West Midland Safari Park

West Midland Safari and Leisure Park is a safari park located in Bewdley in Worcestershire, England. It was opened under the name of West Midland Safari Park in spring 1973.

West Midland Safari and Leisure Park
Giraffes at the park
Date opened17 April 1973
LocationBewdley, Worcestershire, England
Coordinates52.3754944°N 2.2882462°W / 52.3754944; -2.2882462
Land area200 acres (81 ha)[1]
No. of animals600[1]
No. of species165
Annual visitors750,000+
MembershipsBIAZA,[2] EAZA[3]
Major exhibitsAfrican Plains, Flooded Forest, Mark O'Shea's Reptile World, Sea Lion Theatre, Land of the Living Dinosaurs, and others
Websitewmsp.co.uk/index.php

The park holds over 165 species of exotic animals, among other attractions such as a small theme park. The park contains the largest groups of white lions, cheetahs, hippopotami, and meerkats in the UK, as well as the largest lemur walk-through exhibit. It was also the first park in the UK to have the African big five game animals.[1]

The park is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA). The dhole and cheetah enclosures in the drive-through safari are part of a larger heathland Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) which the park is restoring.[4][5]

History

The park was opened by founder and Jimmy Chipperfield on 17 April 1973 and at the time hosted a few ex-circus animals (it had animals like rhinoceroses, elephants, ostriches, zebras, giraffes, camels, wildebeest, baboons, lions, tigers, bears & wolves, according to a video from the 1970s, date unknown). Early on, the park had a dolphin area where the sea lion theatre is today, but this was a travelling show and the dolphins were later returned to Margate. The 1970s also saw the park develop a "Boat Safari" in keeping with the fashions of the time, although this was later removed, and a narrow gauge railway through parts of the park was constructed by Severn Lamb in 1979.

The park saw its first new animal exhibit for some time with the arrival of four African white lions in "Kingdom of the White Lions" in 2004. The park was the first safari park in the UK to have all five African big game animals,[1] although its leopards have since been moved to Scotland, leaving it with only four of the five. It was also the first park/zoo in Europe to successfully breed white lion cubs and has done a great deal towards conserving the species.

In 2006, the managing directors of West Midland Safari Park officially opened the Ongava Research Centre on the Ongava Game Reserve near the Etosha National Park, their "sister park" in Namibia. The centre focuses on researching lions and rhinoceroses and carrying capacity of the reserves, which hold many rare animals. The centre has three full-time researchers[6] who work closely with Save the Rhino and the University of Cape Town.

African Plains

The African Plain is home to Southern white rhino, Common eland, ostrich, Ellipsen waterbuck, African forest buffalo, red lechwe, Burchell's zebra, Grevy's zebra, giraffe, and cape buffalo.

The Grasslands

This is home to Persian fallow deer and Barbary sheep.

Wild Woods

This is home to the dholes.

Wild Asia and Realm of the Indian Rhino

Wild Asia is home to banteng, blackbuck, Formosan sika deer, Philippine spotted deer, and barasingha. The Realm of the Indian rhino is home to three Indian rhinoceroses.

White Tiger Ridge

White Tiger Ridge is home to white tigers.

Cheetah Plains

Cheetah Plains is the UK's largest drive-by Cheetah reserve and it is home to a coalition of cheetahs.

African Wild Dog Reserve

This is home to the African wild dogs.

Realm of the Lions

This fully landscaped reserve and an off-road track opened as part of the exhibit is home to a pride of African lions.

Kingdom of the White Lions

Kingdom of the White Lion is home to a pride of rare white lions.

Two African elephants at the park

Eurasian Reserve and Tiger Reserve

Eurasian Reserve is home to Bactrian camel, Javan banteng, nilgai, fallow deer and Père David's deer. The Tiger Reserve is home to Bengal tigers and endangered Sumatran tigers. A drive-by enclosure at the end of this reserve is home to three gemsbok.

Elephant Valley

Elephant Valley is home to the safari's African elephants. In May 2014, the park's Elephant Valley became home to the first male African elephant successfully born through AI in the UK; he is called Sutton.

Conservation

West Midland Safari Park is known for its efforts in conservation. The park contains many animals that are on the IUCN's endangered or critically endangered list.

In May 2014, the park's Elephant Valley became home to the first male African elephant successfully born through AI in the UK.[7]

Amusement park rides
Opened Name Manufacturer Description
1985"Congo Carousel"Robert TidmanClassic gallopers ride, operated previously at Happy Hour Amusement Park, Colwyn Bay
1986"Jungle Swings"A classic chair-o-plane ride
1986"Jungle Cat Dodgems"I.E. ParkCat-themed dodgems
2006"Venom"FabbriA drop tower ride similar to Detonator at Thorpe Park, but half of the train is taken off the ride.
1990s"Zambezi Water Splash"Reverchon IndustriesA standard two-drop log flume
2002"Black Fly"FabbriA frisbee ride similar to Sky-Force at Flambards Theme Park
1992"Dr. Umboto's Catacombs"SupercarA ghost train ride
2004"Jumbo Parade"FabbriAn elephant-themed jets ride cheaper version of Dumbo At Disneyland
1983"Pirate Ship"HUSS Park AttractionsA classic pirate ship ride similar to The Bounty At Drayton Manor and The Blade At Alton Towers
1995"Hurtling Hippos"Bakker DeniesA polyp ride, formerly named "Tarantula", "Spider" and "Cape Octopus"; operated previously at Codona's Amusement Park
2006"Wild River Rafting"FabbriA small river rapids ride
1992"Rhinocoaster"VekomaA junior rollercoaster, formerly named "Rollerskater". The park traded in their Vekoma Boomerang for the "Rollerskater".
1988"African Big Apple"PinfariAn MB28 junior rollercoaster
1998"Walls' Twister Ride"Reverchon IndustriesA spinning wild mouse rollercoaster
2009"Shark Island"Shenyang Chuangqi A.E.An interactive water roundabout
'99/'00"Slippery Snake Slide"Chris RandallA snake-themed tube slide
2014"Kong"ZamperlaA Gorilla-themed Mega Disk'O

Former rides
Name Opened Closed Manufacturer Description
Cobra19851991VekomaA standard Vekoma boomerang replaced with the Rhinocoaster
Safari Express19792014Severn Lamba 2mm narrow gauge train that took passengers from the amusement park to the car park. Closed in 2014 to make way for the dinosaur exhibit

Land of the Living Dinosaurs

This is the UK's largest animatronic dinosaur attraction, opened 2015

Ice Age

This is the UK's largest animatronic creator attraction, opened 2018

Discovery Trail

Discovery Trail consists of mostly indoor exhibits, and includes animal encounters throughout the day where staff allow visitors to get close to animals found in the Discovery Trail.

Animal Encounters

Animal encounters that take place in the Discovery Trail let visitors get up close and personal with small exotic creatures, under the observation of staff. Animals that take part in these encounters include ferrets, four-toed hedgehogs, gambian pouched rats, lesser hedgehog tenrecs, and long-tailed chinchillas.

Penguin Cove

Penguin Cove is home to Humboldt penguins. Their enclosure includes a pool with semi-submerged beach, sculptures, penguin house and public viewing areas.

Lorikeet Landing

This new heated indoor exhibit is home to the flock of rainbow lorikeets. The specially designed walk-through enclosure includes state-of-the-art eco-heating to help these Australasian parrots feel at home at a balmy 18*C. Lorikeet Landing provides the chance to walk amongst one of the largest flocks in the UK.

Creepy Crawlies

Creepy Crawlies is the park's insect house, and contains a small range of creepy crawlies including tarantulas, Goliath birdeater spider, leafcutter ants, locusts, Madagascar hissing cockroaches, and scorpions.

Reptile World

The park's reptile house is named after the famous herpetologist Mark O'Shea. He also makes appearances at the park, occasionally performing in the reptile encounters that take place outside the building, where guests can learn more about some of the park's reptiles. Reptiles in this exhibit include alligator snapping turtle, American alligator, amethystine python, beaded lizard, black rat snake, Borneo short-tailed python, Cuban crocodile, Eastern diamondback rattlesnake, Egyptian cobra, frill-necked lizard, green anaconda, green and black poison dart frog, green tree python, Jamaican boa, king cobra, malagasy giant hognose snake, Nile crocodile, red-eyed crocodile skink, red-eyed treefrog, red-tailed green ratsnake, reticulated python, saharan horned viper, and western diamondback rattlesnake.

Sea Lion Theatre

The Sea Lion Theatre is a 525-seat venue that allows visitors to have the chance to see the parks’ Californian sea lions performing tricks in a show.

SeaQuarium

SeaQuarium is the park's aquarium, containing a wide variety of exotic fish. This is also the park's chain attraction. Some of the animals here include Asian arowana, Bermuda blue angelfish, chocolate chip star, clownfish, common carp, emperor angelfish, gold-spotted spinefoot, honeycomb moray, long-spine porcupinefish, orangespine, unicornfish, orbicular batfish, pangas catfish, queen coris , red-bellied pacu, red-bellied piranha, Red Sea sailfin tang, redtail catfish, redtoothed triggerfish, reef stonefish, Siberian sturgeon, small-spotted catshark, snowflake moray, spotted sailfin suckermouth catfish, spotted unicornfish, tambaqui, Vlamingii tang, white-spotted puffer and zebra moray.

Twilight Cave

The Twilight Cave is a walk-through exhibit containing free-flying Rodrigues fruit bats and Seba's leaf nosed bats. Nocturnal exhibits within this area are home to aye-ayes and Malagasy giant rats.

African Villages

Goat Walk

The African Village is an interactive walk-through area, allowing visitors to see African village wildlife and a replica African Village Home. The Goat Walk contains a walk-through area containing Cameroon sheep, pygmy goats and Somali sheep.

Meet the Meerkats

This exhibit is home to a large mob of meerkats.

Walking With Lemurs

This is the largest walk-through lemur wood in the UK, with three species of lemurs including ring-tailed lemurs, white-fronted brown lemurs, and red-bellied lemurs.

Hippo Lakes

In the amusement area are a large number of lakes. One of these has become home to the largest pod of hippos in the UK.

Addax

A large enclosure containing a large herd of addax.

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References
  1. "West Midland Safari Park". britishzoos.co.uk. Diamond Publishing Ltd. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
  2. "BIAZA Zoos and Aquariums". biaza.org.uk. BIAZA. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
  3. "EAZA Member Zoos & Aquariums". eaza.net. EAZA. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
  4. "Safari Drive-Through". wmsp.co.uk. West Midland Safari Park. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
  5. "Conservation". wmsp.co.uk. West Midland Safari Park. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
  6. "Ongava Research Centre (ORC) & Namibian Wildlife Conservation Trust (NWCT)". wmsp.co.uk. West Midland Safari Park. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
  7. "New Baby Elephant Named!" (Press release). Bewdley, Worcestershire: West Midland Safari Park. 12 June 2014. Retrieved 12 June 2014.
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