Blackbrook Zoological Park
Encyclopedia
Blackbrook Zoological Park is a wildlife attraction in central England which exhibits the largest collection of birds in the country. It is known for its excellent breeding record with many rare bird species, with over 300 successfully breeding species to date. The zoo also has a growing collection of mammals, reptiles, fish and amphibians. It is a rural zoo, set in 75 acre (0.3035145 km²) of farmland and moorland at Winkhill in Staffordshire
. The nearest towns are Leek
, Ashbourne
and Stoke-on-Trent
.
, Cheshire
since 1974. Blackbrook quickly developed into a large bird collection in its own right. Following Diana Holloway's death in 2006, running of the zoo passed to her son Mark. Development and expansion has continued in recent years: in 2006, a new entrance, gift shop and café were constructed, and in 2008, a £500,000 penguin
exhibit was added. Hillside Bird Oasis was forced to close to the public in 2002 following complaints from local residents over increasing traffic levels, but it is still maintained by the owners as a private breeding facility. In 2008 the zoo became a charity and has begun to focus on conservation and education. The zoo receives no government grants.
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
. The nearest towns are Leek
Leek, Staffordshire
Leek is a market town in the county of Staffordshire, England, on the River Churnet. It is an ancient borough and was granted its royal charter in 1214.It is the administrative centre for the Staffordshire Moorlands District Council...
, Ashbourne
Ashbourne, Derbyshire
Ashbourne is a small market town in the Derbyshire Dales, England. It has a population of 10,302.The town advertises itself as 'The Gateway to Dovedale'.- Local customs :...
and Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent , also called The Potteries is a city in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of . Together with the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme Stoke forms The Potteries Urban Area...
.
History
Blackbrook Zoological Park was established in 1991 by Diana Holloway and her son, Mark Rubery. Holloway was already experienced in running a wildlife visitor attraction, having owned and run Hillside Bird Oasis in MobberleyMobberley
Mobberley is a semi-rural village and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, situated between Wilmslow and Knutsford. Mobberley railway station lies on the Manchester to Northwich and Chester line and was opened on 12 May, 1862 by the Cheshire...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
since 1974. Blackbrook quickly developed into a large bird collection in its own right. Following Diana Holloway's death in 2006, running of the zoo passed to her son Mark. Development and expansion has continued in recent years: in 2006, a new entrance, gift shop and café were constructed, and in 2008, a £500,000 penguin
Penguin
Penguins are a group of aquatic, flightless birds living almost exclusively in the southern hemisphere, especially in Antarctica. Highly adapted for life in the water, penguins have countershaded dark and white plumage, and their wings have become flippers...
exhibit was added. Hillside Bird Oasis was forced to close to the public in 2002 following complaints from local residents over increasing traffic levels, but it is still maintained by the owners as a private breeding facility. In 2008 the zoo became a charity and has begun to focus on conservation and education. The zoo receives no government grants.
Animals
Blackbrook currently holds over 200 species of bird and around 40 mammals and reptiles. It has a particularly good collection of cranes, pelicans and waterfowl. Some of the animals exhibited are listed below:Birds
- Humboldt penguin
- Secretary bird
- Openbill stork
- Red crowned crane
- Pink-backed pelican
- Grey Peacock-Pheasant
- Great argus
- Siamese fireback
- Boat billed heron
- White naped crane
- Magellanic steamer duck
- Sarus crane
- African spoonbill
- Demoiselle crane
- Hammerkop
- Wattled crane
- Ostrich
- Cassowary
- Black-necked crane
- Sandhill crane
- Chilean brown pelican
- Australian pelican
- American white pelican
- Milky eagle owl
- Maguari stork
Mammals
- Meerkat
- Bennett's wallaby
- Black and white ruffed lemur
- Parma Wallaby
- Mongoose lemur
- Meerkat
- White-fronted lemur
- Chapman's Zebra
- Nilgai
- Sitatunga
- Blackbuck
- Visayan Warty Pig
- Dwarf Mongoose