I'm so pleased to be able to share this wonderful press release from Folly Farm announcing the birth of an Eastern Black Rhino.
A critically endangered Eastern black rhino calf has been born at Pembrokeshire zoo, Folly Farm.
After a 15-month pregnancy, first-time mum Dakima gave birth to a healthy male calf on 16th January – one of only an estimated 40 Eastern black rhinos to be born in the UK in the past 20 years.
Eastern black rhinos are classed as critically endangered due to poaching and loss of habitat. There are thought to be fewer than 650 left in the wild and around 87 in zoos across Europe, including Folly Farm’s new addition.
Born just ten minutes after the mum’s waters broke, the calf made its appearance at 4:37am and within a couple of hours was standing up, following Dakima around the enclosure and suckling from mum.
Six-year-old Eastern black rhino, Dakima, arrived at Folly Farm in May 2017 as part of a breeding programme and met the love of her life, nine-year-old male Nkosi. Mating rhinos can be unpredictable, but their relationship blossomed and Dakima is thought to have conceived in October 2018.
Folly Farm zoo curator, Tim Morphew, said: “We couldn’t be happier to welcome our new arrival - Dakima has taken to motherhood like a duck to water. She’s being very protective of the baby which is great because it shows they have a strong bond.
“This is the most important baby ever to be born at Folly Farm and is such a monumental event for all the staff here. Ever since the breeding pair arrived in 2017, we’ve worked hard to create an environment where they’ve felt comfortable to mate.
“Not only is this calf helping to increase numbers of a critically endangered species, he’s also the first rhino ever to be born in Wales.”
Along with other zoos across Europe, Folly Farm is part of a breeding programme to help increase the numbers of Eastern black rhino in captivity and, ultimately, the wild.
Tim continued: “Most animals give birth at night under the cover of darkness and Dakima was no exception.
“Our keeper Rachel Puncher was the first person to find the baby rhino waiting for her in the enclosure on Thursday morning and had to double check before telling the rest of the team the good news. We then checked the CCTV to find out the time of birth and exactly how it happened.
“We then left Dakima alone, giving her some space to bond with the new arrival - but we continued to monitor them on the cameras and did regular spot checks to ensure baby was starting to feed.
“For us, the next steps are just to keep an eye on Dakima and make sure the baby stays healthy and gets everything he needs from mum. Our goal is always to interfere as little as possible and let nature take its course.
“Nkosi will be a bit of an absent father, but that’s perfectly normal as male rhinos don’t have anything to do with their offspring in the wild so it’s unlikely we’ll introduce him to the baby – his job is done.
“In the wild rhino calves can stay with their mums for up to four years, after that there’s a possibility this baby could one day be released into the wild to help boost population numbers - or move to another zoo to continue the breeding programme in Europe.
“It’s exciting to be playing our part in helping to safeguard these amazing animals for future generations.”
It’s thought that the calf weighs between a healthy 30-45 kg. Folly Farm’s rhino keepers will monitor mum and baby closely over the coming weeks and although guests won’t be able to see them just yet, they will be back out in the enclosure in due course.
We are looking forward to visiting the calf soon.
*Please note that we were provided with a family annual pass at Folly Farm for a year in exchange for sharing our days out with you*
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Folly Farm is one of our favourite days out in Wales. We have visited every year since our girls were born. There is so much to see and do, whatever the weather.
Folly Farm recently asked us if we would like to become annual pass holders and share a year of adventures with you all. As you can imagine we couldn't resist.
The first thing we wanted to share was our favourite things to do when we visit.
Our Top 6 Must Do's (in no particular order) are as follows:
1) The Rhino Enclosure
The Black Rhino are located at the Kifaru Reserve which is a fantastic, large area. Being able to see these critically endangered animals up close, is pretty special. Even though the area is big, we have managed to spot them every time we have visited.
2) The Jolly Barn
You can spend hours in The Jolly Barn. There are farm animals, play areas, a train ride and opportunities to cuddle some of the animals. Our girls love milking the play cows and feeding the goats.
3) Penguin Coast
The Penguins always manage to put a smile on our face and make us laugh. They seem so charismatic. There is low fencing around their home so you feel a part of it. There is also a viewing glass for underneath the water where you can watch them swim.
4) Vintage Fairground
The Vintage Fairground is indoors so it's ideal if it's raining or during the winter months. It allows you to step back in time and enjoy the thrills of a proper Vintage Funfair. The games and rides are chargeable but it's very cheap.
5) The Lion Reserve
The Lion Reserve is huge and we love watching the pride. Although we're never sure if it's us watching them or them watching us.
6) Carousel Woods
Carousel Woods is usually our last stop of the day. It's a huge indoor play area where the kids can let off some steam before we drive home. There's an area for little ones and bigger kids.
**Thank you to Folly Farm for gifting us with the Annual Passes for a year**
One thing we love to do at Christmas is to go ice-skating, so when we were invited to the opening of The Great Skate at The Celtic Manor Resort, we couldn't say no. The Celtic Manor resort is our favourite hotel in South Wales. It's more than just a hotel and every time we walk into it, we feel like we've gone away on holiday. In fact as soon as we walked through the doors last week, Eva screamed, please can we stay at this hotel. It's beautiful.
If you are heading to The Great Skate there is a separate car park which is clearly signposted. If you are there for a certain amount of hours there is a small charge but we were there for a couple of hours and we didn't need to pay anything. The car park is a short walk to the hotel along a path surrounded by Christmas trees.
It is open until the 6th January and prices start from £5. There are various tickets and packages available.
Even though The great Skate is actually outside it is all enclosed which is perfect as it means it's slightly warmer than being fully outside and that you can attend even if it's raining.
One thing that really stood our for us and enhanced our skating experience was the fact that they have 3 different skating aids for children depending on their age and size. There was a polar bear, penguin and even a sit on seal. Eva had a penguin which I was eternally grateful for as it helped me around the rink too!
We had an hour on the rink and Eva didn't want to get off. She absolutely loved the experience.
We then headed into the food and drink area which was lovely. There were a few different food options which was great to see. You could have burgers, hot dogs and there was even a halloumi option which sounded yummy. The only downside was there were no children's sized portions which I would like to have seen. There was also a sweet treats stall serving things such as popcorn, waffles, chocolate, candy floss etc which my children thought was amazing.
There was a huge range of drinks on offer. We were really spoilt for choice. There were hot drinks, soft drinks, festive cocktails, mulled wine, beer, cider, wine and prosecco.
After our experience we had a wander around the lobby area of The Celtic Manor resort to look at the Christmas decorations and soak up the atmosphere.
We had a fantastic evening and we are already looking at when we can return again in December. We'd highly recommend it.
*Thank you to The Celtic Manor resort for having us as your guests. All words and opinions are my own*
If you are heading to The Great Skate there is a separate car park which is clearly signposted. If you are there for a certain amount of hours there is a small charge but we were there for a couple of hours and we didn't need to pay anything. The car park is a short walk to the hotel along a path surrounded by Christmas trees.
It is open until the 6th January and prices start from £5. There are various tickets and packages available.
Even though The great Skate is actually outside it is all enclosed which is perfect as it means it's slightly warmer than being fully outside and that you can attend even if it's raining.
One thing that really stood our for us and enhanced our skating experience was the fact that they have 3 different skating aids for children depending on their age and size. There was a polar bear, penguin and even a sit on seal. Eva had a penguin which I was eternally grateful for as it helped me around the rink too!
We had an hour on the rink and Eva didn't want to get off. She absolutely loved the experience.
We then headed into the food and drink area which was lovely. There were a few different food options which was great to see. You could have burgers, hot dogs and there was even a halloumi option which sounded yummy. The only downside was there were no children's sized portions which I would like to have seen. There was also a sweet treats stall serving things such as popcorn, waffles, chocolate, candy floss etc which my children thought was amazing.
There was a huge range of drinks on offer. We were really spoilt for choice. There were hot drinks, soft drinks, festive cocktails, mulled wine, beer, cider, wine and prosecco.
After our experience we had a wander around the lobby area of The Celtic Manor resort to look at the Christmas decorations and soak up the atmosphere.
We had a fantastic evening and we are already looking at when we can return again in December. We'd highly recommend it.
*Thank you to The Celtic Manor resort for having us as your guests. All words and opinions are my own*
One of our favourite hotels in South Wales is The Celtic Manor Resort. We often go there for afternoon tea and we've spent wedding anniversaries there too. The hotel itself is renowned for its world class golf offerings after hosting The Ryder Cup in 2010 so when I was asked if I'd like to attend The Celebrity Cup, I had to say yes.
I'll be the first to admit that I've never actually watched golf. I've dabbled in playing a few times but that's as far as my knowledge stretches. I wasn't sure what I'd think of the event but knowing that both my husband and I enjoy outings to the hotel, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to watch a game.
The Celebrity Cup is played over 2 days by an array of celebrities in 4 teams from Wales, Scotland, Ireland and England. Teams go head to head to raise vital funds for Velindre Cancer Centre.
This year's teams are listed below.
Team Wales:
We arrived at the event and my first impression was how beautiful the course was. I've never really thought of a golf course as being in a pretty setting but this one was stunning. It had sweeping views of South Wales and beyond and of course the hotel as a backdrop. We really lucked out with the weather. It was clear skies and sunny, making for ideal conditions to soak up the atmosphere.
The first thing we did was head to the food tent after being enticed by the wonderful aroma. There were a few different things to choose from but we opted for the Cen pop up (which is an Asian restaurant based in the hotel). The food was delicious and the portion size was just right.
There were plenty of drink offerings but we opted for a jug of Pimms, which was perfectly refreshing in the hot weather.
We then watched the golf. We followed the players around the course and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it (although I was worried about being hit In the head with a ball).
The amazing Red Arrows also did a 'fly past' which was spectacular
I'll be the first to admit that I've never actually watched golf. I've dabbled in playing a few times but that's as far as my knowledge stretches. I wasn't sure what I'd think of the event but knowing that both my husband and I enjoy outings to the hotel, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to watch a game.
The Celebrity Cup is played over 2 days by an array of celebrities in 4 teams from Wales, Scotland, Ireland and England. Teams go head to head to raise vital funds for Velindre Cancer Centre.
This year's teams are listed below.
Team Wales:
Gethin Jones
Team captain and presenter
Jonathan Davies
Presenter and former Welsh rugby player
Gareth Edwards
Welsh former rugby union player
Ieuan Evans Former rugby union player and Sky pundit
Scott Quinnell
Former rugby union player and Sky pundit
Phil Glenister
Actor (Life on Mars)
Team England
Bradley Walsh
Team captain, actor, singer and presenter
Mike Tindall,
Former England rugby player
Peter Jones
Dragon’s Den entrepreneur
Kelvin Fletcher
Actor (Emmerdale)
James Anderson
International Cricketer
Graeme Swann
Former England cricketer
Team Scotland
Rory Lawson
Team captain and international rugby player
Max Evans
Rugby union player
Thom Evans
Model and former Scottish international rugby player
Grieg Laidlaw
Scottish rugby union player
Jenni Falconer
Presenter
Stuart Hogg
Scottish rugby union player
Team Ireland
Brian McFadden
Team captain and Westlife band member
Ronan Keating
Boyzone band member
James Nesbitt
Actor (Cold Feet)
Keith Duffy
Boyzone band member and actor(Coronation St)
Brendan O’Carroll
Actor, Mrs Brown’s Boys
Danny O’Carroll
Actor, Mrs Brown’s Boys
Jennifer Gibney
Actor, Mrs Brown’s Boys
The first thing we did was head to the food tent after being enticed by the wonderful aroma. There were a few different things to choose from but we opted for the Cen pop up (which is an Asian restaurant based in the hotel). The food was delicious and the portion size was just right.
There were plenty of drink offerings but we opted for a jug of Pimms, which was perfectly refreshing in the hot weather.
We then watched the golf. We followed the players around the course and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it (although I was worried about being hit In the head with a ball).
The amazing Red Arrows also did a 'fly past' which was spectacular
Team Wales were crowned this year's Celebrity Cup winner's after beating England 14-12.
Image credit - Celebrity cup at The Celtic Manor Resort
Overall, we enjoyed our new experience. It made for a lovely day date. We would return again.
*Thank you to The Celtic Manor Resort for inviting me to attend the event. I wasn't asked to write a post but I have written one. All view and opinions are my own*
As someone that has travelled to Turkey many times, one of the things I love the most is the cuisine and therefore I couldn't believe that the Saray Restaurant in Cardiff has not been on my radar.
First up we were shown how they make their dough. Everything is made fresh in the kitchen which is wonderful to see. We then helped the chef to make Adana kebabs. Adana kebabs are a spicy mincemeat kebab. For ours we had a mixture of lamb mince, onion, chilli, parsley, red pepper and salt.
Saray restaurant is located on the bustling City Road which is within walking distance to Cardiff city centre. 'Saray' is the Persian word for Palace which is traditionally a place of amalgamation and honing cuisines from other ruling empires and the restaurant takes this description as inspiration for the service they provide their customers. Their menu boasts a fusion of flavours from traditional Ottoman cuisines with many traditional Turkish tastes to choose from.
Most people I know would think Turkish food was all greasy kebabs and pitta bread but luckily I know differently. Turkish food is all about bringing the family together and sharing freshly made food (especially at breakfast which is a very important meal for them).
I was invited to a cooking class at the restaurant by one the lovely owner's Selma and also Kelly from Reduced Grub. Before the class I was given a Turkish tea in a beautiful cup whilst I had a chat and got to know two other local bloggers who write at The Globetrotter GP and Welshcakes and Wellies.
First up we were shown how they make their dough. Everything is made fresh in the kitchen which is wonderful to see. We then helped the chef to make Adana kebabs. Adana kebabs are a spicy mincemeat kebab. For ours we had a mixture of lamb mince, onion, chilli, parsley, red pepper and salt.
We all had a go at shaping the mincemeat mixture onto the very large skewer. You have to squeeze the mixture along the length of the skewer until it is evenly spread out. I was actually a dab hand at this which I was rather impressed with.
We then made a pide which is a traditional Turkish pizza. You can use meat or vegetarian fillings such as pepperoni, mice meat, feta, spinach etc. I made a mincemeat pide.
I'll be the first to admit I was fairly useless when it came to rolling out the dough and shaping it into an oval, however, the rest of the recipe was easy to do.
Once everything was cooked it was time for us to sit down and enjoy everything we'd created and more. We tucked into a huge Turkish feast. It was fab to try lots of different dishes and the flavours were truly authentic. We finished off with more Turkish tea and a sweet treat called Kadayif, which is a form of baklava. It was delicious, my mouth is salivating just remembering it.
I had a wonderful time at Saray and would definitely recommend it. My husband and I called in one evening last week to pick up a takeaway kebab each which was the best one I have eaten in Cardiff. So much fresher and flavoursome than anywhere else and the portion was huge. We are also planning to have my birthday meal there next week as hubby has been desperate to try more of the menu out as I haven't stopped raving about how good it is there.
Have you tried Turkish food before?
*Thank you to Saray for inviting me to the cookery class. All opinions are my own*
Last week I was super busy. Between working, blogging, date nights and events, I have been a very busy lady. I haven't written a #LittleLoves post for a long time. In fact my last one was in November which you can read here, Moana, 2nd Birthday and Chicken Pox.
Read:
I read a fantastic blog post by Harriet from 'Toby and Roo' about how she is a Sepsis Surviver. After having an emergency c-section with her son Reuben she developed Sepsis and ended up being admitted into hospital for 3 days. She is attempting to raise £5000 for Sepsis Trust and is trying to raise awareness of the symptoms. You can read her story and find out more about her fund-raising here, Fundraising for Sepsis #SuckItSepsis.
Heard:
Heart radio is always on in work and lately they have been playing lots of Spice Girls classics which is literally music to my ears. I've been enjoying singing and busting a move or too to the likes of 'Say you'll be there' and 'Wannabe'. Last year I got to interview Emma Bunton which was a childhood dream of mine. You can watch it here, My interview with Emma Bunton.
Made:
I was invited to learn to cook a few Turkish dishes at the Saray Restaurant in Cardiff. We travel to Turkey on holiday every year so I couldn't wait to see how some of the dishes were made. There will be a full blog post soon but I can't speak highly enough about the restaurant. The staff are very friendly and the food was authentic and delicious. I can't wait to return.
Watched:
On Saturday I got to watch my first ever live boxing fight at The Principality Stadium. It was between Joshua and Parker. I've been to a few sporting events at the stadium but this was something else. I will definitely be getting tickets to the next one as I really enjoyed it.
Wore:
I recently went on a bit of a mini shopping spree for myself (only in 3 shops) but I managed to get quite a few new pieces. I bought quite a few things in Primark which I wore last week. One is a lovely white blouse and the other is a flowery dress. I stupidly didn't get any full length pictures in them.
And Lastly:
The girls had a lovely Easter egg hunt in our garden. The sun was actually shining so the Easter bunny hid their eggs outside. This was the first year that Ophelia was really involved. Both of them were so excited and happy during the hunt which was lovely to see.
Read:
I read a fantastic blog post by Harriet from 'Toby and Roo' about how she is a Sepsis Surviver. After having an emergency c-section with her son Reuben she developed Sepsis and ended up being admitted into hospital for 3 days. She is attempting to raise £5000 for Sepsis Trust and is trying to raise awareness of the symptoms. You can read her story and find out more about her fund-raising here, Fundraising for Sepsis #SuckItSepsis.
Heard:
Heart radio is always on in work and lately they have been playing lots of Spice Girls classics which is literally music to my ears. I've been enjoying singing and busting a move or too to the likes of 'Say you'll be there' and 'Wannabe'. Last year I got to interview Emma Bunton which was a childhood dream of mine. You can watch it here, My interview with Emma Bunton.
Made:
I was invited to learn to cook a few Turkish dishes at the Saray Restaurant in Cardiff. We travel to Turkey on holiday every year so I couldn't wait to see how some of the dishes were made. There will be a full blog post soon but I can't speak highly enough about the restaurant. The staff are very friendly and the food was authentic and delicious. I can't wait to return.
On Saturday I got to watch my first ever live boxing fight at The Principality Stadium. It was between Joshua and Parker. I've been to a few sporting events at the stadium but this was something else. I will definitely be getting tickets to the next one as I really enjoyed it.
Wore:
I recently went on a bit of a mini shopping spree for myself (only in 3 shops) but I managed to get quite a few new pieces. I bought quite a few things in Primark which I wore last week. One is a lovely white blouse and the other is a flowery dress. I stupidly didn't get any full length pictures in them.
And Lastly:
The girls had a lovely Easter egg hunt in our garden. The sun was actually shining so the Easter bunny hid their eggs outside. This was the first year that Ophelia was really involved. Both of them were so excited and happy during the hunt which was lovely to see.
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