Happy Birthday to the Zoo! We are 35 years young this week and invite you to share the celebrations during May half term week with a week of special activities and birthday fun.

To kick start the week’s activities visitors will be able to sample local food delicacies as the Big Food Safari sets up home at the Park. Hampshire Fare food stalls will be located around the Park, offering have-a-go activities, free tasters of their fabulous local produce along with plenty to buy to enjoy at home later.

So get ready to race a cheetah, cycle your own smoothie, get greedy by the gibbons, try garlic chutneys by the bats enclosure, have a go at cheese making by the rodents area, lick ice-cream by the penguins and watch watercress cookery demos by the water birds. 

Many of the local producers will also be holding cookery demonstrations and courtesy of Min Raisman of Fit2Cook and Riverford Organic Vegetables, children will be able to create their own yummy organic snacks at their specially created children’s cookery workshops.

Don’t forget to enter the Big Food Safari competition. Pick up the free leaflet at the information kiosk, visit each stall to answer each question and be in with a chance of winning a Marwell Zoo Family day pass.

The Safari will be at the Zoo for one day only - Saturday 26th May– click here to see the full list of Hampshire Fare food stalls and details on how to book a place on the children’s workshops.

Other activities over the week include:

35 years in pictures - a unique display of images following the progress of Marwell Zoo and its history. The timeline has been created by Marwell’s very own children’s club – the Oryx Club and is being displayed in Encounter Village. Learn more about how to get involved in the Oryx Club  here.

Extended animal talks and 'keeper Encounters' - a chance to meet our keepers, and find out more about the animals. No pre booking is necessary and all of the activities are completely free. The talks start on Tuesday 29th May.

11.00 Into Africa - Giraffe Talk

Back due to popular demand! Did you know that a kick from a giraffe can kill a lion? Take a walk ‘Into Africa’ and find out more amazing facts about the tallest animals on the planet. Meet at Into Africa.  

11.30 Tigers in Trouble

The Amur tiger is the largest of all the cats. With only 400 Amur tigers left in the wild, these beautiful creatures may soon become extinct. Join us to discover what we are doing to help save the species before it’s too late. Meet at the Amur tiger enclosure.

12.30 Sulawesi Crested Macaques

A range of primates call Marwell home but the macaques are the cheekiest of them all: their cheeks are as big as their stomachs! Come and join us to find out why their pink bottoms and funny hair are such important characteristics for the survival of the species. Meet in front of the Macaque island.

1.00 Rhino Ramblings

The ancestor of the rhino weighed 20,000 kg and was as tall as a giraffe. Come and join our Rhino Ranger to find out more interesting facts about our rhinos and discover how rhino’s ‘crash!’ Meet next to the Rhino enclosure.

And don’t forget to stop off at the Ark gift shop and take a look at our specially created shop window featuring a huge birthday cake.

We would be delighted to receive a birthday card. Children - why not design your own?

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