4 species of otters, eight totally different sorts of owls and one animal-loving tween – you hardly have to learn my New Forest Wildlife Park overview to guess that that is certainly one of my high picks when you’re visiting the New Forest with children.
And whereas it’s a stunning place to go to at any time of yr, it additionally labored rather well for a gray drizzly day in October after we didn’t fancy a stroll within the woods.
Specialising in British wildlife, there’s an opportunity to see a few of Hampshire’s native animals on the New Forest Wildlife Park, together with deer, badgers and hedgehogs, in addition to gray wolves, which might as soon as have roamed the woodland.
Immediately, you’ll be fortunate to identify a lot of the county’s shyer wildlife with children in tow – though you possibly can simply see the New Forest’s semi-wild ponies, in addition to deer, donkeys, cows and even pigs foraging within the autumn – so a go to right here is a good way to introduce youngsters to a few of Britain’s nadoetive animals.
Should you go to throughout college holidays, there are sometimes further actions for youths – our go to shortly earlier than Halloween included a particular path, recognizing letters dotted on pumpkins with clues to trace them down as a enjoyable youngster pleasant bonus.
However even with out the additional occasions, it’s not laborious to whereas away a number of hours right here, wandering the paths across the wildlife park, recognizing over 200 animals from 31 totally different species and profiting from the journey play areas.
At first look, the New Forest Wildlife Park doesn’t appear enormous, however with a number of totally different areas to discover, there’s extra to see than you would possibly assume at first – and there’s nothing to cease you looping spherical a revisiting a few of your favorite animals from earlier in your go to, as we did.
There are additionally keeper talks all through the day if you wish to double again to catch a type of – hold an eye fixed out for the small print on the board as you enter, though you may also spot employees feeding the animals at different instances too (hold an eye fixed out for anybody with a bucket!)
Wandering out to see a string of owls dozing of their enclosures, I did briefly marvel if we would spend half our go to simply getting previous the primary half dozen creatures – though to be honest, I do love an owl as nicely, particularly an eagle owl.
However across the nook had been our first otters – big otters, to be exact, busy patrolling the out of doors a part of their very own enclosure, after recognizing a cheeky squirrel which had dropped in.
Large otters are, as they title suggests, fairly large so the squirrel scarpered sharpish however we nonetheless bought to see this mom and daughter lolloping round – they’re virtually like seals in some methods.
Strolling again spherical later, we managed to time it to see them being fed as nicely, earlier than heading by means of their tunnel into the indoor part of their enclosure, together with their pool.
In reality, when you love otters, you can spend fairly some time on this indoor part: in addition to the enormous otters, there’s additionally a Eurasian otter, Chestnut, when you can spot him. Extra solitary than different otters, he’s typically tucked up and hidden away in his personal inside part (though sometimes goes out for a stroll as nicely).
There’s no likelihood you’ll miss the Asian short-clawed otters although – one household in right here, one other in a separate part outdoor, they squeak enthusiastically at every part and something, scurrying round one another, dipping into the water than scurrying again off once more to analyze one thing new or play with a stone.
It received’t come as a lot shock to study I’m a giant fan of those otters (as is my daughter), who simply appear ridiculously cute and cheeky. The household of 4 we may see indoors – one dad and his three youngsters – seemed like they had been stepping into every kind of mischief as we watched.
What we hadn’t anticipated was to be equally received over by the polecats and ferrets – one stress-free in a hammock, two extra curled up in a fluffy mattress inside a pot, plus loads of time darting inquisitively round. I’m positive they had been as intrigued by us as we had been by them.
And in between, tiny fleet-footed harvest mice scampering alongside little poles and darting into tiny hiding locations.
After all, there’s no assure you’ll see all of the animals right here – they’ve locations to retreat to, and a few make the most of it, together with the badgers and the hedgehogs, which had been evidently tucked away having a nap – honest sufficient for nocturnal creatures.
In case you are visiting the New Forest within the rain with children, that is the principle indoor space (plus there’s a small separate indoor conservation part), though there’s some shelter below the timber alongside the paths if it’s solely drizzling.
Persevering with on previous a pair of lovely snowy owls and a really sleepy wanting Little Owl, there are two play areas – dripping moist throughout our go to after the morning’s deluge, my daughter was nonetheless tempted to take a break from animal recognizing and profit from them.
However up forward was yet one more household of otters, smooth-coated otters and the fourth species to be discovered on the New Forest Wildlife Park – very sociable they will stay in teams of as much as 25, though the group here’s a distinctly nuclear household: mum, dad, son and daughter.
It was laborious to inform which had been the adults – everybody bought concerned within the play flights, the video games of chase and an enormous digging session on the finish, ending with three otters rolling round delightedly within the mud. We determined the one watching with a barely resigned expression should have been the mum…!
This a part of the wildlife park can be dwelling to a number of various kinds of deer which roam round a extra open part.
Most had been lounging below the timber, however one braver doe was out searching for meals and eyeing us up in case we occurred to have some.
From right here, you progress on in the direction of among the greater or extra harmful creatures – bison chilling out of their area, a sublime lynx prowling round her enclosure (her shyer sister staying hidden elsewhere) and on to mouflon (wild sheep with enormous curling horns) and the wallaby walkthrough.
And to complete? The pack of gray wolves – wanting fluffy reasonably than ferocious, however you’re reminded that there’s an electrical fence for a motive.
Though because it turned out, that wasn’t the end – my daughter was having fun with herself a lot that she insisted we went again to the beginning and spent a bit extra time with the otters and polecats. You’ll be able to’t ask for a significantly better verdict on my New Forest Wildlife Park overview than that!
For extra issues to do within the New Forest with children, plus concepts for issues to do in Hampshire for households, try my high picks
New Forest Wildlife Park overview: Must know
Tickets value £14.75 for adults, £11.25 for kids aged 3-15 (under-threes are free), plus there are household tickets for £44. Annual memberships are additionally obtainable, in addition to particular keeper experiences for age 5+.
Tickets are presently solely obtainable to ebook on arrival, to not prebook prematurely. Beforehand, prebooked tickets had been legitimate for 30 days from the date of buy, without having to specify a date or timed slot.
Opening instances fluctuate all year long, opening at 10am and shutting at nightfall through the winter – final entry is round 90 minutes earlier than closing.
There’s a restaurant on the entrance to the New Forest Wildlife Park – you possibly can exit to eat there and re-enter if it is advisable to (simply maintain onto your tickets/receipt) – and picnic areas, so that you’re welcome to convey your individual meals.
There are additionally bogs by the doorway, together with child altering, in addition to extra bogs halfway across the park.
The New Forest Wildlife Park is on the japanese fringe of the New Forest Nationwide Park close to Ashurst, round 10 minutes’ drive from Lyndhurst and round 20 minutes from Southampton – discover instructions to the Wildlife Park on Deerleap Lane right here. There’s free parking, though it’s first come first served at busy instances.
Throughout the summer season months, the New Forest Tour open-top bus (Crimson Route) goes previous the Wildlife Park (and there are generally reductions on entry when you arrive this manner as nicely).
There’s additionally a present store with a really tempting array of furry creatures, amongst different souvenirs. Should you’re planning to pay by telephone, it’s price figuring out there’s barely any information/sign although and no money machine on web site (although playing cards ought to work tremendous).
Permit at the least a few hours to go to – you can rush spherical a bit sooner when you’re in need of time, however most individuals spend round 2-5 hours on the wildlife park. No scooters and bikes are permitted (and when you’re visiting after it’s been moist, count on among the paths to be muddy).
Photos copyright MummyTravels
