Once again we are back at Kirkleatham Owl Centre where the better weather brings some much-needed DIY

Now that we are finally seeing some more settled weather we can start getting on with some of our maintenance projects that we have had to put on hold – firstly due to lockdown restrictions and secondly due to the winter weather.

The biggest job to do is a revamp of our meerkat and porcupine enclosure.

The current enclosure is nearly 12 years old and has served us very well, but it is definitely time for an upgrade.

The race is on to complete the meerkat’s home

The race is on to complete the meerkat’s home

The biggest job of this revamp is the building of a new indoor house, complete with heat lamps and a radiator to keep the residents snug and warm in the winter. This will mean an increase in the overall enclosure size.

We will also be installing new viewing windows for visitors, and once that is done, the new home will be ready.

It is becoming a race against time though not just to get done before we reopen, but because our female porcupine may well be pregnant.

porcupine kirkleatham

porcupine kirkleatham

Next up is the roof of our chicken building. The roof is leaking badly, so the building is getting a completely new roof. Because it is the first building you see on entering the centre, we want it to look attractive, so the new building will enjoy a farm-theme, which will be perfect for our super friendly chickens.

The chickens will have something to crow about – a new roof on their barn

The chickens will have something to crow about – a new roof on their barn

Last job is a couple of new enclosures – one is a new build and the other is a revamp of a currently empty building.

The plan for the empty one is to provide a new home for our yellow mongoose.

There is only one yellow mongoose at Kirkleatham, above, and a very shy porcupine, right, who could be expecting

There is only one yellow mongoose at Kirkleatham, above, and a very shy porcupine, right, who could be expecting

At the moment we only have the one, our elderly male Mario, who has outlived the rest of his group. But a new companion will be arriving to join him shortly, so a new home will be perfect for the two of them.

Lastly, is another new-build, which will be a home to an animal already living at the centre.

The Guinea pigs are moving to a brand new enclosure too

The Guinea pigs are moving to a brand new enclosure too

The plan is to have that one ready for the start of the summer holidays when, hopefully, we will be starting to get back to normal and busy with visitors

Lots to do and a bit of a race against time.