Good evening Zoo Managers!
I am pleased to report that our first wave of secret shoppers have been out and about this weekend enjoying their first visit to Unity Zoo in Hamburg, Germany. They all had a wonderful experience! Here are some of their highlights:
"Unity Zoo has a fantastically diverse array of wildlife, from large mammals like Orangutans and Indian Elephants to smaller ones like the Asian Short-Clawed Otters, and also some fascinating reptiles like the Gharials. My favourites were the Clouded Leopards. Apparently the young pair, Xiao Ming and Yuming, are relatively recent additions to the zoo but they have clearly settled in really well: their fur was glossy and they were very active in their spacious habitat. Perhaps their gourmet diet is helping! It was really fun to see them tucking into their meatball platter...it looked so good it made me hungry! The educators at Unity Zoo are excellent, it was good to hear how knowledgeable they were about this species' plight in the wild as their numbers are sadly dwindling due to habitat loss. Good thing that Unity Zoo are working hard on reproducing this animal to build up the gene pool and help give this species the best chance for survival in captivity and consequently, in the wild, as this zoo, under their trading license as UNITED ANIMALIA LLC, is excellent at working with partners who can help to rehabilitate young cats back to protected areas in the wild. The excellent conditions that they are kept in will surely help with this - I just loved their beautiful house with lots of room to prowl and climb." Secret Shopper #1 is a retired conservation-focused NGO founder with a special interest in Asian and tropical wildlife.
"Unity Zoo is no doubt gorgeous, with large sections devoted to biome-specific species, such as their Jungle and Beach sections. But of course, I wanted to learn more about their staff's training and expertise. I was impressed! I spoke to zookeeper Maddy who was very well informed, and clearly passionate about her animals. She fondly remembered a Sun Bear that she had cared for. He had been traded to another zoo for breeding - one thing that Unity Zoo are especially good at is building trading networks with partner zoos, so that fertile animals can be shared for reproductive purposes. This will help to ensure the survival of the many endangered and critically endangered species that the zoo is famous for housing. Unity Zoo are clearly demonstrating excellence not only in their front-facing habitats and range of animals on show but also behind the scenes, where happy and highly-skilled staff are doing important work for the species they care for. I also checked out the facilities - may I just say that the hot meals at Zum Pfau restaurant are absolutely de-lish? I was pleasantly surprised as so often zoos forget to cater for their guests this well, but a little goes a long way in keeping guests happy and coming back. The prices weren't too steep either. Five stars all round!" Secret Shopper #2 is an experienced zoo manager with a keen eye on what goes on behind the scenes.
"Well, I really loved, loved loved loved, the palatial Indian Elephant house. We were utterly transported to India thanks to the beautiful decor, and the elephants clearly loved it too - they had different areas to give them lots of variety and enrichment. It was called the "Ria Winter Friendship House" - when I asked why it was really lovely to hear the keepers talk about how elephants are highly social animals and even have best friends! I was visiting with one of my best friends from uni so it was a really special moment for us to feel bonded to these incredible creatures. We have so much in common! Another reason to visit now or very soon is that three of the elephants are pregnant! I wrote down their names - Manya, Priya and Kareena are all pregnant, thanks to the heroic work of the male, Ishaan! Bravo! All three looked calm and very well-cared for. I'm going to go back in a few months to see the babies, I can't wait! One funny thing - my friend got totally splashed when Priya was playing in the splash pool! Haha! I wish I'd gotten a photo of that moment, insta would love it! Anyway, it was a great day out, 10/10! Can I go back soon?" Secret Shopper #3 is an Animal Behaviour BSc student and is gaining extra credits for their course by participating in this work placement.
Well, Unity Zoo - you are clearly doing excellent work, keep it up! We can't wait to hear how the breeding goes. Please let us know when your elephants have their babies - and good luck with all the animal husbandry in your fast-growing zoo!
Next we will be sending some secret shoppers out to a very exciting destination - Antarctica! I haven't told them just yet, but I'm sure they'll be thrilled...let's hope they stock up on winter wear!