Sights and sounds of the savannah

TRUTTING out across the sandy plain stretching before me, a journey of giraffes stake out their new home.

- BY DIANNE BOURNE

These magnificent animals, necks held aloft, are wandering across the newly-unveiled Heart of Africa savannah at Chester Zoo.

They nibble at leaves and playfully nuzzle each other. But then, the mood changes somewhat. A herd of zebra venture out of their enclosure at the far end of this vast new savannah, and they're ready to mark their own territory.

They whinny and do a spot of buckaroo, sparking the giraffes to sprint back across the sand. Seeing these animals not only close up, but interact in this way with one another, takes your breath away.

This new, mostly outdoor area, is packed with things to do for all the family that is if you can drag yourself away from the mesmerising sights and sounds of the savannah itself.

The new zone is all part of the standard entrance fee as well so you're not having to pay any extra to get into it. And it feels so roomy that I hope, with the crowds flocking in, it won't feel too packed.

Heart of Africa is one of the biggest and most ambitious UK zoo habitats ever created according to bosses here at the zoo. And it’s the first time visitors will get to see giraffes, zebras, antelopes and ostrich all roaming together in a space designed to recreate the grasslands of central Africa.

The new zone has plenty more enclosures away from the savannah too, with lots of extraordinary animals to visit, including a number of highly-threatened African species.