Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens News 2023

[Lafone]

CWP is having it's annual maintenance window as usual running from 9th Jan to 9th Feb (reopening 10th February) - during this time the park is only open at weekends (10am-4pm).

On facebook and their website the park have announced that a lot of the grass car park is apparently waterlogged and out of use so mandatory booking online has been temporarily reintroduced (season ticket holders and gift tickets don't have to book) so if you are going, e tickets are the way forwards, for now. This isn't a long term change of course.

They've also noted the tropical house and the waterfowl lake remain closed due to Avian flu restrictions and the other bird houses remain open. I do hope we can see the bird flu situation ease and the lake open again soon, it's such a great spot.

CWP are also recruiting two gardening roles which is good to see - indicates a healthy park as we move into 2023 when jobs / recruitment are being signed off.

 

[Lafone]

Good day out at CWP today - chilly but not too busy. The car park seemed to have dried out ok though a bit muddy, as to be expected.

Lots of work going on around the park during the weekday closure including new surfacing on the path from the house past the red panda enclosure and down to the rhinos. Should look very smart when finished.

The areas noted above are still closed (lake, tropical house) and birds are still out of the Madagascar walkthrough.

The armadillo and tamandua are off show while some work is done to their enclosure.

 

[TortoisesAreTerrific]

Visited Cotswolds with the family for the first time and brought our dog. We loved it and were able to see the vast majority of animals, except for those in the closed area. Reptile house was particularly delightful, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a rattlesnake or an eyelash viper. And seeing a King Vulture is always a treat.
One thing I will add is that even though Zootierliste lists a Spectacled Cobra and a Blood Python among the reptiles in the zoo, a keeper confirmed that they no longer have a cobra and I couldn’t find the python, so I believe that list is outdated.

 

[demonmoth]

Visited Cotswolds with the family for the first time and brought our dog. We loved it and were able to see the vast majority of animals, except for those in the closed area. Reptile house was particularly delightful, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a rattlesnake or an eyelash viper. And seeing a King Vulture is always a treat.
One thing I will add is that even though Zootierliste lists a Spectacled Cobra and a Blood Python among the reptiles in the zoo, a keeper confirmed that they no longer have a cobra and I couldn’t find the python, so I believe that list is outdated.

oh interesting to see that they have a king vulture again, i wonder of its the same one that went to newent international bird of prey cwentrw a few years back, where is it located at the park?

 

[Lafone]

oh interesting to see that they have a king vulture again, i wonder of its the same one that went to newent international bird of prey cwentrw a few years back, where is it located at the park?

First enclosure on the left as you enter the walled garden, opposite the penguins

 

[demonmoth]

First enclosure on the left as you enter the walled garden, opposite the penguins

amazing, i may have to have a little visit soon

 

[Lafone]

Fun day out at CWP today - chilly! But fortunately it stayed dry. Park was busy.

The new path from the rhinos up to the house past the red panda is all tarmac now and new benches have been installed near the panda.

Lots of tree tidying all around the park (including in the enclosure where the cranes were near the wolves and outside the external fence at the wolf area) and the gardens look tidy and ready for spring. The grasses along the rhino enclosure have also all been cut back.

New lion house has the glass in the front and the outside area has a new hard standing in the small fenced off area and the whole space there has been levelled off. There’s also a new circular path area to the right of the updated house and that area has been cleared. A few phone photos attached.

Tamandua and armadillo are back in their enclosure.

There’s a new Sumatran laughing thrush signed in the enclosure where the hanging parrot used to be (first on the left as you go into the walled garden from the bottom end, opposite the end of the walkthrough). Very active and noisy bird and exciting to see. Highlight of the day.

One of the Parma wallabies in the main area on the way to the cassowary has a young joey just old enough to climb out of the pouch, always lovely to see.

The lake is still closed off though the point you have to turn back at the wolves has been moved down a bit so you can see the end of their enclosure more easily now.

 

[ZooAtHome]

Visited Cotswolds yesterday (Feb 27th) for the first time this year. Quite chilly but a lovely quiet day, not many visitors, possibly sad for their finances but good for us!

Some random things I noticed:

• The lake and tropical walkthrough were both still closed for Avian Flu.
• The Gundi cafe population seemed greatly diminished with some very scraggly looking animals, a separate group now present in Little Africa.
• The Neumann's Grass Rats were no longer there, which is a shame as I wanted to see them to compare them to some unknown Arvicanthis sp. we recently acquired. I hope they are just off display for now and come back.
• A wolverine was out and very active at around 3pm. Only the 1 though, looked to be male. Unsure how many they have at present.
• Lots of dwarf lemurs in the enclosure next to the Siamangs, more than I had ever seen before. Though the ventilation there is very poor and really triggered my allergies.
• The reptile house is still far too poorly lit and heated, all equipment needs an upgrade. MVBs are not very good lamps. People need to stop using them.
• Tamandua and armadillos were very active, really nice little exhibit.
• Went through the lemur walkthrough for the first time.... didn't see a single lemur haha.
• Nice to see the King Vulture in the walled garden.
• Juvenile Green Aracari in the 'nursery' to the left of the penguins.
• Prairie Dogs were out and very active, nice as so many zoo populations of these dwindle due to not being sufficiently protected from the winter cold.
• At least 2 juvenile Colobus clambering about.
• Great Bustards looked great, very active and at least 5 of them out and about.
• Nice to see the Spinifex Hopping Mice in the bat house. Solidified my desire to add them to our home collection
• Couldn't spot the Hammerhead bat, unsure if they still have it.
• Malagasy Jumping Rats in the Galago enclosure were very active.
• Sifakas were out and about and seemed to enjoy annoying a dog.

HOWEVER the main thing I saw, which I had never managed to see before was the white Senegal Bushbaby (Galago senegalensis). I had heard they had a white one, but I had never seen it or even the normal one until the most recent visit where the Little Africa house was empty and silent. Does anyone know more about this animal? and if any other white individuals exist?

I got an image of it, see below

 

[Lafone]

Visited Cotswolds yesterday (Feb 27th) for the first time this year. Quite chilly but a lovely quiet day, not many visitors, possibly sad for their finances but good for us!

Some random things I noticed:

• The lake and tropical walkthrough were both still closed for Avian Flu.
• The Gundi cafe population seemed greatly diminished with some very scraggly looking animals, a separate group now present in Little Africa.
• The Neumann's Grass Rats were no longer there, which is a shame as I wanted to see them to compare them to some unknown Arvicanthis sp. we recently acquired. I hope they are just off display for now and come back.
• A wolverine was out and very active at around 3pm. Only the 1 though, looked to be male. Unsure how many they have at present.
• Lots of dwarf lemurs in the enclosure next to the Siamangs, more than I had ever seen before. Though the ventilation there is very poor and really triggered my allergies.
• The reptile house is still far too poorly lit and heated, all equipment needs an upgrade. MVBs are not very good lamps. People need to stop using them.
• Tamandua and armadillos were very active, really nice little exhibit.
• Went through the lemur walkthrough for the first time.... didn't see a single lemur haha.
• Nice to see the King Vulture in the walled garden.
• Juvenile Green Aracari in the 'nursery' to the left of the penguins.
• Prairie Dogs were out and very active, nice as so many zoo populations of these dwindle due to not being sufficiently protected from the winter cold.
• At least 2 juvenile Colobus clambering about.
• Great Bustards looked great, very active and at least 5 of them out and about.
• Nice to see the Spinifex Hopping Mice in the bat house. Solidified my desire to add them to our home collection
• Couldn't spot the Hammerhead bat, unsure if they still have it.
• Malagasy Jumping Rats in the Galago enclosure were very active.
• Sifakas were out and about and seemed to enjoy annoying a dog.

HOWEVER the main thing I saw, which I had never managed to see before was the white Senegal Bushbaby (Galago senegalensis). I had heard they had a white one, but I had never seen it or even the normal one until the most recent visit where the Little Africa house was empty and silent. Does anyone know more about this animal? and if any other white individuals exist?

I got an image of it, see below

There are two wolverines and just the two young colobus (born last year, lovely).

The ring tailed lemurs are usually on the roof or on the trees on the far side of the pond in a lemur heap when the weather is colder and usually they will all come out for the 12pm lemur talk but as you say on a cold day I never see them either!

I've only seen the one white bushbaby, as you say usually out when it's quieter. Hopefully someone knows more about it as an individual.

 

[ZooAtHome]

Thanks for the reply! I assume the wolverines are a pair?

Yes as far as I could tell it was 1 white animal and 1 normal coloured animal

 

[Tau]

The pictures of the new lion house and outside changes look to be very good and big too, will definitely come to visit when it is finished.

 

[Lafone]

Thanks for the reply! I assume the wolverines are a pair?

Yes as far as I could tell it was 1 white animal and 1 normal coloured animal

Yes I believe a male and a female.

 

[Fallax]

Couldn't spot the Hammerhead bat, unsure if they still have it.

I noticed a few weeks back it was no longer listed on ZTL so unfortunately it seems like it might be gone. Wasn't sure if I had just missed it being brought up previously and considering ZTL can be prone to inaccurate updates I didn't mention it here.

 

[Alwaysevergreen]

Some random things I noticed

• Lots of dwarf lemurs in the enclosure next to the Siamangs, more than I had ever seen before. Though the ventilation there is very poor and really triggered my allergies.

Dwarf Lemurs? When did Cotswolds get Dwarf Lemurs?

 

[Lafone]

Dwarf Lemurs? When did Cotswolds get Dwarf Lemurs?

Guess it’s the grey mouse lemurs.

 

[ZooAtHome]

Sorry yes the Microcebus murinus. My bad! Common names are useless anyway haha

 

[Lafone]

Went to CWP for a few hours on the way back from horse eventing today. Busy and weather was mixed but lots of good animal sightings.

Saw three Parma wallaby joeys (up from one last visit) including one who was active outside the pouch.

The purple glossy starlings were not in their enclosure in the walled garden and it was signed as temporarily closed for maintenance.

Quite a lot of the white stork pairs have started building in and sitting on their nest pillars.

Highlight for me was a young dik dik in the little Africa section, looks like quite a new arrival. The small herd were out and about with the calf using the whole shared area with the sacred ibis and speckled pigeons - got some good views as things got a bit quieter toward closing time. Great to see.

Looks like a promising start to CWP breeding for this year.

 

[Lafone]

Had a great day out at CWP today. Weather was fine. Pretty busy visitor wise but after 3pm most people had gone.

The new lion house is all finished and the lions are now in residence and enjoying it a lot it seems. The house itself looks great and the old outside area for the second house has been reconfigured to accommodate a new holding area while adding m most of the space back into the main enclosure with a great new sandy area. Pictures below. Really good new facility, bit of an enclosure expansion and good job to CWP for making it look great.

Lovely to see two new cotton top tamarin youngsters, born 3 days ago, on board the adults in their enclosure. Echoes the pair produced last year.

The western moustached laughing thrush are sitting on the nest in the top tree in their enclosure in the walled garden. After last years chicks from the same nest, hopefully some more this year.

Lots of nest building also going on in the white stork enclosure and birds sitting on the nest pillars so hopefully should be another good year for the storks.

Although the lake is still closed to visitors the flamingoes and pelicans are back on it and the other birds were visible moving around the space from the gate. Hopefully we will be able to visit the lake again soon I have to say it’s one of my favourite spaces in the park.

The other birds are also back out in their enclosures - the Screamers are back next to the anteaters / Mara and capybara back together.

Opposite the bustards the enclosure that just housed cranes before has had its trees tidied and now has emperor goose, magpie goose, red breasted goose and white naped crane in residence and signed, picture attached.

A couple of the bustards were off show being held behind little Africa.

The prevost squirrels are not in their enclosure opposite the binturong any more and the enclosure is signed as under refurbishment. I didn’t see them elsewhere.

I mentioned the purple glossy starlings had moved and their enclosure was signed as closed for refurbishment on my last visit. That aviary refurb is now well underway and looks smart as well as having been enlarged a bit.

The black and white ruffled lemurs are no longer in the Madagascar walkthrough and their signage has been removed. Ring tailed lemurs are now in that space. The b&w ruffled lemurs didn’t appear to be anywhere else on show.

The birds are back in the Madagascar area (consistent with the lifting of avian flu measures in terms of bird locations across the park) with whistling ducks and purple swamp hens in residence again, though the sacred ibis are still all in the little Africa area.

Highlight in the Madagascar area today was a new ring tailed lemur youngster which attracted a lot of visitor attention. Really lovely to see.

One of the female ostriches was turning and sitting on a very large clutch of eggs (I counted at least 12) so not sure if that’s going to produce anything. I haven’t seen them with eggs like that before.

The red panda enclosure has a very smart new wall around it with a wooden top, explaining the barrier fencing that was there last time I visited. Complements the new pathway between the rhinos and pandas nicely.

The gardens are also looking lovely with lots of flowers already - all the hard work in the winter by the gardening team obviously paying off.

 

[Bethany]

I was very surprised yesterday to find 6 binturongs in the outdoor enclosure when I was only expecting to see 5 at the most! A keeper confirmed that they had another 2 babies about 9 weeks ago whilst Baldrick (the male of the triplets they last had) was moved to another collection a couple of weeks ago.

 

[ZooAtHome]

Need to go back to Cotswolds soon, especially now the new lion house is completed.

Last time I went one of the enclosures in little Africa was empty, it used to house Neumann' Grass Rats, was this empty on your visit Lafone?

I hope they still have the Prevost's, they're a favourite of mine and a species we keep and breed in our home collection. Hopefully they are just redoing their enclosure, to be honest it wasn't the best space for them really.