Wren’s den is a wheely good idea!
Tuesday 8 August 2006
Whipsnade veterinary nurse Emma Maddocks was surprised to find “patients” of a very different kind nesting in the wheel of her Land Rover recently.
A female wren had used the wheel arch as the perfect place for a nesting site. The vehicle is used by Whipsnade’s veterinary team to go about their duties in the animal enclosures on the park’s 600 acre site.
Veterinary nurse Emma Maddocks said: “We noticed the wren frequently hanging about the Land Rover while it was parked in the hospital yard and thought it a little unusual.
“We investigated and found she’d made a nest under one of the wheel arches – with her chicks inside. It was a surprise, but at least we’re used to coping with all sorts of incidents here.”
The chicks proved a hardy bunch and all four were watched until they safely left the nest. Mum was spotted rounding them all up, ensuring she can carry on feeding them while the fledglings perfect their flying skills.
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Notes to editors
- ZSL’s vet team provide both clinical and pathology facilities for London Zoo and Whipsnade Wildlife Park. The team now includes four vets, five vet nurses, a pathologist, a microbiologist, a technician and an administrator.
- To promote good health, Veterinary Services operates a detailed programme of preventative medicine, performing health checks regularly to catch any potential disorders early and working closely with the zoo’s nutritionist to provide the animals with a healthy diet.
- Founded in 1826, the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) is an international scientific, conservation and educational charity: our key role is the conservation of animals and their habitats. ZSL runs London Zoo and Whipsnade Wild Animal Park, carries out scientific research in the Institute of Zoology and is actively involved in field conservation in other countries worldwide. For further information please visit www.zsl.org
Press Contact
Christine Drabwell
01582 871 303
christine.drabwell@zsl.org
