Blackpool Zoo Blackpool Zoo News 2025

ZooTripper365 said:
I would say it would simply be best to expand the enclosure all the way to the farm. I don't necessarily think the space is the problem, it's more the infrastructure.
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Weren't they building a new enclosure for antelope next to the farm? Again, it's been a long time since I last visited so I don't know for sure. Either way, I do think it would be good if the giraffe's outdoor area was expanded all the way up to there.
 
This is a little off-topic and a speculation I have had for 11 months now but haven’t said anything here because I didn’t want to give false hope but does anyone else believe Tara the 27 year old elephant cow could be expecting a calf? She has developed quite noticeable mammary glands and has grown a slightly larger stomach (that doesn’t always mean anything but Tara’s always been a slim female as far as I’m aware).
Here are two photos from July 2025.
 

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I guess at 27yrs it is always a possibility and this would be her first natural pregnancy.

There is however a huge question regarding the timing between this potential pregnancy and her last one. The last pregnancy ended in a stillborn in 2013 so 12yrs is a long gap(albeit for 10yrs there was no bull)
 
Embu said:
I guess at 27yrs it is always a possibility and this would be her first natural pregnancy.

There is however a huge question regarding the timing between this potential pregnancy and her last one. The last pregnancy ended in a stillborn in 2013 so 12yrs is a long gap(albeit for 10yrs there was no bull)
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It doesn’t help that I have no confirmed mating date… (Her stillborn was in 2012 so 13 years this past March)!..
 
ZooTripper365 said:
I would say it would simply be best to expand the enclosure all the way to the farm. I don't necessarily think the space is the problem, it's more the infrastructure.
Click to expand...
I wonder if Blackpool have the space to house a breeding herd of giraffe as I wouldn’t say there is that much space to expand the giraffe paddock and I don’t think the current house is at all large enough to house a herd, unless this “project giraffe” means Blackpool will be getting a completely new giraffe complex, I’m not sure at all the zoo could house a breeding herd, which I have always like to see at the zoo.
 
JonWild said:
I wonder if Blackpool have the space to house a breeding herd of giraffe as I wouldn’t say there is that much space to expand the giraffe paddock and I don’t think the current house is at all large enough to house a herd, unless this “project giraffe” means Blackpool will be getting a completely new giraffe complex, I’m not sure at all the zoo could house a breeding herd, which I have always like to see at the zoo.
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Demolishing the Dinosaur area could free up a good amount of space for a new giraffe complex, though I imagine that wouldn't be a popular idea with some visitors. The Dinosaurs are the one area of the zoo I normally skip, so I'm not too sure exactly how popular it is with people, but regardless, I think a larger giraffe enclosure would be a good use of that land.
 
Mr.Ivory said:
In recent photos she was looking rather wide, and she have mammary gland development, hopefully Tara has her first surviving calf.
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Would be incredible if she did. She's only ever birthed a stillborn calf, and that was thirteen years ago!

Fingers crossed everything is well with Tara; and if she is expecting, that she has a healthy calf.
 
ChiChi said:
I visited the Zoo back in April and I was chatting to a member of staff and he told me one of the elephants was pregnant however it hadn’t been publicly announced after the loss of the two previous calves.
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I think the best course of action is for us all to wait for an official announcement. Let's remember that of the 2 previous pregnancies only 1 calf was born(the other died in pregnancy I believe) and rejected so IF Tara has given birth then they probably want to wait to ensure that everything is 100% before making it official. There is also the issue of criticism from well known groups as we're all aware which they will ant to minimise.

IF Tara has given birth she is a first time mum with no blood relatives in the herd so she maybe struggling. Let's just wait and see
 
ZooTripper365 said:
Hello. Does anyone know what 'Project Giraffe' is? In a post advertising memberships, there is a small image in the corner that reads 'Coming 2026... Project Giraffe!'. Unless I've been living under a rock, I haven't seen any speculation relating to this.
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Extra info just sent out in an email from Blackpool advertising Memberships:

“Visit as often as you like with unlimited entry* and be among the first to experience Project Giraffe, our exciting £500,000 improvement programme designed to triple the size of the giraffe habitat and extend the public viewing area, as well as other great perks!”
 
I asked a keeper couple of weeks ago when there, they confirmed they were extending into the neighbouring area but when asked if would be going to be a breeding group he said that still depended on being able to increase the indoor housing as it wasn't suitable for that purpose. Would they need to put in a planning application with the council that might say if the indoor housing was being increased? I think they did with the upgrade of the cat house, I can't see anything on Blackpool Council planning website but might be looking in the wrong place
 
I've never seen the giraffe fully use the field. Maby I've seen them 30 or 40% into the field. Would be nice too see a larger giraffe house but if they don't fully use the field they have can't see the need to expand it. Unless the blesbok and the giraffe have an unwritten agreement they keep to "their" side of the field.
 
woody505 said:
I've never seen the giraffe fully use the field. Maby I've seen them 30 or 40% into the field. Would be nice too see a larger giraffe house but if they don't fully use the field they have can't see the need to expand it. Unless the blesbok and the giraffe have an unwritten agreement they keep to "their" side of the field.
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The blesbok has been re-homed, so the giraffes can now have the field entirely to themselves if it's part of the plan.
 
Ryley said:
Visited today! The house is still closed and only Emmett, Minbu and Kate could be seen. I have a lot of hope now, the calf will be atleast two-three weeks old, older than the calf born to Esha in 2024.
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Thank you. Would have hoped something would have been mentioned by now if the house has been closed for this long. Just deciding if to visit tomorrow or try Knowsley now the tiger cubs have been popping out with mum
 
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