The Courier has teamed up with Blair Drummond Safari Park to supply readers the prospect to win a household cross for 2 adults and two youngsters every week - and study a bit extra about their residents on the identical time.
Final month, the park welcomed a brand new child - a Pere David’s deer referred to as Nancy - to the world.
Nancy was born on April 29 and might be noticed within the Asian animal drive-thru reserve with the remainder of her household.
Training and communications officer Jamie-Leigh Inexperienced mentioned: “Imagine it or not, our herd of Pere David’s deer are a number of the rarest animals we've got right here at Blair Drummond Safari Park.
“It's because they're now categorised as ‘Extinct within the Wild’, which means that they will solely be present in captivity.
“Pere David’s deer had been initially native to China however grew to become extinct within the wild about 100 years in the past after floods and searching wiped them out.
“This distinctive species is known as after Père David – a French missionary and zoologist who found the final of the breed within the Imperial Park in Beijing within the late 1800s.
The Chinese language Emperor then agreed to ship a lot of these animals to Europe, which flourished in captivity. Essentially the most profitable captive inhabitants was maintained by the eleventh Duke of Bedford, who was capable of efficiently breed the deer on his property and construct up a big herd.
“Because of this resolution to maneuver the remaining deer into captivity, the inhabitants has elevated and the deer now quantity of their 1000's.
“In Chinese language, their identify interprets to ‘not one of the 4’.
“This identify comes from the distinctive appears of the animal, which some folks say look a bit like a cow, a deer, a horse and a donkey, however on the identical time not one of the 4!
“They're additionally distinctive in that they're semi-aquatic animals, spending lengthy intervals of time standing in deep water. To accommodate this, their hooves are literally webbed to assist them push via the water as they swim.”
Blair Drummond Safari Park is open seven days per week, from 10am till 5.30pm. Tickets might be booked on-line at blairdrummond.com.
For an opportunity to win a household cross, which can be utilized any sooner or later
throughout the park’s opening season this 12 months, simply reply the next query:
The place are Pere David’s deer native to?
Ship the coupon along with your reply, identify, deal with and speak to quantity to: Safari Park Competitors, West Lothian Courier, One Central Quay, Glasgow, G3 9DA. The deadline is Wednesday at 4pm. Solely authentic vouchers will probably be accepted, no photocopies.
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