Andrew Turner, the Island’s MP spent an enjoyable afternoon at the Isle of Wight Zoo in Sandown recently getting a taster session of their new Animal Experiences – Tiger Milk Feeding and Lemur Art. Charlotte Corney the zoo’s proprietor invited Andrew to try the packages which have recently been made available to the public – although children must be over twelve.

Andrew said:
”I must admit I was intrigued by the invitation – it was certainly one of the more unusual things I have been invited to do. It turned out to be a really enjoyable and memorable experience. I got up close to the tiger cages and squirted goat’s milk into the mouths of the tigers – who clearly thoroughly enjoyed it and lapped it up eagerly. Getting up close to some of the stars of Tiger Island (Zena, Zia and Diamond) you can really sense how powerful they are. The staff who look after the big cats Paul and Nina clearly had a great rapport with them but their attempts to teach me to communicate by ‘chuffing’ were not a great success. The tigers were really only interested in the milk – not in talking to a politician’.

The next stop was the Lemur enclosure where the idea was that the resident troop of Ring Tailed Lemurs, tempted by bribes of raisins, run through paint over a canvas. But things did not exactly go according to plan - according to Andrew:

“The lemurs were beautiful – very friendly and inquisitive but they were also very bright. I’m afraid they rather outwitted me by simply taking hold of my hand and eating all the raisins and I didn’t have the heart to pull my hand away. I am pleased that the friendly staff who look after them were a little stricter and managed to get them to scamper over the canvas. Thanks to Leigh and Steph I now have a very fine example of what would pass for modern art and although I am not sure which way up it should go I will be hanging it in my office to remind me of a great afternoon at the zoo.”

END Contact : Andrew Turner’s office 01983 530808