Though it's now only a small farm park for 'exotic breeds' of domestic animals, I've got very distinct memories of this place having some really cool animals, specifically small predators. I know for a fact they used to have snowy owls, Scottish wildcats (probably hybrids), either a least weasel or a stoat, a smaller species of owl, fallow deer, some generic reptiles in the visitor centre (i.e; cornsnakes) and what I think was a wolverine (I remember a fairly large brown animal running in a square around its enclosure, I can't think what else it would be: Pine marten maybe?) It's quite a small park in the (frankly) uninteresting part of Scotland between Glasgow and Edinburgh, so I'm not sure if many people know about it, or have even been there, but does anyone remember what it was like/what species it held in the early/mid 2000's? I've tried everywhere online and I can't find anything! (If I find any pictures or visit soon, I'll post where the small carnivores used to be housed!)
Palacerigg at it's peak housed Wolves, Bison, Arctic Fox, many different species of Birds of Prey, Pine Marten, and many other species. Sadly North Lanarkshire Council don't seem to see the park as an asset and have gradually allowed it to fall into a state of disrepair. What was once described as "the Jewel in the Crown of Cumbernauld" is now nothing short of an eyesore. Although the park is free to enter, the "Children's Farm" is laughably poor, all that remain are a few goats, sheep, chickens and rabbits. Compared to it's closest neighbour, South Lanarkshire Council run Calderglen Country Park, it is an embarrassment to the people of North Lanarkshire. All that's required is a little investment and this place could be somewhere really special again, I live in hope!
Wow wolves and bison? I wouldn't have thought Palacerigg had the space for those, unless they were across the road where the deer are/(were?), and come to think of it I remember the Arctic Fox. Yes I agree that Calderglen is a massive step up, considering the recent improvements made to that place as well. It's a shame that Palacerigg's gone massively downhill, it's the closest zoo to me (other than Amazonia at M&D's) so I really do hope it gets a new breath of fresh air sometime soon (the last time I went the only exciting news was for new breeds of turkey!) Thanks for your answer, but do you know if anywhere online has an extensive list of what they used to house? I can't find any information on even the 'breeds' anywhere.
I think your best bet would be to submit a Freedom of Information request to North Lanarkshire Council asking for the information you want, although I'm not sure that they will even have that kind of information. I've searched online myself to try and find something and haven't found anything so far.
I noted the following species on 1st May 2004: Pine Marten American Mink Polecat Scottish Wildcat Silver Pheasant Lady Amherst's Pheasant Little Owl Tawny Owl Long-eared Owl Silver Fox Arctic Fox Snowy Owl Barn Owl European Eagle Owl Visitor centre: Slow Worm Great Crested Newt Bank Vole Brown Rat Paddocks (some distance from the rest of the animals): Alpine Chamois Manchurian Sika
