Safari Parks In England: The difference between a Safari Park and a Zoo is the fact that while animals in a Zoo are placed in protective cages or enclosures, Safari Parks allow animals to roam freely while visitors can drive through them with their vehicles and enjoy the interaction with the animals at a closer range. The whole concept of Safari Parks was of a Jimmy Chipperfield, former co-director of Chipperfield Circus.
Incidentally, England boasts of having the first Safari Park outside Africa. Longleat Safari Park in Wiltshire, England built in 1966 was the first Safari Park in England. Thereafter the concept of Safari Parks has gained popularity in several countries. Let’s look at some of the more famous Safari Park in England.
Windsor Safari Parks, Berkshire
Situated on the outskirts of Berkshire, on St. Leonards Hill, Windsor became a very popular family attraction spot of England. The drive through enclosures not only had lions, tigers, bears, and cheetahs but also a fully separate Serengeti Zone which includes camels, zebras, and llamas. The park was founded in 1969 and it was converted into a Legoland in 1992
Longleat Safari Park, Wiltshire
Opened in 1966, it gained popularity as the first drive-through Safari Park outside Africa. The whole concept it incorporated was considered unique because for the first time animals were set free to roam and it was the humans who were in enclosures (cars).
The Park boasts a total 500 animals and has a separate section dedicated to Pelicans and a totally different section for Flamingos.
Woburn Safari Park, Bedfordshire
Inaugurated in 1970 by the 13th Duke of Bedfordshire, Woburn Park has grown into a Conservation center and breeding program as well with the Park recently breeding the Rothschild Giraffe and other endangered African species.
The other Safari Parks in England are Blair Drummond (1970), Knowsley (1971), and Bewdley (West Midland Safari Park, 1973). Even today Safari Parks are the automatic choice for any family outing in England and as time passes they are slowly becoming privy to the ecological changes in our world and are adding to the efforts made to conserve our ecosystem. What more can you ask for!
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