Isle of Wight Zoo

The Isle of Wight Zoo specialises in the care of tigers and lemurs, but is also home to a variety of other animals; they are dedicated to conserving and protecting animals both at the zoo and in their natural environments

As the dominant male of the group of three tawny lions at the zoo, Snoopy feels the need to display some macho posturing and a degree of aggression both towards his twin brother Charlie Brown and his keepers at times. If Charlie pinches his grub or a plaything, Snoopy will respond with an impressive attack which is nevertheless mostly play and bluster. Underneath he is really quite a soft-hearted fellow and interestingly will back down on the rare occasions that subordinate male Charlie says 'enough’ after Snoopy has pushed his luck too far with him. The boys can often be seen curled up together or grooming each other, confirming their solid relationship. Generally the pair, who were hand-raised together, get on fine so long as each knows their place and boundaries are adhered to. For this reason, the keepers always observe the hierarchy so as not to cause trouble in the relationship, and Snoopy usually enjoys first dibs at enrichment activities or any affection that is handed out. Snoopy is happy taking the lead and is generally the brighter lion, being quicker to work out feeding puzzles and activities set out by the keepers. For instance, Snoopy has been known to swing on a drum-shaped feeder in the enclosure with all four paws off the ground trying to get at the meat inside, whereas Charlie would typically be far more cautious. Snoopy loves the safari-style Land Rover in the boys’ enclosure, and basically thinks he owns it, often soaking up the sun in prime position on the roof; he has also been known to 'play’ the bonnet like a set of African drums! Snoopy definitely knows he is the boss lion, and his appearance compared to his brother confirms this, with his impressive blonde mane and the 'cleaner’ lines of his proud facial features. A good way to tell the boys apart is that Snoopy has the lighter mane and a much bigger tail-tip than Charlie.

Text taken from Isle of Wight ZOO - www.isleofwightzoo.com

Zena is a fun and bubbly cat. She is cute and completely irresistible. Part of her appeal is in her tomboyish tendencies. Zena shows no consideration to her beautiful white coat, she is a rare white version of the Indian tiger, when it rains she will consequently splash around in as many muddy puddles as she can find only to emerge looking like she's been down a coal mine! Unlike her older sister, Zia, Zena doesn't seem to understand the meaning of vanity. Zena has a real zest for life, which is evident from watching her humorous antics. Amongst other things, she has perfected the art of bouncing along on her hind legs while trying to 'bite' the jet of water from a hosepipe! Whatever Zena's doing, she is always grateful for an adoring audience. In short, this tigress is a positive show-off!  With Zena, what you see is what you get. There are no complicated sides to her character or shady unknowns. She wears her heart on her sleeve and would sooner trust than mistrust. Zena is as un-streetwise as they come, always seeking care and guidance from Zia. One of Zena's greatest pleasures comes in the shape of food. She is something of a feline hoover with eyes bigger than her belly. On special occasions she expects certain edible luxuries such as smoked haddock and smoked salmon! Ultimately, it is tigers like Zena that are capable of creating the most impact. Because of the sharp contrast between Zena the loveable, overgrown pussycat, and Zena the cat who could obliterate your existence in seconds.

Text taken from Isle of Wight ZOO - www.isleofwightzoo.com

Casper the white lion arrived at the Isle of Wight Zoo in January, and has already caused quite a stir. Once found wild in a small region of South Africa, white lions are a rare variation on the tawny African lion. Born snow white, they darken to a striking pale blond colour, with a far paler mane than tawny lions. Casper has settled into the zoo well. At three years old he is in his prime, and he makes sure he tells us all about it with his impressive roar. He also enjoys climbing to the top of the enclosure to survey his territory.

Text taken from Isle of Wight ZOO - www.isleofwightzoo.com

Diamond has been likened to just about every cartoon tiger under the sun. We think he bears an uncanny resemblance to Bagpuss! He gets the vote as the tiger most visitors want to take home, maybe because he looks like an overgrown tabby cat. While always admired and exclaimed at, Diamond frequently gets mistaken for a tigon or liger but we do our best to explain that his faint orange colouration and light brown stripes are wholly accountable to his parents being carriers of the white gene. Totally unflappable, Diamond spends the majority of his time lazing around just watching the world go by. When he is up and about he's fooling around and generally being a bit of a jester! This casual tiger takes every day much as it comes until, that is, we are hit by a thunderstorm! On these rare occasions there's only one thing to do - put the little man back to bed! Hiding away inside, like a frightened mouse, does not seem to dent his ego because, quite simply, he's just not that macho anyway! Diamond is a popular cat amongst cats - he gets on with everyone and anyone. He devotes much time and energy in getting the thumbs up from his fellow companions. He is never any trouble and is guaranteed to brighten anyone's day. In the mornings, Diamond sets off a chorus of "singing" and will be waiting for us at his den door armed with plenty of purrs. Aysha, Diamond's littermate sister, has the benefit of a protective brother who is invariably there to take care of her. He responds to her persistent playfulness with patience and runs a million miles from a squabble. If a brawl does brake out, Diamond always ends up backing down. Anything for a quiet life!

Text taken from Isle of Wight ZOO - www.isleofwightzoo.com

PLUTO was the brainchild of Lord Mountbatten, during World War II.  It was set up in order to supply the allies with fuel following the D-Day landings and the subsequent invasion of Europe as they pushed on to Berlin and eventual victory in 1945.  The Isle of Wight was a crucial part of the pipeline network. The derelict Palmerston fort housed 13 of the 16 Sandown pumps, with the five remaining ones at Brown's golf course and the Grand Hotel.  The pumps were housed in the arches of the derelict, Victorian Palmerston Fort, which was heavily camouflaged and closed off to local people who had to divert Brading to Sandown.  Fuel was pumped across the Solent from Lepe to be stored on the island before being gravity fed into the pumping system across more than 60 miles to Cherbourg in France.  By March 1945, over 3,000 tons a day of petrol was flowing through the flexible pipelines which had been laid using the huge floating 'cotton reels' called 'Conundrums' and a specialised cable-laying vessels.