London Zoo celebrates ‘silly old bear’s special day

And finally:

London Zoo celebrates ‘silly old bear’s special day - behind closed doors - ZSL London Zoo

A Canadian black bear called Winnie with Christopher Robin Milne © ZSL — Winnie and Christopher Robin Milne © ZSL

ZSL London Zoo releases online gallery of archive images to mark this year’s Winnie-the-Pooh Day – as historic zoo renews fundraising appeal during lockdown

ZSL London Zoo will mark Winnie-the-Pooh Day this Monday (18 January) with the release of rare archive images taken during its almost 200-year history – as the historic zoo renews its urgent call for public support to feed and care for its 18,000 animals during the nationwide lockdown.

The fascinating online gallery gives a heart-warming glimpse into past life at ZSL’s world-famous zoo and includes an heartwarming image of the inspiration behind the classic children’s story – a Canadian black bear called Winnie, much loved by author A. A Milne's son, Christopher Robin, who often visited her at the zoo.

The images - including that of Winnie with Christopher - are a keen reminder of the role the zoo has played in both science and culture in the last two centuries, and of the need to safeguard its future, following the devastating impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

ZSL London Zoo’s Chief Operating Officer, Kathryn England, said: “Winnie-the-Pooh Day is not just a celebration of the classic childhood story – to us it’s a mark of the important place that London Zoo has in the country’s cultural history: it’s where Darwin and Huxley developed much of their thinking, where Sir David Attenborough first began working as a wildlife TV presenter and where millions have been inspired with a love for wildlife.”