A visit to Yorkshire Wildlife Park

This was our third visit to Yorkshire Wildlife park. Despite the cloudy, breezy weather, the place was packed. There were three main additions to the menagerie since our last visit: giraffes, Amur leopard and Baboons. As expected, the big cats and the painted dogs were mainly sleeping, offering little in terms of behaviour (other than the occasional, amazing roaring by the lions). The primates were on a different league, and they are really the main stars of the park in terms of entertaining. The squirrel monkeys were all mischief, stealing a babies' dummy and the contents of a packet of crisps during our visit. There is a notice warning about the monkeys penchance for dummies before their area. Dummies might be colourful and chewy, but the main attraction for the squirrel monkeys is that as their owners might want them back, the keepers have to entice the monkey to give the dummy back (in exchange for some delicacies), something that reinforces the stealing behaviour, is like the keepers were actually training the squirrel monkeys to search for and steal dummies. The squirrel monkeys are full of beans, and the young ones (and the people watching them) enjoyed games of chase and wrestling.
The ring-tailed lemurs were also very active and the young ones also did much leaping and chasing.
The baboons have only been in the park since Easter, all 18 of them including the 4 day old baby (top shot). The mum sat by the fantastic indoor watching area, nursing and cleaning the baby, and this was a top attraction not only for the public, but also for the other baboons. The mum was visited in turn by several young and old baboons intent on watching, touching or holding the baby. The mum was quite firm, but gentle keeping them away, with a gentle push of her hand, but after being groomed she often allowed the visitors to touch or briefly groom the baby.

Chapman Zebra grazing

Resting lioness

Eland

This male Pied Wagtail looked up to the ostrich, unfortunately, I could't fit both giant and dwarf in the same photo!

The bumpy head of a Giraffe

Sleepy Amur leopard

Slumbering tiger

Mara

A squirrel monkey standing bipedally, looking for scattered food

Coypu

The lucky squirrel monkey holding the sought after dummy

More sleeping carnivores, Painted Dogs

and a napping red river hog

Ring-tailed lemurs

This young baboon was entertained by some finding while other jumped and played about

Playing young by the new mum

Baby attraction: everybody enjoys watching the new arrival

the mum left the baby a little distance away from her encouraging him to crawl. A few more shots of the mother and baby follow.

Yorkshire Wildlife Park

We spend the day in the Yorkshire Wildlife Park. There were lots of changes since we went on March 2010. The lion enclosure is open and there is a new tiger enclosure too. The lions were rescued from a dilapidated zoo in Romania, where they were locked in small cages. They must feel the relative freedom to roam in a large, open air, well vegetated enclosure with a lake and small hill. There is a bridge overlooking their enclosure, so you can truly be surrounded by 13 lions, which is a scary thought. Considering their past history, the lions look healthy and they were very active and interacting with each other, gnawing at some bones, or running from one end to the other when they thought they had seen some of the keepers. The pair of tigers, which are being kept in separate enclosures for now, are part of the Amur tiger breeding program. Their enclosure is on a slope with large oaks and a waterfall. One of them paced up and down non stop on a well trodden path, which was a bit disturbing. The kids really enjoyed watching the squirrel monkeys hunting flies up close in the walk-in South America enclosure, which also includes Maras and Capybaras. I found the camels very impressive, they look regal in their wooly coats, as opposed to the gangly dromedaries, and look beautifully sculptural. The lemurs did not dissappoint, and they dutifully sat in their loto positions enjoying the warm sun, and keep changing places to be in first row, blocking the sun to the second row! A tiny meerkat watched from its vantage point, while others dug tunnels or run around. A selection of shots from today follows.

Bactrian camel

Amur tiger

Mara

Squirrel monkey

Yellow Mongoose

Sunbathing ring-tailed lemurs

Impressive Ankole cattle

 Chapman's zebra

Vigilant meerkat

For more info click here.

Yorkshire Wildlife Park

We went to Yorkshire Wildlife Park today, which hasn't even been opened one year yet (it opened to the public on 4th April 2009). The park is still growing and developing and there are huge expanses of bare soil and building work in progress, and at times the tracks are too rough, barely doable with a pushchair, but we managed. There is a cafe with hot meals - but no expresso machine-, a picnic area, a children's play area and a Jungle Play Barn with big slides, which were a hit with the kids.

Black and White Ruffed Lemur

Sunbathing Ring-Tailed Lemurs

Ring-Tailed Lemur

Some of the enclosures are very effective and allow very close contact with the animals. The Wallaby Walkabout and the Lemur Woods are walk through enclosures where you can approach - and they can approach you! - a gang of Ring Tailed Lemurs, a pair of Black and White Ruffed Lemurs, a pair of Browm Lemurs and of course, wallabies. We got to the Lemur Wood at food time and it was a great opportunity to see the lemurs in action, the agressive Black and White ones chasing the ring tailed ones for pieces of fruit and veg. It was a bit chilly in the wind so as soon as the food was eaten the lemurs hug each other or hid in their huts. The sun appeared behind the clouds and immediately, the lemurs adopted a sunbathing position which looked like they were worshipping the sun.
One of the hits with the park are the African Painted dogs (top picture), a pack of four, which are part of a captive breeding program. Their enclosure is quite large and the animals look healthy and alert. Amazing to get such close views of one of the most powerful African carnivores.

A Meerkat colony is also a great attraction, a square enclosure with side windows at ground level. Always active, there is always something happening with Meerkats. An individual on the lookout, another one digging, a pair that stand up to sunbathe...

A Racoon Dog

A donkey happy to interact with the public. The park was previously a farm opened to the public, and there are still many farm animals, goats, cattle, chickens, geese and sheep.

An Red Water Hog enjoying a rub on a tree. After a good side rub, it scratched the tree with its tusks. There are visible scratches on the trunk. 

The pair of Red Water Hogs have thoroughly dug out their wooded enclosure. I wonder how much longer the trees, many with exposed roots, will stay standing. The place looks like a bomb site!

The African Plains area, where zebra, antelopes and ostrich are kept are a large enclosure indeed, but you need a telescope to see the animals - and there is actually one available - as they prefer to stay away from the public, which is disappointing.
There is a small wood with a footpath and informative panels next to it.
The 13 rescued lions from a Romanian zoo are already in the park, but their enclosure is not yet finished. If you want to see the lions check the website to avoid disappointment.
The website is very slow in loading, but has information on prices, opening times and activities.
Indeed worth a visit, but I would recommend visiting in warm weather, so that the animals are more comfortable outside.
Yorkshire Wildlife Park website

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