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Title: Have yourselves a very Meerkat Christmas Author: Yorkshire Wildlife Park  ID & Publication: 20121211007 ~ The-Villager.co.uk  Area: Branton  Subject: Environment

Award-winning Yorkshire Wildlife Park was packed last weekend for the arrival of the world’s first Meerkat Santa.
Hundreds braved the cold on Saturday to honor YWP’s furry Father Christmas, who is now installed in his special grotto.
The Doncaster Concert Band welcomed his arrival by playing carols during the afternoon.
Now children can journey into Kalahari Desert to receive a gift from Meerkat Santa for just £5 after paying to enter YWP.
The Meerkat Santa will be in residence in his grotto every weekend until the 23rd. Pre-booking is recommended, as slots are limited and tickets are selling fast!

As well as the Meerkat Christmas experience, YWP is also offering a huge variety of perfect Xmas gifts, including adoption packages for animals ranging from Amur Leopards, to Lemurs, to the famous Lions rescued from Romania, to endangered painted Dogs to Santa’s Meerkat helpers.
They include an official adoption certificate, a fact sheet with a photograph of your adopted animal, and a complimentary adult ticket to visit the Park. And for some selected animals in addition to the main package for an extra £20 for a 20 – 30 minute session, the adopter gets to meet their adopted animal. The Adoption programme helps the Park continue its inspirational conservation work as well as contributing to the upkeep of the animals
For a truly unusual Christmas gift, there are also the ultimate behind the scenes experiences: the VIP Tours. In the VIP Carnivore Tour, guests see behind the scenes and get close to the Amur Tigers and Leopards and the famous Lions, whilst one of the highlights of the new VIP Hoofstock and Primate Tour is the chance to feed one of the four new giraffes that have recently arrived at YWP.

Also on offer is the opportunity to Shadow a Ranger - giving the chance to work alongside one of the rangers for a real and hands on experience. Help check the animals, prepare feeds and be ready for some close encounters with lemurs and meerkats.

For children aged ten and over there is the Junior Ranger experience with some of the friendlier animals, a great chance to get hands on and learn about being a Ranger.

If you can’t decide which experience to give as a gift – you can always buy gift vouchers and leave it to the lucky recipient to decide.

‘YWP wants to play a big part in helping our visitors celebrate the Christmas festivities,’ said Director Cheryl Williams. ‘It has been another record year for YWP and we want to thank all our visitors for their support. You won't find a better place to have a fun filled day and be able to pick up the perfect Christmas present as well from the Safari Store.’
Visitors will also be able to enjoy getting closer than ever to some of the most beautiful and endangered animals on earth, including the newly arrived giraffes.

They can watch the Tigers splash around the waterfalls at Land of the Tigers and visit Leopard Heights - home to the most endangered big cat on the planet with an 8 meter-tall viewing tower and 10-metre long glass viewing window.
All year round Yorkshire Wildlife Park gives visitors unrivalled access to an impressive animal collection, including the famous lions rescued from Romania, endangered Amur Tigers, Leopards and Painted Hunting Dogs. There is also an indoor Jungle Playbarn and an outdoor Forest Adventure play area.

Hungry visitors can stop off at the Wild Café for a Christmas fare during December but for groups of six or more who prebook there are special packages available:

Bronze: Three-course Christmas dinner: £12.95pp
Silver: Three-course Christmas dinner: + Park entry: £19.95pp
Gold: Three-course Christmas dinner + Park entry + free return voucher + guide book: £24.95

To book for the Christmas Meal:
catering@yorkshirewildlifepark.com / 01302 535057
More images available on request
For more information go to www.yorkshirewildlifepark.com / 01302 535 057, Yorkshire Wildlife Park, Brockholes Lane, Branton DN3 3NH.

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