News from the farmyard animals

Firstly, the meerkats have been on an exploration mission in recent times having been spotted all over the farm and can go for days without a single sighting. However their exploration led to a face to face encounter with a large puff adder. 

Normally meerkats in the wild would stay well clear of such a dangerous animal but our guys are just so curious they needed a closer look. The babies stayed back and watched from a safe distance, whilst the rest of the group worked as a team and encircled the snake, taking it in turns to get close and sniff at it. Eventually the group decided against the risk and lost interest with the puff adder. They scarpered away and resumed their exploration mission.

In other meerkat news, staff and volunteers who travelled to our Solitaire research base for the cheetah releases spotted Jessica, our old alpha meerkat living in peace with her new group. She appears to be healthy and absolutely loves her new home and family.

We are still unsure about Twakkie, who left the farm to start his own group. However we hope that he has settled in his new home.

In other farmyard news, Bella is enjoying her time in the sheep pen with the other sheep but has not forgotten her roots as she bounds towards the volunteers everyday during the sheep count. She is still as endearing as ever and still hangs out with Eddie and Edie who are with her in the sheep pen also.

Lily has lately been seen rummaging the rubbish bins at night, giving massive frights to the volunteers who accidentally come across her. Her curiosity got the better of her when she got her little head stuck in a canister she was sticking her nose into. Maybe she'll learn her lesson one day. Or maybe not. She’s joined by Spock, the half wildcat, who has been appearing in the kitchen to sniff out what’s for dinner.

Ore our gorgeous bat eared fox had his public debut at our Open Day Petting Farm on 16th July where he was the star of the show. All the children loved our little circled wandering friend - and who wouldn't??

Tessa the dog is being put on a strict diet as she increasingly gets bigger and bigger. As you can see here, she's an alert and energetic guard dog, protecting Dara well from any late night intruders.

Picasso has been adding to his brilliant vocabulary, whilst having a particular habit to remember the swear words!

Norman the Goose nearly met his fate of becoming a Sunday dinner when he ventured into food prep  the other day attempting to eat the food Co-ordinator Jo was cutting up for the carnivores. A wave of the knife and a stern "Norms!", was enough to scare him away and find some unsuspecting volunteer to shower him with affection instead.

Oscar the chicken is also walking on thin ice as he joins evil one-eyed chicken who steals the staff's muffins during daily muffin break. Oscar needs to stay away from those leading him astray and not learn these bad habits if he wants to stay off the Sunday dinner table too.

And finally Kataya is regularly roaming with the wild horses but comes into the horse kraal every now and again to munch at the best grass.