The baby meerkats in Pets’ Corner at Hazlehead Park moved to their permanent new home Saturday September 30.
Workers were put the finishing touches to the new area, which is sited within the new education room at Pets’ Corner, which is an Aberdeen City Council facility.
The building has undergone a £750,000 renovation and expansion including a larger area for the fish and reptiles, and creating the education room in the place which used to house the fish and reptiles.
Aberdeen City Council communities, housing and infrastructure convener Councillor Yvonne Allan said: “The baby meerkats have been such a popular attraction, with visitors both young and old, and it’s fantastic they are moving into their new, larger, permanent home.
“With the refurbished indoor facility, there’s lots of animals to see no matter what the weather is like and we look forward to welcoming lots of people through the doors in the coming months.”
The baby meerkats, a male and a female, arrived in July and have proved a popular addition to Pets’ Corner. A competition to give them names was recently held for primary school children and the winning names – and the human winner of the competition – will be announced soon.
The work at the Aberdeen City Council-run facility included replacement of the roof over both parts of the buildings, internal alterations and refurbishment, the installation of new fish and reptile tanks, new external access ramp and paths, and an upgrade to the staff facilities. Friends of Hazlehead Park also contributed towards the work.
Other animal attractions at Pets’ Corner include alpacas, kune kune pigs, geese, turkey, chickens, sheep, goats, Shetland pony, miniature donkeys, fish, reptiles, budgies, ducks, finches, chipmunks, guinea fowl, ferrets, rabbits, guinea pigs, Gethin the pygmy goat, and Vadar the albino Burmese python.
The opening hours for Pets’ Corner in October are from 10am to 4.15pm.