Highland Wildlife Park
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| Highland Wildlife Park | |
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| Date opened | 1972 |
| Location | Kingussie, Scotland |
| Number of Species | over 100 |
| Major exhibits | Native Scottish wildlife |
| Website | |
The Highland Wildlife Park is a safari park and zoo near Kingussie, Highland, Scotland. The park is in the Cairngorms National Park.
The Highland Wildlife Park was opened in 1972 and has been run by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland since 1986. Visitors experience Scottish wildlife past and present in the spectacular setting of the Scottish Highlands. and after a "remit" in 2007 endangered species from mountainous regions all over the globe (See Below). On show are a variety of animals found in present day Scotland, animals that were once present, hundreds, even thousands of years ago, and endangered mountain species from elsewhere.. Visitors drive around the Main Reserve in their cars and then move on to a walk-round area.
The enclosure home to a pack of Grey Wolf won the ZooLex award in 2003 for having a leading design for their wolf territory, which offers extensive areas for them to inhabit and views of the Cairngorms where wild wolves would have roamed until as recently as the 1700s.
The park is open every day of the year, weather permitting.
In 1980 the park was made famous by obtaining "Felicity the Puma", a Puma that was reputedly captured nearby by a farmer. The Puma lived out her days in the park and is now on show stuffed in the Inverness museum. In the past the park has also been the home to several examples of the famous "Kellas cat".
Contents |
[edit] Animals
[edit] Main reserve (safari park)
[edit] Walk-round enclosures
- Wild Cat
- Eagle Owl
- Pine Marten
- Red Squirrel
- Capercaillie
- Eurasian Lynx
- Chough
- Grey Wolf
- Forest Reindeer
- Wild Boar
- Red Grouse
- Snowy Owl
- Arctic Fox
- European Otter
- European Beaver
- Vivarium (Common Lizard, Slow Worm, Palmate Newt)
- Wildfowl Lochan
- Tawny Owl
- Black Grouse
[edit] 2007 Changes to the Park
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, owner and administrator of the Highland Wildlife Park, altered the theme of the park in 2007 from native species of the Highlands, to species from tundra and mountainous habitats around the world. This move is an attempt to bring the park closer to the working practices of the RZSS's main site, Edinburgh Zoo as well as to drastically increase visitor numbers which had been virtually static for some years.
Although the park was in need of serious investment for some years, many locals to the area as well as frequent visitors to the park believe that this move would distance the park from its hitherto unique attraction as a place to see native species in their natural habitat, and will eventually turn the park into another safari park filled with ever more exotic animals in an attempt to attract more of the area's visitors.
In defense to this view, the RZSS claimed that the new animals in the park's collection are for the most part extremely endangered, and their presence at the park will safeguard their future, as well as demonstrating the Highlands' place in the global ecosystem.
However, critics said that many of the animals which were lost in the first wave of alterations (Badgers, Red Foxes, Soay Sheep, Highland Cattle, Polecat) may not have been endangered in the Highlands, but were the kinds of animals that visitors associate with the Highlands and would be extremely lucky to have seen in person during their stay.
The first new animals to arrive were two Bharals in February 2007, closely followed by Markhor and Yak at Easter that year. Kiang followed and the first Japanese Macaques came at the end of June 2007.
The future collection of animals at the park is set to include: Pallas Cat, Snow Leopard, Amur Leopard, Amur Tiger and Thorold's or White lipped Deer . The majority of these animals will be coming up from Edinburgh. Bactrian wapiti and chinese grey goral have recently arrived from Edinburgh, work is due to start soon on the new enclosures for Amur tiger and Amur leopard, a male leopard is at Edinburgh awaiting a move to his new home. Recently arrived at the park are Mishmi takin and red panda from Edinburgh, Himalayan tahr, Carpathian lynx and Afghan urial, along with more European elk and kiang. A new aviary has been built for Himalayan snowcock. The parks first Mishmi takin calf has been born bringing the herd up to 9 in total, the second biggest herd in Europe.
[edit] External links
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