Ask Larry Fun Family Days Out

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Always wanted to know something about Fota? Then ask our resident expert Larry the Lemur using the form below or by emailing your question to larry@fotawildlife.ie

Do you have any penguins? if yes , where do you keep them?
Thanks a million.
Cian, John , Aislinn and Niall

Yes, we have penguins called Humboldt Penguins living in the park. They live at the bottom of the park where their habitat is connected to Cork Harbour which provides the birds with natural sea water.
Posted by 2nd class reading group castlegar

hi

Hi Laura
Posted by laura

how many cheetahs do ye have?
and when is the next litter of cheetah cubs dew?
are the animals in enclosures or only fenced?

We have 10 cheetahs at the moment. We have a very successful breeding programme and over 200 cheetah cubs have been born in Fota since 1985. However at the moment we're not expecting any new baby cheetahs.
Posted by laura

Larry, I’m wondering if u have Elephants, Tigers Or Crocodiles & stuff like that?

Not at the moment, but we do have Cheetahs, Giraffess, Meerkats, Red Pandas and Ring-tailed Lemurs
Posted by Lucy

Is there much difference in the Red Ruffed Lemur and the regular Lemur?

There are no regular Lemurs! All our Lemurs are different sizes and colours, depending on whether they are one of our Ruffed Lemurs or Ring-tailed Lemurs.
Posted by Ka Ko

Is anybody special visiting Fota?

Every visitor to Fota is special in our eyes but this year we have had a few people in you might know including Mary McAleese, the President of Ireland, Shane from Westlife, Craig Doyle from RTÉ/BBC and Irish Rugby stars Ronan O’Gara and Donncha O’Callaghan.
Posted by Ka Ko

How tall can a Giraffe grow up to be?

Adult Giraffes can grow up to 18ft in height!
Posted by Ka Ko

Is there anything else in the pond apart from ducks?

If you mean the lake area, we have swans, pelicans, heron, fish, crabs, geese to name but a few.
Posted by Ka Ko

Apart from the eagle and ducks, do you have any other birds in Fota?

We do indeed. Ostriches and Emus are also birds and you can see them wander in the Savannah with the Giraffes, Zebras and Oryx. We also have Chilean Flamingoes, which are the tall pink birds down by the restaurant, as well as Penguins.
Posted by Ro-Ro

What is the cutest animal?

Can I be? There are many adorable animals here at the Park, especially all the baby animals. Many people find the Red Panda cute as well as the Cheetahs, Monkeys, Giraffes and, of course, the Ring-tailed Lemurs.
Posted by Beccie

Are you allowed take pictures?

You can take pictures in the Park, and they are great souvenirs to have to show family and friends afterwards. We sometimes have competitions for the best photos taken in the Park so keep an eye on this website for details!
Posted by Katie

Dear Larry. What is the more interesting animals?

I guess I can’t say that I’m the most interesting one can I?! All animals here at the Park are interesting in their own way. The Cheetahs are great to watch, especially when they are being fed. The Monkeys and Apes are great fun to watching jumping from tree to tree.
Posted by Beccie

When would you get new animals (not baby animals)?

We get new animals whenever we have the space for them and a proper home for them to live in. All the animals here in Fota have loads of room to move around and we would want the same for any new arrivals.
Posted by Johnny

What do flamingoes eat? Are they carnivores?

Flamingoes are birds and are not classed as carnivores, herbivores or omnivores as a result. They generally eat small plants and sea creatures like shrimp.
Posted by Ro-Ro

Do any of the new babies have names?

The baby Zebra is called Zedward, while the baby Giraffe is called Setanta.
Posted by Joe and Alana

Are there any baby animals?

Hi there. Yes, there are many baby animals here in the Park, including baby Kangaroos, which are called Joeys, a baby Zebra, a Bison calf and many more. There are always new babies born throughout the year at Fota.
Posted by Joe and Alana

Are you a really person on a computer Larry?

I’m a Ring-tailed Lemur!
Posted by Lucy

Do Cheetahs like chocolate?

We have never given them any, as it would be bad for them!
Posted by kesja

When do most animals have babies?

Between March and June is the best time at the Park for animal births, but we do get them all year around
Posted by Leah

Can you feed the ducks?

Hi there! Yes, you can feed the ducks. They are only a couple of animals at the Park that you are allowed feed though. There is a duck feeder located down by the Penguins, which has their favourite food, so you can buy some suitable food there.
Posted by Chloe

Have any of the animals in Fota every got sick?

Yes, animals do get sick from time to time but that’s normal. We have a very good vet here at the Park, who knows all the animals very well so he knows exactly how to make them better.
Posted by malaidh

Are we allowed feed the monkeys in Fota Wildlife Park bananas?

Unfortunately not. You can’t feed any of the animals here in the Park (except the ducks) as they all have very specialised diets. If the public were to feed the animals, they might become sick and overweight and develop more serious health problems
Posted by Rachel1999L

Do Cheetahs like ice-cream?

Cheetah don’t like icecream as it make them sick!
Posted by Sophie

What do Cheetahs eat?

Great question! The Cheetahs have a varied diet but meat is, of course, their favourite – particularly rabbit and chicken.
Posted by Blaze

Why do Giraffes eat trees?

Giraffes are a type of animal that eats grass, leaves and bark from trees - in other words browsers. Over many thousands of years it has developed a digestion system that can break down the tough leaf structure by means of chewing the cud and digesting its food in different stomach chambers, much like a cow. Giraffes have also developed a competitive advantage over other leaf-eating animals by growing very tall and so being able to eat food in tall trees that other animals can't reach. If Giraffes had developed as meat-eaters many thousands of years ago then there would be no advantage to being tall and they would probably need to be smaller and faster in order to catch prey animals. As a result, they would look very different from the tall graceful animals that you can see in Fota!
Posted by Sadbius

Which animal is the most dangerous in the Park?

A lot of people ask this question. The animals here are very secure and do not pose a threat to the public. In the wild, the Bison would be the most dangerous, even more so than the Cheetah as they are both bigger and stronger.
Posted by Seano

What else do Zebras eat besides grass?

Hi Bekkie. During the summer months, the Zebras only eat grass but during winter the wardens at the Park almost give them hay and concentrated nuts that are especially made to supplement the animals’ diets.
Posted by Bekkie

Are the Bison fed?

Hi Peter, thanks for another great question. Yes, all the animals are fed here at Fota. The European Bison are mainly browsers like the Giraffes, and not grazers like cattle. In the wild they eat according to the season: Summer - deciduous trees, shrubs, heathers and Winter - evergreen trees, shrubs. Their favourites are willow, aspen, ash, mistletoe, blackberry, mushrooms, ferns, lichens, mosses and acorns. (Hard to imagine a bison eating small delicate foods like blackberries!) They do most of their feeding in grassy clearings and then retreat into the woods for safety. At Fota, fresh willow (sallie) is cut early every morning from around the Cork area and given to the Bison and Giraffes. They are fed this twice a day (morning and evening) and their diet is supplemented with hay, oats and sugar beet.
Posted by Peter Maher

What time is bedtime?

Most of the animals in the Park pick their own bedtime which is why you might not be able to see them at times on your visit as they may be sleeping somewhere - just like the Capybara who often go to the land behind the penguins for a nap during the day. The Giraffes do, however, go to bed around 5pm each day. Thanks for the question Peter... Larry
Posted by Peter Maher

Is the water in the lake of good quality?

Although there may be a light scum on the lake surface, the water is clean. Estuarine habitats, such as the Fota Wildlife Park lake, are highly productive and support much algae and other life. Our management system for the lake ensures that it is clean.
Posted by Roger

Dear Larry. Why does Fota not keep Lions, Tigers or Elephants?

These potentially dangerous animals need especially secure compounds to separate them from the public. They also need large areas. Fota Wildlife Park does not have the space to keep them at the moment.
Posted by John

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