A pair of aardvark make Whipsnade history with their arrival at the zoo

Nacho and Terry are sharing an enclosure with some porcupines and meerkats

Author: Charlotte Evans-YoungPublished 6th Aug 2022

A pair of aardvark are settling into their new home in Bedfordshire!

From today, visitors are being invited to visit Nacho (8) and Terry (2) at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, where they can be found hanging out with a couple of porcupines and two meerkats in the new labyrinthine enclosure.

Meerkat at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo

"Late afternoon is a great time to see them"

The enclosure has two viewing windows into the nocturnal creatures’ snug sleeping areas.

And Sarah McGregor, Team Leader, has offered tips on catching a glimpse of the two insectivore: "late in the afternoon is going to be a great time to see them that's when we give them their dinner and do their checks.

"Then they'll go off and have a little scurry about in the paddock."

Aardvark at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo

First time in the Zoo's 90 year history

It's the first time in the zoo's 90 year history that they've taken in aardvark and Ms. McGregor has said they're settling in well.

"Nacho came from Longleat and Terry came from Africa Alive. So, obviously they were strangers but we introduced them pretty much straight away.

"It's great to see them settling in together and quite often now they're tucked up in bed together, snuggling together, and they're bonding really well. Aardvark introductions are quite nice."

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