Twelve towering trolls, constructed entirely from recycled materials including wooden pallets, fallen branches, and twigs, by Danish artist and activist Thomas Dambo, have arrived at Whipsnade Zoo.
Visiting Bedfordshire for this exhibition world premiere, each troll, ranging in height from 1.5metres (5ft) to almost three metres (9ft), has a distinctive pose and facial expression to match their playful personality. Nestled amongst Whipsnade’s wildlife, the trolls are at Whipsnade to conduct a study on the conservation Zoo’s human visitors, but every troll on the trail is ready to be prodded, sniffed and interacted with too.
Perched atop a hill overlooking the conservation zoo’s aquarium, home to some of the rarest and most critically endangered fish on the planet, young visitors will be delighted by 8-foot-tall Hasse pulling a cheeky pose, inviting them to view nature from a different angle.
Birch, stationed by the giraffe house with a measuring stick, observed the zoo’s pair of alpacas, Ica and Lima, on their morning stroll.
Meanwhile, over by the lions’ expansive habitat, kids will have to evade Lilnut’s looming net as she searches for subjects to study, and reminds them to slow down and take in the nature around them.
Sam Viner, Learning Manager at Whipsnade Zoo, said: “As the UK’s largest zoo, Whipsnade is a place where nature and wildlife come together, where kids and grown-ups alike can have fun, explore, and learn together.
“These impressive trolls are not only an exciting new arrival at Whipsnade Zoo, but a thought-provoking prompt for us all to stop and reflect on humankind’s relationship with wildlife.”
“We know that spending time outside in nature is proven to be great for mental wellbeing, as well as boosting your ability to learn and retain information – and we hope these trolls will help inspire our visitors to pay more attention to the wonders of wildlife all around them, when they’re at the zoo and at home.”
Arriving on the summer solstice (Saturday 21 June) and staying until the autumn equinox (Monday 22 September), the 12 trolls are calling on young humans to bring their adults to the UK’s largest zoo to assist them with a very special field study. Grab a Trolls Treasure Hunt Map and seek them out, while completing nature-themed crafts and tasks to reconnect with the wonders of the natural world along the way.
The troll trail is free with zoo entry. Book tickets at Tickets
