Zoo news – March 2026

The Grand Reopening!

From thrilling rides Bird of Prey Displays

March was a very exciting month for the park with the doors reopening for the 2026 season on Friday the 20th March.

Another anticipated return was the World of Raptors Display, our incredible team of zookeepers have been working closely with the birds, preparing them for our free flying demonstrations which allows guests to get close to a number of incredible species and to see them carryout incredible behaviors, as they would in the wild. Species such as hawks, vultures, eagles, falcons and owls are featured in this 20-30min demonstration.

These displays are not only incredible to watch, but they provide enrichment for our birds, allowing them to use their powerful flight muscles just as they would in the wild.

We look forward to welcoming you to the World of Raptors this season!

Saying Goodbye:

Golden Jackals and two Eurasian Lynx gone to a new home

This month we said goodbye to Eurasian Lynx (Lynx lynx) sisters Ana and Silver and three Golden Jackals (Canis aureus), sisters Blanche, Dorothy and Rose. Who travelled together to their new home in Labenne Zoo, France.

With recommendations for the Taxon advisory groups and EEP (EAZA EX-Sit Programme) breeding coordinators, animals are transported to and from Zoos for a variety of important reasons such as participation in breeding programmes, moving to a zoo with more space or to ensure individuals are getting their social needs met.

These movements are carefully considered and require lots of stakeholders to ensure the animals are getting the best care throughout the process. It is an indication of how zoos work in collaboration to ensure the best welfare for individuals throughout their lives.

We wish Ana, Silver, Blanche, Dorothy and Rose the best in their new home in Labenne Zoo, France.

What’s the Buzz About:

Bumblebee Recording Season Begins at Emerald Park.

March saw the return of our Bumblebee transects. From March to October, the Discovery & Learning team will be walking transects throughout the park. Each bumblebee spot is recorded and that data is submitted to the National Biodiversity Data Centre as part.

In the first walk of the year, no bumblebees were spotted, but with the weather warming up, we expect that number to increase for next month.

Spring is a very important time for bumblebees. This time of the year is when Queen bumblebees emerge from their hibernacula. (Underground alcoves in which they hibernate) As only the Queen survives Winter, Spring is the time where she will find a new nest and begin foraging.

Spotted on Sight returns with a bang

Spring Bioblitz Week

Spotted on Site returns once again this March.  The BIAZA (British & Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums) Spotted on Site is a project in collaboration with iNaturalist.

Staff and volunteers from zoos around Ireland and the UK will be using the iNaturalist app to record native species found around the site, for easy-to-use data which feeds into projects across the Ireland, UK, Europe, and the world. Since Emerald Park has joined the project in 2024, over 4,800 observations have been made with over 1,000 different species recorded.

March 23^rd to 29^th marked Spring Bioblitz week. Bioblitz is a push between BIAZA Zoos to get as many observations as possible. With thousands of Observations made across the UK and Ireland, this data is vital for monitoring populations of all our incredible native species. Final numbers across the Uk and Ireland were 20,791 observations and 1,665 species recorded in just one week!

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

The Emerald Park Zoo Team