Barn Baby Boom!
We have some exciting new arrivals in the farm including some rare breeds
Spring has officially sprung at the park, and with it has come an exciting (and pretty cute) wave of new arrivals. The Jolly Barn and rare breed paddocks are buzzing with the sights and sounds of new life, including plenty of goat kids, lambs and even an adorable alpaca.
Whilst every new birth is a cause for celebration, the crown jewels of this spring’s baby boom over at the farm is undoubtedly a magnificent new litter of Large Black piglets.
With their oversized, floppy ears covering their eyes and their soot-black coats, these piglets are already stealing the hearts of visitors, (okay, and their keepers)! But their arrival signifies something much more than an adorable addition to the farmyard. The Large Black pig is currently classified as a priority breed by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST), meaning numbers are critically low and they face a real threat of extinction.
Once a staple of traditional British farming, prized for their hardy nature and exceptional foraging skills, the breed fell out of favour with the rise of intensive, indoor commercial farming, which preferred fast-growing pink pigs. The birth of this healthy litter at the piggery is a vital step for the survival of the breed, ensuring that their unique genetics are carried forward into the next generation.
For us, this birth represents our core mission: balancing family-friendly fun with vital, hands-on conservation work. Protecting exotic zoo animals is only half the battle; safeguarding the UK’s own agricultural heritage is just as critical and something we’re extremely proud of.
“It’s incredibly exciting and rewarding to be able to help support some of the nation’s rarest native breeds right here at Folly Farm.
kim brickell, farm manager
Welcoming a litter like the Large Black piglets is a massive boost for our conservation work.
But the real magic happens when our visitors get to see them up close. It gives us a fantastic platform to educate people about the
importance of agricultural diversity – and why we must protect these historic breeds before they vanish forever.”
As well as our adorable piglets, we’ve also recently welcomed two donkey foals to the farm family. Donkey jenny Sandy, gave birth to foal Dahlia on 16 May and fellow jenny Luna gave birth to foal ‘Duke’ on 25 May. Both adorable baby foals have now settled into their new home in the Jolly Barn, alongside their mums, where they’ll rest and enjoy meeting our guests during the day before heading back into their grassy paddocks for a run and some grazing time in the late afternoons.
We couldn’t be more proud of the farm team’s achievements this season and the impact these animals have on our guests.
