Animal Encounters

Animal Encounters at WWT London Wetland Centre
Meet some of our mysterious wildlife – flying pink elephants and mini-dragons!

Did you know that hidden here at WWT London Wetland Centre there are flying pink elephants?  It’s easy to spot the ducks which live here at the Centre, but our wetland reserve is teeming with other life which is sometimes a bit more difficult to see unless you know where to look.

During our Animal Encounters week, Saturday 24 May – Sunday 1 June, we’ll be showing you different creatures every day, so come and see some of the exquisite but mysterious moths that inhabit the wetlands; the elephant hawk moth has beautiful pink markings and is a real giant next to the elegant ermine moth.  Or join us to discover more about the dragons we have here... Dragonflies are fantastic flyers but their lives begin underwater as fearsome predators.  It is rumoured that the monster in Alien was based on a dragonfly nymph; come along and discover why. And meet some of the reptiles that live hidden away under rocks and logs, such as the dragon-like common lizards.

As well as seeing some of the hidden creatures of our wildlife reserve up close each day, why not sign up for one of our ‘safari’ sessions?  We’ll be holding bug hunts, reptile rambles, duckling walks and pond dipping. You can join us for some worm charming or take part in a freshwater survey to see what mini beasts live in our ponds and streams.

And follow our self-guided Animal Encounter trail to discover what’s around; look out for frogs and newts, butterflies and orchids. Or visit our Headley Discovery Hide in World Wetlands for family arts & crafts and to pick up tips about how to watch wildlife; we’ve even provided comfy seating and binoculars to make it as easy as possible!

Each day we’ll be showing you different animals up close, and you can also sign up for some of our safaris to see what’s about on our reserve:

http://www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/london/whats-on/2014/05/24/animal-encounters/CommonFrog_JamesLees

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