Just watch those Tigers move (South Lakes Wild Animal Park)

Member Name: Alan1968

Product:	South Lakes Wild Animal Park
Date:	02/09/05 (465 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: This is by far the best zoo I have ever visited

Disadvantages: I honestly can't think of any

At South Lakes Wild Animal Park the emphasis is firmly on conservation, as well as being the home of the Sumatran Tiger Trust, the park is involved in conservation projects throughout the world involving bears, giraffes, rhinos and monkeys to name a few.

The park itself is unlike any zoo I have ever visited with animals from differing continents being housed together, although thankfully the predators are kept separate. For example the African area contains an enclosure where the Giraffes, mix with Rhinos, Baboons and Porcupines, whilst the Lions are housed separately nearby. In the South American section Spectacled Bears share their enclosure with a Brazilian Tapir, a couple of mischievous otters and some ringed-tailed Coati. Now if you like to get really close to animals the Madagascar section has dozens of different lemurs running around your feet, you are asked not to feed the lemurs but next door in the Australian section you are able to feed Kangaroos, Wallabies and Emus with food available from the shop at 50p per bag.

As noted above the park is the home of the Sumatran Tiger Trust and the highlight of my visit to South Lakes was undoubtedly the Tiger feeding. Uniquely in this country, I believe, the tigers are encouraged to work for their food which is placed on the top of 6 metre high poles and you get to see these magnificent animals charging though their enclosure and leaping up these poles to collect their food. This is not done purely for the enjoyment of visitors, but ensures that the animals are encouraged to use their full range of muscles properly and therefore benefits the animals as well. South Lakes currently has four tigers, two Sumatran Tigers named Padang and Alisha, who the park hopes will shortly breed, and two larger Amur tigers named Egor and Nina who are described as ambassadors for their species as they are not required for the international breeding programme. The tiger feeding takes place at 2.30 daily and I would recommend going to the tiger enclosures early to claim a good spot as everybody wants to see this and it will get very busy. The African Lions are fed in a similar manner later in the day at 4.15.

In addition to the to the daily big cat feeding the park also provides daily conservation talks during the summer months as the other animals are fed. These take place as follows

Noon – Snakes
1230 – Monkeys and Apes
100 – Rhino
130 - Spectacled Bears
200 - Lemurs – you can help with the feeding here
300 - Penguins
345 - Giraffes

As I have outlined above South Lakes is heavily involved in animal conservation projects and these talks are designed to inform visitors not only about the animals in the park but also about the animals in the wild and the projects that the park is involved in. The speakers are extremely well informed ansd these talks are all highly informative.

This is by far the best zoo that I have ever visited and I would recommend it to anyone visiting the Lake District. I would also recommend buying the Guide Book priced a £1.50, this contains a useful park map and absolutely loads on information about all the animals and projects.

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Facilities

Close to the entrance is a well stocked gift shop, Café selling hot and cold drinks, sweets, sandwiches and hot snack food of the burger and chips type variety at reasonable prices, an Ice Cream Kiosk, a wooden picnic area, Male and Female toilets and adjoining the shop are disabled toilets and a baby changing facility. There is also an education building, this was closed on the day of my visit but I presume that this is for the use of school groups and the like. Additionally there is a small adventure playground for the kids and a narrow gauge railway that runs along the center of the park costing 50p for the return trip.

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Disabled Access

Access for wheelchairs through the park is generally good with wide walkways around the park, ramped access to the shop and the provision of disabled toilets. The park is however rather hilly which may cause some difficulties and this does necessitate some steps within the Australasia section of the park although I believe that a more circuitous route through here is possible.

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Opening Times and Admission Costs

From March to October the park is open from 10am to 5pm (last admissions at 4.15) and costs £9.50 for adults and £6 for children aged 3 to 15 and OAPs, customers who are registered blind are entitled to half price entry. From November to February the park is open at the weekends and during the Christmas holidays from 10 to 4.30 and the parks advertising states that entry prices will be reduced but doesn’t say what to.

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Getting There

South Lakes Wild Animal Park is situated just outside Dalton in Furness at the southwestern tip of the Lake District. By car leave the M6 at junction 36 and follow the A590 towards Barrow. The park is extremely well served by Brown Tourist signs sporting a white elephant and by following these you should find the park easily. The park has a reasonably sized free Car Park at the main entrance. For those traveling by public transport can either take the train to Dalton Station or the bus to Dalton Tudor Square and walk the final half mile or so to the park, but be warned it is up a very steep hill!!!

Summary: Excellent animal conservation park, unique Tiger feeding not to be missed