Paradise Wildlife Park Information on Broxbourne zoo pre 1984?

Hi zoo chatters !

My local zoo is Paradise Wildlife Park in Broxbourne and i have been going there ever since i was a child. However it has been PWP since i was a child.

I was wondering wether anyone has any information on the site when it was Broxbourne zoo before the Sampson family took over in 1984. I've heard about Bobby the lion and other stories off of my family, but does anyone have any information or pictures of that time?

Thanks in advance

Thanks
Stu

 

This quotes from Anthony Smith's 'Animals on View' published 1977 .

'The theme of this open-air collection is a children's zoo in a natural setting . There are 38 species of mammals , and 25 of bird , adding up to 200 animals in all . These included Chimpanzees (with a new enclosure ) , Tigers , Leopards , Llamas , Lions , Baboons , Wallabies and Emus , most of these species have bred recently . A new Monkey house was opened in easter 1977 . '

There were reported to be twice daily Lion and Tiger training sessions , Pony and Donkey rides , Pony traps , Train , Woodland walk and adventure palyground , some animals could be fed with zoo food .

 

More information from the 1976 AA Publication ' Wildlife in Britain ' which lists a lot more species -

' The mixed collection has a few large animals : Lions and Leopards which breed regularly , Tigers , Pumas and Himalayan Bears . The rarest species in the collection is the European Bison ; the deer species shown include Red Deer , Sika and Chinese Water Deer . You can also see Chimpanzees , Sacred and Olive baboons, and Pig-tailed macaques which have bred . There are a number of small mammal species and these include porcupines , Coypus , Raccoons , coatis , Kinkajous , badgers , Dingos and Collared Peccaries .

A mixed collection of birds is exhibited and these include penguins , flamingos , vultures , eagles , tawny owls , which have bred here , pheasants , ducks and geeses . There are also Demoiselle Cranes , Sarus Cranes and Emus which hatched 2 chicks in 1974 . '

 

Thanks Bele! This is brilliant information I cant belive they had chimpanzees (my parents mentioned a smoking chimp back in the 70's!) and such animals as Bison and Dingo. I wonder where all these enclosures were placed in relation to the zoo as it stands now ?

Thanks again

Stu