The Hawk Conservancy Trust in Weyhill, near Andover, originally started life as Weyhill Zoo. Reg and Hilary Smith incoporated the rescue of injured wildlife into their farm work, and the press caught onto this to the point where he was asked to attend a Blue Peter show with an albino badger he had at the farm. When they arrived, the chap looking after Reg in the green room was desperate to touch the badger, to which Reg strongly told him not too. Despite this, seconds before going on air the man thrust his hand into the cage, to which the badger grabbed in it's jaws and wouldn't let go! Knowing a bloody-mouthed badger would be inappropiate to show, they instead asked Reg about his farm, to which he finished off with the suggestion that viewers could come and see his animals if they wanted. The following weekend cars filled the country lane outside the farm, and the police suggested Reg should 'farm the public' instead.
So Weyhill Zoo opened in 1966, and over it's time held exotic species' like leopards, wildebeest, hyeanas and sun bears. In the 70's it turned to European wildlife, becoming Weyhill Wildlife Park with animals like Bears, Wolves, Lynx, Seals and Deer. However, people demanded exotics, and visitors were soon going to the new zoo that opened a few years back near Winchester instead, Marwell. So in the eighties, the family decided to focus on one particular species, which was birds of prey. The Hawk Conservancy was born, as it is today.
I'm wondering if anyone here has any photos, recollections of visits and/or guides from when it was Weyhill Zoo/Wildlife Park to share? Would be very interesting.
So Weyhill Zoo opened in 1966, and over it's time held exotic species' like leopards, wildebeest, hyeanas and sun bears. In the 70's it turned to European wildlife, becoming Weyhill Wildlife Park with animals like Bears, Wolves, Lynx, Seals and Deer. However, people demanded exotics, and visitors were soon going to the new zoo that opened a few years back near Winchester instead, Marwell. So in the eighties, the family decided to focus on one particular species, which was birds of prey. The Hawk Conservancy was born, as it is today.
I'm wondering if anyone here has any photos, recollections of visits and/or guides from when it was Weyhill Zoo/Wildlife Park to share? Would be very interesting.