Three tiny wolverines have been spotted at the Wild Place Project in South Gloucestershire. The babies’ mother, named Alice, was spotted carrying them outside after keeping them hidden in the nest for about a month.
The news of the babies has sparked a lot of excitement with visitors trying to catch glimpses of them. Alice has only occasionally taken them out so far and nurturing them in the nest, while father Novo has pretty much stayed out of the picture.
Wild Place Project said that Alice had a previous birth, a female called Eunice last year, and this is her second litter with two boys and a girl. Baby wolverines are known as kits. The family of five live in the Bear Woods exhibit area, which is also home to a family of four lynx and European brown bears and wolves.
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Senior animal keeper, Joe Norman at Wild Place Project said: “They were born around a month ago, however mum has kept them hidden inside the nestbox where she has been feeding them and keeping them warm until they were strong enough to come outside.
“Alice is a great mum - she’s very attentive and allows them to roam away from her, to help them grow in independence. Novo is a pretty hands-off dad, he just lets Alice get on with it, which is normal for the species.”
Wolverines are the largest of the weasel family and can eat prey almost double their size. They, along with the other animal residents in Bear Wood, were once native in UK woodlands before deforestation and hunting wiped out population numbers.
Wild Place Project says Bear Wood educates people about how human behaviours impact the survival of native species, transporting visitors back to 1000BC. While wolverine, bears, lynx and wolves no longer exist in UK woodlands, many native species currently call it home including bats, mice, hedgehogs, birds and newts.
Bristol Zoological Society - the charity that owns and runs Wild Place Project - has a dedicated native species team who continually monitor the woodlands within Bear Wood. They conduct annual surveys and observe footage from camera traps.
With mild weather predicted for the holiday weekend with some lovely spells of sunshine, the Wild Place Project is promoting a range of activities for the family this Easter. As well as the births of the wolverine, Wild Place Project has also welcomed a new animal resident - Drummer, the ostrich.
Visitors can come and see Wild Place’s other new resident Drummer the ostrich and the kits, as well as take part in a special Easter trail. Eight giant eggs have been hidden around the site with clues to help visitors uncover the mystery Easter word.
The public is advised to book online in advance, with online bookings made a day in advance receiving a 10 per cent discount. Wild Place Project covers more than 50 acres, and is home to many animals from around the world.
This includes giraffes, bears, cheetahs, wolves, wolverines, lynxes, zebras, gelada baboons and lemurs. It will be expanded and renamed next year as part of the relocation of Bristol Zoo Gardens in Clifton.
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