24 March 2021
In Pictures: Adorable baby animals at Wakehurst
Just a collection of gorgeous baby creatures found at Wakehurst throughout the year by our rangers.
Spring has truly sprung, and what better way to celebrate all things new and fresh than to take a look at the cute baby animals found at Wakehurst.
All together now ...'Awwww'....
Owletts
A little group of baby owls found by our ranger. Aren't they just adorable?
These are little owls (Athene noctua), and only grow as high as 20cm making it the UK's smallest owl species.
Fox cub
Look at those eyes! Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) like to stay away from people, so it was quite a treat to see them.
They tend to breed in our underground badger tunnels, and their litters arrive in the springtime.
Roe-deer kid
It's getting a bit ridiculous how cute they are, isn't it?
This tiny roe deer was just relaxing in the grounds of Wakehurst when our rangers spotted it. Males (bucks) will have small antlers when they are fully grown; females tend to have a tuft of hair like a tail.
Cow family
A little family affair at Wakehurst!
Every winter, our gardens become home to sheep and cattle where they feast on our tasty grass. It's so mooo-ving to see them together (sorry).
Adorable dormice
If only we could sleep like this every day ourselves.
Wakehurst has been part of the National Dormouse Monitoring Programme (NDMP) since it began in the early 1990s; we keep an eye on these little creatures to check on their weight, gender and breeding activities to help conservation efforts.
Another owl pair
So snuggly and cosy, it's almost like they are smiling in their dreams.
There are three species of owl you can spot at Wakehurst; little owl (Athene noctua), barn owl (Tyto alba) and tawny owl (Strix aluco).
Did you know owls can all turn their heads 270 degrees and look behind them? An impressive feat, I'm sure you'll agree.
