We are excited to welcome back SHONAGH BELL and ERICA HAWORTH from Blair Drummond Safari and Adventure Park in Stirling, Scotland!
During their last visit, Shonagh and Erica introduced us to the giraffes at Blair Drummond Safari and Adventure Park and shared what it takes to care for these incredible animals. This time, we’ll be getting to know them a little better. We’ll hear about their interests as kids, their educational journeys, how they found their way into careers working with animals, and some of the experiences that helped shape who they are today.
SHONAGH BELL has been the Lead Giraffe Keeper at Blair Drummond for more than five years. She has a bachelor’s degree in Zoology from the University of West Scotland and a diploma in the Management of Zoo Animals and Aquaria from Sparsholt College Hampshire. She is passionate about giraffe welfare, enrichment, and continually finding new ways to improve the lives of the animals in her care. Shonagh loves all animals, but giraffes hold a very special place in her heart!
ERICA HAWORTH has more than a decade of experience in animal care, beginning with wildlife rehabilitation at a young age in Canada. She has developed a special passion for giraffes, focusing on their care and enrichment while also facilitating innovative healthcare procedures to enhance their well-being. Training giraffes to willingly participate in their healthcare has been a very rewarding chapter within her career. Her commitment to animal welfare drives her continuous learning and improvement in the field.
Junior Giraffe Club member, JULIA MATHIES, is a Grade 9 student from Ontario, Canada, who has loved animals since she was old enough to walk, making up a poem about squirrels and having many dog friends in her neighbourhood. She has now expanded her passion for the animal world to giraffes. Her other interests include running, playing soccer and other sports, making art, acting both in social justice movements and on the stage, reading, and connecting with people. Julia decided to research Dr. Anne Innis Dagg for her Positive Prophets projects at school because "Dr. Innis Dagg is a hometown hero, an adept activist and a trailblazing international scientist that wasn’t recognized fully until later in her life.”
This meeting will be a wonderful opportunity to discover the different paths our guests have taken and to see how childhood interests, education, curiosity, and passion can grow into something truly meaningful.
See you on Saturday, November 21th, 2026 at 11am EDT (Toronto/Canada)!
Not a Junior Giraffe Club member? Sign up for FREE.