curious and guests will watch them for hours. We knew they were outgrowing their current home so we took the opportunity to create a larger area that would give us enough space to let our guests meet them ‘in person’. That’s why we are creating the ‘Meet the Meerkats’ experience. They are excitable, but their nosy nature means they do come and say hello. At the moment this experience is only for adults, but once established, we hope to let children enjoy the experience too. ”

The pre-bookable hour long session with the Meerkats includes a chance to talk to the keepers, learning how Meerkats eat and live in the wild. Guests will enter the enclosure where the Meerkats will get the opportunity to interact with them while their friends and family watch on from outside. Richard said “Last year we had so many people wishing to get closer to them, so we are delighted that we can now say yes. We are the only zoo in the Lake District that gives you this rare opportunity.”

Meerkats have always been a favourite in zoos, but they have certainly become more fashionable since documentaries like Meerkat Manor which filmed them in their naturalKalahari Deserthabitat and with the infamous insurance company TV ads.

Extending our range of experiences even further, we are planning to introduce a Junior Keeper experience in time for Easter. Watch this space!

This experience will be for over 16′s only and must be booked in advance.
Call Cath 017687 76239 for more details.