Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens

03/09/2025

Rewilding Britain’s skies: Cotswold Wildlife Park helps bring back a flying icon not seen in the UK since the 15th century.

Once a common sight in the skies across Britain, White Storks disappeared back in the 1400s. Habitat loss, over-hunting and the fact that they often featured as a delicacy on the menus of medieval banquets all contributed to their demise. Their future looked bleak and it appeared inevitable that the sight of Storks gracing Britain's skies would forever be confined to history books.

Thanks to a pioneering rewilding scheme, hope is on the horizon that these graceful birds may soon make a spectacular return. For the eighth year running, Cotswold Wildlife Park has successfully bred chicks for the White Stork Project (which aims to re-establish a wild, breeding population of White Storks with at least 50 breeding pairs across the south of England by 2030). This year was the most successful breeding season in the Park's history, with a record-breaking 48 chicks reared. They hatched in May and were recently transferred to Sussex for release into the wild.

The Park's White Stork husbandry team act as "fairy godmothers" to the chicks and do everything from providing sticks for the adults to build their nests in the depths of winter to 'assist feeding' the tiny chicks when they hatch in May. This year, for the first time, the moment the chicks hatched and poked their beaks and delicate wings through their egg shells was captured on camera (footage filmed by Deputy Head of Primates, Small Mammals and Birds, Richard Wardle).

Find out more about this year's White Stork release here: https://www.cotswoldwildlifepark.co.uk/whats-on/park-news/

Great thanks to Philip Joyce for these amazing photos, Richard for the videos of the chicks hatching, Conservation Officer Beth for the footage of the young White Storks taking their inaugural flight from one of the release sites in Sussex and the White Stork Project for their great videos/photos too.

All birds involved in the White Stork Project have unique coloured rings on their legs. Anyone who spots a White Stork in the British countryside can report their sightings here: https://www.whitestorkproject.org/report-a-sighting.

29/08/2025

Please can we make you aware that Oxfordshire County Council have announced there will be an upcoming road closure and temporary diversions in place on the A361 between Burford and Bradwell Village (en route to the Park) for one/two days between 30 August - 13 September (weather permitting and dates subject to change).

They anticipate the surface dressing work will be completed in approximately 2 - 4 hours. Diversion routes will be in place so please check your route AHEAD OF VISITING THE PARK. Listen to BBC Oxfordshire on 95.2FM for local travel news. Thank you and have a safe journey.

Map images showing road closure in red and diversion routes in blue from Oxfordshire County Council.

28/08/2025

Happy eleventh birthday to Tapir Lo**ta.

To celebrate Brazilian Tapir’s Lo**ta eleventh birthday, Jenni (Deputy Head of Large Mammals and cake-maker extraordinaire) created a special treat to mark the occasion. She made Lo**ta, affectionately called Loli by keepers, a birthday cake made from soaked pellets, steamed carrots and chopped kale. The numbers were made out of one of Loli’s favourites – swede. As you can see, Loli couldn't wait to eat her cake, which she shared with Tapir Gomez. Not wanting to be left out, Capybaras Twig, Bramble, their mum Freya and even Ducky came over to “help” finish the cake (which didn't take long!). Happy birthday Loli from all of us at the Park.

Tapir facts: Baby Tapirs differ greatly in appearance from the adults. The reason for this is survival. For the first few weeks of their lives, the mother will make sure the vulnerable calf is hidden in thick foliage in the forest while she leaves to browse. Their coats are covered with stripes and spots which mimics the speckled sunlight on the forest floor, so the calf can brilliantly camouflage itself in the wild against predators. When Lo**ta was first born, visitors were unaware that a baby Tapir was just feet away from them until keepers pointed her out.

Tapirs are Brazil’s largest mammal and are related to Horses and Rhinoceroses. Visitors can see the Tapirs and Capybaras in their enclosure in the walkthrough by the Children’s Farmyard. Thanks to Georgia Hicks for her photo of Loli at the very end of the video.

22/08/2025

LATEST VISITOR INFORMATION/THE PARK IN PICTURES

As the summer holidays draw to a close, if visiting the Park this weekend, please read our latest visitor information below ahead of your visit. Thank you and we look forward to welcoming you.

Our great thanks to Rebecca Louise for these photos taken recently at the Park (including some new arrivals).

• TO REDUCE QUEUEING, WE SUGGEST ARRIVING AFTER OUR PEAK TIMES (which are tending to be between 10.30am – 12.30pm). As we are open until 6pm, there’s plenty of time to enjoy the Park if you arrive later in the day. For the latest traffic news, please listen to BBC Radio Oxford on 95.2FM or check an online route planner for up-to-date travel information AHEAD OF YOUR VISIT as roadworks may affect your journey (please see previous post).
• The train will be running daily from 12 noon until 4pm (weather permitting).
• The Oak Tree Restaurant is open daily from 10am - 5pm and kiosks from 10am - 4.30pm.
• As well as the Oak Tree Restaurant and kiosks, visitors are welcome to bring their own picnics to enjoy on the spacious lawns and picnic shelters around the Park.
• The Gift Shop closes at 5pm.

• Please note that parts of our Adventure Playground 'Skymaze' will be closed for the time being for essential maintenance. The rest of the playground, including 'Mini Manor', are open as usual. Thank you for your understanding.

• Please also note that the lake area is currently closed to visitors due to low water levels. To ensure the welfare of our birds we have relocated some of the waterfowl to alternative accommodation. Visitors can still access the Walkthrough Area via the entrance at the Children's Farmyard. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause but thank you for your understanding.

• Well-behaved dogs may be brought to the Park provided they are kept on a lead and under adult control AT ALL TIMES. See the https://www.cotswoldwildlifepark.co.uk/.../frequently.../ for more details.

Please ensure that you check our social media for any updates ahead of visiting the Park. We look forward to welcoming you to the Park over the bank holiday.

15/08/2025

Did you know that this week is officially 'Elvis Week'? We didn't realise such a thing existed until now and we simply couldn't resist a mention of our very own Elvis - the first Wallaby to be hand-reared in the Park’s history.

Elvis was orphaned soon after birth and without intervention, he wouldn't have survived. Jenni, Deputy Head of Mammals, took on the role of surrogate mother (which you can read about here): https://www.cotswoldwildlifepark.co.uk/whats-on/park-news/hand-reared-at-home-keeper-at-cotswold-wildlife-park-becomes-surrogate-mother-to-the-parks-first-orphaned-wallaby-joey/). After months of care and devotion from Jenni, we're delighted to say he's grown into a very confident and healthy young Wallaby and is now back and fully integrated with our Wallaby group at the Park (which includes several joeys who have recently left their mothers' pouch and are exploring their enclosure).

Thanks to Jenni who took these pictures and videos of Elvis today. Thanks also to Philip Joyce for his photos of Jenni and Elvis in the enclosure.

••Please see our pinned message for the latest visitor information ahead of visiting the Park - thank you**

Elvis facts: The joey is named after Jenni’s father’s favourite singer – Elvis Presley. In fact, Elvis was gifted two Wallabies during his life – once while he was filming ‘Jailhouse Rock’ in 1957 and the second time was in 1962. He donated each of the animals to Memphis Zoo.

Visitors can see the Park’s group of Parma Wallabies in their large outdoor exhibit near the Cassowary enclosure.

ELVIS PRESLEY

13/08/2025

We're thrilled to be number one in Metro's "Where the wild things are..." Days Out feature today. Thanks to Polly Humphris for featuring us. Read more here: https://metro.co.uk/newspaper-daily-edition/2025-08-13/mta/spread/10-11/

11/08/2025

As we continue to celebrate 'Rhino Month', we would like to talk about all of the Rhinos we've looked after here at the Park, past and present.

**PLEASE NOTE: We would like to remind dog owners that with high temperatures forecast this week, please reconsider bringing your dog to the Park during the heatwave**

The first Southern White Rhinos arrived at Cotswold Wildlife Park in 1972, two years after we first opened. These Rhinos were called Bella and Bull and were three years old when they joined us. Paddy, born in 1965, was next to arrive and the trio lived together for around 30 years at the Park.

Our current crash of Southern White Rhinos began in 2009 with the arrival of three-year-old Monty. A few months later, he was joined by females Nancy and Ruby. Their arrival marked an exciting new chapter for our Rhinos. After 40 years of hoping they would successfully breed, our very first calf, named Astrid, was born in 2013 to parents Nancy and Monty.

In total, we've had eleven Rhino calves born at Cotswold Wildlife Park to date. Our newest additions are Henry and Susie. Two years ago, in the space of just one week, Nancy and Ruby both produced calves. Ruby had a male calf named Henry on 12th August and, not wanting to be left out of the excitement, Nancy gave birth to a female calf on 19th August 2023. This was the first time in the Park's history that two Rhinos were born in the space of one week.

VIDEO: Thanks to Education Manager Helen who filmed Ruby (post-mud bath) and Monty with their then-newborn calf Henry. Henry was only a few weeks old in the video and his boisterous character was already clear to see! This week he celebrates his second birthday. Next week, Susie will also turn two.

As one of the most iconic species we house at the Park, having our Rhino crash grazing out on the main lawn in front of the Manor House is a stunning sight for our visitors. Make sure to look out for our current crash, Monty, Ruby, Nancy, Susie and Henry, grazing on the lawn during the day (Queenie and Molly enjoying the paddock in the evenings).

WIN A RHINO ENCOUNTER - If you're at the Park this August Bank Holiday Weekend, 23th - 25th August 2025, please come along to our special 'Rhino Month' fundraising stall from 11am-3pm. You'll have the chance to win an amazing Rhino Encounter* as well other Rhino-related raffle prizes. All money raised will go to UK-based conservation charity . *Date to be arranged by Cotswold Wildlife Park. Normal admission price applies for visitors attending this event at the Park.

Written by Activities Assistant Harriet.

09/08/2025

To mark World Lion Day we gave our Asiatic Lions, Rana and Kanha, one of their favourite enrichment items. Scent enrichment is something that we do a lot of at the wildlife park for the Lions and the other carnivores. In the wild these predators will come into contact with lots of scents and smells and we can replicate this in many different ways. A simple but very effective method is putting piles of Rhino dung into the outside enclosure. This replicates the kind of material that they would find in the wild from natural prey species and they will roll and rub themselves on it to help mask their scent when hunting. A Buffalo is less likely to worry about the smell of a Rhino nearby then it would the smell of a Lion! As you can see, Rana is always the first to come and investigate!

Our Lions also enjoy smelly plants cut by our garden team from around the Park such as catmint and lavender as well as various different herbs, spices and even perfumes too that all provide them with the same opportunity.

If you're at the Park this weekend (9 - 10 August 2025), please visit our World Lion Day fundraising stall on the grass area opposite the Lion enclosure between 11:00am - 3:00pm. All funds raised will go to the Safina Lion Conservation Fund (of which Mammal Keeper James is Chairman and Founder).

• The Park is home to Asiatic Lions - one of the world’s rarest big cat species. It is estimated that there are only 650 Asiatic Lions left in the wild and they are classified as "Endangered" by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
• (Panthera leo persica) were once found throughout much of South-West Asia. They are now only found in one isolated area - India’s Gir Forest. This region is the sole home to this subspecies and is considered to be one of the most important conservation areas in Asia. In 1900, the Gir was declared “protected” by the ruling Nawab of Junagadh, Sir Muhammad Mahabat Khanji III. He pioneered conservation efforts which saved the world’s last Asiatic Lions from almost certain extinction when population numbers plummeted to critical levels – as low as 200 individuals left in the wild.
• Lions became extinct in Europe during the 1st century A.D.
• Lions are the only cats with a mane.
• World Lion Day is observed annually on 10 August. Now in its 12th year, it aims to raise awareness about the plight of Lions in the wild and the urgent need for their conservation.

Thanks to Mammal Keeper James for the videos and photos of Rana and Kanha. Their enclosure can be found next to the Giraffes. Thank you for supporting .

04/08/2025

Today is . Of all the big cats, the Leopard is the most adaptable: it can survive at high altitudes, in semi-arid areas, and in rocky areas as well as in forests. It is able to feed on a wide variety of prey species, up to the size of Antelopes. Different sub-species are found over much of Africa, Asia, China, Korea and Java.

• The species at the Park is the rare Clouded Leopard from the tropical rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra. It gets its name from the distinctive cloud-like markings on its body, head, legs and tail.

• Clouded Leopards have a long tail and very large canines – in fact, they boast some of the longest canine teeth of any living feline (in proportion to its body).

• Their elusive nature means they are rarely seen in the wild and much remains unknown about their behaviour. They are classified as "Vulnerable" by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Thanks to Philip Joyce for this beautiful photo of one our our Clouded Leopards. Visitors can see this enigmatic species in their enclosure next to the Giraffes

Photo courtesy of Philip Joyce.

29/07/2025

Summer specials!

If visiting the Park over the summer holidays, why not try our new summer specials.

• Buenissimo Beignets - White hazelnut filled Beignets, whippy ice cream, warm Nutella dip finished with a white hazelnut drizzle (available from the Little Africa kiosk)
• Summer Coolers – Mango & Dragon fruit or Pink lemonade (available from the Oaktree restaurant, Oaktree kiosk, Little Africa kiosk and Playground kiosk)
• Iced Coffees (available from the Oaktree restaurant, Oaktree kiosk, Little Africa kiosk and Playground kiosk)

The Little Africa kiosk is located next to the Camels, the Oaktree kiosk is located near the Red Pandas and the Playground kiosk is located next to the Insect and Amphibian house.

Iced Coffee is available with oat milk, a variety of flavoured syrups and as decaffeinated.

Gluten Fee, Dairy Free and Vegan options are available from the Oaktree Restaurant and all kiosks.

Hope you enjoy them! Matt and the Catering department

29/07/2025

'Rhino Month' at Cotswold Wildlife Park - raising funds and awareness for Rhino conservation.

This August, we are celebrating a very special species at the Park - the Southern White Rhino. We'll be giving you updates about activities going on at the Park for 'Rhino Month' but for now, here are some interesting facts about this iconic species.

• Southern White Rhinos aren't actually named after their colour – the Rhinos are technically called ‘wyjd'’ Rhinos, which is the Afrikaans word for ‘wide’. This refers to their wide, square mouth which is adapted to help them graze on grasses. This was mistranslated into English, so we now call them Southern White Rhinos.

• So despite their name, our Rhinos are a light grey colour which you might see get a little bit darker over the summer because they like to wallow in mud baths to cool down. This is to protect their skin from the sun and remove any insects that may be found on their skin.

• As well as insects, you may also see some birds perching on the backs of our Rhinos (video in main post). This is an example of a mutualistic relationship that benefits both the bird and the Rhino. The birds will eat the insects on the backs of Rhinos, providing them with a food source, and in return the birds also provide a pest control service feasting on parasites such as ticks and biting insects that can plague a Rhino. Additionally, birds can act as an alarm system alerting the Rhinos to approaching threats.

Throughout August, we will be posting more information about the history of the species, our breeding successes and tell you more about *Tusk's vital conservation work to protect Rhinos in the wild.

WIN A RHINO ENCOUNTERS - If you're at the Park this August Bank Holiday Weekend, 23 - 25 August 2025, please come along to our special 'Rhino Month' fundraising stall. You'll have the chance to win an amazing Rhino Encounter as well other Rhino-related raffle prizes. All money raised will go to . Normal admission price applies for this event.

More 'Rhino Month' updates coming soon.

Written by Activities Assistant Harriet.

Additional information: Cotswold Wildlife Park is committed to Rhino conservation and works closely with the *UK-based conservation charity Tusk to protect Africa’s many threatened species. Throughout August, Cotswold Wildlife Park hosts its annual Rhino conversation fundraising event, 'Rhino Month', to raise awareness and funds for Rhino conservation work in Africa. During Rhino Month, Cotswold Wildlife Park will be highlighting the plight of Rhinos in the wild and why conservation work is vital for their future. To find out more about Tusk, please visit https://tusk.org/.

Thanks to photographer Rebecca Louise for these pictures of our Rhinos and to Julie Dickson for her photo entitled 'Little foot, big foot'.

18/07/2025

LATEST VISITOR INFORMATION: SUMMER HOLIDAYS 2025.

Please find our latest visitor information below.

• We are open every day from 10.00am to 6:00pm, with last admissions at 4.00pm. TO REDUCE QUEUING, WE SUGGEST ARRIVING AFTER OUR PEAK TIMES (which are tending to be between 10.30am - 12.30pm). As we are open until 6.00pm, there's plenty of time to enjoy the Park if you arrive later in the day. E-tickets go on sale up to 4 days before your visit (subject to availability).

• We would like to remind dog owners to please reconsider bringing your dog to the Park during the hot weather - thank you.

• Penguin feeding takes place daily at 11am and 3pm and there's a Lemur feeding talk everyday at midday in our Madagascar exhibit.
• The train will be running daily from 12.00pm until 4:00 pm (weather permitting).
• The Oak Tree Restaurant is open daily from 10:00am - 5:00pm. The Little Africa kiosk, Playground kiosk, Shop kiosk and Oaktree kiosks will be open daily from 10:00am - 4.30pm.
• As well as the Oak Tree Restaurant and kiosks, visitors are welcome to bring their own picnics to enjoy on the spacious lawns which overlook the enclosures for Rhinos, Zebras, Giraffes and Camels. There are also picnic shelters around the Park.
• The Gift Shop closes at 5:00pm.

Please note that parts of our Adventure Playground 'Skymaze' will be closed for the time being for essential maintenance. The rest of the playground, including 'Mini Manor', are open as usual. Thank you for your understanding.

Please also note that the lake area is currently closed to visitors due to low water levels. To ensure the welfare of our birds we have relocated some of the waterfowl to alternative accommodation. Visitors can still access the Walkthrough Area via the entrance at the farm. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause but thank you for your understanding.

• Well-behaved dogs may be brought to the Park provided they are kept on a lead and under adult control AT ALL TIMES. See the https://www.cotswoldwildlifepark.co.uk/plan-your-visit/frequently-asked-questions/ for more details.

Listen to BBC Radio Oxford on 95.2FM for local travel news and visit the AA Route Planner for up-to-date travel information ahead of your visit. For more information about the Park, there's a helpful 'PLAN YOUR VISIT' section on our website (www.cotswoldwildlifepark.co.uk).

Please ensure that you check our website or social media for any updates ahead of visiting the Park. We look forward to welcoming you to the Park over the summer holidays.

Our great thanks to Rebecca Louise for this image of our female Wolverine Tick enjoying a stretch in the summer sunshine.