FATHER’S DAY DELIGHT FOR DANNY THE DONKEY

Danny the miniature donkey, Blackpool Zoo’s resident stallion, has become a father just in time to celebrate the national day of recognition for dearest dads!

A tiny female foal, who has been named Leah by keepers, was born to Charlene on Saturday 11th June.

She is the first baby to be born in the Blackpool Zoo’s brand new Children’s Farm and is already a huge hit with the public. The birth was uncomplicated and staff from the zoo did not need to intervene.

Charlene and Leah are currently housed their own separate area but will be introduced back into the herd very soon.

For the first three months the she will feed exclusively from her mother, although she will start picking at and exploring grass and hay in the coming weeks. She will be fully weaned at around six months.

The birth brings the number of Mediterranean miniature donkeys at Blackpool Zoo to six with the others being Amanda, Emma, the foal’s older sister Eliza and, of course mother Charlene and father Danny.

Jude Rothwell, Marketing and PR Co-ordinator at Blackpool Zoo, said: “We are delighted to welcome the adorable little Leah to our herd here at Blackpool.

“We have a long and successful history of breeding Mediterranean miniature donkeys and have been keeping them here at the zoo since 1998. We are looking forward to introducing her to her father and the other members of the group very soon.

“Anyone treating their dad to a Father’s Day trip to the zoo should certainly head down to the Children’s Farm to see just how cute she is!”

Hailing from Sicily and Sardinia, the Mediterranean miniature donkey is almost extinct in the wild in their native land. When fully grown they at stand at between 30 and 36 inches tall.

-ENDS-

Notes to editors:

Picture shows: Charlene with the adorable Leah and Danny the daddy Donkey

More information about Blackpool Zoo

A bumper year of momentous first time births, huge investment and a hat-trick of awards saw Blackpool Zoo’s visitor numbers hit new record heights in 2010.

An investment of over £1million during the year led to the grand opening of the UK’s biggest sea lion pool, which completes the zoo’s Active Oceans attraction, a brand new Wallaby Walkabout and a redeveloped home for the zoo’s resident Aardvarks Laurel and Arnie.

Blackpool Zoo won three prestigious awards during 2010. Visit Blackpool crowned Blackpool Zoo its Visitor Attraction of the Year, The Be Inspired Business Awards hailed it Tourism Business of the Year and it was also voted Large Visitor Attraction of the Year at Lancashire and Blackpool Tourism Awards.

Blackpool Zoo is owned by Parques Reunidos, the second largest European leisure parks operator and a leading world-wide player. The zoo is home to over 1,500 mammals, birds, reptiles and invertebrates set amidst thirty-two acres of mature woodland and lakes. 

The zoo’s signature animals include elephants, giraffes, big cats, gorillas, orang-utans, sea lions, primates, zebras and kangaroos. It is open every day of the year, apart from Christmas Day, from 10am.

For further information please contact:

Paula Holden, Julie Hackett or Denise Dawson at ICG on 01772 679383,

paula@icgonline.co.uk;  julie@icgonline.co.uk or denise@icgonline.co.uk

Tags: