Fota Wildlife Park launch the return of educational activity weekends across the summer

Fota Wildlife Park have announced the return of their family-friendly educational weekends, which feature a variety of fun interactive experiences and learning-focused stands and activities on various weekends this July and August.

Visitors to Fota Wildlife Park are invited to visit the themed educational events, which are free with entry, the Mad Scientist Weekend on the 16th and 17th July, the Native Species Weekend on the 30th and 31st of July and the Bug Bonanza which runs on the 13th and 14th of August. The events will be held in the big Marquee by the Oasis Café and will run from 12 noon to 5 pm daily.

Lynda McSweeney, Head of Education at Fota Wildlife Park, said, “I am delighted to welcome back our popular public engagement events such as our Mad Scientist Weekend. These events provide an opportunity to highlight the importance of both biodiversity and the role of STEM in our everyday lives! Of course, hosting these events wouldn’t be possible without the assistance of my colleagues in several organisations including both UCC and The Lifetime Lab. Our partners have been instrumental in assisting Fota Wildlife Park in promoting science and the wonders of nature to visitors of all ages and we look forward to engaging with the public over the course of the summer and sharing our enthusiasm and knowledge with them!”

The Mad Scientist event, which is taking place this coming weekend, will feature exhibits from the Tyndall Institute, the Lifetime Lab who will also be presenting the Learn it LEGO® Education Workshops demonstrating their latest technologies and providing participants with a fun and informative hands-on opportunity. Visitors will also experience the amazing giant walk-through alimentary canal where you can explore the route the food we eat takes in association with UCC’s Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre. UCC will also be represented by the School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences(BEES) and in association with Fota Wildlife Park’s Education team, both organisations will introduce budding scientists to the magic of science, demonstrating experiments and providing opportunities to explore the wonders of water, light, and magnetism, amongst others.

Interactive stands and exhibits at the Native Species Weekend on the 30th and 31st of July will include the Cork Nature Network, East Cork Beekeeping Association, and learn all about Ireland’s native flora species from the Clarenbridge Garden Centre stand as well as a biofact display from Fota Wildlife Park.

For the insect lovers, the Bug Bonanza weekend on the 13th and 14th Aug will feature an array of rare and interesting invertebrates from around the world and Fota Wildlife Park zoologists and education team will be displaying and giving talks about the insects that are resident in our tropical house and their place in global biodiversity.

The educational weekends at Fota Wildlife Park this summer are:

• 16th & 17th July Mad Scientist Weekend
• 30th & 31st July Native Species Weekend
• 13th & 14th August Bug Bonanza Weekend

Venue: Big Marquee by the Oasis Café

Times: 12 noon to 5 pm daily

Admission: Free with your entry

From the 15th of July to the 21st of August, Fota Wildlife Park is open for extended summer hours from 9 am to 8 pm, and last entry is 6 pm (annual pass holders 6. 30 pm). Save up to 10% on the admission price by booking online; please note that booking is open 7 days in advance on www.fotawildlife.ie.