Wildheart Animal Sanctuary Isle of Wight Zoo News

@zooboy Thanks, i'll have a look at that. What with booking entry time slots, you need to plan everything these days, down to when to go to the toilet.

With parking the car at Portsmouth too (quick look in excess of a tenner), I think i'll just take it with me. I forgot it was bank holiday coming up (and school holiday) so I might do this on Weds and revisit a couple of other places down that way as well, before the weekend.
 
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littleRedPanda said:
@zooboy Thanks, i'll have a look at that. What with booking entry time slots, you need to plan everything these days, down to when to go to the toilet.

With parking the car at Portsmouth too (quick look in excess of a tenner), I think i'll just take it with me. I forgot it was bank holiday coming up (and school holiday) so I might do this on Weds and revisit a couple of other places down that way as well, before the weekend.
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If your looking for more collections in the Isle of Wight then the reptilarium in fort Victoria is very nice:)
 
The zoo rebranded earlier this year as The Wildheart Animal Sanctuary.


In other news:

- An enclosure is being built in anticipation of the arrival of a pair of Servals - Xirus and Tafkap - two rescues from the pet trade in France.

Velma the part Vietnamese Pot-Bellied Pig passed away in July.

Male Tiger Girona passed away in June.
 
The Servals arrived yesterday and are being given time to settle in
 
Other 2021 News:

On January 5th, the sanctuary announced they have closed its doors once again during England's third lockdown. The sanctuary reopened on April 12th.

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On January 26th, the sanctuary announced they have rebuilt the brown capuchin monkey aerial walkway.

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On March 5th, the sanctuary announced that a (0.1) raccoon named Aala passed away due to heart failure.

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On March 11th, the sanctuary announced that they have acquired (0.2) Rankin's dragons from the Northumberland County Zoo in England. They are located in the Reptile House.

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On March 22nd, the sanctuary announced they have paired up their (1.0) Continental giant rabbit named Cash and their (0.1) French Lop rabbit named Skye moved back into the farmyard area.

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On April 27th, the sanctuary announced they have set up a new webcam in the lynx exhibit.

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On June 24th, the sanctuary announced they have acquired a B-Box observation hive.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=556618408665397

On July 27th, the sanctuary announced that they have completed renovations of the lion rock, and also announced that their (2.0) African lions named Kumba and Vigo returned to the exhibit on July 28th.

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On August 26th, it was reported that the sanctuary hired a new toymaker for their tigers.

Sandown's Wildheart Animal Sanctuary appoints new chief toymaker

On September 23rd, the sanctuary announced that they have built a new platform for the tiger exhibit.

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On October 1st, the sanctuary announced they are building 2 eco-domes called the "Primate Rescue Centre". The facility claims it will be "the first of its kind in Europe", marrying "contemporary design" and "traditional materials" with cutting edge technologies in construction. On October 29th, the sanctuary announced a date for the completion of the new attraction, Spring 2022

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On December 6th, it was reported that the sanctuary has been granted permission by the Isle of Wright Council to sell alcoholic beverages on the premises. The facility has been selling alcohol since November.

WILDHEART SANCTUARY GRANTED PERMISSION TO SELL ALCOHOL AS PART OF PRIVATE FUNCTION PLANS - Island Echo - 24hr news, 7 days a week across the Isle of Wight

On December 10th, the sanctuary announced that the serval exhibit has been completed.

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On December 22nd, the sanctuary announced that the facility will be closed between January 4th-January 31st, 2022, due to overhauling their cafe, kitchen, and shop, as well as the construction of the Primate Rescue Centre.

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On January 5th, the sanctuary posted an update on construction, as they demolished the old kitchen and lemur house.

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On January 14th, the sanctuary announced they were using an old outbuilding as part of the satellite house of the Primate Rescue Centre.

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On January 28th, the sanctuary posted an update as they are making the pathways for the new area, as well as stating that the Primate Rescue Centre is looking to open in May 2022.

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On February 9th, the sanctuary announced they have begun construction on a new lemur house.

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On February 18th, the sanctuary announced that due to a storm, some of the buildings received structural damage, as well as some trees that were uprooted. No animals or staff were injured.

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On March 1st, the sanctuary announced that the poles used to build the domes for the Primate Rescue Centre have arrived in Scotland for cutting. They arrived at the facility on March 29th.

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On March 31st, the sanctuary announced that the frame of the first dome has been built.

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On April 1st, the sanctuary announced that they have added a new "living floor" (a floor made of organisms breaking down waste in the lemurs' bedrooms) inside the lemur house.

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On April 2nd, the sanctuary announced that both domes have had their framing completed.

A new day has dawned…

On April 22nd, the sanctuary announced that they have started putting up netting on the domes.

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On April 26th, the sanctuary announced they have acquired a (0.1) "giant" rabbit (breed not specified) named Harper from a rabbit rescue in England.

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On May 8th, it was reported that the sanctuary is looking to buy a small area of land that borders their property and is sitting unused by the Isle of Wright Council.

UNUSED COUNCIL LAND COULD BE SOLD TO SANDOWN ZOO TO HELP EXPANSION - Island Echo - 24hr news, 7 days a week across the Isle of Wight
 
Its lovely to see the place improving, I visited a few years ago and it felt very run down and neglected in places. I wonder what they would do with the extra land?
 
One of the three tigers that came to the park from a Spanish circus in 2018, Antonella, has passed away at the age of 17.
 
Announced in the last hour that Coati "Satler" has sadly passed away. She was estimated to have been born around 2006 so was quite elderly. She was rescued by the RSPCA and then found her forever home here.
 
Embu said:
Announced in the last hour that Coati "Satler" has sadly passed away. She was estimated to have been born around 2006 so was quite elderly. She was rescued by the RSPCA and then found her forever home here.
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Sad indeed. I believe that leaves them without the species?
 
Fresco3 said:
Sad indeed. I believe that leaves them without the species?
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Haven't seen any other individuals mentioned so I'm guessing she was the only one here. My understanding is they are an invasive species so not allowed to breed, Dartmoor and Longleat both kept them but have both died out I think.
 
Visited today for the first time. I thought it was a pleasant and sweet zoo, but ultimately a rather unremarkable one.

The highlight were the pair of Lemur Domes, which the animals could scale the ages of to allow for additional height; there were also decently tall trees, nice landscaping, and wildflowers which would no doubt make the enclosure a lot nicer in the spring. The smaller of the domes housed Red ruffed, Black and Ring-tailed Lemurs, while the larger, a walkthrough, housed Black-and-white Ruffed, Mongoose and more Ring-tailed. Both enclosures offered rather extensive indoor area, which did indeed have a 'living floor' with woodlice and other insects very clearly visible. I also thought the Eurasian Lynx enclosure was among the better ones which I have seen.

Species-wise, there was little of interest, but my first prolonged view of Mongoose Lemur was memorable. As well as the pair in the dome, a mother and daughter are the last remaining inhabitants of the pre-dome lemur enclosures, while a lone male could be seen near the entrance. I was informed that marmosets would soon be arriving to accompany him (construction work was being done all day on his outdoor enclosure, while he was confined indoors). Although they are rather commonplace, this was also my first viewing of Northern Raccoon, a species which had always proven elusive, but was rather showy today.

Beyond those highlights, the zoo was fairly standard. A decent reptile house (now rebranded as the Discovery Centre) for rescued pets, a few primates, porcupines, wallabies, meerkats, kois, lions (a pair of leucistics and two neutered male Africans), tigers and servals. The zoo also claims to display Four- toed Hedgehogs, although sadly, I missed those.

As far as news is concerned, tomorrow, a pair of rescued hybrid tigers will be arriving. They will not be sharing with the zoo's current tigers, and will instead be occupying what I believe is the former big cat enclosure. As I already mentioned, marmosets will be arriving soon. I do not know the species, ZTL lists White Tufted-eared Marmosets, which I did not see, so it is possible which they are the future inhabitants, currently being housed off show, although I shouldn't speculate. There was also construction work happening near the lynx, for an unspecified project.

Overall, a decently enjoyable visit to a decent zoo.
 
Just to clarify, is the intention to mix marmosets with the male mongoose lemur?
 
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