November Update

 

We have had a new arrival over the past month. Meet "Mortimer" the fox. Morty arrived here a couple of weeks a go now and is settling in very well.

Having been rescued as a cub, he was reared with all intentions of him going back to the wild, but despite being with other foxes Morty had other ideas and became to friendly for the wild life. That's when we were asked if we might be able to offer him a home here. 

Having sadly lost "Ellis" to old age a couple of months a go, we of course said yes. After a careful introduction, Morty is now living in our second fox enclosure along with Basil. They kind of tolerated each other for the first few nights, but are now best of buds and often seen running around and playing together. 

Morty really is a friendly little fox. Think of our "Flo" but a male version!.. He will happily come and greet you at the fence line when you come to visit, and hopefully Basil will be able to teach him how to be a bit more of a fox. 

October Update

 

We have just come to the end of a very busy October half term, and now with the clocks turned back it really feels as if Winter is on it's way. 

This past month has seen our deer rutting. A lot of roaring and posturing, but not too much actual clashing of antlers this year... but from the little there was it seems that Albus Dumbledeer is once again our master stag. 

He will likely mate with our hinds over the coming weeks, and then we can expect some calves next year in the lead up to summer.

September Update

 

This month has been our first month after our Summer opening, and are quickly getting back in to our routine of school groups and photographic days. Despite being closed to the public during the week, we are still open every day to private booked groups be that educational tours for school children or college students, or photographic days for keen photographers. 

I often get asked "you must be looking forward to being closed during the week after the summer holidays when it will be a bit quieter for you?" during the summer, but it is actually the other way around. We have groups booked in every day when we are closed, and have to look after them as well as all the usual animal routines you see us do when we are open... so although still busy, our days when we are open to the public are a little more relaxed for us. 

Anyway... enough of that, what new animals news from this month... well, just the one big news story I guess, and that is our new badger Blossom!

Blossom came to us from a rescue centre where she had been reared from a cub after being hit by a car. This accident has given her a very distinctive feature of a bent nose, but otherwise she seems fine. Despite being reared alongside other badgers, and with every intent for her to go back to the wild, she became too friendly and we were asked if we would be able to offer her a permanent home here. 

She really is a special badger... not only does she seem friendly, but seems to crave human interaction. She keeps herself to herself, but when we are doing routine in her enclosure she always comes over to say hello without prompting. Then again in the evening comes to say hello, have a cuddle and usually ends up falling asleep on your lap. 

She will slowly be introduced to the rest of our clan in the lead up tot he end of the year, and hopefully we will be able to offer badger talks again next year. In the meantime our whole clan are still easily seen in our observation badger sett.