New arrivals: European Souslik

New Arrivals: European Souslik

European souslik, S.citellus

Some recent visitors to the zoo will have noticed that the old prairie dog enclosure now appears to be empty. More careful (and watchful) visitors, especially at quieter times, will see that we have added a new species to the collection, a group of young European souslik, Spermophilus citellus. These in many ways resemble in their behaviour the American prairie dogs, but are much smaller, about the size of a half grown guinea pig (cavy if you are an American reader). There are actually six pairs in the enclosure for now, but with luck by next year the numbers will have considerably increased.

Special delivery - a very important birth

One of Bristol Zoo's signature animals is Okapi. We were the first UK zoo to hold them and also the first to breed them, and practically all of the world's captive Okapi have Bristol Zoo animlas in their family tree. We were therefore especially pleased that we now have a new addition to the zoo, with the birth of the latest calf a few week's ago. Here is the press release from t6he Bristol Zoo website,a nd the accompanying photo of the mother and calf:

On the wing: Speckled Wood

P.aegeria tircis (N.Europe)

Now flying in the woods opposite the zoo, the Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria is one of our commonest butterflies, and is familiar to anyone who has gone for a woodland walk in most parts of the country. It has an amazingly long flight season, and can be seen from now until September, even though an individual butterfly probably only lives for a week at most.

Spring births

Just a brief post to let you know of some new arrivals born recently at the zoo:

Mammals:

1 Ring-Tailed Lemur
1 White-Faced Saki
1 Goeldi's Monkey

On the Wing: Green-Veined White

After a break of a few weeks, I have decided to start a new occasional series this year on the various butterflies that I come across on walks or in my garden, and despite the late spring and bad breeding season last year a few have finally started to show up. I will start off with a very pretty little butterfly that is often mistaken for one of its relatives, the Green-Veined White Pieris napi. Although much the same size as the cabbage pest the Small White, it can be distinguished by the heavy green veining on the underside of the hind wings.