New Bristol Zoo exhibit opens

There is a rickety bridge, cascading waterfall, tropical birds and what looks like the tail fin of a light aircraft that has crashed into the jungle canopy.

They are all part of Explorers' Creek, the new £250,000 attraction at Bristol Zoo that officially opened yesterday with a visit from children's television character Dora the Explorer.

If the success of a new attraction can be judged by the number of happy, smiling faces, then Explorers' Creek is very successful indeed.

Despite the cold weather, children were enjoying paddling about in Splash, a water play area with streams, dams and a small bridge with something unseen lurking beneath it, making rumbling noises every few minutes.

Some children looked like they were panning for gold in the flowing water, while others simply enjoyed splashing about, either in bare feet or, if their parents had not grabbed them quickly enough, content to get their shoes, socks and trousers wet.

Through a nearby door, braver explorers and their families can make their way into the 'Forest of Birds' where they can walk among exotic plants and birds from Asia, Africa and South America.

Birds here include impressive Victoria crowned pigeons, white collared kingfishers, nicobar pigeons, sun bitterns, bleeding heart doves and tarictic hornbills, many of which are threatened or endangered species. Critically endangered Bali starlings will be added at a later date.

Here in the Forest of Birds is also where the waterfall and wobbly bridge are, and it is after walking precariously over the bridge, which some young explorers did with looks of real determination on their faces, that the young explorers arrive at the third attraction in Explorers' Creek – the chance to hand-feed nectar to a flock of around 30 colourful parrots.

You can hear these birds even before you enter the aviary where the brightly-coloured rainbow lorikeets are now kept. And once you walk in, the birds are everywhere – in the trees above, perching on the hand rails, swooping low over our heads, and even landing on some visitors' heads.

What these birds are so excited about are the small cups of nectar that explorers young and old can buy. Once the birds see these cups, they think of nothing else and as many as 10 can land on one person, on their arms, hands, head and shoulders, all jostling to try and secure the nectar for their own beaks.

The squeals of the children are almost as high-pitched as the shrieking of the birds, who are usually found in south and east Indonesia, New Guinea, and north east and eastern Australia.

Some children, however, are not so happy to have the birds, with no sense of decorum, fly so close to them, wings often flapping centimetres from their faces.

For those that do not want to wander through the lorikeet-feeding area, there is an escape route to the outside world in the Forest of Birds area.

Also in this area are an abandoned Land Rover as well as the tail fin of the plane, adding a sense of intrigue to proceedings and getting the children excitedly chatting.

Children are able to sit and play in the Land Rover, as well as a beached canoe by the riverbank.

Explorers' Creek follows on from the success of last year's new interactive experience, Butterfly Forest.

Nigel Simpson, curator of birds, said: "Lorikeets are naturally inquisitive and gregarious little birds and will happily fly down to perch on you and drink the nectar from your hands. It's an absolutely unforgettable experience."

Director of Bristol Zoo Dr Jo Gipps added: "Explorers' Creek aims to take visitors on a journey of exploration around the three areas.

"The exhibit is great for all ages as toddlers and young children will love Splash, and older children and adults will be amazed at the opportunity to get up close to tropical birds and beautiful lorikeets."