Fota Wildlife Park

🎉 We are thrilled to be nominated in this year's Cork Digital Marketing Awards. 🎉 We're nominated alongside some other fantastic Cork Chamber members for Best Use of TikTok Best Use of X Thanks to our social community for your support! #DigitalCork24

An exciting fulltime permanent position has arisen for a highly motivated individual as a Ranger within Fota Wildlife Park. The closing date for receipt of applications is 21st July 2024. For full details or to apply online - https://lnkd.in/dQCb_pW7

Fota Wildlife Park Announces Exciting Educational Weekends for Summer 2024! We are delighted to announce the return of our much-loved, family-friendly educational weekends at Fota Wildlife Park, set to take place in July and August at our newly opened Education, Conservation, and Research Centre. These weekends offer an excellent opportunity for both educators and families to engage in interactive, educational experiences that highlight the importance of biodiversity and STEM. 🔬 Mad Scientist Weekend (13th & 14th July) Featuring interactive displays, talks, and demonstrations, this weekend invites visitors to explore the wonders of science. With exhibits from the Tyndall National Institute, Lifetime Lab Old Cork Waterworks Experience with MathsWorks, VEX Robots and LEGO, UCC’s Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, UCC School of Biological Earth and Environmental Sciences and more, young minds will be inspired by the magic of water, light, and magnetism. 🌳 Native Species Weekend (27th & 28th July) Celebrate our local biodiversity with exhibits from the Cork Nature Network, Breeding Waders EIP Project, Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, Dublin Zoo, Wildlife Rescue Cork, WARPPEd , Lifetime Lab @ Old Cork Waterworks with their Explorer’s Education Progamme that looks at marine life and their “What’s in a Drop” workshop examining mini beasties in our rivers, and the Irish Bee Conservation Project. Learn about the native species of our region and the importance of conservation through hands-on activities and educational stands. 🐛 Bug Bonanza Weekend (17th & 18th August) Insect enthusiasts can dive into the world of invertebrates with presentations from our zoologists and education team. This weekend will showcase the crucial roles insects play in global biodiversity. Lynda Mc Sweeney, Head of Education at Fota Wildlife Park, expressed her enthusiasm: “These events provide a fantastic platform to highlight the importance of biodiversity and STEM in our everyday lives. We’re excited to welcome visitors to our new centre and share our passion for learning and conservation.” Join us for a summer of discovery and education at Fota Wildlife Park! Full details - https://lnkd.in/eBSrJYux #FotaWildlifePark #STEMEducation #Biodiversity #EducationalEvents #Summer2024 #ConservationEducation

Our Financial Controller, Shane McDermott, spoke about his journey to Fota Wildlife Park in the latest issue of Cork Chamber's Chamber Link. Shane spoke to John Kelly for the Deloitte NextGen Leaders series. https://lnkd.in/ezU9Hyse

We're thrilled to welcome the delegates of #biazaresearch2024 to our newly opened Education, Conservation and Research Centre today! The British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) Research Conference is covering some of the latest zoo science and research. Pictured are the delegates outside the centre and Prof. Ruth Ramsay from University College Cork delivering one of the keynote speeches. #biazaresearch2024

Today Fota Wildlife Park’s new sustainably built Education, Conservation and Research Centre (ECRC) was officially opened by Michael McGrath TD, Kieran O'Donnell TD, the Minister of State for the Office of Public Works, and the Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan, TD. The Education, Conservation and Research Centre, “Understanding Our Sustainable Future” was developed at a cost of €5.5 million and was co funded by the Government of Ireland via the Office of the Public Works and Fota Wildlife Park (€2 million from the Office of Public Works and €3.5 million from Fota Wildlife Park). The new ECRC features a 265-seater auditorium, an atrium, three state of the art classrooms, and a dedicated research centre which will provide significant opportunities to undergraduate and postgraduate students in University College Cork and national and international third level institutions. Sustainability is at the forefront of the centre’s design and its day-to-day operations. Solar panels and batteries ensure it can produce as much energy as it needs, rainwater harvesting provides 80% of the required water and a heat recovery ventilation system and extensive insulation in the external walls significantly reduce the energy requirements of the ECRC complex. To read more about the new centre, and today's official opening - https://lnkd.in/eU7uvetx

Our director, Sean McKeown, spoke to Ralph Riegel about Ireland's biodiversity, saving native species, and our new Education, Conservation and Research Centre. Read the piece in today's Irish Independent - https://lnkd.in/gaRFFghi Image: Red Squirrel at Fota Wildlife Park, photo by Darragh Kane

Today is Fota Wildlife Park's birthday. On June 23rd in 1983 Fota Wildlife Park opened its doors to the public and we have now been open to visitors for the 41 years. We've spent this past year celebrating the first 40 years amounting to approximately 12 million people having visited Fota Wildlife Park. Thank you to everyone who joined us in those celebrations, and we hope you continue to visit us for the rest of our forties!

A big thank you to East Cork Crane Hire Ltd. for their help with some big jobs in Fota Wildlife Park recently. With the new Education, Conservation and Research Centre up and running, the temporary education classrooms were moved in the early rooms before the Park opened.

We were thrill to host the IKC3 - Ireland's Knowledge Centre for Carbon, Climate and Community Action 'Sustainability Pathways: Networking, Workshops, and Opportunities' event, presented by Cobh & Harbour Chamber ,Mallow Chamber and in partnership with Port of Cork Company Ltd. at our new Education, Conservation and Research Centre in the Wildlife Park yesterday. A greatly successful event, full of sustainability presentations and workshops, with lots of people connecting and sharing their experiences and expertise.