Axe Valley Wildlife Park Axe Valley Wildlife Park

From Facebook:

Thank you to everyone that suggested we applied for the Defra Zoo Grant for additional support. Unfortunately we heard today that we do meet the criteria and therefore have been rejected. ☹️

Rest assured the animals are all fine and we are so grateful for all the donations of food and support people have given us via the GoFundMe page (see link in comments)

We are keeping a close eye on all the guidelines to enable a successful and safe reopening of the park as soon as we can.

Stay safe.

Axe Valley Wildlife Park
 
Quincey said:
From Facebook:

Thank you to everyone that suggested we applied for the Defra Zoo Grant for additional support. Unfortunately we heard today that we do meet the criteria and therefore have been rejected. ☹️

Rest assured the animals are all fine and we are so grateful for all the donations of food and support people have given us via the GoFundMe page (see link in comments)

We are keeping a close eye on all the guidelines to enable a successful and safe reopening of the park as soon as we can.

Stay safe.

Axe Valley Wildlife Park
Click to expand...
I hope they applied for and got the £10k business rates grant they are entitled too?!
 
Quincey said:
From Facebook:

Thank you to everyone that suggested we applied for the Defra Zoo Grant for additional support. Unfortunately we heard today that we do meet the criteria and therefore have been rejected. ☹️

Rest assured the animals are all fine and we are so grateful for all the donations of food and support people have given us via the GoFundMe page (see link in comments)

We are keeping a close eye on all the guidelines to enable a successful and safe reopening of the park as soon as we can.

Stay safe.

Axe Valley Wildlife Park
Click to expand...

From another post on their Facebook page it seems their situation wasn't dire enough, and there is mention of this six week rule that Exmoor also mentioned. It seems that zoos have to prove they only have enough money to keep going for six weeks to be considered in need of government funding.
 
Quincey said:
From Facebook:

Thank you to everyone that suggested we applied for the Defra Zoo Grant for additional support. Unfortunately we heard today that we do meet the criteria and therefore have been rejected. ☹️

Rest assured the animals are all fine and we are so grateful for all the donations of food and support people have given us via the GoFundMe page (see link in comments)

We are keeping a close eye on all the guidelines to enable a successful and safe reopening of the park as soon as we can.

Stay safe.

Axe Valley Wildlife Park
Click to expand...
That's a pity. I'll be over there like a shot when they reopen, My local zoo, and one of the finest small zoos around IMHO.
 
FBBird said:
That's a pity. I'll be over there like a shot when they reopen, My local zoo, and one of the finest small zoos around IMHO.
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It is not a pity, it is close on a total and utter disgrace that a Government seems so insensitive to actual and real issues that zoos and other attractions are having. I cannot even begin to get round to the notion that there has to be a 6 week rule if and when a zoo is liable to get support. I was always under the impression that before any operation goes into liquidation that timeframe is much larger in order to assist that operation to avoid closure or foreclosure.
 
Another very enjoyable visit to Axe Valley today!

A few updates:

1. There are three new aviary's at the zoo:
  • Two are next to the Zebra house, replacing the ones that were near the flamingos and Racoons/Racoon dogs. One contains Common crane, Helmeted Curassow, Temminck's Tragopan and Kookaburra. The other contains Himalayan Monal and Night Heron.
New Aviary - Axe Valley - ZooChat
New Aviary - Axe Valley - ZooChat
  • The third replaces the former Short Clawed Otter exhibit that was home to an elderly individual. It is home to European Oystercatcher, Hottentot Teal, White Cheeked Turaco, European Lapwing and Crested Pigeon.
New Aviary - Axe Valley - ZooChat
2. The zoo has welcomed three young Ostrich Chicks; these are held in the education/animal contact building, next to the lynx.
Young Ostrich Holding - Axe Valley - ZooChat
3. The zoos Jaguarundi pair have had a cub, making them one of very few zoos to breed the species in Europe this year... this must be one of the first births in a public zoo for a long time in the UK??
Jaguarundi Cub - Axe Valley - ZooChat
4. In an update to my previous post - the Leopard Cat pair had two cubs.
Indochinese Leopard Cat Mother and young - Axe Valley - ZooChat
5. I was finally able to see the zoos Finlayson's Squirrel pair... they're much larger than I had anticipated... Jerboa have still managed to evade me :mad:
Finlayson's Squirrel - Axe Valley - ZooChat
 
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ThomasNotTom said:
Another very enjoyable visit to Axe Valley today!

A few updates:

1. There are three new aviary's at the zoo:
  • Two are next to the Zebra house, replacing the ones that were near the flamingos and Racoons/Racoon dogs. One contains Common crane, Helmeted Curassow, Temminck's Tragopan and Kookaburra. The other contains Himalayan Monal and Night Heron.
New Aviary - Axe Valley - ZooChat
New Aviary - Axe Valley - ZooChat
  • The third replaces the former Short Clawed Otter exhibit that was home to an elderly individual. It is home to European Oystercatcher, Hottentot Teal, White Cheeked Turaco, European Lapwing and Crested Pigeon.
New Aviary - Axe Valley - ZooChat
2. The zoo has welcomed three young Ostrich Chicks; these are held in the education/animal contact building, next to the lynx.
Young Ostrich Holding - Axe Valley - ZooChat
3. The zoos Jaguarundi pair have had a cub, making them one of very few zoos to breed the species in Europe this year... this must be one of the first births in a public zoo for a long time in the UK??
Jaguarundi Cub - Axe Valley - ZooChat
4. In an update to my previous post - the Leopard Cat pair had two cubs.
Indochinese Leopard Cat Mother and young - Axe Valley - ZooChat
5. I was finally able to see the zoos Finlayson's Squirrel pair... they're much larger than I had anticipated... Jerboa have still managed to evade me :mad:
Finlayson's Squirrel - Axe Valley - ZooChat
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Fantastic stuff! This little zoo seems to be doing really well with small cats - that jaguarundi kitten is just adorable! I'm really glad you posted that photo despite the slight issues with it as its very cute indeed.
 
Sand Cat said:
Fantastic stuff! This little zoo seems to be doing really well with small cats - that jaguarundi kitten is just adorable! I'm really glad you posted that photo despite the slight issues with it as its very cute indeed.
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Thanks! Sometimes, even if bad quality, photos are worth posting :p
 
ThomasNotTom said:
Thanks! Sometimes, even if bad quality, photos are worth posting :p
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I wouldn't even say it was bad quality, not perfect but SO worth posting! I never mind if pictures are taken through slightly murky glass or have a bit of mesh showing etc. if the subject is interesting enough - its a representation of what you saw.
 
@ThomasNotTom - can I just pick your brain please. I see from their website there are 2 entry sessions (morning and afternoon). Do you know if you buy a morning ticket do they ask you to leave by 1pm or can you stay past that time?
 
Zia said:
@ThomasNotTom - can I just pick your brain please. I see from their website there are 2 entry sessions (morning and afternoon). Do you know if you buy a morning ticket do they ask you to leave by 1pm or can you stay past that time?
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I'm pretty sure you can stay... But I'd recommend the afternoon session. You'll have more than enough time, and the cats/other carnivores are more likely to be active .
 
ThomasNotTom said:
I'm pretty sure you can stay... But I'd recommend the afternoon session. You'll have more than enough time, and the cats/other carnivores are more likely to be active .
Click to expand...

Thank you - they have replied to the message I sent them now and confirmed you can stay all day if you want to. We are on a tour and this would be the first stop of the day so although I am sure you are right, we will be taking a morning slot.
 
Zia said:
Thank you - they have replied to the message I sent them now and confirmed you can stay all day if you want to. We are on a tour and this would be the first stop of the day so although I am sure you are right, we will be taking a morning slot.
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I'd be interested in hearing what other zoos are on your schedule? :)
 
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Zia said:
We'll be visiting Monkey World, SeaLife Weymouth, Axe Valley, maybe Shaldon, Paignton, Exmoor and Longleat. We would have been going to Living Coasts but alas. Also doing some fossil hunting, walking on the coast & Dartmoor and general touristing... oh and eating of good food :)
Click to expand...
Not Newquay?
 
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.
 
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