East Park’s Animal Education Centre has gained two new residents as a pair of Shetland ponies have moved in.
Ten-year-old Bonnie and Benjie have arrived following re-homing through the BlueCross animal welfare charity and are now settling into their new home. The duo are lifelong companions, having been together since they were six months old, making them the best of friends.
Taking up residence in the farmyard area of East Park Animal Education Centre, Bonnie and Benjie are now ready to meet visitors.
Cllr Rob Pritchard, portfolio holder for leisure and culture said: “We’re delighted to welcome Bonnie and Benjie to East Park as fantastic new additions to our animal education centre.
“As the newest residents at the park, I’m sure they will attract many visitors and become firm favourites.”
Emma Burdon, Zoo Manager for Hull Culture and Leisure said: “Bonnie and Benjie are already settling into their new home beautifully and are getting used to their new care team, trotting over to greet us in return for a bit of a fuss or scratch.
“They are quite happy out grazing land in all British weathers, although our ponies will be relatively pampered with a choice of stables to shelter in, and daily grooming and care from the team at the Animal Education Centre!”
Shetland ponies are a small, native breed pony originating from the Shetland Islands and are generally between 28” to 44” tall. They are known for being really strong for their size and were traditionally used in the past as work horses in mining and agriculture. As selective grazers, Shetland ponies have recently been helping land managers and conservation charities to restore grasslands to biodiverse rich areas for nature.
The East Park Animal Education Centre is free to enter and open to the public daily from 10.30am to 3.45pm. Last entry is 3pm.
