Dudley Zoo & Castle is joining the annual British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums campaign throughout the school holidays, which aims to highlight the fantastic conservation, education and research zoos carry out.

Marketing Manager, Andrea Hales, said: “We’re looking forward to welcoming half term visitors and getting the chance to showcase how not only are BIAZA zoos vital with regards to the work they carry out, but also how they’re a great day out for all the family too!

“Here at DZC, we’re a totally unique attraction, with more than 1,600 animals living around the ruins of an 11th century Dudley Castle, who share the site with the world’s largest single collection of Modernist Tecton structures and not forgetting the country’s only vintage chairlift, we have lots to make us stand out!”

Throughout the week, visitors have the chance to win an animal adoption by taking part in a trail around the 40-acre site to meet some of the zoo’s most well-known animals, as well as learning more about the variety of in-situ animal projects the attraction supports around the globe.

A packed programme of talks each day will also highlight the importance of zoos and conservation and daily activities in the Discovery Centre will focus on DZC’s past 86 years, its present and future.

As well as meerkats, playful Bornean orangutan babies, lions, tigers, giraffes and penguins, visitors will also be able to spot the zoo’s newest arrival, Carko, the 11 month-old male red panda, who has recently arrived in Dudley from Sweden as part of an European Endangered Species Breeding Programme (EEP), as well as the zoo’s adorable six-week old baby black lemur twins, Charles and Camila.