Hola! Today, we venture into one of the most biodiverse countries in Europe to hunt for wild animals in Spain. Come with us as we journey through mountains, forests, oceans, and islands to find 10 fun facts about Spanish animals.  The Doñana National Park, Huelva, is home to the highest biodiversity in Europe   Here, you will find over 300 bird species in residence, with 130 using the area for breeding.  2. The Alpine marmots use a different call depending on the threat.  Alpine marmots, found in the Spanish mountain ranges, have a situational-specific communication strategy. Studies have shown that a single high-pitched whistle warns of a threat from above, whereas a series of whistles means a ground-level threat.  3. Spain is home to 1100 species of bee  Bees are even shown in Spanish rock paintings dated back to 8000 BC, a great example is the Cueva de Araña in Valencia . 4. Home to a toad that is not a toad  Midwife toads have a bit of a misleading name - they are frogs and part of the Alytidae family. There are four species of midwife toads found in Spanish mountain ranges, forests, marshes and streams.   5. Atlantic canaries are monogamous The Atlantic canary is native to (and named after) the Canary Islands.  6. Lataste’s Viper is endemic to the Iberian Peninsula  Despite not being the most dangerous Spanish animal, the Lataste’s viper is still a danger to humans.  The venom contains hemotoxins which disrupt blood clotting and can cause organ degeneration and tissue damage. 7. The Ebro River is home to some of the largest Wels catfish  Wels catfish can reach age 70+ and typically measure 1.5m -  2m. The largest found in the Ebro River weighed 115kg and measured 2.4m - what a catch. 8. There are 27 subspecies of Lilford's lizard only found on Gymnesian Islands The Lilford lizard is important to the Gymnesian Islands ecosystem. Endemic plants found there, such as the dead horse arum, depend on the lizard to pollinate. 9. Black sea urchin moves via hydraulics Found in the Western Mediterranean, the black sea urchin moves by pushing water through its respiratory system inviting its feet. Find out more about Biomimicry in our new workshop.  10. The Iberian lynx is a conservation success story Once classed as one of the rarest animals in the world, the Iberian lynx was close to extinction. At one point, there were 100 left in the wild with only 25 females at reproductive age. A successful breeding programme has helped increase numbers to 2,021 raising their profile from endangered to vulnerable.

Steve Irwin was a pioneer in the field of animal conservation in Australia and across the world. Inspiring millions with his TV show, The Crocodile Hunter , as well as his ownership of Australia Zoo, Irwin encouraged generations of people to take an interest in the natural world. Sadly, Steve Irwin passed away in 2006, but his legacy lives on, and we celebrate his commitment to wildlife today – on Steve Irwin Day! Let’s look at some ways we can learn from Steve and his life’s mission. Steve Irwin's passion for wildlife Steve came from a family of wildlife lovers. His father, Bob, was a wildlife expert with an interest in herpetology and his mother, Lyn, was a wildlife rehabilitator. Together, they opened the zoo that would become Australia Zoo. Steve grew up around animals, first feeding a crocodile at the age of 9.   This love for animals carried on throughout his life, and especially into his TV programme, The Crocodile Hunter , which instilled a love of animals into millions across the world. Steve used this platform to teach others the importance of protecting endangered animals and wildlife conservation as a whole. He even volunteered for Queensland's East Coast Crocodile Management program, where he captured over 100 crocodiles. Steve always said that if people could just be introduced to wildlife, then they may just want to save it. We think he’s spot on!   Conservation efforts This love for the environment translated into a lifelong commitment to conservation. Steve urged people to be mindful of the tourism industry, as well as not supporting illegal poaching through the sale of turtle shells and shark fin soup. He also opened several private wildlife refuges across the world with the aim of showcasing how everyone has the ability to enact change.   Steve and his wife, Terri, also founded the charity organisation that would become ‘Wildlife Warriors Worldwide’. This charity promotes wildlife conservation, education, and research across the globe. They also buy land for conservation purposes, as well as sponsoring breeding programs for endangered species. The Irwin family have also owned Australia Zoo since its founding in 1970 and host a huge range of breeding and conservation programs for endangered species kept at the zoo.   Contributions to research and science Due to Steve’s dedication to the natural world, his work led to advancements in wildlife research and science. He helped found research projects with scientists at the University of Queensland, who still use his crocodile capture technique to tag and release saltwater crocodiles.   One of the biggest contributions to wildlife science happened posthumously. A 330,000-acre area of land in Cape York, Australia, was gifted to the Irwin family after his death, named the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve . The area is a Strategic Environmental Area and has more protections than the Great Barrier Reef. The reserve is home to many different rare and endangered species. Around 35 different ecosystems are present at the reserve and one of them, the Perched Bauxite Springs, is completely new – having been previously unknown by humans.   What researchers have discovered was that the PH levels of the water were acidic. This meant that they should have been inhospitable to life, yet many species live and thrive there. Many animal species have adapted to the unique environment. The springs also act like a sponge, filtering and soaking up water in the monsoon season, ready for the dry season. Steve's legacy and his passion for the natural world live on through his family - who still own and operate Australia Zoo - as well as his many different conservation efforts. Steve also has p arks, zoos, streets, and even a boat named after him. The snail species Crikey steveirwini , and the asteroid 57567 Crikey were also named in his honour.

Hi! My name is Elle. I'm a ZooLab Ranger in the South East of England. I came to ZooLab after working in an education setting for nine years. I'm excited to share why our work is essential for others in education. Here at ZooLab, we have carefully tailored our fun and engaging workshops to coincide with the National Curriculum. Let's take a closer look at some of our sessions as examples of how we can help you meet curriculum coverage through enriching hands-on experiences. Workshop: Predators, Prey and Food Chains This workshop encourages children to categorize animals into two groups: predators and prey. We discuss how some can fall into both categories and why this is. From here, we look at simple food chains starting with producers and ending at tertiary consumers. At each stage, we welcome our ZooLab animal team to reinforce the information we are discussing. This topic is taught within the Key Stage 2 science curriculum but adapted across Primary education. So how does this workshop enrich the National Curriculum ? Ofsted seeks out examples of Culture Capital provided within education. Primary and Secondary schools are asked to provide their children with cultural and social experiences they might not have access to independently. ZooLab’s wide range of exotic animals, such as bearded dragons and corn snakes, allow students to get up close and personal with some creatures they won’t usually find in parks and gardens. These experiences can be life-changing, driving children into animal-based carers where they need to study science at a higher level. We aim to inspire those who might not have thought twice about the effect a millipede’s diet has on our world! So how do we make learning accessible within this workshop? One barrier to learning identified by children is understanding all the scientific terms and vocabulary within a unit. Students who do not access the basic words will find building on this difficult. By defining the language and using live animals as visual supports, children can reapply this knowledge to other familiar animals. For example, once we break down that a snail or millipede eats a producer, children can identify other minibeasts they know which will have the same diet. Isn’t holding a giant African land snail so much better than imagining one? Our Zoolab rangers can adapt the vocabulary used within sessions depending on the age and needs of the group to both scaffold and challenge. Over the last few years, there has been a shift towards children working scientifically within their lessons. Our animal handling section of the workshop gives students a chance to observe and ask questions allowing them to access information from experts in the field. We also encourage children to use drama and role play when learning terminology. I love demonstrating how a frog uses its eyes to swallow crickets to younger pupils, who will copy and put their hands on top of their heads, imitating the frog’s eyeballs! Workshop: Minibeasts As you might guess from the name, this workshop is all about minibeasts! Within the session, rangers will discuss what a minibeast is and where we find them in our local environment. We then work our way through several minibeasts native to different continents. So how does this workshop enrich the curriculum? One way in which schools are structuring their curriculum is through a topic-based approach found within a creative curriculum. For example, Reception could cover Minibeasts for a whole or half term tying in all areas of learning within the Early Years Framework. At ZooLab, we are often invited as part of a WOW day to introduce topics or, at the end, to summarise learning. There are enrichment benefits to both: Hooking students onto a topic in preparation for exposure across multiple subjects. Allowing children to 'try out' their learning in a practical scenario. Bridging subjects together so students can see links which might initially seem ambiguous. Our Minibeast workshops can vary in length depending on the time frame available at a venue, allowing for a wider spread of minibeasts. We aim to expose children to familiar animals but often on a larger scale - I enjoy visually comparing the size of garden spiders to our tarantulas. So how do we make learning accessible within this workshop? Not all learners process information the same. With the advance in technology, teachers and leaders can better provide for visual and kinaesthetic learners. Because our minibeasts are often larger versions of a species, children can quite literally get a better look at the body parts and their movements. For example, after having learnt what antennae are and how they help an animal, why not allow children to feel those antennae in action? Cockroaches have many sets of feelers to enable them to touch and taste, which your students will experience on their actual hands. Our rangers are happy to link in any specific learning you have been doing if mentioned to us at the beginning of a session. We enjoy trying to be cross-curricular where we can, as there are many contributions to core and non-core subjects we can make. Let's take maths, for example; students are encouraged to count the number of legs an animal has, take measurements of body lengths, or make mental calculations - all of which align with maths curriculum objectives. Allowing children additional exposure to previous learning through an enjoyable experience helps children see the everyday adventure in learning. All of us at Zoolab aim to amaze, educate and inspire. I hope you have found some helpful information within this post which might encourage your setting to make a booking. These are just two of our many workshops here at Zoolab. For more information, please visit our website, which lists all our current workshops. You can narrow your search based on Primary, Secondary or SEND provisions to help you choose the best fitting experience.

Happy World Lizard Day! We love our scaly teammates, and many of you do too. However, those in the wild need a bit of support. Climate change is considered a higher threat to cold-blooded animals - scientists believe that if we continue at the same trajectory, we could lose 20% of lizard species by 2080 . Awareness and creating interest in these creatures is the first step to encouraging change. Below we answer some of the internet's most searched lizard-related questions. Where do lizards live? Lizards can be found on every continent bar Antarctica. Habitat depends on the species; lizards can reside in rainforests, deserts, swaps and gardens. What lizards are in the UK? We have 3 native species - common lizard, sand lizard and slow worm. Common Lizard - UK wide Slow Worm - England, Scotland and Wales Sand Lizard - Protected sites in Surrey, Dorset, Hampshire and Merseyside. In Southern England, you may spot a wall or green lizard - non-native species likely introduced to the area. Do lizards hibernate? Why are lizards are not seen in winter? Lizards brumate, similar to how mammals hibernate. In brumation, lizards breathing, digestion, and heart rate slow; they stop eating and go into suspended animation. Unlike hibernating mammals, brumating lizards stir to find water. Which lizard has no legs? Worldwide, there are over 200 different species of legless lizards. In the UK, we have an awesome example, the slow worm. They are sometimes mistaken for snakes, but slow-worms have eyelids and ear holes. Slow worms can live past 20 and grow to half a meter. Their poo is so smelly that it is used as a defence to deter predators. Despite their name, slow worms actually aren't slow. Can lizards see in the dark? Most lizards are diurnal and don't see well in the night. However, nocturnal species are specially adapted to see in the dark. Some have elliptical pupils, allowing more light in the eye, while others have unique cones that enable the creature to see colours in darkness . What are a group of lizards called? A lounge. Which lizards are poisonous? None - there are no known poisonous lizards. There is a small number of venomous lizards. Historically, it was suspected that only two species produce venom - the Gila monster and the Mexican beaded lizard. Both produce neurotoxins released in small doses during biting - extremely effective to small prey, but most human bites have not been severe. Scientists have discovered that monitor lizards and iguanas also have venom glands. Take the Komodo dragon, for example; their killing power was thought to be in their bacteria-filled saliva. However, we now know this is part of a two-prong attack; when the Komodo dragon's bite, they also release anticoagulant venom . Fun Fact - Gila monster venom as a treatment for type 2 diabetes. Can lizards swim? Many lizards can swim, but some are better suited than others. Particular adaptations such as webbed feet, strong legs and the ability to use their tail as a propeller or breathe underwater help aquatic and semi-aquatic species hunt, swim and escape predators. The marine iguana is the only ocean-dwelling lizard. It feeds on algae and can hold its breath for 30 minutes. Even some non-aquatic lizards can swim short distances to escape predators. Bonus Fact: Due to their big feet, the green basilisk can even run on the water's surface for short distances. Which lizard changes colour? If you asked someone to think of a lizard that changes colour, chances are they will name the chameleon. Chameleons have cells called iridophores that reflect light; to change colour, the nanocrystals in the iridophores adjust to reflect different light wavelengths . However, chameleons aren't the only lizards that can change colour. Bearded dragons can control their temperature and communicate by adjusting their colour. Some species of gecko can change colour for camouflage. Green anoles change from green to brown; scientists are still studying why. How do lizards walk on walls? Lots of geckos have sticky toes that help them climb on almost all surfaces! What makes them stick is hundreds of thousands of 'hairs' called setae. The vast surface area of these hairs allows for Van Der Waals forces, the static forces between molecules, to kick in and allow the lizard to climb on all surfaces. Do lizards lay eggs? Most lizards do lay eggs but a small percentage are ovoviviparous and live birth.

Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects. Why should we recycle? To help the environment prevent global warming, pollution, and extinction of plants and animals. Many animals are also great at recycling; perhaps we can learn a thing or two from these five wonderful animals Hermit Crabs As the hermit crab grows, the small shell is abandoned in favour of a larger home. One empty shell can trigger a "property rush" as crabs gather to investigate. Shells of all shapes and sizes are discarded and passed down the housing chain to smaller individuals. Reusing at its best! Bowerbirds During mating season, bowerbirds create bowers to attract females. Bowers are architectural masterpieces created with sticks, rocks and pebbles. The male then decorates his creation with bits and pieces he finds, often recycling human waste, including plastic, glass and foil. Fun Fact: Different bowerbird species favour different colours. The satin bowerbird decorates with blue items. Millipedes Detritivores are wonderful animals that consume decomposing organic material, contributing to the recycling of nutrients. We have a few detritivores in the ZooLab team, including millipedes. Most millipedes eat decaying leaves and other dead plant matter, moisturising the food with secretions and then scraping it with jaws. All in all, they play a vital role in the recycling of nutrients improving soil quality and fertility. Octopi We know that our oceans face a huge garbage issue! With marine litter increasing and shells and other natural marine decreasing, octopuses have to recycle our marine debris to survive, using our waste as shelter, camouflage and tools. Waxworms Waxworms are "plastivores" - plastic-eating organisms that eat or break down plastic. Brandon University found that waxworms can survive on polyethylene, and 60 can eat more than 30cm2 of a plastic bag in less than a week. Due to the scale and harmful bioproducts, waxworms may not solve our plastic problem, but they have created a new lead for scientists to follow in searching for a solution.

It’s Rat Day! Celebrated every year on 4th April, it’s a day to commemorate the wonders of our rodent friends. To celebrate, we’re running through our top 10 reasons that rats are really remarkable… 1. Rats are quite smart! Our rodent friends are actually highly intelligent! They have excellent memories and can recognise both rats and humans that they have met before. Rats can also recognise their own name and respond to their name being called. 2. Their tails are useful tools! Tails are incredibly important to rats. They help to keep them balanced by being a much-needed centre of gravity. By using their tails to balance, they can then free up their front paws to use for other tasks, like grabbing food! Their tails are also vital in helping them keep cool – aka thermoregulation. Their tails have no fur, making it easier for them to detect changes in heat. When the temperature rises, the blood vessels inside their tail swell, allowing more heat to exit the tail, cooling them down! Pretty cool, huh? 3. Some can sniff out landmines! Rats have a very keen sense of smell, and us humans have actually used it to our advantage. African Giant Pouched rats have been trained to sniff out the TNT inside of landmines, and they’re the perfect animals for the job. They’re light enough to not set off the explosives as they walk over them, and one rat can search over 2000 square feet in 20 minutes. This would take humans up to four days! 4. They are actually highly sociable Believe it or not, rats love companionship. It’s actually highly unadvised to just have one rat as a pet, they need other rats around them - they become quite attached to both other rats and their humans. They give just as much affection back as is given to them and some rats will even attempt to ‘groom’ their human companions. 5. Some cultures worshipped them! Rats weren’t always perceived in a negative light. Some cultures worshipped them! Ancient Romans considered rats to be quite lucky, and both the Ancient Egyptians and Mayans worshipped them. They are also part of the Chinese Zodiac, being considered ambitious and resourceful. 6. They’ve got a pretty unique sense of sight! Rats have pretty poor eyesight – it’s almost 20 times worse than our own. They do have some amazing adaptations to help, though! Their eyes are on the side of their head and can move in opposite directions. Their eyes are also extremely sensitive to light and have evolves to see in almost complete darkness. They can distinguish between small changes in light and can even see ultraviolet light! 7. Their teeth never stop growing! Chewing is really important to rats. Their teeth never stop growing so they must gnaw on things to keep them from getting too long. They grow so quickly that no rat tooth is more than 40-50 days old. Their teeth are also quite strong, and some wild rats can even chew through metal! 8. Rats are cleaner than you think Contrary to popular belief, rats are pretty clean! They’re very particular about keeping clean and actually groom themselves far more than cats. Rats are also less likely to transmit and catch viruses than cats and dogs. Rats also don’t get sweaty armpits! Their only sweat glands are on the skin of their paws. 9. They can grow to unusual sizes! You might think that rats are small wee things, but they can actually grow quite large. The Bosavi Woolly Rat is considered to be the biggest rat in the word, growing to more than 81cm from head to tail and they weigh more than 3lbs. Scientists have also determined that the average size of rats is increasing. 10. They’re quite nimble! Rats are pretty agile, being able to squeeze and flatten their bodies into tiny spaces. They’re also adept swimmers, can swim for kilometres above water, and can hold their breath underwater for several minutes. Climbing is no bother for a rat as well. They can scale vertical walls and walk along ropes and power lines. What’s your favourite rat fact? Let us know in the comments!

We’re back for part two of our creepy-crawly animal facts series! As we get closer and closer to the spookiest day of the year, we’re getting in the mood for tales of toads that grow their young from their backs, lizards that squirt blood from their eyes, and creepy-crawly parasites. We hope you enjoy some of our favourite spooky animals that roam the earth… Creepy-Crawly Halloween Facts Lizards that shoot blood! Animals have so many different ways to protect themselves against predators, and one of the spookier ways that the short-horned lizard does this is by shooting blood from their eyes. As well as being able to puff their body up to twice its size to intimidate attackers, the spiky reptile also shoots blood from a small duct in the corner of their eye. They can shoot it up to three feet away. As well as being able to control when they shoot blood, they can also shift their eyes to control where the blood goes. It’s a very effective way to confuse bigger predators and is also poisonous to wolves, coyotes, and dogs. Ghastly-fish Jellyfish are much more dangerous than they appear, especially the box jellyfish. Floating around the ocean like a ghost, they have a monstrous 24 eyes clumped into 4 groups of 6 eyes, giving them a full 360-degree look at their surroundings. Its 15 tentacles help make up its length of around 10 feet and each have around 5,000 stinging cells per tentacle. The sting delivers a toxic venom that attacks the heart, nervous system, and skin cells of its victims. It is so powerful that human victims have been known to go into shock and drown before even reaching the shore, and survivors are left with significant scarring. The sting is fatal to humans but, unless threatened, they only tend to use their stings on prey like passing shrimp and fish Tongue eaters? Parasites are some seriously scary critters and an especially creepy one is the tongue-eater louse. These isopod crustaceans hide in the gills of fish until they’re big enough, before crawling inside the mouth of fish, attaching themselves to its tongue and feeding on the blood vessels. The tongue then eventually drops off and the parasite replaces it. Females can grow to around an inch long, and males around half an inch. The tongue-eater is the only known case of a parasite functionally replacing the organ of a host. They primarily target snappers but have been found in several other fish species. The fish can use the louse as a pseudo tongue, almost like a prosthetic , and live fairly successfully with its new guest. Back-grown babies Toads are a staple Halloween animal. With their wart-like growths, slimy appearance, a popularity with witches, you can get spookier – or can you? The Surinam toad has some pretty creepy features that make it especially eerie. It has an incredibly flat shape, even being mistaken for roadkill, and this allows them to effective easily hide in the ponds of South America. Creepier, however, is the fact that they can store, incubate, and hatch between 60 and 100 eggs. The female’s back is incredibly sticky which allows the eggs to stay in place and the female forms an almost honeycomb-like structure around the eggs to protect them. The young hatch and continue to develop under the mother’s skin before wriggling and pushing through to the outside world. There you have it! We hope you had fun learning about some truly spooky animals in this two-part series. What was your favourite creepy-crawly fact? Let us know in the comments and we hope you have a truly spooktacular Halloween!

Saturday 16th July is World Snake Day, which aims to raise awareness for conservation efforts for snakes all over the world. In celebration, we thought we would bust some common misconceptions about our serpentine sidekicks. With over 3500 different slithery species on earth, there’s plenty to learn! "Snakes are dangerous!" Snakes have been given a bad rep over the years, but most are harmless to humans. Only about 600 species of snake are venomous and even then, only 200 species pose any threat to humans. Most snakes are non-venomous and overpower their prey by constricting or swallowing them whole! Even some venomous snakes like the Krait are too shy and have too short fangs to pose a threat to humans. "All snakes live on land” Think again! Although most snakes do live on land, around 70 species of snakes live underwater – mainly in the Indian and Pacific oceans. They’re (pretty aptly) called sea snakes and there are over 60 different species. They can usually be found in shallow water and coastal areas of warmer climates, enjoying some fish and fish eggs. “All snakes lay eggs” It may seem like they do, but there are a few species that birth live, just like mammals do! This is called ovoviviparous reproduction, which means eggs are incubated and hatched inside the mother. The baby snakes, snakelings, are then birthed and go off to hunt within their first few hours! These include some species of boa and rattlesnake and sea snakes. Most snakes don’t pay attention to their eggs once they have been laid, except for pythons who do incubate their eggs externally. “Snakes are deaf” You may think that because snakes don’t have any external ears, but it’s actually their slithery nature that helps them hear. Snakes don’t have an eardrum like we do, but they do have a rather ingenious way of hearing! As they lay flat on the ground, vibrations from prey and predators travel through the ground and into their jawbone, which is directly connected to their inner ear. So, these vibrations then travel through their jawbone, up into the inner ear, and on into the brain. Pretty sweet right? “Snakes are slimy” They may look slimy but that’s just their smooth, shiny scales! It feels cool and dry to the touch and often confuses those that thought it would be slippery! Scales help them to move around with less friction. Some snakes with a ridge running down each scale, making them feel rougher – they’re keeled scales! Some snakes may even appear completely scale-free, but they still have scales on their belly. The only time a snake may be slimy is just after they’ve hatched and covered in the contents of the egg! “Snakes can only be found in deserts and jungles” Nope! Snakes can be found slithering around all over the globe, in every country except Antarctica, Iceland, Ireland, Greenland, and New Zealand. While it is well known for them to be in warmer climates, different species are able to survive in many different climates - there are even three snake species that live in the British Isles! These are the adder, grass snake, and the smooth snake. Many snakes and their habitats are at risk, hundreds of snake species are on the IUCN Red List listed as endangered and this is typically due to habitat loss from development. So, you can see there's more to snakes than meets the eye! Was there something new here that you learned, or a snake myth you’d like to bust? Let us know in the comments or on our social media, and make sure to celebrate World Snake Day on the 16th July!

Today, we are visiting the biggest country in the world—Russia! With 6,592,800 sq mi of land, there are many habitats and biomes to explore, full of fascinating creatures. Let's learn about some of our favourite Russian animals. Russia is home to the ONLY freshwater seal in the world The Baikal seal is endemic to Lake Baikal! This earless species eats HUGE quantities of golomyanka (another endemic species) every year.  The Queen of the Arctic  Did you know that some inverts thrive in the tundra? The Arctic bumblebee is a key pollinator and the queen of survival. Each year, only the Queen survives winter and her job each spring is to produce a new colony. Meet the largest species of owl in existence.  Found in the dense forests of the Russian Far East, the Blakiston’s fish owl has an impressive 6ft wingspan. Blakiston’s fish owls are an indicator species highlighting a healthy ecosystem. A critically endangered delicacy  Beluga caviar has caused an influx of poaching and overfishing of the beluga sturgeon, the species has declined by 90% over the past 60 years. Fun Fact - Beluga sturgeons are so big that they can grow to the same weight as a beluga whale The Szczerbak's lizard is named after the Soviet herpetologist Mykola Szczerbak Szczerbak was the leading expert on lizards and a well-known zoologist and zoogeographer, traveller and collector, museologist and nature conservationist. He founded the Ukrainian herpetological school and the founding of the modern Zoological Museum in Kiev. A frog with a unique superpower To survive the extreme cold, Siberian wood frogs live for months underwater without oxygen demonstrating extreme hypoxia tolerance. Ducky Daredevils Unlike many other species, Mandarin ducks nest in tree cavities. Before they can fly, ducklings jump from the tree and follow mum to water.  Turn the lights on!   The body of comephorus fish, found in Lake Baikal, is made up of 35% oil. In the past, this was used to light oil lamps. The Centrorian with many names  Testudo horsfieldii has many different common names - Russian tortoise, Afghan tortoise, Central Asian tortoise, four-clawed tortoise, Steppe tortoise or Horsfield tortoise.  This species can live up to 100 in the wild!  95% of the world’s Siberian tiger population is found in Russia’s Far East. Did you know? Tiger stripes are as unique as fingerprints.  Tiger stripes act as disruptive colouration camouflage perfect for hunting prey. While we explore this fantastic country, it is important to remember the effects of the ongoing war against Ukraine and the effect that this has not only on humans but also on animals, both wild and domestic. Russian animals

What is an invert? Invert is short for invertebrate - an animal lacking a backbone, such as an arthropod, mollusc, annelid, coelenterate . Now we know what they are, lets look at how we care for ours. Giant African land snail An at home habitat? Giant African land snails can live together in the same enclosure - this should be a glass fish tank or large storage box with holes, no smaller than 30cm and kept at room temperature. Fill with a deep layer of substrate and plenty of sphagnum moss to keep it damp. Snails love to climb! Tree branches from the outdoors are ideal decorations for your enclosure - ensure you soak them in boiling water to remove any foreign bacteria before adding them to the enclosure. Spray your snail with water twice a day to keep it damp. What should we feed it? Your snail should be fed every couple of days on a diet of appropriate vegetables. They should have constant access to cuttlefish bone which provides calcium for healthy shell growth. Fun Fact! A giant African land snail can lift more than ten times its weight. If it were human, that would equate to someone lifting almost 240 stones! Chilean rose tarantula! An at home habitat? Your tarantula should be kept alone in a faunarium, as it will often try to eat other members of the same species. Place a heat mat to the side of the tank at one end and provide a deep layer of soil for your tarantula to burrow. Provide a hide - a plastic flower pot cut in half is ideal. The tarantula will need a shallow water dish for freshwater. What should we feed it? Your tarantula should be fed once a week on a diet of hoppers and crickets (around half the length of its body in size). Fun Fact! Tarantulas are typically incredibly shy - they are more likely to run away and hide than become aggressive or actively approach you! Indian stick insect  An at home habitat? A number of Indian stick insects can be housed together. An ideal enclosure would be 30cm high with a temperature between 21-24ºC. Stick insects love to climb! Tree branches can be used to enrich the enclosure. Always soak the sticks in boiling water to remove any bacteria before adding them to the enclosure. What should we feed it? Your stick insects should be fed once a week on a diet of bramble, ivy, privet, rose or raspberry leaves. It is important that the leaves have no pesticides on them. All the leaves must be washed with fresh water before placing them in the stick insect enclosure. Fun Fact!  If a young stick insect loses a leg, it is sometimes able to grow a new leg. This process is called regeneration

In this series, we will be answering some of the most common questions asked about our animal team. This month, we are looking at snails! Where are giant African land snails from? Originally, East Africa! However, giant African land snail's are highly invasive and have been accidentally or deliberately introduced in every continent except Antarctica. What is a giant African land snail's habitat in the wild? Forest floors, farms, coastal regions, urban areas and wetland. What should I feed a giant African land snail? Your snail should be fed every couple of days on a diet of cucumber, lettuce, peppers, pear, apple, carrot, spinach and plum. The occasional cuttlefish bone will also provide calcium. What is the size of a giant African land snail? Normally about 20cm but can grow as large as 40cm. Is a giant African land snail a mammal? No, snails are part of a family of invertebrate called mollusca! Snails and slugs fall under the class g astropoda. Gastropods are one of the few groups that successfully inhabitant land, sea and fresh water. What is a giant African land snail lifespan? Average: 5-10 years but can live up to 20. Are garden snails nocturnal? Yes, land snails are nocturnal. However, most will come out when it is raining as snails need moisture to survive. Do giant African land snails hibernate? In the wild, land snails hibernate or aestivation when the environment is no longer suitable (i.e when the weather is too cold or too hot). If your pet land snails starts to hibernate, check the temperature and humidity. When do giant African land snails lay eggs? Around 6 months' old . Giant African land snails can lay 200 eggs! Baby snails are born with a soft shell. Are African land snails hermaphrodites? Snails are both male and female and are called HERMAPHRODITES. They are capable of producing both eggs and sperm.

What is enrichment? Enrichment is a key aspect of pet ownership - it is just as important as correct nutrition and veterinary care. We need to make sure that we meet all our animals’ exercise and behavioural needs; such as digging, hiding, social contact, foraging and gnawing. Without enrichment, stereotypical behaviours (eg. pacing, rocking and excessive grooming) can manifest, animals may feel stressed, and acts of aggression towards humans can occur (Poole, 1998; Baumans, 2005). The main aim of enrichment is to allow animals to exhibit a wide variety of behaviours. In the wild, an animal’s environment is constantly changing, but we must simulate this change in captivity (Wells, 2009). Therefore, having knowledge and understanding of an animal’s natural behaviours is necessary to be able to make an appropriate environment in captivity (Baumans, 2007). Animals should feel safe and secure in an environment that is complex and challenging, but one that they can control (Baumans, 2005). Here are some of our Ranger's favourite enrichment tips and tricks to improve your pet’s welfare, no matter the species. Invertebrates Invertebrates may not be as intelligent as mammals, for example, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t require some form of enrichment. They can enjoy activities such as digging, hiding and burrowing; there are multiple ways that you can meet these needs. Invertebrates enjoy having a variety of hides across the length of their enclosure so that they can control their temperature (one end of the enclosure has a heat mat). Fake plants can give them something to explore and I’ve even seen my scorpion sitting on top of the plants (pictured left)! Providing a good depth of bedding can also be important. Some invertebrates, such as my salmon pink tarantula, fancy themselves as a landscape architect and will move their soil around (see top photo). Another way to enrich your invertebrate’s life is to feed them different prey items. Reptiles Many species of reptile enjoy exploring different hides, sticks and plants. You can also provide a variety of textures through bedding, rocks and bark. One way to avoid purchasing new enrichment is to cycle items or to rearrange them. This makes the environment different and gives them something to explore. However, it is worth leaving a couple of items in the same place and washing them at a later date so that the environment doesn’t feel completely different to your reptile, preventing any stress. Many reptiles require a humid hide to aid with the shedding process, preventing stuck shed. Some animals enjoy having a dip in their water bowl so it may be worth having a large, deep water bowl to allow them to do this. In the wild, corn snakes often burrow. An easy way to encourage this behaviour is to provide mounds of bedding so that they can tunnel and climb over it. It may be difficult to find them if needed but they enjoy it! Bonus points if you can spot Snoopy below. Mammals Mammals are particularly susceptible to becoming frustrated with their environment due to their intelligence. Many rodents divide their environment into designated areas for toileting, resting and feeding, allowing them to control their environment (Baumans, 2007). We can facilitate these divisions by providing items such as litter trays, shelters, nesting material, tubes and platforms. Nesting material doesn’t have to be expensive. A shredded newspaper can keep the busiest of rats occupied for days and offers a functional form of enrichment! Providing animals with means of exercise is also important. This can be through secure free-roam time or active layouts using ropes, small ledges, or even a wheel. Care must be taken with wheels to ensure that they are large enough so that the animal’s spine isn’t arched while running. Be sure to check sizing before purchase as many wheels sold at pet shops are not big enough (even though they are often marketed as suitable)! Exercise balls are not the best tool to use as they can be very stressful to your rodent. The ball deprives them of their key senses (mainly touch and smell) and does not allow them access to food and water when needed. Stimulating each of the senses is a vital way of providing enrichment and this is especially impactful when focusing on the dominant senses (Wells, 2009). This can be done through natural (eg. digging) and non-natural (eg. music) means. Dig boxes can come in a variety of sizes and be very beneficial. A simple way to provide a dig box is to hook a shower storage box onto the side of the cage, where dried fruit and mealworms can be hidden in coco soil. Providing ropes and ledges encourages an active layout, where the animals have to climb and balance to get to different parts of the cage. We can also provide different food items for our animals. Standard nuggets are advertised as a way to prevent animals from picking out the best bits, but they’re incredibly boring after a while! Mixes allow you to choose a diet for your animal that is balanced, well-sourced and varied. You can feed balanced mixes then have a ‘starve evening’ before clean outs to encourage animals to eat what they have left behind. Seasonal fresh food can be a fun way to involve your animals in holidays! Sometimes we need to cater enrichment to our animals’ needs. For example, Hetty the hedgehog has problems with her hind legs so cannot run on a wheel or easily dig like other animals. Instead, she enjoys the occasional roll in sand baths while supervised. References: Baumans, V., 2005. Environmental Enrichment for Laboratory Rodents and Rabbits: Requirements of Rodents, Rabbits, and Research. ILAR Journal. 46, 162–170. Baumans, V., 2007. The welfare of laboratory mice. The Welfare of Laboratory Animals. 2, 119–152. Poole, T.B., 1998. Meeting a mammal's psychological needs: Basic principles. Second nature: Environmental enrichment for captive animals. 83-94. Wells, D.L., 2009. Sensory stimulation as environmental enrichment for captive animals: A review. Applied Animal Behaviour Science. 118, 1–11.