West Midland Safari Park facts for kids
Giraffes at the park
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| Date opened | 17 April 1973 |
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| Location | Bewdley, Worcestershire, England |
| Land area | 200 acres (81 ha) |
| Coordinates | 52°22′32″N 2°17′18″W / 52.3754944°N 2.2882462°W |
| No. of animals | 600 |
| No. of species | 165 |
| Annual visitors | 750,000+ |
| Memberships | BIAZA, EAZA |
| Major exhibits | African Plains, Flooded Forest, Mark O'Shea's Reptile World, Sea Lion Theatre, Land of the Living Dinosaurs, and others |
The West Midland Safari and Leisure Park is an exciting safari park located in Bewdley, England. It first opened its doors in spring 1973.
This amazing park is home to over 165 different kinds of exotic animals. It also has a fun theme park with lots of rides! You can see the largest groups of white lions, cheetahs, hippos, and meerkats in the UK here. Plus, it has the biggest walk-through area for lemurs. West Midland Safari Park was also the first park in the UK to have all five of the famous African big five game animals.
The park is a proud member of important groups like the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA). These groups help zoos work together to protect animals.
Contents
Park History
The West Midland Safari Park was opened by its founder, Jimmy Chipperfield, on April 17, 1973. When it first started, the park had animals that used to be in circuses. Some of the animals you could see back then included rhinoceroses, elephants, ostriches, zebras, giraffes, camels, wildebeest, baboons, lions, tigers, bears, and wolves.
In the early days, there was even a dolphin show where the sea lion theatre is now. However, this was a traveling show, and the dolphins later went back to Margate. The park also had a "Boat Safari" and a small narrow gauge railway built in 1979.
A big moment for the park was in 2004 when four African white lions arrived. This new area was called "Kingdom of the White Lions." The park was the first safari park in the UK to have all five African big game animals. It was also the first park in Europe to successfully breed white lion cubs, which is a huge step in helping to save this rare species.
In 2006, the park helped open the Ongava Research Centre in Namibia. This center studies lions and rhinoceroses and helps protect many rare animals in Africa.
Meet the Animals
The park is divided into different areas where animals live. You can see many amazing creatures in these special habitats.
African Plains
In the African Plains, you can see large animals like Southern white rhinos, Common elands, and ostriches. You'll also spot different types of zebras, including Burchell's zebra and Grévy's zebra. Look out for tall giraffes and strong cape buffalo too!
The Grasslands
This area is home to graceful Persian fallow deer and clever Barbary sheep.
Wild Woods
The Wild Woods is where you can find the dholes, which are a type of wild dog from Asia.
Wild Asia and Realm of the Indian Rhino
Wild Asia features animals like banteng, blackbuck, and different kinds of deer such as Formosan sika deer and Philippine spotted deer. The Realm of the Indian Rhino is home to three large Indian rhinoceroses.
White Tiger Ridge
At White Tiger Ridge, you can see beautiful and rare white tigers.
Cheetah Plains
Cheetah Plains is the largest drive-through cheetah area in the UK. Here, you can see a group of fast cheetahs.
African Wild Dog Reserve
This reserve is specially designed for the energetic African wild dogs.
Realm of the Lions
This amazing area is home to a pride of powerful African lions. You can even drive through parts of it on an off-road track.
Kingdom of the White Lions
This special kingdom is home to a pride of very rare white lions.
Eurasian Reserve and Tiger Reserve
The Eurasian Reserve has animals like Bactrian camels, Javan bantengs, and nilgai. The Tiger Reserve is home to both Bengal tigers and endangered Sumatran tigers. At the end of this reserve, you can also see three gemsbok.
Elephant Valley
Elephant Valley is where the park's African elephants live. In May 2014, a male African elephant named Sutton was born here. He was the first male African elephant in the UK born using a special method called AI (artificial insemination).
Conservation Efforts
West Midland Safari Park is well-known for its important work in conservation. Many of the animals at the park are on the IUCN's list of endangered or critically endangered species. This means they are at risk of disappearing from the wild.
The park helps protect these animals through breeding programs and by supporting research. For example, the birth of Sutton the elephant in 2014 was a big step in helping to conserve African elephants. The park also works to restore natural habitats, like the heathland where the dhole and cheetah enclosures are located.
Amusement Park Rides
The park also has a fun amusement area with many rides for all ages!
| Opened | Name | What it's like |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | "Congo Carousel" | A classic carousel ride with galloping horses. |
| 1986 | "Jungle Swings" | A classic chair-o-plane ride that spins you in the air. |
| 1986 | "Jungle Cat Dodgems" | Fun bumper cars with a cat theme. |
| 2006 | "Venom" | A thrilling drop tower ride that lifts you high and then drops you fast. |
| 1990s | "Zambezi Water Splash" | A classic log flume ride with two exciting drops into the water. |
| 2002 | "Black Fly" | A frisbee ride that swings you back and forth and spins you around. |
| 1992 | "Dr. Umboto's Catacombs" | A spooky ghost train ride through a haunted house. |
| 2004 | "Jumbo Parade" | An elephant-themed ride where you can control how high your elephant flies. |
| 1983 | "Pirate Ship" | A classic pirate ship ride that swings high like a pendulum. |
| 1995 | "Hurtling Hippos" | A spinning ride with arms that lift and lower, like a giant octopus. |
| 2006 | "Wild River Rafting" | A fun river rapids ride where you float down a winding river in a raft. |
| 1992 | "Rhinocoaster" | A junior rollercoaster with twists and turns. |
| 1988 | "African Big Apple" | A small, family-friendly rollercoaster shaped like a big apple. |
| 1998 | "Monkey Mayhem" | A spinning wild mouse roller coaster with sharp turns and drops. |
| 2009 | "Shark Island" | An interactive water ride where you can spray water at targets. |
| '99/'00 | "Slippery Snake Slide" | A long, winding tube slide with a snake theme. |
| 2014 | "Kong" | A thrilling Gorilla-themed Mega Disk'O ride that spins and swings. |
Former Rides
Some rides have left the park over the years to make way for new attractions.
| Name | Opened | Closed | What it was like |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cobra | 1985 | 1991 | A rollercoaster that went forwards and backwards, later replaced by the Rhinocoaster. |
| Safari Express | 1979 | 2014 | A small train ride that took passengers between the amusement park and the car park. It closed to make room for the dinosaur exhibit. |
Land of the Living Dinosaurs
This amazing area, opened in 2015, is the UK's largest attraction with moving, lifelike dinosaurs! You'll feel like you've stepped back in time.
Ice Age
Opened in 2018, this attraction features large, moving creatures from the Ice Age, making it the UK's biggest animatronic creator attraction of its kind.
Discovery Trail
The Discovery Trail has mostly indoor exhibits. Throughout the day, staff offer "animal encounters" where visitors can get up close to some of the smaller animals found here.
Animal Encounters
In the Discovery Trail, you can meet small exotic creatures like ferrets, four-toed hedgehogs, and gambian pouched rats. Park staff are there to teach you about them and make sure everyone is safe.
Penguin Cove
Penguin Cove is home to playful Humboldt penguins. Their home has a pool, a sandy beach area, and great spots for you to watch them swim and waddle.
Lorikeet Landing
This warm indoor exhibit is home to a large group of rainbow lorikeets. It's a special walk-through area where you can see these colorful birds flying around you.
Creepy Crawlies
Creepy Crawlies is the park's insect house. It has a variety of interesting creatures, including different kinds of tarantulas, leafcutter ants, and scorpions.
Reptile World
The park's reptile house is named after the famous reptile expert Mark O'Shea. You might even see him at the park! Here, you can find many different reptiles like alligator snapping turtles, American alligators, Cuban crocodiles, and various snakes like the king cobra.
Sea Lion Theatre
At the Sea Lion Theatre, you can watch amazing shows featuring the park's Californian sea lions. They perform fun tricks in a 25-minute show.
SeaQuarium
The SeaQuarium is the park's aquarium, filled with a wide variety of exotic fish. You can see colorful fish like clownfish, emperor angelfish, and unique creatures like the long-spine porcupinefish.
Twilight Cave
The Twilight Cave is a walk-through area where you can see free-flying Rodrigues fruit bats and Seba's leaf nosed bats. Other nocturnal animals like aye-ayes and Malagasy giant rats also live in this dimly lit area.
African Villages
The African Village is an interactive area where you can experience what an African village might be like and see some of the animals that live there.
Goat Walk
The Goat Walk is a special walk-through area where you can get close to friendly animals like Cameroon sheep, pygmy goats, and Somali sheep.
Meet the Meerkats
This exhibit is home to a large group of playful meerkats. Watch them stand guard and dig!
Walking With Lemurs
This is the largest walk-through lemur forest in the UK! You can walk among three different kinds of lemurs, including ring-tailed lemurs, white-fronted brown lemurs, and red-bellied lemurs.
Hippo Lakes
In the amusement area, one of the large lakes is home to the biggest group of hippos in the UK.
Addax
A large enclosure contains a big herd of addax, which are a type of antelope.
