Zoo news – July 2025

July has been a busy month for the zoo with lots of work going on behind the scenes. Read below to find out more!

Bush Dog Day

On the 21^st of July we celebrated Bush Dog Day!

Bush dogs (Speothos venaticus) are a small, charismatic dog species from South America that are classed as Near Threatened by the IUCN Red List, with populations unfortunately decreasing.

Bush Dog Day highlights the importance of protecting this incredible species and raises awareness for Proyecto Zorro Pitoco (The Bush Dog Project). A project that works to better our understanding of bush dogs in the wild, not much is known compared to other dog species due to their elusive nature and where they live.

Proyecto Zorro Pitoco uses non-invasive techniques such as detection dogs, genetic analysis of faecal matter, and GIS mapping technology.

In Emerald Park we had games, colouring sheets, as well as talks throughout the day, showcasing the training sessions, enrichment, and feeding that goes on with our bush dogs. We currently have seven bush dogs, Missy and Pedro our two adults. Their offspring Maya, Jorge, Aluna, and the newest arrivals Calli & Yara!

If you missed out on Bush Dog Day, never fear you can always pop to the zoo and learn about these amazing animals!

Global Tiger Day

The 29^th of July was a grrrreat time with the celebration of Global Tiger Day in Emerald Park zoo!

This is a day that raises awareness for tigers and their conservation, here in Emerald Park we contribute through education and by being sponsors of the WildCats Conservation Alliance. WildCats Conservation Alliance is an initiative that channels public and zoo support for tiger and Amur leopard conservation projects. Working to reduce threats, study the cats in the wild, and working with local communities to reduce conflict and increase a passion to preserve and protect these magnificent animals.

Our own Amur tiger, Bira, was the focus for this tiger day, we had tiger talks throughout the day, in each of them Bira was given various forms of enrichment for our guests to see.

The tiger talks were of various topics ranging from their ecology, conservation, threats to tigers, adaptations, and even their evolution. The final talk of the day included a feed of a deer carcass for Bira, one of her favourite meals!

Throughout the rest of the zoo the Discovery & Learning team engaged with guest at tiger tables. Visitors took part in games, did some colouring, and even had the chance to do a zoo-wide Tiger Trail, following clues and receiving a special certificate at the end! Many guests gave their best tiger impressions and had many questions for our Discovery & Learning team.

This years Global Tiger Day was a roaring success thanks to the incredible work of the animal care team and Discovery & Learning team. Their passion for conservation and education is unparalleled!

Goeldi’s Monkey Introduction

Recently we had a new arrival to the zoo, Nose, a male Goeldi’s marmoset (Callimico goeldii).

Nose came to us from Dublin Zoo as part of a breeding initiative for the EAZA Ex-situ programme (European Association of Zoos and Aquarium).

As is always the norm in zoos, when we have a new arrival, they are kept in a quarantine period to monitor their health after the move, and to ensure the animal is in good condition before introducing to the population. Nose has been introduced to Rue, our female, and they are getting along wonderfully!

Goeldi’s marmosets are a vulnerable species of New World monkey found from the Columbian Amazon to the Peruvian and western Brazilian Amazon as well as northwestern Bolivia. They have been decreasing in population due to habitat loss from urbanisation and agriculture, as well as the logging industry.

Thanks for reading. Check back next month for more zoo updates!

The Emerald Park Zoo Team