Seaview Wildlife Encounter on the Isle of Wight has closed today for the final time: Statement from Facebook It is with great sadness and regret that the family have decided after 44 years of being open to the public that an extremely difficult decision has been made to close the park. This is due to many internal and external factors - the seasonal nature of the business combined with intense legislation and regulation that we believe will only increase in the future. We hope that you will understand that it is time now for the family to bow out gently and to thank all of our wonderful visitors for their support over the years. A huge thanks to our amazing team - without you we could not have continued to have kept our beautiful park to the standard that it was today on our last day of being open. Please be assured that all the birds and animals will be top priority and the best possible homes will be sourced for them and of course the wonderful Dippy who we will endeavour to find the best retirement home for. We hope that we leave you with many happy memories and the family wish you all the very best for the future....
I have just read that - such a shame I always found it a good little place to spend a few hours . A big niss for the island as well.
Any zoo closing (that's not a complete dump) is sad and a tragedy of some level or other. Whilst I always visited the place every time I went to the Isle it definitely declined (species wise) over the last few years and, at a time when competing zoological collections have upped their game, it was for me the least essential of the main wildlife attractions when I visited last year. That said it has, in it's time, had some nice species and it was always fun to see three types of flamingo and play at identifying the penguins by their colour-coded arm bands. Thanks for some good memories.
I always thought it was better when it was in its earlier years with the water fowl . I think it probably took a wrong turn going down the wallaby, meerkat route etc
I'd agree with Shorts, when he says that the closing of any zoo is a shame, but if ever there was a place that was destined to struggle, this was it. It was run almost wholly without imagination or flair, and as a consequence was just about the most boring zoo I have ever seen. Could have been much, much more than this - quite a nice site, with a decent tropical house building - but, flamingos aside, the collection was as unremarkable as one could imagine, the housing was basic, the educational work limited. The Isle of Wight has three further reasonably substantial zoos. None is perfect, but each is much better than this place.
shame, I did love visiting the place, they have bred so many flamingos over the years which is a massive achievement in itself ! it will be missed next time I visit the island!
I think you are being really harsh on this establishment it was open for nearly 50 years and certainly in its early years it was as its best, especially the waterfowl the hand feeding of hundreds of ducks,geese and swans was a wonderful introduction to youngsters.They probably should of kept along the theme that they started with and updated the cafeteria and gift shop.The island unfortunately has 3 small collections with two sort of specialising where actually they would probably benefit from joining together and having one large decent zoo - same as Jersey.
I visited it as 'Flamingo Park' as a child and remember the thrill of hand-feeding birds I had never seen before like black necked swans and walking down the slope to the picturesque willow tree-lined waterfowl lake. I returned as a parent and the place looked the same; save the arrival of beavers, penguins and captive red squirrels. What was refreshing for me that was that all visitors were invited to hand feed fish to the penguins. So many collections are strictly 'do not feed' or charge prices for these 'experiences' that only the richer families can afford that I appreciated Seaview for that. Also noticed today that another Island animal attraction has closed, Fort Victoria Marine Aquarium also citing increased red tape. Fort Victoria Marine Aquarium on Isle of Wight closes to public - BBC News My only visit here was as a child and I recall being wowed watching a very large tope glide underneath the boardwalk I was standing on. Very sad to lose two collections on one island in a week.
Yes I agree the Flamingo Park years were better ! it was just amazing all these ducks geese and swans coming ton greet you and feeding by hand. I think the aquaruim was always going to struggle would of made a better exhibit in the Isle of Wight zoo
Shame to hear of the aquarium going as well! Give it time and we will only have sealife centre clones !!
Update on who is going where: https://www.facebook.com/DippySeavi...246312002892/1032394153488099/?type=3&theater
there has been a recent video on youtube posted by the bearded explorer - showing the site now all abandoned - really interesting and very sad
