Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens News 2024

[Cotswoldgent]

Have been “lurking” on this forum since about Christmas and I must say it has been very informative and civilised.
We are local to the Cotswold Wildlife Park and upon visiting today as well as the animals noted above, we saw a young dik-dik in the Little Africa enclosure, which I don’t think has been mentioned before on this forum.

 

[Lafone]

Have been “lurking” on this forum since about Christmas and I must say it has been very informative and civilised.
We are local to the Cotswold Wildlife Park and upon visiting today as well as the animals noted above, we saw a young dik-dik in the Little Africa enclosure, which I don’t think has been mentioned before on this forum.

That's great! They have good success with the dik dik. A very productive little group (the male at Hamerton was from CWP last year) and always fun to see in Little Africa.

 

[Kalaw]

Black storks (saw two) have joined Little Africa. Others are still in the free flight aviary in the walled garden.

Apologies if this has already been mentioned, but are the Openbills back onshow in said aviary? It would be a real shame if the UK's only specimens of such a stunning species are offshow, although I trust that the zoo have their reasons.

 

[Lafone]

Apologies if this has already been mentioned, but are the Openbills back onshow in said aviary? It would be a real shame if the UK's only specimens of such a stunning species are offshow, although I trust that the zoo have their reasons.

No not yet though I thought they were in the off show aviary near the exit on my last visit. I also hope they come back on show soon. There are a couple of other birds also off show from there so hoping they are all coming back somewhere post the cold weather.

 

[Lafone]

Had a lovely day at CWP today. Blustery due to storm Kathleen and that and the end of the school holidays kept the numbers down. Rain stayed away however which made a nice change!

Felt quite spring like with the early flowers in the gardens;



and a few new arrivals plus some return moves signalled the arrival of Spring. There were wild ducklings on the lake (first I have seen this year).

New fencing and benches have been installed in the walkway that runs between the aviaries near the Colobus enclosure.

The Openbill storks are back in the corner aviary in the walled garden, along with African spoonbills, Black storks and Waldrapp Ibis. Was lovely to see the Openbills back. The Black storks were sitting on a nest with a few eggs visible when they moved around so will be interesting to see if that produces a result.

Another Black Stork pair remain in Little Africa, where the Blue Cranes have departed and the Hammerkop has returned.



The White storks were busy on their nest platforms with at least a dozen of them sitting on nests and settling in which was great to see.

The enclosure update in the walkthrough to the bird lake continues with new gates installed leading to the road at the rear of the park and construction work continuing on the building





In the same area, one of the Crested Screamers was sitting on a nest built on the rocks above the pool in the enclosure opposite the Tapir. Haven't seen a nest there before.

Lots of activity in the Tropical House with the Red Fodys showing off their plumage and mating going on. A Scalter's crowned pigeon and a Nicobar pigeon were both sitting on nests. Both sloths were also active throughout the day, mostly raiding the bird feeders.

Good views of most of the other animals including the young rhinos who were out in the paddock and playing in the mud.

Highlight of the day for me though were new Masked Lapwing chicks in the corner aviary near the exit of the Tropical House. There were four eggs laid, one did not make it but three hatched successfully over the last two days. The nest is quite near the front of the enclosure, which was a bit of a surprise. Got excellent views near the end of the day of the fluffy chicks emerging from under their parents and wandering about. A real treat.

 

[Strathmorezoo]

Had a lovely day at CWP today. Blustery due to storm Kathleen and that and the end of the school holidays kept the numbers down. Rain stayed away however which made a nice change!

Felt quite spring like with the early flowers in the gardens;

View attachment 696601

and a few new arrivals plus some return moves signalled the arrival of Spring. There were wild ducklings on the lake (first I have seen this year).

New fencing and benches have been installed in the walkway that runs between the aviaries near the Colobus enclosure.

The Openbill storks are back in the corner aviary in the walled garden, along with African spoonbills, Black storks and Waldrapp Ibis. Was lovely to see the Openbills back. The Black storks were sitting on a nest with a few eggs visible when they moved around so will be interesting to see if that produces a result.

Another Black Stork pair remain in Little Africa, where the Blue Cranes have departed and the Hammerkop has returned.

View attachment 696602

The White storks were busy on their nest platforms with at least a dozen of them sitting on nests and settling in which was great to see.

The enclosure update in the walkthrough to the bird lake continues with new gates installed leading to the road at the rear of the park and construction work continuing on the building

View attachment 696604

View attachment 696605

In the same area, one of the Crested Screamers was sitting on a nest built on the rocks above the pool in the enclosure opposite the Tapir. Haven't seen a nest there before.

Lots of activity in the Tropical House with the Red Fodys showing off their plumage and mating going on. A Scalter's crowned pigeon and a Nicobar pigeon were both sitting on nests. Both sloths were also active throughout the day, mostly raiding the bird feeders.

Good views of most of the other animals including the young rhinos who were out in the paddock and playing in the mud.

Highlight of the day for me though were new Masked Lapwing chicks in the corner aviary near the exit of the Tropical House. There were four eggs laid, one did not make it but three hatched successfully over the last two days. The nest is quite near the front of the enclosure, which was a bit of a surprise. Got excellent views near the end of the day of the fluffy chicks emerging from under their parents and wandering about. A real treat.

I always enjoyed my visits and the beautiful beds always seems like a bonus to me

 

[Springbok]

Notes from todays visit:
For some reason, There was Emperor, Bar headed and Red breasted geese walking around near the Capybara and wallaby enclosures.

Leopard tortoises in the reptile house have been replaced with panther Chameleon

Lots of chicks on the flamingo lake

Mountain horned dragon removed from their shared exhibit with box turtles in the siamang house

 

[Kalaw]

Leopard tortoises in the reptile house have been replaced with panther Chameleon

Presumably this is because we are approaching the summer months, in which the Leopard Tortoises are moved to an outdoor enclosure within the courtyard space in front of the Bat House? Did you pass that enclosure on your visit to confirm this?

 

[Lafone]

Notes from todays visit:
For some reason, There was Emperor, Bar headed and Red breasted geese walking around near the Capybara and wallaby enclosures.

Leopard tortoises in the reptile house have been replaced with panther Chameleon

Lots of chicks on the flamingo lake

Mountain horned dragon removed from their shared exhibit with box turtles in the siamang house

The ducks and geese can use the whole area from the lake to the gates near the rhinos on one side and anteaters on the other that stop people bringing their dogs in that area / keep the birds in, so they can go over there, usually someone comes in the end and herds them back around to the lake. They cut through the area where the flamingo hide is to get there.

 

[Springbok]

Presumably this is because we are approaching the summer months, in which the Leopard Tortoises are moved to an outdoor enclosure within the courtyard space in front of the Bat House? Did you pass that enclosure on your visit to confirm this?

It was empty on this day, I think it usually used for radiated and/or Hermann's tortoise in the summer but I'm not too sure

 

[Kalaw]

It was empty on this day, I think it usually used for radiated and/or Hermann's tortoise in the summer but I'm not too sure

Interesting. On my visit last July, I believe it was Leopard and Hermann’s, but I may well be misremembering.

 

[DB2]

Visited yesterday.

Not sure if noted but there were 3 Emu chicks in the Farmyard area with a signed saying hatched 16 March.

Also a baby ring tailed lemur

 

[george.h.martin]

Had a lovely visit to Cotswold wildlife park today it was my first visit for a few years so was nice to get back. Not much has changed apart from the new bustard aviary which was nice to see. The pheasant aviary's next to the wolverines and the train station had gone which was a bit disappointing. Sifaka and rhino were the highlights as per usual. My trip leaves me with a few questions so please answer if you can
1. What is the notation of the sifaka pair?
2. How many rhino are housed at the park as the signs seemed a bit updated saying they had some that were born in 2021 still at the park however I couldn’t see them
3. What happened to the pheasant aviary's behind the train station?

 

[Cotswoldgent]

Glad that you had a good visit today George.
The two new additions to the rhino crash are Henry and Susie, born in August 2023 to Ruby and Nancy, with father Monty, as detailed in the 2024 newsletter:
https://www.cotswoldwildlifepark.co...d-Wildlife-Park-Newsletter-Wild-Talk-2024.pdf
We see these five regularly in the paddock or the rhino house near the lake.

We think Molly (August 2021) and Queenie (January 2022) are also in the rhino house near the lake, but they are in the further building, and although we have seen them recently in the yard, you can’t see them if they’re inside. We haven’t seen these two in the paddock for a while, probably just not out when we’re visiting.

We think Dora has gone to another wildlife park, as she was around earlier in the year and there was a “container” crate in her yard that she seemed to be getting used to, but it has since gone. I think last year we heard that she might be going to Paris, but I don’t know if that’s correct.

 

[Lafone]

Glad that you had a good visit today George.
The two new additions to the rhino crash are Henry and Susie, born in August 2023 to Ruby and Nancy, with father Monty, as detailed in the 2024 newsletter:
https://www.cotswoldwildlifepark.co...d-Wildlife-Park-Newsletter-Wild-Talk-2024.pdf
We see these five regularly in the paddock or the rhino house near the lake.

We think Molly (August 2021) and Queenie (January 2022) are also in the rhino house near the lake, but they are in the further building, and although we have seen them recently in the yard, you can’t see them if they’re inside. We haven’t seen these two in the paddock for a while, probably just not out when we’re visiting.

We think Dora has gone to another wildlife park, as she was around earlier in the year and there was a “container” crate in her yard that she seemed to be getting used to, but it has since gone. I think last year we heard that she might be going to Paris, but I don’t know if that’s correct.

D'Ora did indeed move to Paris at the start of March, hopefully to carry on the CWP lineage! They called her a baby rhino in some of the coverage but guess 'young' got a little lost in translation. Good to see her safe arrival.

The Paris zoo welcomed its first female rhino to be taken care by the park, a 3-year-old named D'Ora. The rhino is joined by the Paris park's two other... | By ABC NewsFacebook

I've seen Queenie and Molly out from the other house recently as they rotate about, so as you say, assume they are still there.

Had a lovely visit to Cotswold wildlife park today it was my first visit for a few years so was nice to get back. Not much has changed apart from the new bustard aviary which was nice to see. The pheasant aviary's next to the wolverines and the train station had gone which was a bit disappointing. Sifaka and rhino were the highlights as per usual. My trip leaves me with a few questions so please answer if you can
1. What is the notation of the sifaka pair?
2. How many rhino are housed at the park as the signs seemed a bit updated saying they had some that were born in 2021 still at the park however I couldn’t see them
3. What happened to the pheasant aviary's behind the train station?

The sifakas are one male, one female. The pheasant aviaries were demolished some time ago.

Sounds a fun visit!

 

[george.h.martin]

Glad that you had a good visit today George.
The two new additions to the rhino crash are Henry and Susie, born in August 2023 to Ruby and Nancy, with father Monty, as detailed in the 2024 newsletter:
https://www.cotswoldwildlifepark.co...d-Wildlife-Park-Newsletter-Wild-Talk-2024.pdf
We see these five regularly in the paddock or the rhino house near the lake.

We think Molly (August 2021) and Queenie (January 2022) are also in the rhino house near the lake, but they are in the further building, and although we have seen them recently in the yard, you can’t see them if they’re inside. We haven’t seen these two in the paddock for a while, probably just not out when we’re visiting.

We think Dora has gone to another wildlife park, as she was around earlier in the year and there was a “container” crate in her yard that she seemed to be getting used to, but it has since gone. I think last year we heard that she might be going to Paris, but I don’t know if that’s correct.

Thanks for the response, I do belive Molly and queenie were out today as what looked to be two young rhinos were out in the paddock later in the afternoon, they coidknt off been the new calves as they were two big, that’s interesting so the herd is at 7 individuals, it was quite impressive seeing the linage of the rhinos and I was happy to see on the of offspring was at one of my local zoos. I do love Cotswold but I can’t help finding some of the signage being update and a few species having limited space.

 

[george.h.martin]

D'Ora did indeed move to Paris at the start of March, hopefully to carry on the CWP lineage! They called her a baby rhino in some of the coverage but guess 'young' got a little lost in translation. Good to see her safe arrival.

The Paris zoo welcomed its first female rhino to be taken care by the park, a 3-year-old named D'Ora. The rhino is joined by the Paris park's two other... | By ABC NewsFacebook

I've seen Queenie and Molly out from the other house recently as they rotate about, so as you say, assume they are still there.



The sifakas are one male, one female. The pheasant aviaries were demolished some time ago.

Sounds a fun visit!

That’s cool’s about the sifaka, I never really know where to look for notations as zoo tier list rarly has them as when they do they seem to be wrong or outdated (they list Cotswold as having 3.0 sifaka) hopefully they’ll be some baby sifaka at Cotswold one day although that may be wishful thinking with how difficult they are to breed. Also a shame about the old phesant avairys I wonder if any new developments will enter that area

 

[jtrbmvcq]

Cotswolds have bred crowned sifaka twice before I think? Not a huge enclosure, but nicely planted.

 

[Tim May]

D'Ora did indeed move to Paris at the start of March, hopefully to carry on the CWP lineage! They called her a baby rhino in some of the coverage but guess 'young' got a little lost in translation. Good to see her safe arrival.

The Paris zoo welcomed its first female rhino to be taken care by the park, a 3-year-old named D'Ora. The rhino is joined by the Paris park's two other... | By ABC NewsFacebook

Definitely not the first female white rhinoceros at Paris Zoo; possibly something else "lost in translation".

 

[Lafone]

Enjoyable day at CWP today though it was rainy and cold all day up to the last few hours before closing. Pretty busy still though which was good for ticket sales. The gardens have started looking really good despite the chill and persistent rain.

Great to see a domestic Bactrian camel calf out in the enclosure with the others; looked like a very new arrival. Appeared to be from the same mother as the calf last year as the older calf was with them and they were away from the main group along with the male, but that's just based on observation. Very pretty youngster and good news for the herd.

Two of the Masked Lapwing chicks were visible and wandering around with mum and dad, am guessing the other one may not have survived but the two remaining ones looked good and were active, foraging around and then running back under the parents for warmth.

The Golden headed thrushes in the Tropical House were busy building a nest in the first set of branches near the entrance and there was lots of mating activity particularly among the Fody.

The building and works at the second Anteater enclosure has made more progress with a roof now in place and landscaping around the new gates.

Lots of ducklings have arrived on the lake, some wild mallards and what appeared to be young for a pair of Gadwall.

CWP reported on Facebook more than 80 white stork eggs have been laid so far this year and a few were visible during standing and turning, there was a lot of nest sitting going on so looking forward to lots of chicks!