Sandwich Wildlife Park Sandwich Wildlife Park

Zia said:
Their USP is experiences as I predicted - including the tamandua and maned wolf:
Sandwich Wildlife Park: the Most Exclusive Animal Experiences in Kent

...and they will be providing holiday accomodation too:
Sandwich Wildlife Park: the Most Exclusive Animal Experiences in Kent

I get the impression from the website that they will open the park up for general admission at some point - but atm they are only offering the experiences and make it clear that you will not be free to explore the park on your own as part of this:

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Thanks for posting this. I can't say I can get too excited by this though!
 
News from Marwell that Kaia the female Amur Leopard will be moving to Sandwich later this month.
She is still part an incredibly important to the breeding programe (according to the FB post) so I expect that they will be trying to get a male to join Kaia.
 
From Monday (6th), the zoo will be offering guided tours around the site. Each will last for around an hour and a half, with a maximum group size of 15 people. Looks like a trip to Kent might be on the cards...
 
The zoo have recently welcomed some "9 month old Arctic Wolves" (From FB). They appear to be held in what was previously the Sun bear exhibit when it was RSCC.
 
For a highly questionable value of the term "Arctic Wolves" :p
 
A pity, but not exactly an unexpected one - they didn't really do themselves any favours by going with the "zoo closed to the public except for booked experiences" model when they were already located in a pretty zoo-dense area!
 
TeaLovingDave said:
they didn't really do themselves any favours by going with the "zoo closed to the public except for booked experiences" model when they were already located in a pretty zoo-dense area!
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I reckon that was their business model for the site though, offering something a little more personal and different to what else was available in the area. Clearly didn't work, and the timing is pretty coincidental with a world wide pandemic, but at least they attempted something to set them apart from the Aspinal parks and their own sister site up the road.
 
Going by the live stream most of the bigger animals wont be moving to wingham such as the cats etc. Seems like they plan to move most of the smaller mammals, birds and reptiles to wingham.
 
TeaLovingDave said:
A pity, but not exactly an unexpected one - they didn't really do themselves any favours by going with the "zoo closed to the public except for booked experiences" model when they were already located in a pretty zoo-dense area!
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To be fair - they did then plan to open up full time, and did for a short while when the covid rules were relaxed.
 
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ThomasNotTom said:
To be fair - they did then plan to open up full time, and did for a short while when the covid rules were relaxed.
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I think in happier times the model could have worked well - especially if they were intending to use the overnight accomodation that the former owner had built to offer more expansive experiences. It is a shame but it is good to hear they will be retaining the staff from both sites at this time.
 
id love to see the tigers come to wingham.im sure the encloseure next to the two already there isnt used so plenty of space. the night quarters may be an issue thou.

if anyone finds out what animals go where, then can they please post on here.
i gather marmosets bush babies and a tamandu are on their way to wingham
 
sidcup said:
id love to see the tigers come to wingham.im sure the encloseure next to the two already there isnt used so plenty of space. the night quarters may be an issue thou.

if anyone finds out what animals go where, then can they please post on here.
i gather marmosets bush babies and a tamandu are on their way to wingham
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yes also the sloth is going to wingham too, they also said things such as the porcupine and meerkats were hopefully going to be reintroduced to winghams existing groups.

The guy doing the tour said the tigers and leopard were likely to be moved to other collections as theres not enough room at wingham so that will be the studbook keepers decision. The cheetah at sandwich is also a non breeding individual whereas the female at wingham is part of the breeding program.

I guess the penguins will just return to wingham aswell.
 
TeaLovingDave said:
A pity, but not exactly an unexpected one - they didn't really do themselves any favours by going with the "zoo closed to the public except for booked experiences" model when they were already located in a pretty zoo-dense area!
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Surely the booked experiences could have been done from the main site? - and their main reason for buying the site in the first place was to stop anyone else from coming in to a ready-made zoo under their noses?
 
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Wonder what will happen on the site now, especially seeing what was on there before, quite a history of zoos shutting down and being taken over by someone else..
Another zoo?
 
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