Hillview Animal Park

Hillview Animal Park Hillview Animal Park is a private farm park in West Fife/Clackmannanshire 🫏🦙🐐

🌏One of the smallest lambs in the world!?🌏One of our Somali sheep gave birth to her first ever lamb this morning, and in...
14/01/2025

🌏One of the smallest lambs in the world!?🌏

One of our Somali sheep gave birth to her first ever lamb this morning, and in true fashion, she didn't want anything to do with it!!

He is absolutely tiny, weighing in at just 1.3kg

Today we have given him Colostrum and warmed him up to bring a bit of life back into him.

He is only a few hours old, and certainly isn't out of the woods yet, but we will do our best to try and help him pull through.

‼️We have multiple beavers‼️Yesterday we went through around 1500 photos from our camera traps from over the last 12 day...
10/01/2025

‼️We have multiple beavers‼️

Yesterday we went through around 1500 photos from our camera traps from over the last 12 days.

To our absolute delight, we have a confirmed family of European beavers.
The photo captured on a camera trap below is of 2 kits from this year.
We have also captured at least 1 adult at the same location.

Initially we thought that the population at this site may have been 1 or 2 younger individuals that had moved in and began to make this area their home, but after seeing the extent of the work they have done and the size of the lodge, we were waiting patiently to get the photos we needed to confirm the breeding population!

You can see in the second photo, the size of the tail of the adult (and the width of its body!).
Beavers put on a lot of weight to get them through the winter, but this could also be a female that is pregnant, as they will give birth in the next couple of months.

Very exciting news, and we will continue to monitor closely to see if we can confirm numbers and then hopefully in the coming months, young beaver kits once they have left the lodge!

The donkeys were very happy with a new bale in the ring feeder earlier in the week!They get just as much on the floor as...
09/01/2025

The donkeys were very happy with a new bale in the ring feeder earlier in the week!

They get just as much on the floor as what they eat, but it makes a nice big fluffy bed for them to lay in whilst they are eating!

Our donkeys eat more than any other animals that we have and go through a big round bake of straw everywhere single week 😮

It's a good job we love Xena, Iris and Malachi a lot!!

‼️Camera trap excitement‼️After yesterday's news of 2 European Lynx being spotted in the cairngorms, and the announcemen...
09/01/2025

‼️Camera trap excitement‼️

After yesterday's news of 2 European Lynx being spotted in the cairngorms, and the announcement this morning that they had been safely captured, we thought we should check our cameras to make sure there weren't any left behind!

To our amazement, a whole family of Lynx were caught on camera this morning, using the beaver dam as a highway across the water.

We presume these have escaped prior to being wrapped for Christmas presents for the local teenage boys!

They've been on the run for a while, but seem to be doing well!

Stay vigilant in the West Fife area, and if you smell the sweet smell of Africa, then calmly turn around and walk away!

Well done to the team at Highland Wildlife Park and if we need a hand catching these ones, we will give you a shout!

Another species caught!On one of our Beaver Cams, we have caught a Pine Marten!What is really exciting about this image ...
02/01/2025

Another species caught!

On one of our Beaver Cams, we have caught a Pine Marten!

What is really exciting about this image is that the Pine Marten is using one of the beaver dams as a bridge to cross the water course.

In the first image what you can see is the back end and tail of the Pine Marten running past (away from) the camera.

In the second image taken (2 seconds after), the Pine Marten turns back around on the bank, and it's eye reflection can be seen in the photo.

This is great to see how the beavers are benefitting other species, and to see the kind of eco system that the beavers have built.

Our first 2025 wildlife monitoring project is in action!!Within a 5 mile radius of Hillview Animal Park we have such a v...
01/01/2025

Our first 2025 wildlife monitoring project is in action!!

Within a 5 mile radius of Hillview Animal Park we have such a vast amount of wildlife. Various habitats that support a huge eco system and countless species of flora and fauna.

One of the most secretive of those species, which has become quite an iconic species across the UK, is the European Beaver.

We are being assisted by some of the team from West Fife Woodlands and are monitoring 1 area with cameras and surveying another where a breeding population is thought to be moving into.

European beavers were hunted to extinction in the 16th century. In May 2009 the first beavers were released back into Scotland in Knapdale Forest.

The benefits that beavers have on the local eco system is very positive, creating habitats for many other species.

We plan on monitoring the activity at this site, recording numbers of individuals, breeding success and following any movements into other waterways in the area. We will also be recording other species caught on camera and seen on site, to show how they encourage other wildlife in the habits they create.

We have multiple cameras dotted around the areas, all cameras that belong to us are tracked (internal chip) and also have our details on or inside the cameras. We know where our cameras are, they are well secured, and we can monitor them remotely.

If you are lucky enough to know where these beavers are living, please do not disclose this information publicly. Beavers are shy animals and there are plenty of people that do not like them (for uneducated reasons), which will put them in danger of persecution.

For now, we will leave you with this image, our first clear image of a beaver on camera trap, taken 2 nights ago.
The beaver had previously climbed up its dam to explore the higher part of the water course, spent an hour in that area, and they returned to the main body of water where it's lodge is located.

Judging by the size of this beaver and the size of its tail, we are quite sure that it is a young beaver from earlier this year.

We are really excited with this project and our first images that we can share with you.

We will do regular posts to keep you updated with information on the beavers on our doorstep!

A happy new year from Hillview!In our first full year, we would like to thank everyone that has supported us!The local c...
31/12/2024

A happy new year from Hillview!

In our first full year, we would like to thank everyone that has supported us!

The local community has been great, and we have had visitors from all across the central belt.

2025 is going to be a busy year for us, and we have lots of pre-booked events, clubs and open days planned, along with some new enclosures being built.

As well as our animals, we will continue to support our native wildlife as much as possible, starting with the first monitoring project of the year which we will tell you more about tomorrow!

We hope for your continued support in 2025 from those near and far.

So for now, it's a happy new year from us!

Native species monitoring for 2025 ready to go!We are dedicating some of our time in 2025 to monitoring native wildlife,...
29/12/2024

Native species monitoring for 2025 ready to go!

We are dedicating some of our time in 2025 to monitoring native wildlife, both on site and in our surrounding area.

We have camera traps that we will be locating at various places over the course of the year, but initially our main focus will be on a REALLY EXCITING project.

At this point we aren't going to give anything away, but once our cameras are giving us back the images we are going for, we will share them with you!

The boys all in a row!Our peacock brothers from Peacocks in Pittencrieff Park were all roosting off the the frozen groun...
28/12/2024

The boys all in a row!

Our peacock brothers from Peacocks in Pittencrieff Park were all roosting off the the frozen ground recently.

The 3 of them get on really well and have grown into such wonderful characters that our visitors love!

'Boo', one of our female Somali sheep is heavily pregnant!Would anyone like a guess at how many lambs she is carrying th...
27/12/2024

'Boo', one of our female Somali sheep is heavily pregnant!

Would anyone like a guess at how many lambs she is carrying this year?

She has had single lambs the last 3 years, but this year we aren't so sure!

Who would like to see more native species conservation and monitoring from us at Hillview?For the size of our site, we a...
26/12/2024

Who would like to see more native species conservation and monitoring from us at Hillview?

For the size of our site, we are punching well above our weight with helping native species already.

On site we have red squirrels breeding, a breeding population of common lizards, various bat roosts, a haven for native dung beetles, numerous bird species breeding in boxes that we have installed, various bees nesting, and we have installed pine marten nest sites.

We already do so much for native species, but because of our unique position to be surrounded by forest, wetland, farm land and rough grazing, we want to do more as there are many more species to help, support or monitor.

This begins with the monitoring of a really cool species that is beginning at the beginning of 2025!

More news coming soon!

It's time for Christmas dinner!Our wallaby mob enjoyed a mountain of Brussel sprouts, parsnips, carrots and a whole cabb...
25/12/2024

It's time for Christmas dinner!

Our wallaby mob enjoyed a mountain of Brussel sprouts, parsnips, carrots and a whole cabbage!

No Christmas pudding for them, but they would probably be after another serving of veg if they could!

Merry Christmas to all of our followers!!Santa arrived and delivered carrots to some of our animals!We hope you all have...
25/12/2024

Merry Christmas to all of our followers!!

Santa arrived and delivered carrots to some of our animals!

We hope you all have a wonderful Christmas, and a prosperous new year!

We look forward to seeing you all again in 2025!

Working outside in the elements can sometimes prove challenging!Today, the wind got the better of the wheelbarrow full o...
22/12/2024

Working outside in the elements can sometimes prove challenging!

Today, the wind got the better of the wheelbarrow full of feed for everyone's breakfast!

It'll soon be summer!...

A frosty donkey to start the day!This is a message to everyone that has applied for our home education club:We have had ...
14/12/2024

A frosty donkey to start the day!

This is a message to everyone that has applied for our home education club:

We have had lots of applications come in, and we will be emailing everyone back this weekend informing them on if their child has a place or if they will be placed on the waiting list.

We would like to thank you for your patience.

Elvis has entered the building (again!)Today, Elvis the pygmy goat has come on his winter holiday to Hillview!He will sp...
11/12/2024

Elvis has entered the building (again!)

Today, Elvis the pygmy goat has come on his winter holiday to Hillview!

He will spend the next few weeks getting waited on, breakfast in bed, hay on tap and as many girls as he wants!

Which can only mean one thing...

Pygmy goat kids in 5 months time!!

Frozen to death!!A very cold morning this morning, the skeletons from the Pumpkin patch that are waiting patiently to go...
11/12/2024

Frozen to death!!

A very cold morning this morning, the skeletons from the Pumpkin patch that are waiting patiently to go into storage are frozen solid, and the freezing fog is loitering around.

All of our animals will be getting their breakfast and their hays topped up to make sure they stay nice and warm.

"Hello!"The alpacas peeking over their hay rack on a very crisp morning!There's no happier alpacas than one that's got a...
04/12/2024

"Hello!"

The alpacas peeking over their hay rack on a very crisp morning!

There's no happier alpacas than one that's got a hay rack filled to the brim with hay!

Address

Alloa
FK103QD

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Hillview Animal Park posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Hillview Animal Park:

Videos

Thanks to our friends who visited today and filmed a Hillview tour with our daughter, Alba!

Shortcuts

Share

Category