Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens News 2025

Interesting regarding the anteater, I’m sure if there is any concern the keepers are aware.

Really I’m just posting this, as I always do when the anteaters are mentioned, to say how lucky you are to have seen them. I’m local, and have been multiple times a year for 15 years. I’ve never seen them once!
 
Cat-Man said:
Really I’m just posting this, as I always do when the anteaters are mentioned, to say how lucky you are to have seen them. I’m local, and have been multiple times a year for 15 years. I’ve never seen them once!
Click to expand...

That surprises me, as I'd have said it was one of the places I have better hit rates with them. At least with the new house you'll be able to see a sleeping ball of fur now most times..!
 
I've been to CWP 5 times. Seen on my first two visits, no show for #3 and #4 but saw it on Saturday, curled up inside the house
 
As others have remarked, the male anteater can usually be seen sleeping in the new house down opposite the capybara house.
The female and young anteaters are more elusive, and we don’t see every visit especially in cold weather, but we possibly see them about one third of our visits.
 
A Parma's Wallaby joey that went orphaned in its early life has been taken in care by the keepers.
Cotswold Wildlife Park on Instagram: "Hand-reared at home: Keeper at Cotswold Wildlife Park becomes surrogate mother to the Park’s first orphaned #Wallaby joey. Meet #Elvis, the Parma Wallaby joey recently born at the Park. Elvis was orphaned soon after birth so the decision was made to hand-rear him. Deputy Mammal Keeper Jenni Maxwell took on the responsibility and became a surrogate mother to the vulnerable newborn. Not only is this the first time Jenni has raised a joey, it’s also the first time in the Park’s history that a Parma Wallaby has been hand-reared. Jenni said: “Without intervention, he wouldn’t have survived”. Staff at the Park immediately made preparations for the orphan, which included making a new home to mimic his mother’s pouch. Chris Kibbey (pic 3), Assistant Animal Manager, said: “I received a call on my day off from Jenni with an urgent request for an artificial Wallaby pouch. After discussing a few size requirements, I raided my haberdashery for some baby soft fabric and got out my #sewingmachine. I made the pouch double-layered, with a soft faux fur layer on the inside to provide comfort and warmth to the joey.” Jenni took the joey home where he could be given around the clock care and ultimately the best chance of survival. The joey has been given free reign of Jenni’s house. In the evenings he enjoys a fuss from Jenni and nestles up to her on the sofa. He particularly likes being brushed under the chin and cuddling up to his kangaroo teddy ( in post). Elvis has left the building: Now he’s grown in confidence and size, he’s started to graze in Jenni’s garden. He’s also taken daily to the Park’s Wallaby paddock, not only to exercise and strengthen his legs, but also to get him used to being outdoors and among his own species. These socialising sessions are important as he’s learning how to be a Wallaby by mixing with our group everyday. It is hoped that Elvis will eventually rejoin the Wallaby group at the Park and one day be part of the EEP”. • The joey is named after Jenni’s father’s favourite singer – @elvis. • He will remain off-show while he is being hand-reared. More updates to follow soon. @philipjoycephotography @priscillapresley #elvispresley"
 
Fun day at CWP today, was pretty busy and it appeared from the kids around that some schools not gone back yet. Weather was bright and pleasant.

The gardens are starting to look great with lots of Spring flowers.

cwp22nd april2025gardens.jpg


The wallabies have relocated to the Great Bustard enclosure as mentioned above with a sign on the enclosure about the Bustards moving off show for breeding.

cwp22ndapril2025wallabies.jpg

Some of Bustards are located in the enclosure behind the outdoor area for Little Africa which held the Stanley Cranes before - they can be seen through the fence. The Wallaby enclosure was having some garden works, I expect it will continue to be used for the Wallabies.

The young hand reared wallaby was out with the others for socialisation as referenced in the Facebook article posted above with it's keeper checking in on it and it was fun to see it playing with one of the other youngsters.

Kenny the reindeer male from Dudley seems to have settled in and all the reindeer were together making good use of the big field in the sunshine.

Most of the White Stork nests are now complete and there was much sitting going on, though no sign of chicks as yet.

The Stanley Cranes have moved and been signed into the enclosure opposite the Cassowary behind the wolves. I couldn't see a new location for the White Naped Cranes who were in there before.

There are at least two Greater Bamboo lemurs in the enclosure behind the Colobus again.

One of the Pelicans took off and did a loop over the zebras and right out over the wood before coming back to the lake which surprised people a bit as it soared overhead. Lots of wild ducklings on the lake.

The enclosure opposite the Anaconda that had the bats has had something of a makeover with more work noted still to do before new inhabitants move in but heatlamps, rocks and climbing / resting logs in place.

cwp22ndapril2025encl.jpg


A few bird moves with the Blacksmith Plovers now moved to share the new enclosure for the Weavers and the Green Naped pheasant pigeon moving in to take their place alongside the Purple Glossy Starlings (the pigeon appears to be the bird from the Tropical House).
 

Attachments

  • cwp22ndapril2025wallabies.jpg
    cwp22ndapril2025wallabies.jpg
    228.1 KB · Views: 63
  • cwp22nd april2025gardens.jpg
    cwp22nd april2025gardens.jpg
    266.6 KB · Views: 67
  • cwp22ndapril2025encl.jpg
    cwp22ndapril2025encl.jpg
    182.5 KB · Views: 69
Lafone said:
Fun day at CWP today, was pretty busy and it appeared from the kids around that some schools not gone back yet. Weather was bright and pleasant.
Click to expand...

Schools in some areas e.g. Warwickshire, have this week as holiday also, having broken up a week later for Easter than other areas. No idea why there is this discrepancy between different areas.
 
Pertinax said:
Schools in some areas e.g. Warwickshire, have this week as holiday also, having broken up a week later for Easter than other areas. No idea why there is this discrepancy between different areas.
Click to expand...

It’s just because different counties can set their own school holidays and it works quite well for both visitors and attractions / accommodation / etc as it helps spread the visitor load.
 
Pertinax said:
Schools in some areas e.g. Warwickshire, have this week as holiday also, having broken up a week later for Easter than other areas. No idea why there is this discrepancy between different areas.
Click to expand...

That explains that, shame really but there we are! It was ok the end.

I forgot to add that there were two Hammerkop in the Little Africa aviary, I haven't seen two in there for a while so perhaps one has been added. The two were sitting close together.
 
I visited Cotswold Wildlife Park for the first time today and was very impressed by what I saw. It felt like a very “old school” zoo - not too fussy, but clearly designed and maintained with a lot of love. I was especially fascinated by how relaxed all the animals seemed in close proximity to people, and with that, how good the general standard of behaviour was amongst the visitors - particularly compared to the zoos I’m used to! :D

Particular highlights for me were the crowned sifaka - first time I’ve seen this species in captivity, they’re stunning! - and catching an unexpected whiff of the binturong as I stood next to their enclosure. I also spent quite some time in front of the spoonbill / egret aviary, where a very young-looking spoonbill chick was visible with its parents in one of the nests.

The Asiatic lions were putting on a great display towards the end of the day, with both male and female vocalising. I couldn’t find any info on the enclosure about this particular pair, however - are they the same two (Rana and Kanha) who had cubs in 2016? They must be quite old now, if so?
 
Lafone said:
Kenny the reindeer male from Dudley seems to have settled in and all the reindeer were together making good use of the big field in the sunshine.
Click to expand...
They have a breeding male?
Curious... I recall at time of my last visit [Feb 23] they had a herd of neutered males and females... no bull [ahem]. I think the rationale was that there were llamas there as well so they didn't want a bull who could hurt them... I assume the llamas etc have gone?
 
dillotest0 said:
They have a breeding male?
Curious... I recall at time of my last visit [Feb 23] they had a herd of neutered males and females... no bull [ahem]. I think the rationale was that there were llamas there as well so they didn't want a bull who could hurt them... I assume the llamas etc have gone?
Click to expand...

The male was transferred to CWP from Dudley.

Log in to Facebook

They’ve bred reindeer before.

The Llamas are still there in the same shared paddock.
 
Tetradactyla said:
I visited Cotswold Wildlife Park for the first time today and was very impressed by what I saw. It felt like a very “old school” zoo - not too fussy, but clearly designed and maintained with a lot of love. I was especially fascinated by how relaxed all the animals seemed in close proximity to people, and with that, how good the general standard of behaviour was amongst the visitors - particularly compared to the zoos I’m used to! :D

Particular highlights for me were the crowned sifaka - first time I’ve seen this species in captivity, they’re stunning! - and catching an unexpected whiff of the binturong as I stood next to their enclosure. I also spent quite some time in front of the spoonbill / egret aviary, where a very young-looking spoonbill chick was visible with its parents in one of the nests.

The Asiatic lions were putting on a great display towards the end of the day, with both male and female vocalising. I couldn’t find any info on the enclosure about this particular pair, however - are they the same two (Rana and Kanha) who had cubs in 2016? They must be quite old now, if so?
Click to expand...

Sounds a great day out! It’s a lovely place. The lions are indeed Rana and Kanha - I believe Rana the male will be 14 on 5th May.
 
Lovely day at the park yesterday with gardens giving a good show despite the dry weather.
We spotted three young prairie dogs and two young yellow mongoose (for a consecutive year) in the walled gardens.
The Bearded Reedlings have been moved to the former weaver enclosure, with Chestnut-backed Thrush now occupying the reedling enclosure. I don’t recall seeing these before.
The lake is low compared to previous years, due to lack of rain, but still plenty of birds, with probably a young heron on a nest with adult nearby.
Spotted the growing young bactrian camel mentioned above.
Several diggers working on the demolished giant tortoise house, but nothing rebuilt above ground level yet.
Noticed that the call ducks weren’t signed in the male anteater enclosure, and didn’t see them elsewhere.
 
Sounds like a nice visit, glad you enjoyed yourself. Was there any progress on the former bat enclosure in the siamang house?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top