New baby animals welcomed at rural college
Suffolk Rural, based in Otley and part of Suffolk New College, said it was "delighted" to see one of its wallabies, Jessie, had given birth.
Senior technician, Andrew Waddingham, said the team witnessed the joey's arrival last month.
Two small skunks have also been born in recent weeks.
"We first noticed a head pop out of Jessie's pouch about three weeks ago," Mr Waddingham said.
"Although with Wallabies, it could be up to six months old as they crawl up into the pouch for nearly half a year.
"Hopefully within a couple of weeks it will hop out of the pouch."
Two baby skunks, one of which is albino, were also born about nine weeks ago and have been at the college for the past fortnight.
They have been named Winston and Ralph by the college's animal centre manager, Helen Pearson, who used the names of her childhood gerbils.
The new additions were just some of the animals welcomed at the college after it unveiled new facilities earlier this year.
Other animals given a home included meerkats, with the site hoping to introduce capybaras in the near future.
"We currently support over a hundred students who get to work with lots of different animals in some amazing new facilities - so it's a very exciting time for our department," Mr Waddingham added.
Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
First seal pups of season born at nature reserve
Suffolk Punch foal gets timely Star Wars name
One in a million sheep births five lambs
Suffolk Rural
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Tributes paid after world's longest-serving KFC worker dies
Tributes have been paid to the world's longest-serving KFC employee who has died after working for the company for nearly 50 years. Pauline Richards, who was known by many as Miss KFC, first started working in the fried chicken chain's outlet in Taunton, Somerset, in 1978. She began her career as a cleaner but went on to take on almost every role in the store, including team leader and manager. Taunton Town Council described Mrs Richards as one of the town's 'most loved residents' and said she would be missed. 'All of us at Taunton Town Council are saddened to learn of the passing of one of Taunton's most loved residents, Pauline Richards, aka Miss KFC, the world's longest-serving member of KFC staff and a friendly, well-known face in our town,' the council said. 'She was an excited and incredibly deserving recipient of one of our civic awards back in March this year. 'Our thoughts are with her family and all of those who knew and loved her.' A KFC spokeswoman added: 'We're deeply saddened by the passing of our dear friend and colleague, Pauline Richards. 'We are supporting Pauline's family, who have asked for their privacy to be respected during this difficult time.'
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
The hotspots for Japanese knotweed in Somerset
JAPANESE knotweed season is underway, and North Somerset residents are being urged to check for local infestations. According to invasive plant specialist Environet, there are 583 verified sightings of Japanese knotweed in Somerset, with 0.36 cases per square mile. The figures come from Exposed: The Japanese Knotweed Heatmap, an online tool that tracks more than 100,000 verified sightings across the UK. The map allows the public to search by postcode, view infestation risk levels, and submit new reports with photos for expert verification. Here are the top Japanese knotweed hotspots in Somerset for 2025: 1 Bath - 159 2 Portishead - 37 3 Clevedon - 30 4 Weston-Super-Mare - 24 5 Keynsham - 21 =6 Taunton - 15 =6 Winscombe - 14 8 Wincanton - 12 9 Radstock - 11 10 Nailsea - 11 Japanese knotweed, introduced to the UK in the Victorian era, spreads via underground rhizomes that can grow up to 3 metres deep and 7 metres wide. While serious structural damage is rare, the plant can lower property values and lead to disputes. A DEFRA report estimated the annual cost of tackling knotweed in the UK at nearly £250 million. Environet Director Emily Grant said: 'By mapping verified sightings, we're helping people understand the level of risk in their local area and encouraging early identification and treatment.'
Bloomberg
8 hours ago
- Bloomberg
How YouTube Is Shaping a New Generation of Chefs
It was the fall of 2023, and James Lowe, the London-based chef who'd made Lyle's one of the UK's best restaurants, realized he needed help. Despite 20 years of cooking experience, including stints in elite kitchens such as the Fat Duck and the River Cafe, the 45-year-old had never butchered a bluefin tuna. The UK had just awarded local licenses to catch the fish, though, so Lowe had ordered a 180-kilogram specimen from a favorite supplier in Cornwall. Carving up the pricey fish—especially a daunting behemoth of 400 pounds—is no small endeavor. 'Almost none of my chefs had prepped it before, and every piece has a different name,' Lowe says. Not even the knives they used regularly were meant for the task.
