So, the 6 week holidays have just about started for everyone.
Parents across the UK are already starting to wonder what to do with their children for the summer holidays.
Of course there are plenty of indoor activities both at home and across Torbay.
However, lets get you and your family to Paignton Zoo to enjoy a spot of fresh air and of course time to allow your imaginations to run wild.
At Paignton Zoo, those imaginations, have been well and truly captivated with 10 fantasy animals that are very real.
1. Dragon
At one, and probably every kids favourite, a dragon. Â At Paignton Zoo, there is a real life Komodo dragon, fear not it doesn’t breath fire.
The Komodo Drago is considered to be the largest dragon on the planet. Â An adult can eat up to half its body weight in one meal. Â Look out for her in the Crocodile Swamp.
2. Giant
Fee fi fo thumb, I sense giant tortoises at Paignton Zoo. Â Named, Sophie, Miley, Dora, Cleo and Elvis, these magnificent animals came to Paignton Zoo as youngsters.
Arriving in the UK in an illegal consignment, seized by custom officials. Â Today they weight a gigantic 200 kilos – about the same as a male Gorilla!
3. Â UnicornÂ
Fair enough Paignton Zoo can’t promise a white unicorn.
However, they can deliver an exceptional black rhino aka Diceros bicornis and their counterparts, the Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicorns) which has a large single horn.
But rhinos are just as magnificent if not more so than a unicorn, right?
4. Titan
In Greek mythology, the Titans were huge, powerful and divine beings.
The titan at Paignton Zoo is also huge and powerful – when this enormous tropical plant is in flower, you can smell it a mile off.
Sniff out the Titan arum in the Crocodile Swamp – although at the moment it’s in mottled green tree phase range than its big stinky flower phase.
5. Princess
As beautiful, shy and rare as any fairy-tale princess.
The Princess of Wales parakeet is a delicate little bird that can be found in the Desert House at Paignton Zoo.
6. Witch
Watch out for the crested quail which is also known as the mountain which, she might just cast a spell over you.
Lookout for them in the Reptile Tropics at Paignton Zoo.
7. King
Head over to Living Coasts, Torquay for a chance to checkout the kind eider, a sea duck from the Arctic.
The female plucks downy feathers from her breast and uses them as nesting material.
8. Dwarf
Luckily they don’t have beards or drink malt beer!!
From geckos to caimans. Â Paignton Zoo is home to a whole host of turquoise dwarf geckos.
9. Orc
We’ve got these bad boys almost right, there are auks at Living Coasts, Torquay.
Auks are sea birds and include guillemots and puffins.
Both are notable for the way in which they fly underwater.
10. Emperor
Like the idea of mighty emperors?
You’re going to the emperor goose and the emperor scorpion at Paignton Zoo.
Whilst in Newquay checkout the emperor tamarin and emperor newt.
