Two days of intimate wildlife encounters, nature activities, workshops, live music and cinema will take place at Chester Zoo as part of a new festival celebrating all things UK wildlife.

The zoo’s nature reserve will play host to the first Wildlife Connections Festival on Friday, September 16 from 10am–3pm and on Saturday, September 17 from noon–5pm - a free event that organisers hope will inspire more people to take action for native British species.

Almost all UK wildlife is declining. Recent surveys indicate the hedgehog population in Britain has decreased by 50% in rural areas since 2002, 72% of British butterfly species are in decline and one in five wildflowers are threatened with extinction. UK habitat has also changed dramatically - much of Britain was once covered by woodland but it now covers just 12% of the land.

The Wildlife Connections Festival aims to thrust the UK’s wonderful wildlife into the limelight – fusing family fun with serious conservation.

Fearless families can test their survival skills on the Terrific Toads obstacle course. As visitors dodge dangerous driveways, swerve slug pellets and try to collect as much food as they can on the way, they will experience the daily challenges faced by the UK’s endangered amphibians.

Junior pond dippers, mini beast hunters and bird spotters can transform themselves into wildlife conservationists through a raft of hands-on activities for all ages.

Live acoustic music will provide the perfect soundtrack to both days and a solar powered cinema will show a host of inspiring nature films.

Chester Zoo’s Wildlife Connections project officer Manon Keir said: “The Wildlife Connections Festival is a real must for wildlife enthusiasts of all ages. It’s a new festival that is all about connecting people with nature. It’s a chance to celebrate the UK’s wonderful wildlife and, importantly, learn about species that really need our help, before it’s too late.

“The UK’s wildlife has undergone a rapid decline over the last 15 years and so it’s really important that we encourage people to engage with conservationists who are working hard to protect our wildlife and the habitats they rely on. This festival gives people the chance to do exactly that.”

Other highlights include interactive storytelling with former storytelling laureate Katrice Horsley, demonstrations on creating bee-friendly gardens and the opportunity to build bird feeders, bug homes and toad abodes. Visitors can also take a drone’s eye view of the landscape and find out how drones can support conservation work.

The two-day event will be held at the zoo’s nature reserve – a two-acre wildlife haven which is home to a wide variety of local species and features wildflower meadows, a pond and a grass amphitheatre.