With January now behind us, the team at BCA Zoo have been hard at work, with plenty of exciting updates from across the site.
One of our most heart-warming pieces of news comes from our Goeldi’s monkey family. The baby, born at the end of July, was recently sexed and health-checked and has officially been confirmed as a boy. He has been named Comote, which is Spanish for sweet potato – his absolute favourite treat! The whole family are doing well, and Comote continues to delight staff and visitors alike.
We’ve also welcomed a new arrival from Whipsnade Zoo. A new porcupine has joined us and will soon become a companion for our current resident, Denzil. The newcomer is currently settling into quarantine, and later this month the animal care team will begin the careful process of introducing the two porcupines to each other.
Inside the Ecto building, visitors may spot a striking new resident. A new chameleon has joined the collection and is already proving to be a firm favourite with staff thanks to his impressive colours and calm nature.
February half-term is also shaping up to be an extremely busy period at the Zoo. All Meerkat Encounters, Junior Animal Academy, and Zookeeper Experience dates have sold out in a very short space of time – a huge thank you for your continued support. We were also delighted to welcome over 330 visitors to our most recent Family Zoo Day in December. The next Family Zoo Day will be taking place on Saturday 7 March, and we’re looking forward to another fantastic event. Click here to book your place.
Beyond the animal enclosures, students across the college have been getting involved in important conservation and sustainability efforts. Litter-picking activities have been taking place around the site, helping to keep the grounds clean while reinforcing the importance of environmental responsibility.
It’s been a productive and positive start to 2026 at BCA Zoo, and we’re looking forward to sharing more updates as the months go on.