I Got You Babies!

Otley College is celebrating four new arrivals this week. Four baby Meerkats have been born. The proud parents Malcolm and Molly (Meerkats) seem delighted.

And, employees at the College are chuffed as well, as this is an important step in the right direction for an ongoing breeding programme in the Animal Studies department.

Otley College began working in partnership with a rare animal breeder to help endangered species (including Meerkats) breed and evolve at the main campus based just outside Ipswich.

Ben Potterton - who is also an award winning horticulturist for Blacksmiths Cottage Nursery in Dickleburgh, Norfolk - got in contact with the college last year, when he heard how Otley was looking to expand their animal studies department.

He telephoned the head of animal studies, Jacky Wharton, to see how he could help, and the first fruits of this ambitious new scheme have been realised.

Jacky said, “This is very exciting news. Over the last 12 months we have introduced a variety of new species to the college but this is one of the first successes in relation to our breeding programme.”

“The bottom line is that thanks to this project, our students will potentially be playing a part in ensuring the survival of some rare species whilst learning at the same time and you cannot put a price on that kind of experience,” she added.