Going wild

At first glance, this might look like just another park with a lake... You'd be wrong. Look more closely and you'll see the king of beasts lounging there, lazily surveying the scene. This is the Yorkshire Wildlife Park (YWP), near Doncaster, where I spent a very happy day being awed and delighted by some of the wondrous range of creatures gracing our planet. YWP was established about ten years ago, aiming to be a place where people could observe, interact with and learn about animals and to be a centre of excellence for the conservation of global biodiversity.

Some of the first large animals YWP acquired were a pride of African lions that had been kept in very poor conditions (due to lack of knowledge and funds) in a Romanian zoo. They were brought to Yorkshire thanks to a public appeal and established in a new 10 acre reserve, where they have regained their health and have become a favourite with visitors.

There are also three Eastern Black Rhinos, rehomed from German zoos. These are critically endangered in the wild in East Africa, as poachers target their horns.  It is hoped that the young male and female at YWP may one day mate and help with the global conservation efforts for this magnificent (though rather odd-looking!) animal.

Another big beast to be found at YWP is the polar bear. There are currently four, accommodated in a 10 acre purpose built reserve (one of the world's biggest polar bear reserves). It's not so strange that they live on land like this, rather than on ice. Polar bears in the South Hudson Bay region spend up to seven months a year in similar conditions. All the YWP bears have come from Europe, from zoos or breeding programmes. In the wild, polar bears are classed as a vulnerable species because of climate change, so it's important that study, conservation - both in the wild and in captivity - and rehabilitation of rescued bears are carried out.

The Yorkshire Wildlife Park is a walk-through park (not a drive-through safari park) but the animals are kept in very large, secure reserves. The larger species can be viewed from walkways and viewing platforms, whilst visitors can enter some areas to see the smaller creatures close at hand. There are regular educative talks scheduled around the park, feeding times to watch and visitors can also book 'experience days' where they can get closer to the animals and see behind the scenes with the guidance of a ranger. It's actually really interesting and I think the animals are very well cared for, healthy and comfortable.