Axe Valley Wildlife Park Axe Valley Wildlife Park

I visited for the first time yesterday. It's not my favourite type of zoo, rather too homespun and higgledy-piggledy for my taste, but there was plenty to like.
I liked:-
  • the leopard cats & kittens (I don't remember ever seeing the species before, which I can hardly believe)
  • the colony of Fischer's lovebirds (not often seen in British zoos)
  • the three-banded armadillo, which was running around in the morning (mostly in anticlockwise circles) and asleep like a small football in the afternoon
  • glimpsing the Finlayson's squirrel and the Cape genet - both of which rocketed away when they saw me
  • all the mongooses - I haven't seen an Egyptian mongoose since the Small Mammal House at Chester was knocked down and I'd forgotten how big they are.
I didn't like:-
  • seeing a brown rat in the ibis & spoonbill aviary three times (although I suppose it's almost inevitable on what is mainly a farm)
  • the rather random assortments of birds in the aviaries (perhaps they are reorganising them)
  • lots of reflections in the glass windows, many of which were rather dirty; understandable for the jaguarundis which have a cub, although I was surprised that they don't give the small carnivores nestboxes or little kennels for security.
No shows included the potto and the jerboa, neither a surprise, the common genet(s) and the racoon(s). The ostrich chicks, almost half-grown, were in a small paddock next to the agoutis. Photos to follow.
I'm surprised you didn't see the Potto, you can usually see it curled up in a small hammock.... No surprise with the Jerboa though, I've only even seen the species at the zoo once!

Glad you had a good trip :)
 
I'm surprised you didn't see the Potto, you can usually see it curled up in a small hammock.... No surprise with the Jerboa though, I've only even seen the species at the zoo once!
To be fair, I did see a tuft of brown fur under the hammock, which I was sure was a puny portion of potto, but I can't claim a proper sighting.
 
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Why isn’t axe valley part of BIAZA?
If I had a small, family run zoo, I’d be considering whether the cost of BIAZA membership, and the possible constraints on my activities, balanced out any advantages that might exist. Cotswold WP isn’t a member. Not suggesting there’s anything wrong with BIAZA, but there are pros & cons. Obvs I can’t speak for Axe Valley. Great little zoo though. I wouldn’t mind it:)
 
I visited today, so this is a first update for 2021. I didn't see any genets or raccoons, but new arrivals include a binturong (probably non-subspecific) and a pair of tayra in a new enclosure between the bush dogs and the lynx. There is also a new enclosure next to the zebra stables for caracals and two revamped small ones near the porcupines for rusty-spotted cats, but I didn't see either species - which is not really surprising for cats which probably arrived during or after lockdown. There was a pair of common marmosets in the Education building, replacing the potto which was in the larger enclosure with armadillo - I got a clearer view this time and even tried a potto photo. A trio of Geffroy's marmosets were in the former Cape genet exhibit.
There were 3 leopard cat kittens, but as they were not mentioned on the notice board by the entrance I think they may have been born late last year. There were also 2 baby ring-tailed lemurs, just over 3 weeks old, and 3 newly-fledged black-crowned night herons. The big new building is a walk-through barn, with indoor quarters complete for the ostriches and sitatunga on one side, and empty spaces labelled for the zebra, mara and alpaca on the other.
 
I was there yesterday, enjoyed coffee and cake surrounded by animals; three species of flamingos on my left, Red-billed Blue Magpies and Vulturine Guineafowl in front, Tayras on my right, and Lynx behind me. Caribbean and additional Greater Flamingos have joined the established flock of Chilean (which so nearly bred last year) and Greater. Demoiselle Cranes are incubating and Crested Bronzewing Pigeons have reared young this year. The single surviving Raccoon has left the collection.
 
A new sign on the lynx enclosure saying a male has arrived a few months ago. Does anyone know where he’s come from? The last time I visited there was 2 or 3 lynx, I believe a mother and two cubs, anyone know what happened to them?
 
I visited Axe Valley some months back and am sure I saw a Jerboa in a tank in the discovery centre area where the squirrels and potto reside.

However I didn't note down the species and now I can see no record of Jerboas on Zootierliste and am starting to doubt myself.

Is there / was there recently Jerboa at Axe Valley?

Presumably Greater Egyptian Jerboa? as these are available on pet trade and other UK collections.

Any guidance gratefully received.
 
New I visited Axe Valley some months back and am sure I saw a Jerboa in a tank in the discovery centre area where the squirrels and potto reside.

However I didn't note down the species and now I can see no record of Jerboas on Zootierliste and am starting to doubt myself.

Is there / was there recently Jerboa at Axe Valley?

Your recollections are correct - I saw jerboa there myself in late October. The exact species was not labelled but it looked to be Lesser Egyptian as far as I could tell from appearance.
 
I visited Axe Valley some months back and am sure I saw a Jerboa in a tank in the discovery centre area where the squirrels and potto reside.

However I didn't note down the species and now I can see no record of Jerboas on Zootierliste and am starting to doubt myself.

Is there / was there recently Jerboa at Axe Valley?

Presumably Greater Egyptian Jerboa? as these are available on pet trade and other UK collections.

Any guidance gratefully received.

I saw one jerboa there in June, not sure of the species but I took a couple of photos, have attached one in case it's helpful.


I haven't posted here in a long time, so if attaching photo's in posts is not allowed please let me know and I'll delete it!
 

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Went to Axe Valley last Saturday. First time I have ever been there and never even knew it existed.

Had a lovely day.

Was gutted that the Potto was under his duvet all day as I really wanted to see him and the only picture I got of the Rusty Spotted Cat was behind the enclosure bars. They were so shy and didn't ever really come out (Didn't help that their exhibit was right by the playground and it was really noisy).

There was a baby Marmoset as well, which looked very young, but the exhibit it was in, was a bit too dark to get a good picture.

Not the biggest of Zoos but really enjoyed my day there and they have some pretty cool animals. Loved how active the Tayra were and actually managed to get a good photo of one for once.
 
Notice there has not been an update on here for a while.

There are a trio of Leopard Cat kittens now around 5 months old.

A pair of Lynx kittens are also close to 4 months old.

Fennec Fox, and a Skunk have joined the collection in the house where the Jerboa, Marmosets and Armadillo are.

Sadly the Potto has now passed away.
The park is left with only one female African Civet.

Binturong have moved up to the meadow, and a female has joined the male.

A new pair of Jaguarundi will be moving into the old Binturong exhibit soon, meaning two pairs will be on show.

Rusty Spotted Cats are moving up to the meadow in an exhibit next to the Binturong in the next couple of weeks, whilst the common Genets will move into the old Rusty Spotted exhibit.

There is now a King Parrot in the aviary opposite the maned wolves.

A pair of Azares Agouti have recently been born as well.

A new Flamingo exhibit is being created up at the Meadow as well as a Meerkat Maize Maze. Another species of mongoose either Yellow or Cusimanse will also be moving up there at some point.

Two pairs of Red Ruffed Lemurs have also gone on show and a new exhibit is being constructed for them.

Finally 4 Valais Blacknose Sheep are on show at the back of the meadow.

Collection is progressing nicely with some exhibits nearing completion, and others to take place over the winter.
 
Lots of enclosure moves occurring and noticed yesterday that the water rats are no longer in the indoor area (replaced by the new skunk mentioned above) have they been moved? off exhibit? left collection or worse?

Also no jerboa to be seen either and the tank was unsecured so presume it was genuinely empty rather than just out of sight.
 
Lots of enclosure moves occurring and noticed yesterday that the water rats are no longer in the indoor area (replaced by the new skunk mentioned above) have they been moved? off exhibit? left collection or worse?

Also no jerboa to be seen either and the tank was unsecured so presume it was genuinely empty rather than just out of sight.

Water Rats are offshow, they will come back on show at some point, but they needed somewhere for the skunk, so you don’t need to worry about that.

Hope Mr Jerboa is okay! I saw him on Sunday when he was fed! He’s normally in the hutch next to the Squirrels, opposite the birds?
 
Water Rats are offshow, they will come back on show at some point, but they needed somewhere for the skunk, so you don’t need to worry about that.

Hope Mr Jerboa is okay! I saw him on Sunday when he was fed! He’s normally in the hutch next to the Squirrels, opposite the birds?
thanks for info on rats.

yep normal enclosure. Hopefully just buried deep in the foliage/straw then.
 
Water Rats are offshow, they will come back on show at some point, but they needed somewhere for the skunk, so you don’t need to worry about that.

Hope Mr Jerboa is okay! I saw him on Sunday when he was fed! He’s normally in the hutch next to the Squirrels, opposite the birds?
Speaking of birds, that’s a thriving colony of Emerald Doves, worth a second look, as are the Black Francolins at ground level
 
I made my first visit today. I enjoyed it, combing Seaton Parkrun at 9 am to arrive at opening for a coffee - perfect Saturday morning!
I particularly liked really good active showings of Jaguarundi, Leopard Cat, African Civet, Maned Wolves, J Green Peafowl, Fishing Cat, Tayra and Indian Porcupine.
I loved being up close to the Flamingos, Cranes and Herons.
I thought the Bush Dog, Capybara, Polecat and indoor Marmoset enclosures were a little underwhelming, but it’s clear to see the direction the zoo wants to go and I feel lucky that it’s in my County, albeit at the furthest eastern point.
I will be returning.
 
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