Lakeland Wildlife Oasis Lakeland Wildlife Oasis News

Zooreviewsuk said:
Popped into Lakeland Wildlife Oasis yesterday (pictures in gallery).

Had a nice long chat with one of the staff there (always really friendly) and the place is going from strength to strength. Number of plans are up in the air at present but they involve, filling in the pond and working on the paddock next to it. Currently Mara and Pheasant's and Cranes have access to this, but this will change over the winter for a new species to be added to the collection, but an exciting development for the Zoo.
This will mean the area where the Blue Pie are, is affected, but the Blue Pie will move into the old Red Squirrel houses.

The Zoo since I last visited now has Zebra mice, Large Rat and Parma Wallaby. There is talk of moving the Long Nosed Potoroo into the Wallaby enclosure, which brings me onto the second phase of winter development.

A big change will be a massive renovation to the inside area, where the reptiles and amphibians are. Plans are afoot to improve and change many of the exhibits in this section and bring in new species into the reptiles section. One possible option was a change to the Axolotls exhibit, which would see it improved, to contain an upper section where the Garter snakes would be moved to, so they would share the enclosure.

I love the Jamaican Boa here, as she is one part Purple and the other part normal Boa colour. If you look at her you would be forgiven for thinking it's two snakes, but it is in fact one snake that changes colour halfway down it's body.

I absolutely love this place and they have got 5 baby Meerkats at present, whilst the Marmoset has 2 babies as well (both clinging onto the back of their mother at present). The young Snow Leopard named Snow Crystal (Chris for short) is adorable and is very much a mummies boy. He wasn't too playful yesterday but got some great shots.

Was nice to see Purdy the Fossa out and about playing in her exhibit, as she tends to spend a lot of time indoors these days, given she is a very old girl.

So having already in 2018, given the Red Squirrel's enclosure a major revamp, brought Parma Wallaby's to the collection, Large Rat, Zebra Mice added to the collection, and some of the other animals moved into new exhibits, the plans of growth and redevelopment continue and there will be more work done over the winter.

This really is a great place, and I'm not just saying that because it's local, but they have some real rarities in their collection and the people there are so friendly and will stop and chat to you, show you stuff and really make your day so enjoyable.

It also has in my opinion the best cafe in any Zoo I've come across.

It's only a tenner to get in, and they do 20 minute animal encounters at only £10 a time (Meerkats, Lemurs or Tamarins) where you get close to the animals and feed them. You can also pay £59 and help a Zookeeper for the morning, or £75 and help with Fossa training in the afternoon and hand feed the Snow Leopards.

If you've never been, if you're heading up the M6 it's a must visit. It's definitely my favourite small collection and tbh it's one of my favourite places to visit. Photo opportunities are great, and the future plans are exciting.

I stumbled upon this place by accident around 16 months ago, and I must have been 15-20 times since, it is bang up there with one of my favourite days out, and every time I go, something new is planned or happening, and there is something different to see and do.

If you've never been it's a must and I guarantee you'll love it.
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Any idea what new species will be going outside?
 
Ant said:
Any idea what new species will be going outside?
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In fear of saying something I shouldn't, I can't really say on here. I'm sure they will release an update on Facebook shortly, but I don't think it would be right for me to say on here.
 
Work has started on the Reptile House improvements. There are 2/3 exhibits being designed and one changed. There are currently access to the Reptile area, but there will be a lot of work going on over the next couple of months. They are hopeful that it will be completed for Christmas will a couple of new species on show. Wont say too much, but there could be something exciting and new to the collection ;)

They have started to mark out the land for the African Section outside, which will include an impressive African Bird Aviary (Not sure what species yet, but would expect it to be Ibis and something else. Blue Cranes will also move into this exhibit. Plus Dik Dik will be joining the collection for this exhibit. There will be a indoor section as well. It is going to be where the Mara Paddock and Pond is at present, and when completed should look something like Little Africa does at the Cotswold Wildlife Park.

Mara will probably go back to free roaming.

A pair of Black Curassow are now on show in the Tamarin enclosure. They are siblings but in time the Zoo hopes to exchange one of them to get a breeding pair.

The new African section will hopefully be finished for Easter next year.

Snow Crystal the baby Snow Leopard is a very cubby lad now and is becoming some size!

Baby Meerkats are nearly as big as their parents now, whilst the 2 baby Marmosets have now left their mothers back.
 
Zooreviewsuk said:
Work has started on the Reptile House improvements. There are 2/3 exhibits being designed and one changed. There are currently access to the Reptile area, but there will be a lot of work going on over the next couple of months. They are hopeful that it will be completed for Christmas will a couple of new species on show. Wont say too much, but there could be something exciting and new to the collection ;)

They have started to mark out the land for the African Section outside, which will include an impressive African Bird Aviary (Not sure what species yet, but would expect it to be Ibis and something else. Blue Cranes will also move into this exhibit. Plus Dik Dik will be joining the collection for this exhibit. There will be a indoor section as well. It is going to be where the Mara Paddock and Pond is at present, and when completed should look something like Little Africa does at the Cotswold Wildlife Park.

Mara will probably go back to free roaming.

A pair of Black Curassow are now on show in the Tamarin enclosure. They are siblings but in time the Zoo hopes to exchange one of them to get a breeding pair.

The new African section will hopefully be finished for Easter next year.

Snow Crystal the baby Snow Leopard is a very cubby lad now and is becoming some size!

Baby Meerkats are nearly as big as their parents now, whilst the 2 baby Marmosets have now left their mothers back.
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Do u know if they are still looking at putting something where the old lemur enclosure used to be and letting the wallabies roam free to create a new exhibit where they are at the moment?
 
I can't think where the former Lemur enclosure was? If you mean just past the Fossa before the Wallaby's there's no plans for that bit of land yet.

Wallaby's will stay in their exhibit for now, they may move the Potoroo's in with them though, which will open up two indoor exhibits for new species.
 
Zooreviewsuk said:
I can't think where the former Lemur enclosure was? If you mean just past the Fossa before the Wallaby's there's no plans for that bit of land yet.

Wallaby's will stay in their exhibit for now, they may move the Potoroo's in with them though, which will open up two indoor exhibits for new species.
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I was just going off yr review at the beginning of the thread where you mention the possibility of getting red panda/ small carnivore in the future
 
They will in the future, but it's not viable at present. The waiting list for Red Panda's is very very long, plus earlier this year they had a lot of bad flooding so they've had to do work on that area and so on.

The African Exhibit and the revamp of the Indoor Reptile section is currently top of the agenda, once these are completed, they may look at that area for the next exhibit.
 
Sadly for LWO, it's a 10 year waiting list for Red pandas... Unless they're high up on the list?
 
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ThomasNotTom said:
Sadly for LWO, it's a 10 year waiting list for Red pandas... Unless they're high up on the list?
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I'm quite surprised at this given a lot of places hold them and even if only a fraction of them bred there would still be a steady flow of new animals for new holders. Maybe that's offset by massive demand though?
 
I was told by a keeper at Exmoor Zoo about the length of the waiting list for Red pandas - evidently everyone wants them!
 
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On their Facebook page it shows they have started work on the new Africa section which should be ready for May, there is a sign with layout and species.
 
Update on the zoo - 1.0 Greater hairy Armadillo, 3.0 Cotton top tamarins', 1.0 Kirk's dik Dik, colony of Naked mole-rats, 1.0 Red crested turaco.

I know some species are named above, but this clarifies sexes.
 
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A vlog showing the fantastic improvements and impressive collection of species at Lakeland Wildlife Oasis;


It's small yet enormously pleasant places like this that often get overlooked when people decide they want to support zoo's by visiting or making donations.

The zoo's website can be found here The Lakeland Wildlife Oasis where you can pre-book tickets or make a donation if you wish.
 
Benosaurus said:
A vlog showing the fantastic improvements and impressive collection of species at Lakeland Wildlife Oasis;


It's small yet enormously pleasant places like this that often get overlooked when people decide they want to support zoo's by visiting or making donations.

The zoo's website can be found here The Lakeland Wildlife Oasis where you can pre-book tickets or make a donation if you wish.
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Great video walk through, thanks a lot.
Do they not have slow worm on display anymore?
 
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