Name: Corn snake Scientific Name: Pantherophis guttatus Classification: Reptile Lifespan: Captivity: 23 years. Wild: 12 – 18 years Identification: Corn snakes come in a wide range of colours and patterns depending on age and geographical area. They are mostly orange or brownish yellow with a pattern of large red blotches and a black outline down their backs. Their bellies have distinctive rows of alternating black and white marks, similar to a checkerboard. Body Length: 61 – 182cm Weight: 0.9kg Distribution : Found throughout the south-eastern parts of the USA but greatest number found in Florida Habitat: Wooded groves, overgrown fields, forest openings, rocky hillside, meadowlands, woodlots, rocky open areas, barns and abandoned buildings. Diet: Corn snakes are carnivorous. Adults mainly eat rodents and other small mammals but their diet can also include birds, bird eggs, lizards and bats. Young corn snakes eat lizards, other small snakes, tree frogs and rodents. Feeding Behaviour: Constrictors squeeze their prey before swallowing. They may need to bite their prey to get a firm grip and then quickly coil themselves around, squeezing tightly until the prey suffocates. They swallow their food whole, usually headfirst. Some corn snakes will swallow small prey live. Breeding Behaviour: Corn snakes are oviparous. Breeding season takes place in March to May. In late May to July the female snakes lay a clutch of 10–30 eggs in rotting stumps, piles of decaying vegetation or other similar locations with sufficient heat and humidity to incubate the eggs. The eggs hatch between July and September and measure 25-38cm long. Conservation status: Least Concern Predators: Foxes, opossums, skunks, bobcats, weasels and hawks. Threats: Corn snakes are harmless but are killed by humans because they are often mistaken for copperheads, a venomous species of snake. Did you know: Corn snakes are popular in captivity and as a result a number of different coloured morphs have been bred.

It comes as no surprise to hear that animals play a central role in our society. Whether by pollinating crops, providing us with meat, giving us companionship or strengthening natural ecosystems - they are essential to our way of life. Going beyond simply giving us food and comfort, animals have also played an additional -but perhaps less appreciated - role in shaping human culture. By taking note of the way their anatomy and behaviour has evolved in response to their natural environment, scientists and engineers have long used nature as inspiration to solve our own technological problems. Known in modern times as the process of ‘Biomimicry’, it has given us everything from the aerodynamic shape of the Japanese bullet train (a kingfisher’s beak) to the stickiness of Velcro (the pointy hooks on burr-seeds) to the anti-bacterial film used to coat the hulls of U.S. Navy ships (shark skin). Countless species have provided biomimetic insight, including many members of the ZooLab team! Inspired by ZooLab’s very own ‘Biomimetics & Amazing Adaptations’ workshop, available for Key Stage 3 & 4 , let us take a look at some of the of how our animals have changed the world around us, or how they might continue to do so in the future. How Animals Have Changed the World! Cockroaches There’s typically little love lost between people and cockroaches. Their habit of enjoying warm, stable environments with lots of food – environments in ample supply in the form of our own homes – combined with the fact they are basically impossible to get rid of once they arrive, sets us on track for conflict. But ironically, some of the very things that make cockroaches such tiresome pests might one day save lives. Cockroaches are insects, meaning that rather than having an internal skeleton like us they have an external exoskeleton, similar to a shell. Their exoskeleton helps them infiltrate our homes: cockroaches can squeeze through cracks one tenth of an inch and withstand pressure up to 900 times their own bodyweight . What’s more, the bugs are able to move at nearly full speed even when squished through a gap a quarter of an inch wide. To achieve this, they are able to completely re-orientate their limbs and employ their leg spines to push against the floor. By looking at the way cockroaches employ different parts of their bodies to move so effectively, scientists designed a robot called CRAM . CRAM’s articulated back plates make it strong, while its specialised legs allow it to move quickly and effectively even when crushed down to half its resting size. If put into action, a swarm of these robots could transform our search-and-rescue operations when responding to disasters such as earthquakes and tornadoes by providing an easy way to safely transverse the resultant rubble. Snakes One of the biggest concerns for any mechanical engineer is how to manage the impact of friction. While some friction is essential to the basic operation of many machines – for example, during braking or transferring energy between gears – excess friction can lead to the needless loss of energy as well as increasing wear, ultimately risking breakdown. Some engineers think they have found a solution to their puzzle by observing the way that snakes use friction to move so effortlessly across loose materials like gravel and sand, all without legs! To stop themselves from picking up cuts and bruises, many snakes use a scale pattern on their bellies, where the scales overlap both horizontally and vertically. By using a laser, the engineers were able to mimic this scale pattern on an 8mm steel bolt, finding that the pattern managed to reduce friction by a factor of 3 when compared to the unmodified bolt, while simultaneously reducing machine wear. Don’t expect the effects of these innovations to be limited to the industrial world. Such technology could one day impact the design of everything from prosthetic limbs to the phones in our pockets! Tarantulas The dyes we use to colour our clothes and furniture can be problematic. Not only do they often fade and transfer over time with exposure to the elements, they can also act as a harmful pollutant. To tackle the problem, it turns out that once again, nature might offer a solution in an unlikely place. Rather than pigment-based colouration, many organisms use structural colouration to make themselves intimidating or attractive. Here, the colourful appearance is generated from microstructures, such as tiny scales or hairs, which interact with light to produce the desired effect. Structural colours don’t fade or produce any major pollution, meaning they could represent an environmentally sustainable alternative for fashion and design. One of the main reasons structural colours aren’t so commonly used already is because they are typically affected by something called iridescence, where the colour of something changes based on which angle you look from. This might work out well for a bird or a butterfly, but not so much for a pair of boots! However, one particularly creepy (but no less beautiful) animal has found a way to overcome this: the Gooty Sapphire Ornamental tarantula’s ( Poecilotheria metallica ) fantastic blue hairs are the same from wherever you stand, thanks to tiny flower-shaped nanostructures across each hair , a character thought to help them find mates. By artificially recreating this pattern, scientists have been able to craft structures with identical colour properties . This technology can be theoretically expanded across the light spectrum with ease, priming these tarantulas as a boon for the future of fashion. Tree-Frogs Ever wondered how surgeons are able to see inside people’s bodies during keyhole operations? The answer is rather crude: they use small light-bearing cameras, combined with some carbon dioxide gas pumped inside to increase the space to work in. This can be difficult and complicated but potentially not forever, should we turn to nature. In this instance, it was by observing the near-magical climbing abilities of tree frogs that provided the innovative spark. A key problem in building materials designed to stick to things is what happens when the surface becomes wet. This can be problematic for Velcro or glue, but not so for tree-frogs. Tree frogs have ‘hexagonal patterned channels’ on their feet which transform their toes into tiny suction cups. These work by providing a direction for the passage of water off the toe pad, creating adhesion even on a wet surface. In the past, these channels have provided inspiration for tire manufacturers, making aquaplane-resistant all- weather tires. Here, engineers at the University of Leeds mimicked this design to craft a robot capable of moving across the slippery abdominal wall, even when upside-down! When small enough, these remote-controlled roamers should be able to fit through medical incisions and guide the surgeon from the inside, providing high-tech resolution whilst ensuring the safety and comfort of the patients too. Tortoises The famed slow-yet-steadiness of the tortoise is not the only lesson we can learn from these graceful, gentle reptiles. In a final ironic twist, it seems that they might hold the key to improving our performance on the ski slopes! The problem? Be both able to maintain ski integrity when cruising around tight corners without breaking, while also remaining flexible enough to navigate any further bends. The tortoise’s possible solution lies in the property of their shells to flex as the animal takes in air during breathing, but to become highly rigid when subjected to a large amount of force, as would be expected during a predator attack or fall. This is possible due to a natural polymer that separates and holds together the turtle’s shell plates (called ‘scutes’). The engineering team mimicked the tortoise’s adaptation in their skis by inserting specially designed aluminium plates within the ski’s body (the scutes) connected by rubber (the polymer). This bestows the plates with exactly the properties the engineers were looking for: making the ski more durable during bends while making it flexible upon emergence. While the tortoise may be slow and steady, its biology is nothing of the sort!

One of the best things about ZooLab has got to be working with an incredible team! Each month, Ranger Anna will interview a member of the ZooLab family. This month we will be speaking to Creative Lead, Dane Brown. Hi Dane, how long have you worked for ZooLab? I started with ZooLab at the end of 2018. What is your role in the company? I’m the Creative Lead in ZooLab, which basically means I’m responsible for anything creative; art directing, branding, collateral, artwork, resources, adverts, animation, illustration, web design, filming/directing, copywriting, project management etc. Check out Dane's latest work: With ZooLab, everyday is different! Can you think of a day which was completely out of the ordinary for you? My work tends to be incredibly varied, so each day is different – which I enjoy. Last year I taught myself animation which we now use throughout the brand. I really enjoyed learning a new skill and pushing how we communicate as a company. What is something you love about working for ZooLab? ZooLab has a great team dynamic where everyone is approachable, friendly and we work together to get the job done. Over the last year working from home has been an adjustment for everyone but I feel we’ve actually managed to be more connected and communicative more effectively between departments than when we all worked in the same office. Tell us a little bit about yourself! I’m a 36 year old, (slightly balding) homosexual vegetarian. I live in Glasgow with my boyfriend and our two cats (Tramp, left and Cat Lady, right). In my spare time I enjoy binge watching Drag Race, drinking reasonably priced Sauvignon Blanc and going for long lock-down walks. You wake up, and then what? What's the first thing you do in the morning? I usually wake up quite early and sort the cats out, put BBC Breakfast on the television and drink two cups of tea. Some muesli and a shower and I’m ready to start my day. Literally nothing constructive, productive or creative is happening until after my second cup of tea. So I put the kettle on first thing. It's takeaway night! What do you order? Like many other people, we perhaps over indulged on takeout over lockdown (I recently had a shock when I stepped on the scales), so I might give that a miss. We’re recent Hello Fresh converts (delicious), so for the price of a takeaway I can get a full week of amazing meals. Tell us some of your hobbies! I volunteer at the local food bank a couple of days a week which is really rewarding. To pass the time I enjoy reading, sewing, cooking, painting, cycling, walking and pottery amongst other things Who is your hero? I’m weirdly obsessed with Stevie Nicks. I’ve seen Fleetwood Mac twice now, can cried like a fan-girl both times. What is your biggest fear? I’m not great with heights. Having said that, I bungeed four times and sky dived once – but I’d have trouble going up a big ladder. And finally, what would you sing at karaoke night? Karaoke songs include (but are not limited to): American Boy - Kanye & Estelle Physical – Olivia Newton John Kitty Girl – RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars

It’s no secret that reading is important - it can help us de-stress, build our vocabulary and even strengthen our brain. But did you know that reading can have a positive impact on children’s mental health too? The current situation has no doubt taken a toll on everyone, and the many young minds who have had much of their formative educational years interrupted are certainly no exception. Right now, parents, carers and teachers need to be doing everything they can to ensure children’s mental wellbeing and development are safeguarded. Books transport us to new worlds, introduce us to inspiring new characters and show us new perspectives on life -and you’re never too young to start! Here are 5 ways you can celebrate International Children’s Book Day on April 2nd with your children or pupils and encourage them to begin (or continue!) their literary journey. 1) Urge them to read a book they’ve never read before. There’s never been a better time to pick up a new book and immerse yourself in a story. Your child could choose something new from their favourite genre, ask their friends for suggestions or go for something they wouldn’t normally choose. You could even give them an age-appropriate recommendation yourself - if you’re a teacher, why not set your class an interesting book to read and discuss together? Something educational, something historical, or something that’s just plain fun - whatever it takes to get them reading! 2) Have your children tell you about their favourite book. Childlike enthusiasm is a magical thing. Kids love to tell us about their interests, and studies show that providing a listening ear and positive attention helps to make children feel more secure and valued. Ask the children around you to pick their favourite book and tell you about it. If you have a particularly artistically-inclined child, they could even perform a puppet show inspired by their favourite book, or act it out as a play! The important thing is engaging with what makes the child tick. 3) Start a children’s book club. This is a great way to get a not-so-avid reader interested in books! Whether it’s a family group or just between friends, having a book club makes reading more fun and motivates children to read cover-to-cover so they can contribute! To make it even more fun, kids can give their book club a name or have theme weeks, with themed snacks and dress-up competitions. Spending time with friends can be the perfect incentive to make your children enthusiastic about reading. 4) Get them to write their very own short story! Who says Children’s Book Day has to be all about the reading? Encourage the children around you to get in touch with their creative side and come up with an original story, or maybe even a poem! They could base it off their favourite book series or come up with something totally original. You could even give them a prompt, or turn it into a competition between friends or a class - the possibilities are endless. Who knows, maybe one day your child will become the next Roald Dahl or Jacqueline Wilson! 5) Celebrate Children’s Book Day with ZooLab! ZooLab offers a number of Animal Story workshops to inspire your children and get them interested in fiction. Our stories are written in-house and ZooLab's team of animals help to bring them to life! Whether it’s Jane’s Egg, Ben in the Glen, Rainforest Adventurer or any of our other fantastic workshops; your kids will love having the opportunity to get involved in interactive story-based learning. Check out our website or contact a member of the ZooLab team for more information or to book a session with us!

One of the best things about ZooLab has got to be working with an incredible team! Each month, Ranger Anna will interview a member of the ZooLab family. This month we will be speaking to ZooLab's, Kayleigh Shields . Hi Kayleigh Shields , how long have you worked for ZooLab? I will have worked for ZooLab for 3 years at the end of November. What is your role within the company? I work in the telesales department. With ZooLab, everyday is different! Can you think of a day which was completely out of the ordinary for you? Working in the office we were always quite used to animals roaming around the place but one day a massive bird of prey came to visit which I got to hold so that was pretty cool. What is something you love about working for ZooLab? I love everyone I work with and the work nights out (hopefully we can do this again soon)! Tell us a little bit about yourself! What's your favourite colour? My favorite colour is purple or navy blue, I can never decide. If you had a superpower, what would it be? Invisibility....I would love to snoop on people! What is your dream vacation? Las Vegas, best place on earth! I am very lucky and used to go there with a previous job - I've been over 10 times and will never get bored of it! As soon as we can, I will be booking to go back. Tell us some of your hobbies! I'm actually very boring and don't do a lot other than taxi around my little girl (who has a much better social life than me). Normally at the weekend we will watch a film and be in bed by 9pm. I like to go running and to the gym or swimming and also love cooking. If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be? Pasta...I eat this a lot more than I should and would happily have it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And finally, what do you want for Christmas? To be able to see my sister and niece who live in London.....praying for a miracle!

One of the best things about ZooLab has got to be working with an incredible team! Each month, we will interview a member of the ZooLab family. Today, we are speaking to Southwest ZooLab Ranger, Anna French! Hi Anna, how long have you worked for ZooLab? I have worked for Zoolab for just over 3 years now and am loving every minute of it! What is your role in the company? I am a ranger for the Southwest of England. I get to visit schools and nurseries in Portsmouth, Southampton, Reading and even Swindon! Check out Anna in action: With ZooLab, everyday is different! Can you think of a day which was completely out of the ordinary for you? I was in the London area and got to cover a wedding! It was so much fun meeting the bride and having her pose with my animal team. The kids loved the critters and the scenery was brilliant! What is something you love about working for ZooLab? Like we mentioned, every day is different! I love visiting people in all sorts of businesses, from leisure centres to after school clubs. Working for ZooLab has allowed me to connect with a variety people through the mutual love of animals. Tell us a little bit about yourself! Did you pick up any new hobbies during lockdown? Oh yes! I rekindled my love for painting and playing the ukulele. During those gorgeous sunny days we had, you could almost always find me in my garden working on an art project or playing some tunes. Anna's artworks below: What is your favourite movie of all time? I am a HUGE Harry Potter fan, so any of those. I also love Tom Hanks (who doesn't?!) and am always up for anything he stars in! If you were an animal, what would it be? I would have to say a cat. Afternoon naps are something I could totally get behind! Outside of the ZooLab animals, do you have any pets? Of course! Animals are so important to my family. We have 5 pet tarantulas, 1 leopard gecko and a very spoiled little cat named Rupee. And finally, if you were a superhero, what superpower would you have? This is a great question! My superpower would be flying at the speed of light. That way I could visit my family in America and be home in time for dinner!

One of the best things about ZooLab has got to be working with an incredible team! Each month, we interview a member of the ZooLab family. This month we will be speaking to ZooLab’s Corporate and Key Accounts Manager, Phil Burnett. Hi Phil, how long have you worked for ZooLab? I’ve been here since August 2014! What is your role in the company? I’m ZooLab’s Corporate and Key Accounts Manager . I’m very lucky that part of my role involves spending time with at lots of really exciting events and working with a whole host of amazing companies! See Phil in action at a team building event here: What is something you love about working for ZooLab? As much as I love working with children, the part of my job I enjoy most is my workshops with adults - I very much enjoy giving them the chance to do something they perhaps thought they might never do! Also, having all these amazing animals as pets is wonderful too!  With ZooLab, everyday is different! Can you think of a day which was completely out of the ordinary for you? One of my very favourite days is the perfect demonstration of just how varied my role can be. Morning : I had to get up very early and head over to a studio in Central London to be a part of the Evening Standards morning show London Live . Phil on London Live back in 2015: Afternoon : After London Live , I had to shoot off to a school to teach pupils about habitats and then I ended the day in one of my favourite care homes to do a talk to the residents there. Evening : That evening I was working at London's Science Museum doing a Late event for adults about sex in the animal kingdom. As you can imagine, after all that I was exhausted! Tell us a little bit about yourself! What are some of your hobbies?  I’m very lucky that ZooLab actually combines business with pleasure for me as keeping exotic pets is a big hobby of mine. I also love music and film - I’ve just got into collecting vinyls! I’m also quite active and enjoy all sports, particularly football and rock climbing.  If you were an animal, what would it be? I think it’d have to be a bird. The sense of flying by yourself must feel amazing! You are stranded on a desert island and can only bring 3 things - what are they? A penknife, playing cards and a fishing rod. What's something you're looking forward to? I’ve just had an offer on a house accepted and so I’m excited to make the move and start making the house a home!  What is your favourite movie of all time? The Matrix, closely followed by Lord of the Rings and Pans Labyrinth. And finally, if you were a superhero, what superpower would you have? I think I’d like to have telekinesis, it’s pretty helpful fighting baddies but I also think in a day to day sense it be very useful! And If I could move myself, it’d be like flying too!

The world right now is surreal - things have changed very quickly and over a short space of time we have had to adapt our lives to ensure we are keeping people safe. Our lives are now simple, some would say we are living like we have gone back in time. The actions of humans adjusting their lives to be based at home is proving to have a big impact on many animal species. Towns and cities all over the world are now ghost towns due to people abiding by lockdown rules. Less cars are on the roads; parks, pubs and restaurants are closed - this has allowed nature to reclaim areas that would otherwise be a no-go for many species: wild boar can be seen in towns across Europe, d olphins and seals are being seen in city rivers and the more unusual garden bird species are suddenly becoming regulars in many urban settings. It is predicted by Europe's biggest wild plant conservation charity, Plantlife , that Covid-19 will have a positive impact on UK bee species. Why? Councils are currently not cutting roadside verges or grassy town areas allowing wildflowers to grow . These have the potential to be conservation areas, however are normally undermined each spring by local councils when roadsides are mowed. The respite for these mini-meadows is likely to lead to an explosion of colour in the countryside this summer and bring benefits to other pollinators including butterflies, birds and bats. Why are bees important? When we think of the benefits that bees bring, honey is always at the top of the list. Yet, honey is only produced by a few species of bees and it is not the most valuable resource they provide. It is estimated that bee pollination services are valued at £137 billion a year. Bees pollinate a huge range of plants vital to humans and without them, many crops would no longer be viable. Bees, along with other insects, are pollinators of more than 80% of crop species in Europe including most fruits, vegetables and some biofuel crops too. Tomato plants can only be pollinated by bumblebees and carpenter bees as they carry out ‘buzz pollination' (honeybees cannot do this). The larger size of the bumblebee and carpenter bee means their vibrating bodies shake pollen from the enclosed anthers of tomato plants. What can you do to help save the bees? Imagine if every gardener nationwide took steps to increase food and habitat for pollinators. Collectively, we would add tens of thousands of acres for pollinators to call home! Best of all, it's easy and rewarding to make your landscape a pollinator haven. The adjustments, individually that we can carry out to help our bees are actually very small ones and some of which save us time! Don’t mow the lawn as often! A time saver adjustment to help our bees is the simple act of not mowing the lawn as often! By leaving your lawn to grow for longer common wildflowers such as dandelions , cow parsley and the common daisy will thrive! Plant native wildflowers! Bees and wildflowers evolved together - you can be pretty confident that native wildflowers will provide bees with an excellent source of both pollen and nectar. Create a good bee habitat! Provide good nesting habitat by preserving a small log pile, areas with dry grasses, wild flowers and reeds. A muddy area will provide essential nesting material for mason bees. Put up your own bee hotel, there are many bug hotels available to buy which can be positioned with careful planning in your garden. However there are also some very easy methods to make your own bee hotels using empty cans and bamboo canes. Blue, purple and yellow! Bees find blue, purple and yellow flowers most appealing so when choosing the plants for your garden, think about this as an option. There are a variety of both long tongued bees and short tongued that would suit a variety of plants with these colour hues. Have fun Lastly, have fun! Enjoy making your garden the perfect habitat for a variety of bee species and then sit back and enjoy the rewards. Lockdown fun! ZooLab have made their Bee Workshop resource pack available for FREE public download! Keep the little ones entertained with fun bee themed learning activities 🐝

Rabbits have fantastic personalities and are very good at communicating their moods through body language in various ways. In particular, with the use of their ears. Rabbit ears are not just for hearing , they are also used to express mood - not many people are aware of this. We wanted to share with you some tips of what your pet rabbit could be feeling through their body language. Even if you don't have a bunny, we hope that you enjoy our photos of our Rangers cute rabbits. Here are a few signs of your rabbits mood: Relaxed/Happy Ears leaning backwards at about a 45 ° angle - this can usually be observed when your rabbit is laying or sitting down comfortably. Alert The rabbits ears will point directly upwards and will turn to listen carefully. The posture of the rabbit will be them usually sitting upright or on back paws ready to move quickly if they need to.  Some rabbits will do what is called 'helicopter ears' where one ear is down and the other is upwards (picture 1). Curious The rabbits ears will lean (and often turn) forwards as they smell around and shuffle towards what has caught their attention.  Sleepy If hunched the rabbits ears are often relaxed all the way back onto shoulders or the rabbit will be lying down completely the ears will flop in any direction and eyes closing/closed. Moody/Nervous This can be confused with sleepy as the ears can often be lying backwards, however the rabbits eyes will be paying attention to surroundings and may also grunt as a warning that they are not too happy. Next time you spot your rabbits ears twitching, you'll be able to figure out what your rabbit is feeling!  Share your photos of your rabbit displaying different moods with us and maybe we can guess their mood!

Hello, my name is Beatrice But everyone calls me Bea or Beanut. I am 4 months old and training to become a ZooLab rat. I stay with my human mum and trainer Lauren in Kent, where I live a spoiled life with 4 other rats. Daisy Daisy is boss rat and she is 2 years old. When I'm being naughty she tells me off! She loves all of the attention she gets from children and is very cheeky. Honey Honey is the same age as me and we grew up together. Honey is very snuggly but is a bit jumpy so she comes along to ZooLab workshops as a companion mostly. Tauriel Tauriel is 13 weeks old. She's next in line to be trained as a ZooLab rat! She's very cheeky and always wants to play! Arwen Arwen is Tauriel's sister who will start training once she's less shy, but it's okay if she doesn't want to meet people. She's a good girl who never gets into trouble with Daisy! I asked Daisy what it means to be a ZooLab rat. She told me that holding, stroking and seeing us makes lots of people happy! ZooLab rats go to nurseries, schools, care homes and more; where we can be fabulous rat ambassadors! You see, lots of people think that we're dirty, but we're actually really clean and very friendly! A Day in the Life My human Lauren told me that people might want to know how we're trained, so let me take you through a day in the life! 6:00 am - Lauren comes to say good morning and we all come running to say hello! If we're lucky, we get to climb out and bury ourselves into Lauren's warm dressing gown. We get our morning food, which Lauren sprinkles around or hides. She knows we're smart, but I grab the banana chips from her hand and Daisy stuffs as much food as she can into her mouth! 7:30 am - Arwen pokes her head out of her hammock and says that funny sounds have started playing. Lauren says that it's the sound of a classroom and we get treats while it plays. After a while it gets a bit louder, but Arwen doesn't mind because she's too focused on the treats! 8:30 am - It's time for us to go! Daisy is a pro but she needs someone to keep her company, so I get to go to work today! 9:30 am - It's a little bit noisy at this nursery; there are children crying and stomping about. Lauren puts some tasty mealworms into the carrier so I know it's okay. The noises were a bit scary at first but they're starting to not bother me. 11:00 am - We're at a school now! We're seeing reception children and telling them all about ourselves! Lauren tells them all about Daisy and that her favourite food is carrot. Once Daisy comes back into the carrier, Lauren tells everyone to be quiet and picks me up! Finally, my time to shine! I look around at everyone and my whiskers twitch as I sniff everything. They all think I'm cute, and rightly so! Lauren says that I'm a good girl and gives me some malt paste before putting me back in my carrier with Daisy. 12:30 pm - Lunchtime! Lauren gives us half a grape each. Daisy steals mine, but she can only eat one piece at a time so I sneak it back. Lauren plays with us for a bit and then strokes us to sleep once we're tired. Rosie, Daisy's sister, used to demand all of the cuddles! 3:30 pm - We're at a care home now! It's nice and quiet here as there aren't many people and all of the residents are gentle, so Lauren takes me out to meet them. She gives me lots of malt paste and I get lots of cuddles. This is actually quite fun! 6:00 pm - Thank goodness we're home and don't have to listen to Lauren's singing anymore... Lauren puts us in our big play pen where we can go pea fishing and running around. Lauren joins us so we can have lots of cuddles, and sometimes we do trick training! 9:00 pm - Bedtime! It's time to snuggle up with all of my friends after a busy day. Good night, everyone!

Our Diverse Planet Did you know that we share Earth with an estimated 5.3 million - 1 trillion different species? Our planet is so diverse that it makes it impossible to give an exact amount - who knows what is left to be discovered!  It is that endless possibility that keeps us fascinated! At ZooLab, we love uncovering and educating others about the diversity of our planet and all that lives there - from the depths of the Rainforest to the unforgiving polar regions.  We have picked out 4 fantastic ZooLab workshops to help you to explore this wonderful topic.  Biodiversity  Nature is a carefully balanced ecosystem which supports a wide variety of life through it’s biodiversity. This workshop uses ZooLab animals to illustrate how animals effect and are affected by changes through habitat destruction, pesticides and illegal animal trade. We also look at the Rainforest, and highlight the diversity of arachnids, insects and amphibians. Habitats and Adaptations  ​This workshop introduces pupils to different habitats from around the world that include tropical rainforests, deserts, polar regions and oceans. This hands-on workshop looks at three great survivors; rats, cockroaches and humans and considers how and why they have survived.  Biomimetics & Amazing Adaptations ​This fascinating session will look at a section of complex behaviours from the animal world including Batesian mimicry, parthenogenesis and camouflage! What can humans learn from these marvels? Find out how nature-inspired solutions are influencing scientific, medical and engineering discovery. Rainforest Unwrapped The rainforest is a cornucopia of resources. It supplies us with a plethora of items that we take for granted - wood, medicine and food - but at what price? This hands-on workshop delves into life in the rainforest and looks at how we’re depleting these resources. Can we reverse this man-made effect through recycling and sustainability? Pupils learn how making a few small changes to our lives, we can help ensure the preservation of this fascinating habitat for years to come. Click here to find out more about our workshops! Call us now on   01324 667330   or email   info@zoolabuk.com   to book of any of the above or to discuss any other bespoke service you require.

ZooLab's Volunteering Trip to Mankwe Wildlife Reserve ZooLab's ambitions go beyond the UK. We want to support well organised conservation efforts wherever we can, like the Nkombi Volunteer Programme which highlights the issue of poaching in South Africa.  ​ ZooLab have built up an excellent relationship with   Mankwe Wildlife Reserve , a 4750 hectare reserve situated in the North West Province of South Africa, approximately 5 km’s east of Pilanesberg National Park. Mankwe Wildlife Reserve Visiting Mankwe gives ZooLab staff the chance to discover the fascinating flora and fauna of Africa. The intention for our first trip in 2017 was to gather information and resources for our workshops, whilst gaining an insight into the conservation issues faced here. For the staff who have visited turned into something so much more. Rhino numbers across the world are falling dramatically, a big part of this is due to poaching. After spending the week with Dr. Lynne MacTavish  and the rest of her   team at Mankwe , hearing their stories and understanding the daily struggles that come with protecting this endangered species from the dangers of poachers, our team all felt compelled to take action and raise awareness of the issues faced which could easily bring both the black and white rhino to extinction. Every year we send a team of staff across to volunteer and learn more about the plight that the Rhinos face. It truly is a life changing experience for all involved. ​ ZooLab's 2019 Volunteering Trip In August, we sent four of our rangers - Anna, Lilian, Lydia and Tristan - to South Africa where they spent two weeks volunteering with the Nkombi Volunteer Programme in Mankwe Wildlife Reserve. We wanted them to immerse themselves in this unique ecosystem, whilst experiencing first hand the conservation efforts taking place to protect the wildlife residing in the reserve. To say our intrepid explorers had an adventure would have be an understatement - their time was spent spotting rhino, on bush walks and game drives, taking part in bush burns (a controlled burn that can act as a barrier to a wildfire by reducing available fuel sources) and patrolling the reserve on the look out poachers (to name a few activities). Visit our YouTube playlist to watch our vlogs of the trip! Ranger Reflections - Anna French "Going to South Africa was an incredible experience. I have always dreamed of seeing animals such as giraffe, zebra and warthogs in their natural habitats - this trip did not disappoint. While in school studying for my degrees, I would always learn about the importance of camouflage, predator and prey behaviours, habitat and population management - at the reserve I saw all of these practices and theories put to action. I didn't know that giraffes had spots not only camouflage but to help thermoregulate their temperature as well. Zebras are striped to protect them from predators as it is more difficult to pick out an individual. There is basically a reason as to why every single animal is the way they are - I found that fascinating! It was an amazing adventure and really reignited my love for all things nature!" Ranger Reflections - Lilian Arroni “It was really nice to be there again at Mankwe Wildlife Reserve - it is a beautiful place with amazing animals. It is great to connect with the other people there - the volunteers, groups and the specials. My favourite thing about volunteering with Nkombi Volunteer Programme is the feeling like what I am doing is actually useful and important for both conservation and the reserve. My highlight of the trip was getting really up close to the rhinos while we were on the truck - we were literally a couple of metres away from them! It was their choice to walk up to us - it felt like they knew we were good people from the reserve and not there to hurt them.” Ranger Reflections - Lydia Smith "South Africa was one of the best experiences I've ever had. Seeing all the animals in their natural habitats and being able to get close up to some of them was amazing. Meeting the sassy orphaned zebra, Mbez, was so cool! Although, the giraffes had to be my favourite animal of the trip.  Meeting the anti poaching team and witnessing what they do every night was really inspiring, they really care about the rhinos and want to change things. It's very sad that they have to trim the horns to protect them, but that is the only way of saving them from the black market and being poached.  On top of the trip being amazing, I made some great friends." Ranger Reflections - Tristan Bruce "It was just amazing to get up close to the animals there especially to be able to stand so near to the rhino. It was interesting to learn that they trim the horns (they don’t call it dehorning) because the horn is worth about $250,000 and that is all the poachers are after. Since they started doing it they haven’t had a problem with rhino poaching since 2014. The main problem now is people poaching the Warthogs for their meat. Personally I found learning about the tracking fascinating too. Learning about what leaves what footprints, what can affect the tracks and how to tell how long ago they were made. It was the people there too that really made the trip. Lynne, Brendon and Mel were always really happy and willing to answer any questions we had. The staff at the camp were always really cheerful (the chef Deno taught me to say dumela which is good morning in Sotho ). It was amazing too just to be right in the middle of it all. When I went to make a cup of coffee in the morning there was always Impala drinking at the dam water in front of the camp and at night time the animals came right inside the camp (we had a waterbuck right outside our windows one night)."