Princess to visit Marwell Zoo (From This is Hampshire)

Princess to visit Marwell Zoo

12:21pm Monday 10th September 2007 in News

MARWELL Zoo near Winchester is expecting a royal visitor next week.

The Princess Royal will be opening on Monday (September 17) the new 'South East Asia' exhibit, which is one of several new zones at the centre.

She has visited Marwell three times before, having unveiled 'Penguin World', 'Into Africa', and 'World of Lemurs' on her previous trips.

This time she will be launching a new zone that will be home to several species from South East Asia.

They include Prevost's squirrels, tree shrews, small-clawed otters, and the endangered Lowland Anoa, which is the world's smallest breed of wild cattle.

The zone is also home to a family of Siamang gibbons, a species that is struggling to survive in its natural habitat.

The apes are facing deforestation, along with some of their number being sold illegally as pets.

At Marwell, the gibbons now have a secure area with several plants and shrubs from Asia, and trees stretching up to 40-feet.

The Princess is due to open the new enclosure on Monday, September 17.