Easter at the Butterfly Farm

Kenny's arrival. Photo courtesy of Stratford Butterfly Farm.

This Easter, Stratford-upon-Avon Butterfly Farm is celebrating the first anniversary of one of their most popular inhabitants, ‘Kenny the Spectacled Caiman’. Kenny arrived in secret on Tuesday 14 March last year, a day of great excitement at the Butterfly Farm. He quickly settled into his new home, a bespoke design replicated ‘cenote', and was swimming in the water within minutes of his release.

Kenny is part of a unique living exhibition entitled ‘Rainforest Realm’ which also features other animals from the rainforests of Central America.  At present no other attraction in the UK or Europe are housing their reptiles in a cenote so this is a one-of-a-kind display.

Also living within ‘Rainforest Realm’ is an Emerald Tree Boa Snake, Orange Blackfoot Dart Frogs, Basilisk Lizards, Two Juvenile Yellow Spotted Amazon River Turtles, and a Oustalets Chameleon from Madagascar. Kenny currently shares his cenote with two species of fish - Silver Mollys and Firemouth Cichlids, however they are safe from his jaws as they are too quick and small thankfully!

For the first two weeks after his arrival, the picture window of Kenny's cenote was covered up so he could acclimatise to his new environment and become used to the sounds of people. Those visiting during that time had no idea they were walking past a magnificent spectacled Caiman.

Caiman in the Cenote. Photo courtesy of Stratford Butterfly Farm.

One year on Kenny is thriving and has gained weight and muscle, weighing in at 10.9kg having gained 2kg since last July. Kenny is approximately 1.3m but could grow to up to 2m. Although aged only 11 years, he could live up to 50 years so will hopefully be a long-term resident at the Butterfly Farm.

Kenny is fed whole prey animals as well as locusts and freshwater fish. He has recently enjoyed an underwater tug of war with his keeper and is now ready to start clicker and target training. This will enable him to voluntarily enter his off-show area for weighing, basic husbandry, and any medical procedures, as well as enabling his keepers to tidy up the cenote and carry out water checks safely.

Jane Kendrick, Marketing Manager at Stratford Butterfly Farm said, “Kenny has proved to be one of our most popular inhabitants with people travelling far and wide to see him. We’re delighted he has settled in so well over the last 12 months even gaining weight and muscle. Kenny can only eat freshwater fish, and as a fancy treat on his anniversary, he will be having a whole crayfish from the fish counter at Waitrose!”

During the Easter holidays from 23 March - 7 April, the Education Team will once more be hosting the popular Meet the Mini-Beast, Butterfly Life Cycle, Pupae and Beetle demonstrations. These will take place daily in the Discovery Zone at 11:00am except Good Friday, Easter Sunday, and Easter Monday.

The Butterfly Farm recommends reading the ‘Information’ section of the website to help plan a visit: www.butterflyfarm.co.uk or telephone on 01789 299288.