I was absolutely thrilled to hear that zoos and safari parks were able to open again in mid June after hearing all the reports of zoos suffering financially. The horrific idea that they might have had to make devastating decisions just to keep afloat was enough to make me want to throw my life savings at them.
As much as many dislike the idea of zoos, they exist and the animals need our care. Most are doing fantastic work protecting at-risk species as well as being a great way for people to educate themselves and take into consideration other species on the planet.
A week after it opened, I purchased a ticket to Cotswold Wildlife Park & Gardens. It’s my local zoo and one of my favourites, primarily because you can get really close to the animals and you’re surrounded by landscaped gardens.
It was my 12th visit there and for the first time, I saw a family of Dwarf Mongoose. Normally I feel lucky to see one during a visit, as usually they're very shy and not in view for long. However, this time I was able to watch curious babies run around, play with their siblings and discover their surroundings. After thirty minutes, I felt like I had got to know their personalities and was almost at the stage of naming them.
Aren’t they cute?