Wingham Wildlife Park
Encyclopedia
Wingham Wildlife Park is a medium sized wildlife park situated near Wingham
in Kent
, UK where it covers an area of 26 acres (13 acres of animal housing area and a further 13 acres of car parking and overflow). In 2011 the species count at the park reached 180 species covering fish, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates and birds.
In February 2008 the park ownership changed hands, with the following 3 years seeing the collection grow by almost 100 new species, including numerous animals which are of high conservation interest. The changes which have been made at the park have led to the parks inclusion in the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums
(BIAZA) in 2011.
and Koi
, a butterfly house, Silvery-Cheeked Hornbill
enclosure and a variety of free roaming animals including; Common Marmosets
, Chattering Lory
, Black-winged Lory
, White-Cheeked Turaco
, Diamond Dove
and many more.
Reptile House - Was refurbished and most of it re-built through much of 2008 through to 2010, to make the improvements required for the growth of the animal collection (from 18 species in 2008 to 46 species at the start of 2011). A wide variety of reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates are housed in the reptile collection including; Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, Gray's Monitors, Cuban Crocodile, Dwarf Crocodiles, Common Snapping Turtles, White Lipped Tree Vipers, Rhinoceros Iguanas, Golden Mantellas (for which Wingham Wildlife Park hold the ESF studbook) and many more.
Lemur Island - Is situated on 1 of 2 islands within an area of the park called the top lake (so named because it is the largest body of water within the park and can be found at the furthest end of the park from the reception). The island acts as a natural enclosure for Lemurs, using the water itself to contain the animals as opposed to fencing, with 4 tunnels leading off the island to a housing complex on the opposite shore. The housing allows for 4 different groups to sleep and shelter individually. When it was first opened the island was home to a pair of Ring Tailed Lemurs
and a pair of Black & White Ruffed Lemurs
, with the addition of a pair of Western Lesser Bamboo Lemurs
at the end of 2010 and a trio of Red Fronted Brown Lemurs in May 2011.
were introduced to the collection in 2010, becoming the only Grays Monitors on display in a UK zoo, and 1 of only 2 zoos in Europe. These very specialised lizards are a focal point of the direction which the reptile house at the park is heading in, and at 2 years of age at the time of arrival it will be a number of years before the park can try to achieve the first breeding of this species in Europe. The collection currently has a pair of this species to try to achieve this.
Little Red Flying Foxes (Pteropus scapulatus) came to the park in 2010 in the form of 2 pairs, which live in the foyer of the Tropical House alongside a group of Egyptian Fruit Bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus). These 4 individuals are the only ones of this species on display in a European zoo.
Julian The Ring Tailed Lemur has become one of the parks most well known animals when he started his own Facebook page on 20 May 2011.
Wingham, Kent
Wingham is a civil parish and English Kent village situated along the ancient coastal road, now the A257, from Richborough to London and close to Canterbury. It has existed since the Stone Age but only became established as a village in Roman times. The Domesday book tells us that during Saxon...
in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, UK where it covers an area of 26 acres (13 acres of animal housing area and a further 13 acres of car parking and overflow). In 2011 the species count at the park reached 180 species covering fish, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates and birds.
History
The park was first opened in 1986 under the name of Wingham Bird Park, with a small collection of aviary birds, water fowl and a tea room. As new animals were added to the collection to include a variety of mammals (initially starting with farm animals such as African Pygmy Goats and Pigs) the current, more appropriate name of Wingham Wildlife Park was adopted in around 1996. However locally it is still commonly referred to as Wingham Bird Park.In February 2008 the park ownership changed hands, with the following 3 years seeing the collection grow by almost 100 new species, including numerous animals which are of high conservation interest. The changes which have been made at the park have led to the parks inclusion in the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums
British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums
The British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums is a conservation, education and scientific wildlife charity. Founded in 1966 within the zoo and aquarium community to see the principles and practices of animal management adopted in the British Isles...
(BIAZA) in 2011.
Exhibits
Tropical House - The tropical house was first opened in 2004, and (including the foyer which houses the bat exhibit) covers 1100 m². This area is home to a variety of tropical plants, 3 ponds containing GoldfishGoldfish
The goldfish is a freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae of order Cypriniformes. It was one of the earliest fish to be domesticated, and is one of the most commonly kept aquarium fish....
and Koi
Koi
or more specifically , are ornamental varieties of domesticated common carp that are kept for decorative purposes in outdoor koi ponds or water gardens....
, a butterfly house, Silvery-Cheeked Hornbill
Silvery-cheeked Hornbill
The Silvery-cheeked Hornbill is a large bird at in length with a very large creamy casque on the beak. The female has a smaller casque and reddish skin around the eyes. The head is silver-grey and the rest of the plumage is iridescent black, except for the white rump, lower back, thighs, vent and...
enclosure and a variety of free roaming animals including; Common Marmosets
Common Marmoset
The common marmoset is a New World monkey. It originally lived on the Northeastern coast of Brazil, in the states of Piaui, Paraiba, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Pernambuco, Alagoas and Bahia...
, Chattering Lory
Chattering Lory
The Chattering Lory, Lorius garrulus is a forest-dwelling parrot endemic to North Maluku, Indonesia. It is considered vulnerable, the main threat being from trapping for the cage-bird trade.The race L. g...
, Black-winged Lory
Black-winged Lory
The Black-winged Lory, Eos cyanogenia also known as Biak Red Lory is a medium-sized, up to long, long-tailed lory. It has a bright red plumage, black shoulder, red iris, an orange red bill and violet ear-patch behind eye. The underwings are red, becoming yellowish with black tips...
, White-Cheeked Turaco
White-cheeked Turaco
The White-cheeked Turaco is a species of bird in the Musophagidae family.It is found in Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Sudan. A mid-sized species is measures in length, including a tail of , and weighs .-References:...
, Diamond Dove
Diamond Dove
The Diamond Dove is a bird resident in Australia.The dove predominantly exists in areas near water but which are lightly arid or semi-arid in nature, being Central, West and Northern Australia. They are one of Australia's smallest pigeons along with the Peaceful Dove...
and many more.
Reptile House - Was refurbished and most of it re-built through much of 2008 through to 2010, to make the improvements required for the growth of the animal collection (from 18 species in 2008 to 46 species at the start of 2011). A wide variety of reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates are housed in the reptile collection including; Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, Gray's Monitors, Cuban Crocodile, Dwarf Crocodiles, Common Snapping Turtles, White Lipped Tree Vipers, Rhinoceros Iguanas, Golden Mantellas (for which Wingham Wildlife Park hold the ESF studbook) and many more.
Lemur Island - Is situated on 1 of 2 islands within an area of the park called the top lake (so named because it is the largest body of water within the park and can be found at the furthest end of the park from the reception). The island acts as a natural enclosure for Lemurs, using the water itself to contain the animals as opposed to fencing, with 4 tunnels leading off the island to a housing complex on the opposite shore. The housing allows for 4 different groups to sleep and shelter individually. When it was first opened the island was home to a pair of Ring Tailed Lemurs
Ring-tailed Lemur
The ring-tailed lemur is a large strepsirrhine primate and the most recognized lemur due to its long, black and white ringed tail. It belongs to Lemuridae, one of five lemur families. It is the only member of the Lemur genus. Like all lemurs it is endemic to the island of Madagascar...
and a pair of Black & White Ruffed Lemurs
Black-and-white ruffed lemur
The black-and-white ruffed lemur is the more endangered of the two species of ruffed lemurs, both of which are endemic to the island of Madagascar. Despite having a larger range than the red ruffed lemur, it has a much smaller population that is spread out, living in lower population densities...
, with the addition of a pair of Western Lesser Bamboo Lemurs
Western Lesser Bamboo Lemur
The Western Lesser Bamboo Lemur , also known as the Northern Bamboo Lemur and Western Gentle Lemur, is species of bamboo lemur endemic to Madagascar. The total length of this primate is 55–67 centimeters, more than half of which is tail, and average weight is just under 1 kilogram...
at the end of 2010 and a trio of Red Fronted Brown Lemurs in May 2011.
Notable Animals
Gray's Monitors (Varanus olivaceus)Gray's monitor
Gray's monitor is a large monitor lizard known only from lowland dipterocarp forest in the east of Luzon and a few smaller adjacent islands in the Philippines such as Polillo Island, where it is locally known as the butaan. It belongs to the subgenus Philippinosaurus. It is largely arboreal and...
were introduced to the collection in 2010, becoming the only Grays Monitors on display in a UK zoo, and 1 of only 2 zoos in Europe. These very specialised lizards are a focal point of the direction which the reptile house at the park is heading in, and at 2 years of age at the time of arrival it will be a number of years before the park can try to achieve the first breeding of this species in Europe. The collection currently has a pair of this species to try to achieve this.
Little Red Flying Foxes (Pteropus scapulatus) came to the park in 2010 in the form of 2 pairs, which live in the foyer of the Tropical House alongside a group of Egyptian Fruit Bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus). These 4 individuals are the only ones of this species on display in a European zoo.
Julian The Ring Tailed Lemur has become one of the parks most well known animals when he started his own Facebook page on 20 May 2011.