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More New ArrivalsAs hinted at in the last newsletter featuring our elephant calf, we had another trick up our sleeves. On the 16th July we played our hand and three delightful cheetah cubs made their public debut. Having been micro chipped, wormed and vaccinated and acclimatised to the sights and sounds of the outside world in a secluded compound, they came out into the reserve properly under the watchful eye of 7 year old ‘Epezi’, their mother. The female ‘Chloe’, is a little aloof and stays closer to her mother than her brothers ‘Cody’ and ‘Cairo’, who are more adventurous; this mirrors life in the wild where the boys tend to stick together long into later life. This represents another ‘first’ for the park as we’ve never even come close to breeding this species before. Meanwhile ‘Sutton’ is growing rapidly, feeding on solid food having learnt how to manipulate his trunk and enjoys playing in his splash pool on hot days. He sleeps like a log on his mattress of hay every night.Our new Elds deer are now out of quarantine. Although two of them remain rather shy the others are settling down along side our latest camel calf and Formosan sika deer fawns in the Eurasian reserve. Staff have been keeping all night vigils in the African reserve to monitor events in our rhinos; the two youngest females are being mated, which bodes well for the future. And yes, in a month or so there’s another surprise in the offing!Bob Lawrence - Director of Wildlife, WMSP

WEST MIDLAND SAFARI PARKDY12 1LF01299 402114www.wmsp.co.uk

RHYL SEAQUARIUMLL18 3AF01745 344660www.seaquarium.co.uk

WESTON SEAQUARIUMBS23 1BE01934 613361www.seaquarium.co.uk

Addax calf

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SEAFARITIMESWMSP, Rhyl SeaQ and Weston SeaQ Staff Newsletter!! July 2014 Issue No. 32

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Reptile Quest to Timor-Leste:15. Here be Dragons!I have just arrived in Dili, Timor-Leste, and tomorrow we embark on a local boat , to journey to Ataúro Island, some 14 miles north, to begin the fieldwork for Phase IX of this long-running reptile and amphibian survey. There are no amphibians on Ataúro, we know that from our several previous visits to the island, but we have already found some interesting reptiles there, including several new species of geckos and a water monitor lizard. However on this short four-day visit we would like to find the spitting cobra we suspect might also live there. Once we return to Dili we will pick up our two troop carriers and drive through Indonesian West Timor, to the Timor-Leste exclave known as Oecusse. This is a poorly known district, barely visited even by the few visitors who come to the country, and we have only been there once before, back in 2010, ironically during the last World Cup.But let me tell you where we have been since I left England in late June. We made stops in Malaysia and in Indonesia, on Bali and Flores, but the most exciting place we visited was of course the Komodo Islands. Out of our team (seven Americans and myself) I am the only one to have been there before – I filmed the second series of O’Shea’s Big Adventure for Animal Planet and Channel 4 on Komodo in 2001. We visited Rinca Is. in the Komodo Islands, always an exciting venue, and this trip was no exception because we found several Komodo dragons (Varanus komodoensis) including a copulating pair (pictured). There is something very Jurassic Park about watching one of these large lizards wander out of the bush and across the mudflats to flop down lazily beside the mangrove swamp.We also managed to find signs of all three dangerous front-fanged venomous snakes. We found the sloughed skin of an Indonesian spitting cobra (Naja sputatrix), and a juvenile Island pitviper (Trimeresurus insularis) very similar to the specimen we have at WMSP. I caught specimens of both these species back in 2001 although the pitviper then was not green but cyan in colour. But for me this time, the best find was a very noisy and very aggressive Russell’s viper (Daboia siamensis), the most dangerous snake in the region. Yes it is fair to say Komodo is always exciting.You can follow the Phase IX Expedition Field Notes blog here: http://www.markoshea.info/home_fieldblog_index.php Or catch up with the previous eight phases of the project completed here http://www.markoshea.info/timor.php Mark O’Shea - Consultant Curator of Reptiles, WMSP

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A pair of copulating Komodo dragons (Varanus komodoensis) on Rinca Is. in the Komodo Islands.

An aggressive Southeast Asian Russell’s viper (Daboia siamensis) on Rinca Is. in the Komodo Islands

Latest Amazing Images from ORCOngava Research Centre’s ongoing observations of fauna and flora large and small continues to surprise us!The latest images posted by Ken Stratford, Research Director of ORC, include the tiny 50cm tall dik-dik - the smallest buck to be found in Ongava, a rather grumpy looking dishevelled lion cub spotted just after his first kill, and a strange looking alien! Ok we admit, not an alien, just some unfortunate member of staff having to service the camera trap at 2am on a cold morning, following a whole evening of watching the waterhole in mid-winter!

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SeaQ Weston Supports Sea-changers CharitySeaQuarium Weston is proud to announce that it will be working with a different charity every month, helping support marine conservation. July’s charity, Sea-Changers, is a charity with the mission of raising thousands of pounds for marine conservation charities primarily in the UK.SeaQuarium is supporting Sea-Changers by helping to raise awareness of the work of the charity in SeaQuarium’s ‘Dr. Cod’s Learning Zone.’The oceans provide food, transportation, oxygen for us to breath and of course are the medium for the water sports we enjoy. Over 90% of the Earth's plants and animals live in and depend on the seas and oceans, from the tiniest plankton to the mighty blue whales.More than 2½ billion people in the world depend on fish for at least 20 percent of the protein they consume, and more than 200 million jobs are related to fisheries. Water temperatures are rising and becoming more acidic due to global warming, causing coral reefs and marine life to die, affecting the whole food chain. Put simply: the seas and oceans and the life within them are running out of time; and this is a major issue not just for marine species but for humanity.David McCubbin - Attraction Manager, SeaQ Weston

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M a k i n g L i g h t Work for RhinosIt might be mid-summer but West Midland Safari Park is already looking towards the dark nights and to alternative ways of keeping their Indian Rhino House light and bright for their trio of exotic Indian Rhino. Therefore, the Parks’ ‘Green Team’ stepped in and suggested that solar panels be fitted to the facility as part of their commitment to using renewable energy sources to help keep the lights on.The building has just the right credentials – a south facing roof, with little or no shade.Katie McDonald, Research Officer for West Midland Safari, said, “The first solar panels were fitted at the Park on 26th June 2014 by a local Kidderminster firm – Eco2Solar. The panels came with a metering system so the exact amount of electricity being generated can be recorded. It is estimated that the panels should provide over half of the electricity the house currently uses. During the next few months, the team will be monitoring the new system closely to see if combining the panels with an efficiency drive, we can get the Indian Rhino House self sufficient for electrical energy within 12 months. Whilst only a small step, this is a significant start to the move into generating some of our own power and just part of the Parks’ drive to minimize waste and reduce the environmental impact of our activities”.Ryan Mee, Director for Eco2Solar, said, “We were delighted when the Safari Park approached us to discuss ways in which we could help them reduce carbon and the electricity consumption for the new Indian Rhino House. The solar panels will generate over 50% of the electricity that the Rhino House needs per year, whilst also saving nearly 2 tonnes per annum of Co2 in the process. The panels need very little maintenance and will continue to generate an income and free electricity to the Rhino House for the next 20 years. As a local company we have conducted hundreds of installations in the West Midlands but this was our very first Safari Park!”The state of the art Indian rhino house cost £500,000 when it was completed four years ago. The building, which features central

heating, rubber lined floors, a deep litter of bark for sleeping and a heated indoor pool to allow the rhino to wallow, is considered to be one of the best Rhino facilities in the UK. It is home to three Indian Rhino – ‘Sophie’ (aged 9 years) and the male ‘Rap’ (6 years) who arrived at the Park in 2010 during a dark winter of heavy snow and sub-zero temperatures. Another female ‘Sunanda’ (2.5years) arrived last December to complete the trio.Renowned for their ‘armoured’ and prehistoric appearance, Indian Rhino – or otherwise known as the Greater One Horned Indian Rhino - are placid animals that live up to 50 years and originate from the Nepalese region of the Chitwan Valley National Park and India’s Kaziranga National Park.Wendy Jackson - Public Relations Officer, WMSP

SEAFARITIMES July 2014

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Wanted 16-18 year old apprenticesGet in touch as a matter of urgency if you would like to do an apprenticeship, or if

you would like to recommend a member of staff for one.

Neil James, Training & Development Manager

neil.james@wmsp.co.uk

New BeginningsWe would like to introduce a familiar face into the department as Rebecca Long has been appointed Admissions Deputy Manager. Rebecca has previously been the Retail and Admissions Administrator and has shown how hardworking she is and that she is an asset to the team.We would like to re-welcome her into the team and hope that you all do the same!Also in June, myself and Sue attended the Group Tourism Organisers Association Awards Evening in London, the event was held at the Prestigious Park Plaza based on the River Bank overlooking the Thames. The Park was entered into the Award for the Best Animal or Sealife Attraction of the Year. The Park came runner up in this award which is a great achievement. We would like to thank all staff for ensuring that customer service is kept to a high standard.

Charlotte Calton - Admissions Manager, WMSP

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A Busy Month for EventsJuly is a very busy month for the events team with events taking place in all of our venues ranging from weddings, private dinners and lunches, fun days and proms. We have held eight proms in just over two weeks and it has been really lovely to see all the students making such an effort. We have had all types of transport, from fire engines, a ghost busters van, limousines, ice cream vans and we even had a horse and carriage.Thank you to all the staff that worked, we have received some great feedback and many schools have rebooked for next year.Donna Howells - Events Manager, WMSP

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Ready for a hot SummerHere are a few pointers to help you cope with this delightful summer weather we are experiencing!• If you are out in the sun, wear your

hat and suncream• Drink lots and lots of water (fizzy pop

isn't great for keeping you hydrated).• Keep your shirt tucked in... FACT:

There is no scientific evidence to categorically prove you will actually be cooler with it hanging out, and you look a mess...

• Tee-Shirt sun tans are in fashion, and millions of Leisure Industry employees worldwide have them just to prove it.... It’s like a tattoo (until winter, then it falls off).

• If you are attending BBQ's out of work hours, please make sure the chef knows what they are doing and your food is cooked properly.

• Drink in moderation (hot weather and alcohol don't mix), be sensible and be sociable.

• Be mindful of hot working and dry areas of ground... Fire is a real risk during this hot weather so be vigilant

• It is never too hot in the UK... In the Middle East it is over 40 degrees C and they still manage to operate.

• Enjoy the summer, enjoy your work and have a great time, entertaining our guests and making it memorable for them.

Neil James, Training and Development Manager

SEAFARITIMES July 2014

WMSP Wildlife Photography CompetitionThere are some amazing prizes to be won in this year’s Wildlife Photography Competition. Throughout August, fans of our Facebook page can post a picture on our wall with the chance of their photo being published in our Safari Calendar 2015.Twelve winners will be selected in total and the top three will win the following:1st Place: The overall winner, whose photo is chosen for the front cover, will receive and iPad Air!2nd Place: 4 all inclusive tickets to our F i rework Fes t iva l on Sunday 9 th November.3rd Place: 4 tickets to our Spooky Spectacular event in October.Plus all 12 winners will receive a copy of the Safari Calendar 2015, when it is hot off the press!All guests need to do to enter, is post their picture onto our Facebook wall during August 2014 and tell us what they enjoyed most

about their visit. They need to start their post or caption with “I love West Midland Safari Park because...” There are a few terms and conditions, such as the photo must be taken at the Park, it must be posted on our page between 1st and 31st August 2014 and it must have the specified caption.Unfortunately the overall prize is not open to members of Park staff or their family, but we would love you all to encourage guests to take pictures and enter our competition!

“Keep your shirt tucked in... FACT:

There is no scientific evidence

to categorically prove you will

actually be cooler with it hanging out,

and you look a mess...”

Move Day for the ArcadeHere within the Arcade Department we are have been looking forward to ‘Move Day’.On Tuesday 1st July we welcomed in five new arcade machines from Sega. These include Milk Jug Toss, a four-player Sonic Air Hockey table, and the increasingly popular game app Doodle Jump.We hope the addition of these machines to the others we already have on site, will continue to make the guest experience in the Adventure Theme Park an enjoyable one, especially on those damp days when people are looking for somewhere to shelter.Andy Hunt - Games and Arcade Manager, WMSP

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Late Night Opening is here!1st - 31st August West Midland Safari Park will once again be open late every evening throughout August 2014 for our "SUMMER NIGHTS" event.This is a marvelous opportunity for guests to visit during the long school holidays, when they will have the chance to go on the amazing four mile evening safari and see some of our brilliant animals from cheetah to tigers and elephants to giraffe! As usual admission also includes the Discovery Trail, with its great all weather facilities that include; Penguin Cove, Creepy Crawlies, SeaQuarium, Twilight Cave, Mark O'Shea's Reptile World , Sea Lion Show, African Village, Meerkat Mayhem, Lemur Woods and Hippo Lakes.In addition, the Adventure Theme Park will be open late, and there will be Summer Nights craft activities in the Discovery Room 4pm-7pm daily.Throughout Summer Nights last admission will be 7pm, and Park will close at 9pm. Make sure you know the opening and closing times of all the different areas by reading the info on your department noticeboard. Also, don’t forget to check the rotas to see which evenings you may be working.Summer Nights is a great opportunity for guests to fit in all we have to offer on a long summer’s day. Enjoy the weather, enjoy being busy and enjoy being part of the WMSP team this summer!

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Love Lions Week4th - 10th August

Every one at the Park knows that last year the tawny lion reserve got a makeover. This year, visitors will have the special opportunity to see an early morning carcass feed in the reserve to raise money for ALERT (The African Lion Environmental Research Trust). ALERT is the charity the Carnivore Section has chosen to champion in 2014. ALERT works with communities and policy makers to implement locally conceived and relevant solutions that create sustainable motivation to conserve lions. The most recent assessment of lion numbers suggests they have dropped to as low as 32,000. Estimates for the numbers of lions in the 1970’s were around 200,000 so it appears numbers have dropped by at least 80%. The amount of lion suitable habitat has also reduced significantly over this period.Lions, like all top predators, are a good indicator species because they only flourish if the species below them in the food chain are also flourishing - a healthy population of lions is a sign of a healthy, functional ecosystem.Threats to the survival of the lion include: Loss of habitat and natural prey, conflict with humans and livestock, unsustainable trophy hunting and trade in lion parts, disease and inbreeding depression.WMSP has chosen to work with ALERT on a specific project: to mitigate incidents of lion-human conflict in the Hwange Communal Lands of Zimbabwe. ‘Currently lion predation of livestock is a major problem and lions are routinely killed in retaliation. The solution we are looking at is ridiculously straightforward and very economical. A flashing light system rigged up around the perimeter of a livestock boma gives the impression of someone patrolling the area with a torch. The lions are deterred from approaching, the livestock is protected, community tolerance of lions is increased and retaliatory killings are decreased for the benefit of species conservation.’Helen Rennie, Development Co-ordinator (ALERT)In the three farms where the system has been trialled there have been no lion attacks since. ALERT are now trying to install systems in at

least twenty more farms which will increase the test base to a reliable number. The ultimate goal is to validate the initiative as a viable way to reduce lion livestock predation across Africa. There are various elements to the project but we are aiming to fund the flashlights themselves at a cost of around only £120 per system. So hopefully if we do as well as we did in the previous two conservation weeks and raise at least £700, WMSP should be able to make a significant difference.Find out more on the ALERT website and the WMSP F a c e b o o k p a g e . www.lionalert.orgKatie McDonald - Research and Conservation Officer, WMSP

Imagine Africa without lions? Neither can we Since 1975, the African lion population has decreased by an estimated 80 to 90% and numbers continue to fall. If we do not take action now, we could soon lose the King of Beasts

HELP US TO HELP AFRICA’S  LIONS donate today @ www.lionalert.org

There will be extra activities from the 4th-10th August celebrating lions and helping their conservation!

What’s on during Love Lions

- Discovery Room open 12pm-3pm daily (in addition to Summer Nights Crafts 4pm-7pm!) - with lion arts and crafts and info on ALERT.

- Raffle tickets on sale to win a VIP Lion Cage Experience.

- ‘Guess the weight of the pride’ competition with a chance to win a VIP Lion House Experience.

- Lion face painting.- Carnivore Keeper Huw

will be dressing up as a lion in the height of summer! Sponsor him by visiting www.justgiving.com/LoveLions.

- Special pre-opening VIP carcass feed tours available for guests to pre-book. For details see our website or Facebook page. www.wmsp.co.uk/facebook.

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SeaQs Celebrate Summer Pirate Style!Ahoy, me hearties! Pirate Month has arrived at the SeaQuariums (1st-31st August). For the whole month, staff will be setting the scene as they swap their normal uniforms for pirate outfits with swords, bandanas and even painting on eye patches!There will also be themed shows, talks and craft as well as a Pirate Treasure Trail where guests have to find the missing goblets that are hidden in tanks and around the aquariums.SeaQuarium Weston’s Attraction Manager David McCubbin said: ‘We had a Pirate Week in 2013 that went really well and it seemed like a great opportunity for this year to do an extended event. The Pirate theme really suits the SeaQ’s and I know that it will not only look great, but it will offer guests some extra fun and activities!’

Staff Pirate CompetitionSo in celebration of Pirate Month we have a competition for you to test how well you know your Pirates!

Pirate Month Competition Question: Why do Pirates wear eye patches?If you know the answer then e-mail competitions@wmsp.co.uk with your name, department and answer before 15th August. The prize for the winner will be a Pirate Goody Bag!

How to bring out your inner Pirate...The SeaQ staff have been brushing up on their Pirate acting and we have these top tips and phrases for anyone wanting to bring out their inner Pirate:# * Make sure you growl and scowl often# * Gesture with your hands when talking and over exaggerate when telling stories# * Slur your words# * Don’t just talk- either mutter or yell!# * Learn the lingo# # * Ahoy, matey!# # * Shiver me timbers!# # * Avast lad/lassie# # * Davy Jones’ Locker# # * Fair winds bucko!# # * Dead men tell no tales# * And the golden rule, if in doubt just say ‘ARRRRR!’Gemma Southall - Events Assistant, WMSP

PIRATE JOKES

Q- Why didn't the pirate get hungry on the desert island?A- Because of the sand-which is there!

Q- Why couldn't the pirate play cards?A- Because he was standing on the deck!

Q- Why are pirates great singers?A- They can hit the high C’s!

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May Employees of the MonthCongratulations to Paul Phipps (Park Services), Lyndsey Kirby (Admissions), Nick Hyde (Retail), Clare Ashley (Games), Tony Adams (Maintenance), Kirk Tudor and Martin Montague (Wildlife), Dani Smith (Food & Beverages), Demi Wright (Events) and Rachel Sellings (Leisure).

The WMSP Learning Department are responsible for putting together the staff newsletter, so if you have any articles, photos, comments or suggestions for it, please do let us know. We’d love to hear from you!

COMING UP...@ WMSPSummer Nights - Fri 1st - Sun 31st AugustLate night opening throughout August with arts and crafts in the classroom 4-7pm.Love Lions Week - Mon 4th - Sun 10th AugustA week of celebrating lions, whilst raising money for lions out in the wild at the same time. There will be face-painting, arts and crafts, competitions and even a VIP lion experience!Bavarian Evenings - Sat 6th Sep - Fri 24th OctoberA fun-filled evening with a Bavarian Oompah band and Bavarian buffet feast. Only on Saturday 6th September, Fri 10th and Fri 10th, Sat 11th and Fri 24th of October.Love Elephants Week - Mon 15th - Sun 21st September A week of celebrating the largest land mammal whilst raising funds for the Tusk Trust too.Firework Festival - Sat 8th and Sun 9th NovemberSpectacular bonfire and fireworks, late night rides, safari illuminations and themed music.

@ SeaQ RhylWhale and Dolphin Watch Week - Sat 26th Jul - Sun 3rd AugustGuests can visit the Sea Watch Stand, where they can find out about the animals that visit our waters each year. In association with the Sea Watch Foundation. Pirate Month - Fri 1st - Sun 31st AugustA month o’ ruckas, hoots and tales of the sea as SeaQuarium is taken over by a band of pirates!

@ SeaQ WestonPirate Month - Fri 1st - Sun 31st AugustA month o’ ruckas, hoots and tales of the sea as SeaQuarium is taken over by a band of pirates!

Vacancies...There are no vacancies at present across all three sites, but check next month’s newsletter and the websites for any updates:www.wmsp.co.uk/jobswww.seaquarium.co.uk/rhyl-home-careerswww.seaquarium.co.uk/weston-home-careers

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Do you have Star Quality?The Employee of the Month scheme is changing! From now on there will be a new and exciting scheme where you may be nominated as a Safari or SeaQuarium Star by any Manager, Deputy or Supervisor whether they are in your department or not! So if you go above and beyond, you may be nominated, your star card will go into a Star box, all nominations will be listed in the monthly Seafari Times and every month five nominees will be pulled out of the draw to win tickets to another attraction or special event.The more times you are seen going above and beyond and showing star quality, the more nominations you may get. Good luck!