Chester Zoo

Hidden cameras reveal what hedgehogs really get up to after dark bbc.in/4jOREbT

The UK has lost half of it's hedgehogs in the last 20 years, so here's 3 simple things you can do to make your garden a hedgehog haven 👇   🏡 Create a cosy hideout  – piles of leaves, logs, or a hedgehog house give them a safe spot to rest 🪏 Make a hedgehog highway – leave a small gap (13x13cm) in fences so they can roam between gardens 🌿 Check before you mow or strim – give hedgehogs a chance to escape; they love hidden corners!   Small actions. Big impact for our spiky friends 💚

We’ve carried out the UK’s biggest EVER hedgehog study! Special night cameras captured rare, behind-the-scenes moments of hedgehog life 🦔   Working with Nottingham Trent University, our researchers found hedgehogs in over HALF of the 415 gardens studied - showing just how crucial our gardens are for this threatened species 💚

Brightening your feed with animal cuddles 🥹❤️

The ONLY Goodfellow’s tree kangaroo joey in the UK! 🪾🦘 Kitawa’s new arrival is one of the rarest animals you’ll ever see… and one of just two joeys in the whole of Europe.  Very little is known about these super rare marsupials, so our experts inserted tiny endoscopic cameras into Kitawa’s pouch to confirm the pregnancy and carefully monitor the joey’s development. The footage will now be used to help prevent the extinction of this incredible species 🌍

The pitter patter of tiny Goodfellow's tree kangaroo feet can be heard at Chester Zoo, as mom Kitawa and dad Kayjo welcome a new arrival. This little joey marks only the second time experts have managed to breed the endangered species at a conservation zoo. After spending months developing inside its mother's pouch, the joey is now taking time to explore its environment. In the wild this species is found in Papua New Guinea, with populations declining due to habitat loss and hunting. This makes this tiny new arrival even more special. Video Credit: @chesterzoo

Amazing "pouch cam" images capture a rare glimpse into the hidden world of a baby kangaroo after he was born the same size as a jelly bean at a UK zoo dailyrecord.co.uk/news/gallery/r…

Rare tree kangaroo birth 'major step for survival' bbc.in/4jHMj6f

Rare baby tree kangaroo emerges from mother's pouch for the first time at Chester Zoo itv.com/news/granada/2…

A rare Goodfellow’s tree kangaroo joey has emerged from mum Kitawa's pouch for the very first time! Our experts used tiny endoscopic cameras to confirm Kitawa’s pregnancy and carefully monitor her joey’s development over several months. This incredible footage will now provide valuable insight to global efforts preventing the extinction of this magnificent species 🌎 Read the full story👇 chesterzoo.org/news/a-rare-tr…

From jelly bean 🫘 => joey 🌳🦘 Kitawa's baby is THE best thing we've seen all year 🤭

@Ooga_Chaka79 Hi Phil - It is indeed! If you pop a message to our team at guest.services@chesterzoo.org they'll be able to get this sent across to you in time for birthday celebrations! Thanks so much, CZ

@chesterzoo Hi - is it possible to buy a ticket to the zoo as a gift card (or equivalent) forna birthday? If possble, how can this be done and can they be sent electronically? Thanks

🎉WE DID IT! WE BROKE THE RECORD🎉 More than 2.1 MILLION of you visited Chester Zoo in 2025, breaking every attendance record since we first opened our gates back in 1931. This year, your visits helped us to: 🦒 Open the UK’s largest-ever zoo habitat, Heart of Africa 🐾 Celebrate the birth our first snow leopard cub, Bheri 🛖 Launch The Reserve, our new conservation-led hotel where income funds conservation projects 🧬 Develop a the world’s first vaccine to protect elephants from the deadly EEHV virus 🐣 Hatch Socorro dove chicks — a species extinct in the wild for more than 40 years 🦁Welcome Asian elephants, Asiatic lions and Northeast African cheetahs, all helping safeguard their species from extinction 🦎 Breed a record number of critically endangered Bermudian skinks and Montseny brook newts Every visit made a real difference 🌍 Thanks a million (or two!) 💚

@LeeHarman5 This is amazing to hear, Lee! We're so glad you all had an amazing time at The Reserve🦒

Amazing day @chesterzoo & The Reserve. Heart of Africa before opening. Behind the scenes in the Giraffes. Night tour of Heart of Africa after closing. Great food at the restaurant. Campfire stories with the Rangers. In lodge overlooking Savannah with animals. All staff brilliant!

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas from all of us at Chester Zoo!🎄   Thank you for an incredible year - your love and support has helped us continue to prevent extinction and protect amazing wildlife. Here’s to 2026! ❤️

A year we’ll never forget ❤️

From the tiniest arrivals to some very loved new faces… 2025 was full of new life, countless special moments, and one very big baby boom ✨

Meet Bonita and Remi 👇 At 16 years old, Bonita is a devoted mum who’s spent her whole life by her son Remi’s side - and she’ll continue to do so as they settle into their new home here 🐆   Now 11, Remi is a true fighter. In 2019, he underwent surgery to remove a lump from his head following a diagnosis of hemangiosarcoma, an aggressive form of cancer, making his continued good health today all the more extraordinary ❤️   We’re really proud to play a part in this next chapter of their lives 🫶

🚨 Update: £1 Christmas tickets are now SOLD OUT 🚨 We’ve been completely blown away by the response to our £1 Christmas ticket scheme. In less than 24 hours, all 50,000 tickets have now been booked and are fully sold out. Thank you to everyone who shared, supported and booked - it means so much to see our Community Connections Scheme helping so many families make festive memories together this Christmas. 🎄✨ Thank you again for your incredible support.

🎄 £1 Christmas zoo tickets for families on Universal Credit   We're offering £1 tickets this Christmas to people receiving Universal Credit (including Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, ESA, Income Support, JSA and Housing Benefit, as well as DLA and PIP), helping more families enjoy time together and make festive memories at a time of year that can be challenging for many.   This offer is part of the our long-running Community Connections Scheme, which aims to make days out more accessible for individuals, families and community groups who may otherwise struggle to make a visit happen.   🎟️ Valid for visits 17–31 December
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Up to six people per household (children under 12 months and carers go free)
📲 Must be booked online in advance – tickets are limited and not available at the gate
🪪 Proof of eligibility and photo ID required on arrival   Full details and booking: chesterzoo.org/universalcredit

A SPECIAL HOME FOR A VERY SPECIAL PAIR 💛   Beautiful mother-and-son jaguar duo Bonita and Remi are getting to know every corner of their new retirement home - side by side, as always 🐾