Family-friendly events mark 40 years of Fota Wildlife Park

FOTA Wildlife Park will be hosting a series of family-friendly events over the next six weeks as it celebrates its 40-year anniversary.

The events kicked off on July 10 and will run until August 20.

TV presenter and scientist Mark the Science Guy, from RTÉ series Let’s Find Out, is bringing his show to Fota each week.

His first show was on Tuesday this week and shows will continue each Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday until August 17.

The show is an interactive event with unique and fascinating demonstrations, and must be pre-booked on www.fotawildlife.ie.

Jo Dennehy and Graffiti Theatre Company began their show on Monday with Rowan and the Seasons, a new and creative learning workshop with puppets, that will cater for those between the ages of three and nine.

The event will be held weekly on Mondays and will finish up on August 14. It is suitable for kids with sensory difficulties, and pre-booking is required on the Fota Wildlife website.

There will also be family-friendly yoga classes from Hot Yoga Cork, running weekly on Fridays at 1pm, from July 14 until August 18. Yoga will be held in the Fota marquee, which must also be booked in advance.

This weekend on July 15 and 16, Fota will be hosting their Mad Scientist Weekend, taking place from 12pm until 5pm.

The marquee will play host to exhibitions from Tyndall National Institute, IPIC, and the Lifetime Lab.

On July 29 and July 30, Fota will host Native Species Weekend, an event created to teach kids who are interested in learning about our indigenous creatures and the importance of wildlife conservation.

On August 16, Peter Dowdall will give a talk and workshop on natural connections in Fota Wildlife Park and will discuss how some animals need plants, and how certain plants need animals for their survival.

The summer schedule of events also includes daily wildlife talks and feeding times. All of these events are free with entry or admission.

For full details and booking information, visit www.fotawildlife.ie.