Chester Zoo brings extinct animals back to life.

A NEW Chester Zoo exhibition aims to bring extinct animals back to life.

Held in the zoo's Joseph Banks Room, the display will feature interactive elements, together with a display of bronze sculptures, including the Dodo and the Rodrigues Giant Tortoise.

The sculptures all represent creatures that once lived on the Mascarene Islands of Mauritius, Reunion and Rodrigues - but have since become extinct.

The exhibition is called 'The birds, the bats and the islands - a story of Chester Zoo's work in the tropics' - and will run throughout the summer holidays.

Stephen McKeown, the zoo's head of education, said the display will highlight the zoo's conservation work.

He added: "At the same time, it will relay a powerful message as to why we, as a conservation charity, must help in the battle to conserve endangered species so they do not become extinct like some of the animals shown and that now, sadly, can only be viewed as sculptures."

The main emphasis of the exhibition is to educate visitors on this conservation work in the

Mascarenes, and what the zoo is doing to conserve the species that are left on the islands such as the endangered Echo Parakeet and the Rodrigues Fruit Bat.

CAPTION(S):

Chester Zoo's head of education, Stephen McKeown, with a sculpture