On Sunday, Edinburgh welcomed two Giant Pandas to it’s city Zoo. The Giant Pandas will live in Edinburgh for 10 years on loan in a global conservation programme. The two adult Pandas,  a male and female named Yang Guang and Tian Tian, arrived to the Zoo via private jet with much ceremony including crowds of visitors, a bagpipe reception and Bamboo cake!

They will be unveiled to the public on December 16th after a settling in period. The Pandas were flown 10 hours to Edinburgh where it is hoped they will produce cubs. Though any visitors may wonder how this will happen when the Pandas will live in separate enclosures. However Pandas are very shy creatures and prefer to stay alone, part of the reason the have become an endangered species is because they are too shy to venture to new ground to find more food in the wild. The Pandas will be introduced to each other in early spring for a few days and hopes are high that the Pandas will reproduce.

19 Pandas have been born in breeding programmes in captivity this year. But breeding in-Zoo has not been successful with previous UK Pandas. London Zoo’s 1974 arrivals. Ching Ching and Chia Chia, failed to reproduce any cubs in their time at the zoo and in fact proved very hard to keep. The Zoo had to ask for public funds for the Pandas to assist their shelter and their feeding. Pandas eat, on average, for 12 hours a day, very little of their food is digested so they eat in vast quantities. The Pandas were a star attraction at the Zoo and following Ching-Ching’s death in 1984 the Zoo immediately sought another pair of Pandas. In 1991 two more Pandas arrived, Ming Ming from China and Bao Bao from Berlin. Hopes this pair would reproduce were dashed when it was discovered the Pandas fought on contact. They were eventually sent home a few years later and the UK has been Panda -less for 17 years.

Many see the arrival of the Pandas as a sign of good links with China and there are hopes they will boost the Scottish tourism economy. A considerable amount of advance tickets have been bought and an extra million visitors are expected at the zoo. However, Conservationists are not entirely happy with the arrival and say the money would be better spent keeping the animals in their own habitat. We at Edinburgh Seasons are happy with the Ginat Pandas and welcome Tian Tian and Yang Guang with big smiles!

Gorgie Farm – A real city farm, which may seem crazy considering we are not too far from the country and real farms but you have to go to see what the fuss is about. Children of all ages will enjoy seeing the resident animals. There are times when children are able to handle the animals, so it’s well worth checking their website ahead of a visit. Gorgie City farm advertises pony rides too, a good chance to acquaint your children with equestrian activities. I have always found Gorgie Farm to be a pleasant experience as long as you don’t mind the farm smells at certain points.

Camera Obscura – Located on the Royal Mile, right next to Edinburgh Castle is one fascinating place. Camera Obscura will entertain children, and adults, of all ages. Despite it’s small exterior in side you will find a wealth of exhibits to keep small minds occupied for a good few hours. Full of optical illusions and lights displays, Camera Obscura is one of those surprising places to visit. Everyone who visits is always pleasantly surprised by whats inside and it is the kind of place you can happily visit more than once.

The Meadows – I doubt there is a child on the planet who will not enjoy the play park on the south side and a parent who will not smile watching their little one swinging on the flying fox. The Meadows are a lush green expanse of open space and in dry weather a great place to head with a football or frisbee. Located in the south of the city, The Meadows have a series of tree lined walkways, good for a winter stroll. There are also Tennis Courts, Cricket pitches and a Crochet club.

Edinburgh Zoo – A fully stocked Zoo with Lions, Tigers and Bears! ( as well as Koalas, Monkeys, Snakes, Penguins and many more!) The Hilltop Safari bus takes you the full length of the zoo and you can go to the furthest part of the zoo and walk your way back, which is preferable as it is a hilly place. If you are an Edinburgh resident, if may be a good idea to join the friends society as this gives you a reduction on entry fees and means you can enjoy the zoo several times a year at a reasonable price. On Sunday, 4th of December, excitement hits Edinburgh as the much anticipated arrival of two Panda’s from China.

Portobello Beach and Amusements – Portobello used to be the place to be. Years ago, the promenade was a hive of activity and people came from miles to walk the golden sands, take in the bracing sea air and enjoy the surroundings. Portobello underwent a refurbishment some ears ago and while it id not the thriving seaside town it was in the early part of the century, it’s still a great place to take children. As soon as a ray of sun hits Edinburgh in summer, Portobello beach is jam packed with deck chairs and sun hats. During winter it’s still as lively although it patrons are wrapped up warm,  the beach is a lovely place to take a stroll.  The amusement arcades are a great place to shelter form the weather, the bright lights of the penny machines will occupy the children nicely.

Thank you to everyone who contributed photographs, including RZSS

For this post we are concentrating on the great variety of primates in the zoo. A more charming bunch of individuals you’ll never meet.

Click on the animal name to see details on the Edinburgh Zoo website.

Drill
Lurking in the corner of the monkey house you’ll find the very impressive drill. He’s a big old unit and, as you can see, has some very impressive teeth.

Barbary Macaque
If it’s action your after then head down to see the Barbary Macaques. There is a very large gang of them and there is always something going on. Including taking a very close interest in blokes pointing cameras at them.

Chimpanzee
The Budungo Trail houses a large group of Chimpanzees. They are usually very entertaining but are usually a bit too smart to allow themselves to be papped easily. Luckily I was waiting for this fine fellow as he stepped outside.

Buff Cheeked Gibbon
The buff cheeked gibbons are the king of the swingers in the zoo. These guys zip about at quite some speed. This is the female and what you can’t really see in this shot is that she has a baby clapsed round her.

Baby Gelada Baboon
The Gelada baboons are another big family group dominated by an impressive male. This little guy was kind enough to sit near the window.

Red-fronted Lemur
You can get very close to the lemurs in the walkthrough lemur exhibit. This brown lemur was sitting on a rope above me.

Red Titi Monkey
The charmingly named Red Titi Monkey live in the Magic Forest exhibit and, as you can seem, score quite high on the cute scale.

Black Howler Monkey
Back in the monkey house, there is a small family of Howler Monkeys. I’ve not yet heard any howling.

Diana Monkey
The Diana Monkeys have a very striking black and white coat.

White Faced Saki
Also in the Magic Forest you’ll find the White Faced Saki, it’s an odd looking thing but not without charm.

Golden-headed Lion Tamarin
Probably the most beautiful of the inhabitants of the Magic Forest, the Golden-headed Lion Tamarin is very striking.

Brown Capuchin Monkey
The Living Link research facility features two separate families of brown capuchins.

Squirrel Monkey
Living alongside the capuchins are two families of Squirrel Monkeys.

Just what is the lemur saying?

So readers and visitors, we throw the challenge open to you to tell us what you think the lemur might be saying.

2 Tickets To See The Lemur Live

The best caption for this photo will win 2 tickets to Edinburgh Zoo. To enter simply leave a comment below with your lemur caption in it. The winner will be selected on 31st July 2009 at 15:00 BST.

Prizes

The winner of the lemur caption competition will receive 2 tickets to Edinburgh Zoo & their caption will be featured in an article on EdinburghSeasons.

Lemur Legislation

• The winner will be selected by the photographer Scott Liddell and / or EdinburghSeasons.
• Entries will be judged on wit, humour & originality.
• All entries may be published by EdinburghSeasons.
• The judges decision is final.

Keep it clean
Have fun
Good luck!

I now have a zoo membership, which makes it much easier to drop in for short visits and to see which of the animals are in the mood to pose for me. This is just a small selection of the creatures you can see.

Edinburgh Zoo Top Tip: On arrival, get the free transport to the top of the hill and see everything as you walk back down. You also get great views over Edinburgh and the Pentlands at the top so have a good look first.

Click on the animal name for more detailed info from Wikipedia

Pallas Cat
The Pallas Cat is a fairly secretive wee soul so you’re going to have to be fairly patient if you want to get this good a look at him. In all the times I have been to the zoo, I’ve got a photo of it twice. Well worth the wait, it’s a lovely creature.

Jaguars
The big cats are always a big favourite at any zoo and the jaguars are always popular in Edinburgh. They are usually quite gregarious so you usually get a good view. The jaguars have recently moved into the former tiger habitat so they now have a lot more room.

Pygmy Marmoset
A firm favourite with the kids, the Rainbow Forest has an excellent collection of the cuter end of the primate scale. The smallest of them all is the Pygmy Marmoset. A very engaging wee soul you can usually find him lurking in the bushes.

Cottontop Tamarin
A slightly more dynamic groups of inhabitants of the Rainbow Forest are the Cottontop Tamarins. They are a vibrant family group and will usually be chasing each other about quite a bit. Keep a close-out for for small babies clinging on to their parent’s backs.

Chimpanzee
One of the newest areas of the zoo is the excellent new Chimpanzee habitat, The Budongo Trail. Edinburgh Zoo has a large group of chimps and you get a great view of them both indoors and out. They sway between large periods of lazing about and sudden bursts of charging about the place.

Great Grey Owl
The Great Grey Owl often lurks at the back of his cage but on a sunny day it comes out and puts on this striking pose.

Ring-tailed Lemur
On a sunny day there is no better sight than the ring-tailed lemurs sunning themselves. There is a large group in the zoo, lots of very cute babies usually. If you can’t see them outside, they will be huddled in their house not far from the Member’s Gate. The high viewing platform gives a good view of them (and most of Edinburgh).

Stellar’s Sea Eagle
Not the biggest bird on the zoo, but perhaps the most impressive, the Stellar’s Sea Eagles strike a very dramatic pose. There is a pair in the zoo and they are usually out and about in the centre of their enclosure.

Indian Rhino
If it’s that authentic zoo smell you’re after then seek out the Rhinos. They don’t run around much so don’t expect much of a show but they are impressive for their size alone. At the end of the day they move to their sleeping house a little further up the hill, this is the best place to see/smell them up close.

King Penguin
Edinburgh Zoo is probably most famous for it’s penguins and the daily penguin parade. A better thing to check out is the underwater flocking that is often on show. Stand on the bridge the spans the middle of the penguin enclosure and watch them whizz by back and forward underneath. Good to go and breeding time zoo and see the little chicks. The King Penguins will usually do you the favour of standing very still so you can get a good photo.

The penguins can also now be watched online via the new Penguin Cam.

Oriental Small-Clawed Otter
The otters are among the zoo’s most engaging inhabitants. Unlike many of the other creatures, they do react to the presence of visitors and, as you can see from this photo, are happy to get close and look at you. They tend to troupe about together but are most often found at the top end of their enclosure waiting on food.

Japanese Macaque
If you’ve ever seen the film Baraka, you’ll know there is something very zen about the Japanese Macaque. Their faces have a peaceful wisdom about them.