Latest news with #Zebras
Daily Mirror
17-06-2025
- Daily Mirror
'I visited Chessington with my toddler and there's one thing no one tells you'
My family and I embarked on a little adventure to Chessington World of Adventures and it turned out to be the perfect short break for our young family. Although a lot of parents might think it's a waste to go with a young child as they probably can't go on most rides, for us it was the best two days. With my two-year-old in tow, we were invited to stay at the Chessington Safari Hotel in one of the delightfully themed Room on the Broom rooms. We arrived on a Saturday afternoon, greeted by the warm and welcoming staff at the Safari Hotel. The hotel itself is designed with families in mind, and the theming is exceptional. Our Room on the Broom room was straight out of a storybook, with wall art, soft furnishings, and a witch above our bed. It's inspired by Julia Donaldson's beloved tale that my toddler is obsessed with. My daughter was so excited from the moment we walked in to the hotel - then we entered the room and she was jumping up and down when she saw the witch's hat and broomstick on the wall. Not only that, we were greeted with a little gift in the room, including the popular book, Freddo chocolate bar and the dragon cuddly toy. To top it off, our room had the incredible view of Safari animals, we could see Zebras literally outside our room which was so exciting for all of us. We spent the first day settling in and exploring the hotel. There's a fun kids' play area in the reception and plenty of space for little ones to stretch their legs or even watch TV. In the early evening, we joined the toddler mini disco downstairs. Watching my two-year-old bop along to familiar tunes with other little ones was a highlight in itself. The disco was well-organised, not too loud, and full of energy, which was just perfect for her age. She did not want to leave! Even days later she spoke about it and said "I went to the disco with my friends at Chessington". Clearly a core memory made. After all that dancing, we were ready for some food. Rather than eating in the hotel restaurant, we opted for a local meal just outside the resort. There are a few nearby spots that offer a quieter dining experience if you want a little break from the hustle and bustle. It was nice to have a relaxed dinner before returning to the hotel to get a good night's sleep. Day two began bright and early. Staying at the Safari Hotel comes with the amazing perk of early entry into the park, which meant we could beat the crowds and get on some rides before the queues built up. But first, we of course headed down to breakfast. The hotel breakfast buffet was a dream, especially when catering to toddlers. From fluffy pancakes and fresh fruit to full English fry-ups and continental pastries, there was something for everyone. My little one happily munched her way through mini croissants, strawberries, and a small bowl of scrambled eggs. It really set us up for the day ahead. At 0.9 metres tall, my two-year-old was able to go on a surprising number of rides. So, at 9am our first stop was the Room on the Broom experience, which was just a few steps away from the hotel and a gentle start to our theme park day. It brought the book to life in a wonderfully immersive way, with animatronics, lights, and gentle movement. The great part was there was absolutely no queue. Next up was the Gruffalo River Ride Adventure, a water-based ride that's also suitable for toddlers. It's dark in places and can be a little bit scary, but the familiar story and music kept my two-year-old completely engaged. The ride ends with a gentle splash which she loved! From there, we made our way to the Elmo's Flying Jumbos ride. This was really cute, it's a cheerful, spinning ride where kids get to sit in colourful flying elephants - what more could a toddler ask for? She squealed with delight as we gently flew up and down and loved going high up! On to her absolute favourite - the truck ride, where she got to "drive" a safari-style truck that goes around a mini course. It gave her the feeling of being behind the wheel, and she beamed with pride. She pointed out every lion, giraffe, and zebra she spotted and kept asking to go back on it! The Banana Boat ride was another big hit; the movement was gentle enough for her to enjoy but fun enough to give her a little thrill. Of course, no trip to Chessington is complete without visiting the zoo and SEA LIFE centre. The zoo is home to lions, tigers, gorillas, and more, but the monkeys were a firm favourite for my toddler. At SEA LIFE, she was mesmerised by the glowing tanks filled with colourful fish, rays, and even small sharks. There's a tunnel that goes underneath one of the tanks, creating an immersive underwater experience, and her little face lit up in amazement and she was trying to spot 'Nemo'. By the end of the day, she was completely worn out - in the best possible way. All in all, our weekend at Chessington World of Adventures was everything I had hoped for: family-friendly, full of age-appropriate fun, and sprinkled with just enough magic to keep our two-year-old excited. The combination of a thoughtfully themed hotel, early access to the park, and a wide range of toddler-suitable attractions made it an ideal mini getaway for us. We're already planning our next visit! To find out more you can visit Chessington's website.
Time of India
05-06-2025
- Time of India
First ever 'polka-dotted' zebra foal spotted in Kenya: Is this a new species?
Nature never fails to surprise us with its endless variety, and sometimes, something very rare is discovered that comes as a surprise that even seasoned wildlife experts do a double-take. In Kenya's Maasai Mara National Reserve, a zebra foal was spotted with polka dots and not the usual stripes. While the Zebras are known to have distinctive and iconic black-and-white striped coats, which also help the animals in adapting to forests, sometimes, things as natural as this also get skipped by nature. The unusual markings on this young zebra is a glimpse into the world of genetic variation and pigment disorders in animals. While similar cases have come up in other parts of Africa, this is the first documented sighting of such a zebra in the Maasai Mara. The rare foal who has been nicknamed 'Tira' has not only amazed tourists but also drawn attention from scientists eager to understand what causes such an unusual shift in coat pattern. The extraordinary foal was first spotted in September 2017 by Antony Tira, a respected Maasai tour guide and photographer with Matira Bush Camp. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Tecno Pova Curve 5G | Outcurve Everyone TECNO Mobile Buy Now Undo As reported by Daily Nation, Tira was stunned by what he saw. 'At first, I thought it was a zebra that had been captured and painted or marked for purposes of [researching] migration,' he said. 'I was confused when I first saw it.' Upon closer look, he realised the zebra had a pigment disorder and captured the moment on camera. The photos were shared on Matira Bush Camp's Facebook page and quickly went viral, sparking a rush of visitors eager to see the rare animal. Photographer Frank Liu was one of the lucky few to spot Tira the very next day. 'At first glance, he looked like a different species altogether,' Liu told reporters in an email. He, too, concluded the unique appearance came from a pigment condition. The foal was named 'Tira' after the Maasai guide who found him. As Frank Liu explained, 'There is a general rule within the park; whoever finds an animal of significance gets to name it.' While the media described Tira as 'pseudo-melanistic,' Professor Greg Barsh, a geneticist from HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, told Daily Nation that 'it is probably better described as 'spotted' or 'partially spotted.'' He explained that the issue isn't in melanin production, but in the melanocytes' ability to identify their location in the body. 'They don't know where they are,' Barsh said, adding that it's not a pigment problem but more like 'biological GPS' confusion.
Irish Daily Mirror
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
'I found the perfect name for my daughter – but now Peppa Pig's sister has it'
A woman has been left feeling awkward after learning her daughter will have the exact same baby name as Peppa Pig's new baby sister. The excitement surrounding Mummy Pig's third child swept through the internet, with a pregnancy announcement, followed by a gender reveal and finally the announcement of the birth and name of Peppa Pig's little sister on ITV's 'Good Morning Britain' earlier this week. The writers disclosed that the new piglet will be called Evie, sharing she was even 'born in the same hospital as the Royal offspring of Prince William and Princess Catherine', reports The Mirror. However, one Reddit user expressed displeasure with the naming coincidence, writing: "I'm due in July and just found out out planned name is the same as Peppa Pig's new sister. "Peppa Pig's little sister is going to be called Evie, with our planned name being Evelyn, nickname Evie. "I was a little freaked out at first given how pervasive Peppa Pig is in the culture but now I'm starting to see some humour in it. It will be fine right? It's a popular enough name I think." One commenter reassured the mum: "It's a kid show, so the only association will be with parents and kids I think. Kids will think it's cool, parents won't care. Evelyn is a popular, generally accepted name with a long enough history." Another chimed in saying: "I think this is Mr and Mrs Pig following the crowd rather than them starting a trend - the association will be there, but (like with George) no one's going to think you named your child after a cartoon pig." A third user commented: "Why can the pig family not name their kids all starting with P? The Zebras manage it. As for your name, I'd say you'll be ok, kids grow out of Peppa Pig by age four or so and it's a normal enough name anyway." Another piped up with personal insight, saying: "My brother is George born in mid/late 00s so fully in the time of everyone our age watching Peppa Pig, got the odd comment here and there but nothing crazy." A final person also reflected: "I've never heard of a girl called Peppa though. I thought about that recently, because Peppa Pig is so big. Evelyn is a beautiful name and I don't think she'll have any problem if that's the new pig family baby's name." Over on X (formerly Twitter), Good Morning Britain celebrated the porcine addition saying: "She's here! Mummy Pig has given birth to a beautiful baby girl. Welcome to the world, Evie!" An excited parent shared: "My daughter Evie has turned six today and this has made her day." While another rejoiced: "Finally some good news." Someone else chimed in: "Lovely news, just in time for children getting ready for school." Meanwhile, a viewer couldn't contain their amusement expressing: "Utterly obsessed with GMB going from a serious interview to announcing Mummy Pig has had her baby."
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Miami Herald
23-05-2025
- General
- Miami Herald
Endangered crane makes ‘great escape' out of WA zoo — and nobody can catch her
Another zoo animal is on the run in Washington, but this time it isn't a zebra. An endangered East African crowned crane escaped the Cougar Mountain Zoo in Issaquah, the zoo said in a May 21 Facebook post. The young female bird has been gone for days, and no one can seem to catch her. She was spotted at Lake Sammamish State Park the same day she sneaked out, the zoo said in another Facebook post. Zoo officials said she's likely still at the park hanging out with great blue herons, which she is being mistaken for. The zoo is working to catch the bird and advises anyone who spots her to not approach her. Anyone who sees her can call the zoo at 206-641-1554. 'Seems like the great escape has been working out just fine,' someone commented on Facebook. 'Heaven forbid a girl have hobbies. But seriously, I hope she returns to her home soon!' someone else wrote. 'It's the zebra all over again!' another person said. Last year in April, four Zebras were on the loose after fleeing from a trailer in the North Bend area, The News Tribune in Tacoma reported. Three Zebras were caught the same day, except for Shug. He roamed free for nearly a week, becoming a 'social media sensation,' the news outlet reported. Issaquah is about a 20-mile drive southeast from Seattle.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Endangered crane makes ‘great escape' out of WA zoo — and nobody can catch her
Another zoo animal is on the run in Washington, but this time it isn't a zebra. An endangered East African crowned crane escaped the Cougar Mountain Zoo in Issaquah, the zoo said in a May 21 Facebook post. The young female bird has been gone for days, and no one can seem to catch her. She was spotted at Lake Sammamish State Park the same day she sneaked out, the zoo said in another Facebook post. Zoo officials said she's likely still at the park hanging out with great blue herons, which she is being mistaken for. The zoo is working to catch the bird and advises anyone who spots her to not approach her. Anyone who sees her can call the zoo at 206-641-1554. 'Seems like the great escape has been working out just fine,' someone commented on Facebook. 'Heaven forbid a girl have hobbies. But seriously, I hope she returns to her home soon!' someone else wrote. 'It's the zebra all over again!' another person said. Last year in April, four Zebras were on the loose after fleeing from a trailer in the North Bend area, The News Tribune in Tacoma reported. Three Zebras were caught the same day, except for Shug. He roamed free for nearly a week, becoming a 'social media sensation,' the news outlet reported. Issaquah is about a 20-mile drive southeast from Seattle. Runaway kangaroo wreaks havoc on interstate, AL cops say. 'Nobody believed it' Beaver named Cauliflower escapes NY zoo and is killed by car. 'Heartbreaking' Escaped alpacas seen exploring Cedar Point are not park's first animal fugitives
