Trip to Cotswold » Cotswold Wildlife Park

Trip to Cotswold
07-11-2008

It's a day-off for me tomorrow, and it's been organised with a few of my close relatives that we'll visit Cotswold that day. So if anyone has any questions regarding the park, you can ask them either before or after my visit and I'll do my best to answer them.

07-11-2008

Has there been any mating going on between Chandra and Akela the Asiatic lions? and if so are they hopeful of cubs?

Thanks

07-11-2008

have fun, im very jealous of you as i have never been

08-11-2008

I've just visited, very good overall.

GOOD POINTS:
- It was quiet and sunny, with a lot of animal activity.
- There were particulary close encounters with tapirs and an amur leopard.
- The reptiles were very good, with good views of Rhinoceros Iguana, Morelet's Crocodile (also saw babies, a sight I've never seen before) and Reticulated Python.
- The siamangs were coming close to the window inside, including a mother with a baby. When I put my hand on the glass, the baby tried reaching out for it with both hands!

BAD POINTS:
- The Ground Cuscus weren't showing themselves. Again.
- Whilst I'd consider this more a daunting point then a bad point, but the crowned pigeons in the tropical house, which were far bigger than I imagined, were on the path barrier, and one female was nesting. The male was defensive and flew to the path and beat out his wings trying to stop us from passing. Very nerve racking!
- I was looking forward to the Madagascar exhibit, especially to see the Sifaka. Very unfortunately, they were ALL deciding to stay inside where you can't see them, with only a black lemur breifly imerging then going back in again.
- My little cousins were a bit wingy, but I can't blame the park for that.

Overall, a very good day. Paulkarli, unfourtunately I didn't get the chance to ask that, sorry. I only saw the lioness today. Presumebly Akela was hiding somewhere.

08-11-2008

Thanks for the review Marwell dalek, any sign of new construction such as the giraffe house or new rhino house?

08-11-2008

Thanks for the review

08-11-2008

Thanks for trying anyway. Hope you enjoyed your day at the Cotswolds

08-11-2008

Yes, I did, thankyou.

The rhino house is being built, and when it is finished two new cows are lined up to arrive, with the giraffe house being due straight after. I picked up a Wild Talk issue in the shop, which discusses the latter as being the biggest development since the park first opened.

08-11-2008

From what I could see a couple of weeks ago the Rhino House is just about finished . They appear to have increased the height and put on a new roof with new yards outside . The area was fenced off , I could not work out if the actual ground area of the building has been enlarged .

08-11-2008

I wonder if they are hoping to breed them with the existing old male? He must be rather ancient now. I guess they will mix them as a trio and depending what happens, maybe add a younger male later.

08-11-2008

It may well be that they follow the same route as colchester, either with their own male or Simba as an AI donor now that ground has been broken in this country with this method.

08-11-2008

Cotswold's current rhino is in his elderly years, so I imagine they'd only get a breeding male once he has passed on.

And the WildTalk issue also mentioned some more future plans for Cotswold: Renovation of the Penguin Enclosure, an Aquarium, and, most exciting of all, an exhibit for Wolverines.

09-11-2008

Wolverines, that would be great. I've only seen one briefly peak its head out from behind a rock before, so if Cotswold do get them i'll be up to the park quicker than a wolverine after a reindeer.