Winter Wilderness at Wild Animal Park

Port Lympne Wild Animal Park near Ashford was covered in a blanket of snow this weekend and the park was forced to close on Sunday and Monday in order to protect the public as weather conditions made paths and walkways hazardous.

The Maintenance department had their hands full as they came out in force to grit and salt access routes enabling keepers to reach the animals in their care and make sure that they were snug and happy.

Adrian Harland Animal Director said: ‘All staff are to be commended for their hard work ensuring that the animals in our care were snug and warm during this cold snap. The park has reopened today and with the sun shining it is very picturesque.’

Whilst some of the animals such as the tapirs enjoyed the warmth and comfort of their houses the zebras, eland, brindled wildebeest, barasingha, blackbuck and ostrich were surprisingly at home on The African Experience – 100 acres of land where they are able to roam freely as if in the wild.

Adrian said: ‘The giraffe and rhino on the African Experience stayed in their houses enjoying the heating and additional bedding whilst the hardier hoofstock were happy to enjoy the sensation of snow under their hooves. There are a number of shelters for the animals which are all thickly bedded with straw and additional feeds of hay, nutritional pellets and molasses provide the extra central heating that the animals may require.’