Wingham Wildlife Park Wingham Wildlife Park News 2020

I never said that Wingham's statement would cost this - so do not know why I am being repeatedly accused of so doing.
Again - what I said was that complying with the drafted list of requirements would cost this and as no-one knows what will and wont be required, doing so up-front is a gamble. Please re-read the sentence you have emboldened.
This remains a fact regardless of your attempt to twist what I said, and like all gambles may or may not pay off. It also remains a fact that unless you have the money to risk in the first place, you do not have the opportunity to gamble.

 

Exmoor have said they hope to open around 1st August and have 'loads to sort out' to do so.

I think the issue here is two ends of the stick are being grasped.

You are saying if all of these zoos that have released their tentative plans are putting in place measures that comply with the entirety of the draft requirements and cost £££££ then they may be wasting their money. Which is true. But then no one has said that is what Wingham have done so you are 'correcting an error' that never occured. Hence the confusion.

I (and others on the thread) are saying that from the information released it would seem these zoos have put in place relatively low cost / low risk of changing measures (online booking / route planning / outside refreshment options) that will be helpful in preparing for when they can open. Which is also true.

There is a middle ground between doing nothing and following all of the draft requirements to the absolute letter. I'd be really suprised if any collection that does intend to re-open isn't currently somewhere in that middle ground and working on putting in place the basic requirments that are least likely to change. I hope you can do so when you feel the time is right. I'm sure everyone is just doing their best with this totally rubbish situation.

 

Any reason what might cause this big of a delay? I mean our zoos managed to sort out all the important stuff pretty much over the weekend...

 

They do not know when they will be able to open - at this time the Government have not specified a date. Exmoor were just guessing at 1st August with the info they had available at the time and I am sure they would be delighted (and ready) if it were sooner. From what the Government are currently saying, early July now seems likely.

 

I would guess it is getting the ticketing software commissioned. If Exmoor has been as close to closure as claimed, they might not have had the funds to pre-commission this. We are lucky that our system is up and working today following my pre-ordering it back in February, against a negotiated invoice due in three months time (like many, many others). Companies providing these systems have a lead time of several months.
In addition, UK Parks have had no financial help or subsidies, so staffing and maintenance have been stripped back to essentials. After months of this, the place may simply not be safe enough or tidy enough to present to the public.
Exmoor also claimed to be within 6 weeks of closure and breach of their legal Zoo Licence minimum requirements. We dont have detail of how long this will take to rectify, or whether they received enough money to fund this.

 

Yesterday (30th September) another two male giraffes, named Ron and Evan, arrived at Wingham from Longleat Safari Park.

Information comes from the Wingham Wildlife Park Facebook page.

 

Just watching the Wingham live tour this morning - they are back doing them for this new lockdown. Few bits of news -

- baby Tapir was born but sadly passed away within a couple of days with various health issues.
- male Tapir Nando has had the snip as instructed by the breeding programme coordinator.
- female wolf has been euthanised due to increasing issues with arthritis. This leaves them with one male (her son) and they are looking into options going forwards. Confirmed they will continue to hold wolves but not necessarily keeping the individual they have.

 

It appears that we were both watching this stream

 

Are they Canadian Timber wolves?

 

Rothschild giraffe Evan has sadly died after suffering a "heart attack following an acute infection"
Such sad news for one of their newest arrivals. Don't know how old he was but he was born at Longleat

 

2 female howler monkeys have arrived.

 

Watched the live stream today from sandwich they mentioned their two arctic wolves will be moving to wingham.

 

This certainly makes sense - the enclosure at Sandwich would be suitable for an more arboreal species.

 

People might be interested in this raffle that Wingham have set up to help then raise funds as they are back in lockdown being in a Tier 4 area.

Buy *WIN* Ultimate Experience Raffle online - Wingham Wildlife Park

 

Bears prehaps?

 

Possibly somewhere for the Asiatic Black bear cub to go once separation from the mother is required.