Editor's Review - Linton Zoo

Situated along B1052 (Hadstock Road) just off A1307. Leave M11 at J 10 from North

Tel: 01223 891308

If you are looking for somewhere local and fun, for a family afternoon out, then Linton Zoo is just the place! The emphasis here is on conservation and education, whilst providing a fun day out, making it ideal for school as well
as family outings.

This summer they have arranged a schedule of activities and events for the weekends and school holidays as part of their commitment to environmental education. A Furry Friends Children’s Encounter gives young children the opportunity to meet Flopsy the rabbit and her friend Fudge the guinea-pig. If you’re thinking of having a pet rabbit or guinea-pig, this is your chance to pick the brains of the experts. You can meet the Tapir family and find out all about these interesting rainforest mammals for their keeper or meet Becky the Barn Owl. There is a very exciting interactive session with some of the smaller creatures in the zoo - ie tarantula spiders, giant millipedes, giant land snails, stick insects, hissing cockroaches and Percy the Royal python. If would particularly like to be at one of these events, it is advisable to phone first to check availability and times.

The zoo is well laid out with plenty of space for pushchairs whilst being small enough for a young child/toddler to walk around without tiring too much. There are two covered picnic areas as well as a cafeteria, with indoor and outdoor seating.

As a breeding centre, you can virtually guarantee finding babies of some animal around. We visited during the Easter holidays to see the three tiger cubs that were born last July. They were causing a great deal of excitement with their mischievous antics as they romped together in their enclosure, although their mum, Deja, seemed to be managing to stay amazingly calm in the midst of it all. The next babies to arrive were a pair of Cotton-top tamarin twins, born to proud parents, Bert and Dolly, in October last year. The Cotton-top tamarin is only found in the forests of Colombia where its numbers are in decline due to loss of habitat. The captive breeding programme of which Bert and Dolly are a part, will hopefully ensure the future for these lovely monkeys. The youngsters will eventually move to other zoos to help form further family breeding groups. Finally the latest young arrival is Tela, a Brazilian Tapir calf who was born in March this year.

The zoo is about 20 minutes by car from Cambridge. Open 7 days a week from 10am to 6pm (or dusk if earlier) It’s easy to reach, situated off the A1307 at Linton, just 10 miles south east of Cambridge. The Stagecoach bus service, number 113, from Cambridge Drummer Street to Haverhill, stops just 10 minutes walk from the zoo. Ask for Linton Police Station stop, then follow the brown and white zoo signs. Call 01223 423578 for timetable information.

Summer 2005