Chance to fawn over baby deer and penguins at Lotherton this summer

At the new purpose-built pool, groups of up to four people will get to meet Wobble, Bilbo and the gang and take charge of their feeding time. After delivering them a fish supper visitors can watch them in action, on land and in the water, from the viewing platform.

One of the estate’s experienced animal keepers will be there throughout to answer any questions about Humboldt penguins or any of the site’s other exciting species.

The penguin experience is available weekends and during the school holidays.

Also returning for the school holidays are the tractor tours in the estate’s deer park, taking visitors out among the herd to get close to the magnificent animals.

Each tour on Lotherton’s bespoke tractor trailer takes 30 people, who will also learn all about Britain’s biggest native mammal and how they live as part of the tour. Tours are available every weekday and selected weekends throughout the summer holidays.

The Aberford attraction has been home to red deer since the 1980s, all living in the estate’s specially maintained deer park. This year the herd is bigger than ever before including plenty of baby deer, with many as young as 10 weeks old.

Mark Scott, general estate manager at Lotherton, said: “Due to the phenomenal demand last year we have of course decided to bring the tours back for this summer.

“We’re pleased to be able to provide the deer tour and the penguin experience as they really provide unique and personal animal experiences that visitors just wouldn’t get otherwise.”

Councillor Mohammed Rafique, Leeds City Council’s executive member for climate, energy, environment and green space, said: “Lotherton is home to a spectacular variety of wildlife species including emus, cranes, Arthur the tapir and critically endangered Visayan warty pigs, making it a great place to visit for the whole family. Visitors can learn about these amazing animals whilst also understanding how we can each play our part in protecting and conserving both them and the natural world.

“The tours of the deer park as well as the penguin experience provide unique opportunities to visitors and we’re pleased that we can offer them. These attractions will help us generate vital funding to conserve and look after these groups of animals.

“Our ‘Adopt a penguin’ scheme that we launched last year has proven very popular and we’re hoping these experiences will as well.”

The deer park tours and the penguin experience can be booked as an add-on to ticket admission (at an additional cost) at https://museumsandgalleries.leeds.gov.uk/lotherton/whats-on-at-lotherton/.

ENDS