Edinburgh Zoo set to come alive with lanterns

Edinburgh Zoo will glow once again this winter with hundreds of Chinese lanterns as the Giant Lanterns of China festival returns, "bigger and better" than before.

The event, which is in its third year, will see massive Chinese lanterns fill parts of the 33-hectare zoo for 47 nights, between Nov 15 and Jan 26.

The Edinburgh Reporter says the latest display at the 106-year-old zoo, called Giant Lanterns Lost Worlds, will feature more than 600 lanterns, which, it says, is a step up from last year's already-impressive 450 lanterns.

The Scotsman newspaper said the display will chronicle 570 million years of wildlife, from the first microbes to the time of the dinosaurs.

Lyndy Donaldson, events and experiences manager at Edinburgh Zoo, said: "Giant Lanterns Lost Worlds will offer visitors the opportunity to discover the amazing creatures that once lived on our planet, and help us raise awareness of the very real threat of extinction faced today by endangered species around the world."

She said highlights will include a life-size Tyrannosaurus rex, a 33-meter volcano, and a 20-meter snake, as well as some new interactive elements.

"This year's event is bigger and better than ever, with over 600 stunning lanterns spread over a longer route … As Scotland's only Chinese lantern festival, it's a fantastic experience for all the family," she added.

The hand-crafted lanterns, which were made in Sichuan province, have already arrived in Edinburgh after having been shipped more than 8,000 kilometers by train and boat.

The province where the lanterns were made is dear to Edinburgh Zoo because it is the birthplace of the zoo's two giant pandas, Yuang Guang (which means sunshine) and Tian Tian (which means sweetie). The pair arrived in 2011 as part of a 10-year agreement on panda conservation signed by China and the UK.

Last year's lantern festival featured creations that represented mythical creatures from both Scottish and Chinese folklore, including unicorns, the Monkey King, kelpies, and the Loch Ness monster.

The massive display was made possible thanks to more than 200 Chinese artists, 50,000 meters of fabric, and 80,000 LED lights and features huge steel and silk constructions that visitors can discover by following a nighttime trail around the zoo.

The first Giant Lanterns of China event in 2017 attracted more than 83,000 visitors and the event has grown each subsequent year.