We took a 2-day trip here Thursday+Friday.
We bought discounted tickets back in January and got 2 each, so then basically 2-for-1.
Took a while to actually go, because I've been unwell a lot, or the weather just wasn't up to it.
That's why we also decided to go 2 days in a row, due to my health, it would just be a whole lot nicer to just really take our time going around.
Boyfriends mom lives 40 minutes away so we also stayed there after day 1, so we wouldn't have to do an almost 2 hour drive back home.
12/09/2024
It was so quiet this day, there was only a handfull of people.
And after 3pm, it felt like we were always alone everywhere.
As we had 2 days, we weren't going to leave super early, and only arrived at the park around 12pm.
Not a big fan of the "industrial look" when you arrive, or those shops around before you manage to find the ticket office/entrance.
But that's just me.
With scanning our tickets we were told the carnivore feed of the day was with the Tigers. (which we eventually missed)
Starting with the Bush Dogs. 1 pup was visible. Only the next day we knew there were 4 or 5.
Both Tapirs were out, and for both days we mainly saw them "spying" on their Maned Wolves neighbors, lol.
We managed to see bits of 2 Maned Wolves, they were chilling in the back in the bushes. Wasn't until the next day we saw there were 6!
The Sea Lions have a really nice enclosure, the one in the back seems very good sized.
The Binturong just went inside as we passed, and both Red Panda's were high up in the trees.
No sign of the Smooth Coated Otters.
Boyfriend then spotted lots of people pointing at the Cheetah enclosure, so we headed over there.
Not remembering there were cubs, so we went via the Red Panda's.
Both cubs were super playful! They were absolutely adorable.
(upon googling this morning, there were 4?)
We stayed there for about 40 minutes, everyone was just in aww of how cute they were, playing and jumping around.
Noticed some youngsters with the Gelada's, and the smallest one looked like a massive handful, being quite annoying towards others, lol.
Both Hyena's were walking around.
We then went over the bridge, couldn't see a Tiger, and had a look on the look-out thing with the Leopard, but couldn't see anything.
We then had a sit down at the restaurant where a Giraffe very couriously walked up to us, only for us to figure out it's food was hung up right in front of us.
We went back to the Leopard, and saw 1.
We heard people say there's a mother and youngster somewhere, but we only ever saw the 1.
We then went around towards the Rhino's, who weren't outside.
But there was a screen where you could see, and mother & baby were inside.
All 4 lions were lying around in the sun, very chilled.
Meerkats ... I'm not that much bothered anymore about them, they are just everywhere, hehe.
It was then running up to 3pm, time for the Lemur talk!
With them having Red-Bellied Lemurs, I really wanted to go, as I've only seen them in 1 other place so far (Peak Wildlife, Chester has some too but never actually saw them there).
They always seem to feed them when they do talks, so good opportunity hopefully to see them all.
All in all it laster for about 15 minutes, until they all scattered back inside or high up in the trees.
We then headed towards the Polar Bears, and all 5 of them were just chilling either on the grass or inside the caves.
After we did the little walk-through with the Mara's. The Tamarins and Marmosets were inside viewable from the glass window.
The Red Howler Monkeys all seemed outside, quite a few on the left, and 1 on his own to the right.
Saw a glimpse of the latest baby. As soon as we got closer the mother turned around so we couldn't see it anymore.
We then were amazed by the amound of Giant Otters we saw!
About 10?
We barely managed to see the ones they had a Chester over 9 visits the past 12 months.
We headed back into the walk-through just to have a last look at the Sylvery Marmosets, and they came up to the glass, so had a better look (the glare was aweful at the times we been).
The Roloway Monkeys were outside, and the Okapi was inside enjoying some food.
We just saw the Tiger for a few seconds before it dissapeared into the bushes.
And went back to the Leopard, who lying high up on one of the platforms.
The only things we didn't manage to see where Camels, Painted Dogs and the Baboons. But we couldn't do that the next day.
Upon anything else, I managed to hurt my back a few days earlier and wasn't getting better, so after 5 hours we called it a day, and left.
13/09/2024
As we were only 40 minutes away this day, we got to the park sooner, around 10h30.
The same parking guy was there, upon seeing us "hello again" and he told us to park at the bike things this time (day before we just took a parking space as we didn't know).
Already looked a lot busier then the day before, but throughout the day it was't really busy. Noticed more people around, but still fairly quiet.
We now spotted 4 or 5 Bush Dog pups.
Once again the Tapirs sitting next to the fence looking at their neighbors. 2 Maned Wolves were walking around more up front now.
The Cheetah cubs were playing behind the hill, wrestling with each other.
That's the only time during the day we managed to see them.
But we got very lucky the day before, so, all good.
The Binturong was being fed, and we saw it snuggling with the keeper.
The 2 Smooth Coated Otters were spotted too now.
Red Panda's, again in the trees.
This time we did see the Tiger wondering about.
But no Leopard sighting all day for us.
We then went the other way around unlike the day before, but there was no sign at all from the Okapi.
Better sights of the animals in the walk-through, the Golden Lionhead Tamarins and Sylvery Marmosets were just all going outside as we entered.
The Marmosets being very feisty against the Tamarins.
We also spotted an Agouti, which we didn't see the day before.
Didn't see any of the Red Howler Monkeys outside this day, and when I went back around 4pm, there were keepers in the enclosure, doing something to the fence.
Passed the Polar Bears, all were chilling in the caves/grass.
There was a Painted Dog feed at 2.30pm.
We went to the Lions, and then sat down for something to eat.
We then headed towards the Baboons, who were in a few very noisy fights with each other.
Only to then be quite underwhelmed by the Painted Dog feed.
There's what looked like 2 enclosures. And since people were just everywhere, we stood with the one that's out in the open.
Only for then after hearing gates open/close to figure out the feed was in the foresty bit, and kind of missed out on it.
It would be 3pm soon now, and with the Lemurs being right there, we then waited for the Lemur talk again.
After that we split up, and the boyfriend went back to the Lions, I wanted to go back to the Polar Bears hoping to spot some in the water.
1 was, but wasn't moving at all. Until a bird landed in the water right in front of it ...
I went back to the walk-through but not much to see anymore, all the Giant Otters were outside.
The Okapi was outside but mainly at the door, and after a few minutes went back inside.
Boyfriend did call me to say the baby Rhino was out now, but I didn't really want to walk over there.
So I think the Rhino's are the only ones I haven't seen over the 2 days, and the Camels, we didn't go there on both days.
Oh, and the Titi Monkeys, we couldn't spot them on both days.
We agreed to meet each other at the Maned Wolves feed at 4.30pm and as I'm walking there one of the Red Panda's is walking back and forth over the beams, so finally saw one of them.
During the Maned Wolf feed, it was then mentioned that a female went to Drayton Manor last week, with another female to follow.
We then decided we were quite done, and headed out.
We really enjoyed Yorkshire Wildlife Park, and would definately go back again.