Miniature marvels make their home in city's libraries

Microscopic animals have escaped from the Smallest Zoo In The World – and can now be found in libraries around Wolverhampton!

The “zoo” features 24 animal sculptures so small they fit inside the eye of a needle, and can only be seen with the help of a microscope.

After being on show at the Change Makers Hub at Wolverhampton railway station over the Easter holidays, the creatures have made a beeline to the city's libraries, where they can be found for the next few weeks.

A cheetah, blue whale, orca whale, toucan, macaw, tiger, zebra, clownfish, giraffe, chameleon, butterfly, flamingo, penguin, lion, meerkats, elephant, orangutan, polar bears, panda, rhino, camel, lemur and a damselfly are spread out around Central, Wednesfield, Whitmore Reans, Ashmore Park, Blakenhall, Bilston, East Park, Long Knowle, Low Hill, Pendeford, Penn, Spring Vale, Tettenhall and Warstones libraries.

Visitors are encouraged to come along to their local library to see its particular miniature marvel, and are also being asked to suggest a name for each creature, with 24 winners receiving a free ticket to visit the full Smallest Zoo In The World exhibition once the animals have been rounded up and returned to their natural habitat.

In addition, visitors can snap up postcards for £1 each featuring a high resolution photograph of the individual creatures.

Edward Hammond, founder of Smallest In The World and owner of Hammond Galleries in Shifnal, said: “The world’s smallest zoo showcases the amazing feats that a human can achieve.

"Each microscopic sculpture is under 1mm in size and would be impossible to make by machine. It is really something you have to see to believe.

"We hope that families come to see the animals in Wolverhampton's libraries before they travel around the world.”

Rob Johnson, City Librarian, added: "Our libraries are providing a temporary home to a wide range of creatures from the Smallest Zoo In The World – please visit your local library to see which has made it their home."

Library and Information Assistant Karnvir Singh checks out one of the miniature marvels on display at Central Library.

A zebra, part of the Smallest Zoo In The World.