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Wildlife & Farm Parks in the Cotswolds
You might be surprised to discover the Cotswolds have a serious wild side!
One of the largest and most prestigious attractions is the Cotswolds Wildlife Park near Burford where you can get up close and personal with a whole host of endangered species. Visitors can walk through the Madagascar enclosure with free roaming lemurs as well as going eye to eye with the world’s tallest mammal on the new Giraffe Walkway – just two of the park’s many magical animal experiences.
The Cotswold Farm Park is run by Adam Henson – famous for presenting the BBC’s Countryfile programme each Sunday evening. As well as providing a home for fifty collections of rare breed animals, Adam and his team work with Natural England on projects that benefit wildlife such as increasingly rare birds like the skylark, turtle dove and corn bunting.
We’re big on birds in the Cotswolds! There are more than 500 species at Birdland Park and Gardens near Bourton-on-the-Water and as well as peacocks and Indian blue cranes, you’ll find fallow deer and pygmy goats at Prinknash Bird Park.
Other close encounters of the feathered kind include flying eagle and harris hawks at The Barn Owl Centre in Gloucester or taking part in a live flying demonstration of birds of prey at the Cotswolds Falconry Centre near Moreton-in-Marsh. You’ll also find the world’s largest collection of swans, geese and ducks at WWT Slimbridge!
Cattle Country is a lovely children’s adventure park with plenty of activities whatever the weather. Enjoy seasonal shows and events and keep your eyes peeled for the new animal arrivals – from piglets to rabbits, goats to wallabies as well as the odd cow!
And with more than 60 nature reserves throughout the Cotswolds, the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust is helping conserve some of our most beautiful common and threatened animals, plants and fungi making them special places to visit and a great charity to support.
Please see the Wildlife and Farm Parks on offer in the Cotswolds below.