The Reptile Academy Ltd

17/08/2026

🐍 OUR REPTILE EXPERIENCES ARE NOW LIVE WITH VIRGIN EXPERIENCE DAYS! 🦎🎉

And there’s a pretty brilliant time to book one… 👀

☀️ Virgin Experience Days’ Summer Sale is ON — with 15% OFF using code "SUMMER15"! ☀️

You can now find a selection of The Reptile Academy experiences on Virgin Experience Days, including:

🦎 Ranger-Guided Reptile & Amphibian Tours
🐍 Private Reptile Encounters
🐢 Reptile Encounter & Tour Experiences
🦖 Reptile Ranger for the Day
📸 Reptile & Amphibian Photography Experiences

Whether you’re looking for something different to do, an unforgettable gift for a reptile lover, or you’ve always fancied getting properly up close with some incredible reptiles and amphibians — this is a great chance to visit us here in Dorset! 💚

🔥 SAVE 15% WITH CODE: SUMMER15

⏰ But be quick — the Summer Sale ends at MIDNIGHT TONIGHT!

We’re incredibly excited to see The Reptile Academy experiences now available through Virgin Experience Days, and we can’t wait to welcome some new Reptile Rangers through our doors! 🐍🦎🐢

From supercars to spa days, dining to days out: discover more than 5,000 incredible experience gifts. We offer gift experiences to suit the whole family.

16/08/2026

🦎🪨 Possibly our favourite moment from today’s HAF Holiday Club! 🪨🐍

We absolutely LOVE these incredible painted rocks, created for us by HAF Ranger Molly! 💚

Molly has captured some very familiar faces from around The Reptile Academy, including Monte the Burmese Python, Nala, Salvador, Zilla, Carlo, Noodle, Merlin and plenty more, she even made rocks for Jake and Gary! 😂

One of the best parts of our HAF programme is seeing how much the young people connect with the animals during their time with us. To then receive something this creative, thoughtful and completely unique at the start of the HAF the day was incredibly special.

These are definitely going to be treasured at the Academy, although we may now need to find somewhere suitable to display the Reptile Academy Rock Collection! 🪨🦎🐢🐍

Thank you, Molly, you absolutely made our day! 💚

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16/08/2026

🐍 10 YEARS AGO… WHERE IT ALL BEGAN! 🦎

This photo takes us right back to the summer of 2016, long before The Reptile Academy became what it is today.

That summer, Gary and I packed up our reptiles and headed out on our very first Summer Reptile Roadshow, sharing our passion for these incredible animals while raising money towards my Diamond Duke of Edinburgh’s Award fundraising challenge and supporting the Essex & Herts Air Ambulance. 🚁❤️

At the time, we couldn't possibly have imagined where that journey would take us.

Fast-forward 10 years, and that little reptile roadshow has grown into The Reptile Academy, which was founded in 2018, with our own dedicated education centre that we opened in 2023, an incredible collection of around 120 reptiles and amphibians, a fantastic Volunteer Ranger team, and thousands of children and young people having now learned with us.

Along the way we've developed specialist educational programmes, become an Alternative Provision provider for multiple local authorities, supported SEND and SEMH learners, delivered accredited learning and qualifications, worked with schools, colleges and universities, welcomed families from across the country, and created opportunities for young people to turn an interest in animals and science into something much bigger.

And somehow, despite everything that's changed, the idea at the heart of it really hasn't.

To share our amazing animals, inspire people to learn and make a difference to the community.

There have been plenty of reptiles, plenty of miles, plenty of challenges, and an extraordinary amount of growth between the origins in this photograph and The Reptile Academy of 2026.

A pretty special photo to look back on 10 summers later.

Although we only do big public outreach events once per year now, the scale is so much bigger, have a look at recent photos from the South Downs Show.

Here's to the next decade. 🐍🦎🐢🐸

15/08/2026

🚨 IMPORTANT TRAVEL INFORMATION – HOLIDAY CLUBS & VISITORS 🚨

If you’re travelling to The Reptile Academy in Gussage St Michael over the coming days from Hampshire, please be aware of significant disruption on the A31 through the New Forest while emergency services continue to respond to the fire.

Although the fire is now fully surrounded, firefighters will remain on scene for a number of days to damp down the area and extinguish hotspots. The A31 is expected to remain closed at this location until at least Thursday 20 August.

🦎 Travelling to The Reptile Academy

For families travelling from the Southampton/Hampshire direction, particularly those attending our Holiday Activities & Food (HAF) clubs, we recommend avoiding the New Forest/A31 route altogether where practical.

➡️ Our suggested alternative route is:

A36 towards Salisbury → A354 towards Blandford Forum → Gussage St Michael / The Reptile Academy

The A354 passes very close to The Reptile Academy, so this provides a straightforward alternative approach from the north and avoids the affected section of the A31/New Forest.

Please allow some additional journey time, particularly during busy periods.

🚗 A few important reminders:

• Check live traffic information before setting off.
• Follow official road signs and diversions rather than relying solely on sat nav shortcuts.
• Keep roads and access points clear for emergency vehicles.
• Please do not stop to watch or photograph the incident.
• Keep windows closed if travelling through any areas affected by smoke.

🔥 Most importantly, please give the emergency services the space they need to continue their work safely.

All Reptile Academy Holiday Club sessions are continuing as planned. 🦎🐍🐢

We look forward to seeing everyone — just plan your journey ahead, leave a little extra time, and travel safely! 💚

If you’re heading out and about this weekend, remember that emergency services are continuing to respond to the fire in the New Forest.
Now, while the fire is fully surrounded, firefighters will remain on scene for a number of days to damp down and extinguish hotspots.
The A31 will remain closed at this location until at least Thursday 20 August – please continue to follow the designated diversion for this route.
Your support helps keep everyone safe and allows emergency responders to do their job effectively.
Remember:

🚗 If you have to travel in the area, allow extra time for your journey
➡️ Follow official diversion signs rather than sat nav shortcuts
🚒 Keep roads and access points clear for emergency vehicles
📵 Avoid stopping to watch or take photos
🔎 Check traffic updates before you travel
🚘 Keep windows closed if driving through areas affected by smoke.

Thank you for your patience and support.

14/08/2026

🦎🌿 Meet Rano & Ravina, our Henkel’s leaf-tailed geckos! 🌿🦎

There’s a little more meaning behind their names than you might expect…

🇲🇬 Henkel’s leaf-tailed geckos (Uroplatus henkeli) are endemic to Madagascar, meaning they occur naturally nowhere else on Earth. So, when naming our pair, we wanted their names to reflect the Malagasy landscape they come from.

💧 Rano — our male — means “water” in Malagasy.
🍃 Ravina — our female — means “leaf” in Malagasy.

Water and leaves are two rather fitting names for a pair of remarkable forest-dwelling geckos!

Henkel’s leaf-tailed geckos are nocturnal and arboreal, spending much of their lives amongst the vegetation of Madagascar's forests. Their extraordinary camouflage helps them disappear against bark, branches and foliage, with their flattened bodies and tails helping to break up their outline. 🌳

Unfortunately, this is also a species facing conservation pressures. Uroplatus henkeli is currently classified as Vulnerable, with habitat loss and degradation among the threats facing the species. The genus Uroplatus is also protected under CITES Appendix II, regulating international trade.

They’re a fantastic example of just how unique Madagascar’s biodiversity really is — and why protecting the habitats these incredible animals depend upon matters. 💚🌍

Keep an eye out for Rano and Ravina when visiting The Reptile Academy… although with camouflage this good, finding them can sometimes be the challenge! 👀🦎

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14/08/2026

💦 Remember to stay hydrated! 💦

Ravina, our beautiful Henkel’s leaf-tailed gecko (Uroplatus henkeli), certainly knows how to make the most of misting time! 🦎🌿

Like many arboreal geckos, Ravina will readily drink droplets of water from leaves, branches and other surfaces after the enclosure has been misted, much like she would encounter rain and moisture in her natural environment. 🌧️

Our automated misting systems help us maintain appropriate humidity while also providing fresh droplets for natural drinking behaviour.

And with the warm weather continuing, Ravina has an important reminder for all of us…

💧 Remember to stay hydrated! 💧

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14/08/2026

🦎 WORLD LIZARD DAY - August 14th 🦎

Scale-tastic celebrations are in order! Today we honour the incredible diversity of lizards - from tiny geckos to massive monitors, these remarkable reptiles showcase nature's creativity at its finest.

Lizards are masters of adaptation! With over 6,000 species worldwide, they've conquered nearly every habitat on Earth. At The Reptile Academy, we're privileged to care for several lizard species, each teaching us valuable lessons about resilience and survival.

Our collection includes green iguanas, bearded dragons, leopard geckos, and Kenyan zebra skinks - all rescues who now serve as educational ambassadors. Through our programmes, students discover the fascinating world of lizard biology, behaviour, and conservation needs.

🔬 LIZARD LEGENDS - DID YOU KNOW?
• Some geckos can walk on glass using millions of tiny hairs on their feet called spatulae. These generate a small electric charge that across millions of hairs add to provide quite the force of attraction!
• Bearded dragons communicate through arm-waving and head-bobbing
• Blue-tongued skinks use their colourful tongues to scare predators
• Green iguanas can grow up to 6 feet long and live over 20 years
• Many lizards can detach their tails to escape predators (autotomy)

Our hands-on educational approach helps students develop practical animal care skills while building confidence and empathy. These experiences are particularly valuable for our SEND/SEMH learners, who often form incredible bonds with our scaly residents.

Want to meet our lizard ambassadors? Our educational visits and residential programmes offer unforgettable encounters with these amazing creatures!

📧 [email protected]
🌐 www.reptileacademy.co.uk