Detailed review by Praskipark
Praskipark
Warsaw, Poland97%
Last Christmas we wanted to do something different for our son as a present and as he has always loved gorillas since he was a small boy we decided, through the help of the Aspinall Foundation, to adopt a Western Lowland gorilla for him. My son's adopted gorilla is called Oundi and she is one of the youngest, if not the youngest, gorilla at Howlett's.
In September of this year we decided to visit the family in UK and my son thought it would be an excellent idea to go to Kent to visit the zoo and actually see Oundi. My only concern was - how would we recognise her - don't all gorillas look the same?
How did we find Howlett's Zoo?
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Locating the zoo was a simple operation. We were staying in Peckham at the time so decided to catch a National Coach from Victoria station to Canterbury. The zoo is about three miles from Canterbury in a village called Bekesbourne. We jumped on a train at Canterbury station going to Dover Priory and got off at the first stop. Trains run every hour and the journey takes about 4 minutes.
In high season there is a mini-bus that picks visitors up from the station to the animal park. Out of season you have to phone for the mini bus - there is a board with the telephone number outside the station.
Admission to the park costs £16.95. We only had to purchase two admission tickets as my son had a free ticket due to him having adopted a gorilla. We were given a map and a discount voucher for the other animal park, Port Lympne. Reception staff were polite and friendly.
The entrance to the enclosures is at the back of reception.The first one we came to was huge and glass fronted with many ropes cascading from the roof. Swings made from tyres were placed in strategic points so the gorillas can play and exercise. The floor of the enclosure was covered in a thick mattress of hay/straw and the environment looked a clean and healthy one. Some of the young gorillas were sleeping while the Silverback male was grooming himself. They are such beautiful creatures - we just stood and stared for ages. The construction of each enclosure has been well thought out and is created on the social structure in the wild. Generally, gorillas live in groups consisting of one male, several females and their young. The primate enclosures here at Howlett's accommodate family groups as well as other male gorillas who don't have families.
At first we were trying to see if we could spot Oundi in the first enclosure but all the gorillas seemed too large. I then noticed at the end of the play enclosure an adjoining building which was the sleeping quarters. Upon this wall was a list of the gorillas in that enclosure and Oundi wasn't on the list.
Moving on, feeling very emotional at the sight of these giant animals we came to a few enclosures joined together and it was here we saw Oundi's name. We picked her out straight away as she was the smallest of the baby gorillas. I looked at my son and he just seemed transfixed looking at her. It was a lovely moment and very emotional. She looked very happy, sat on the floor picking at the straw looking for bits of food that had been dropped. At one time she jumped on the ropes and swung high into the air and then fell on her friend and together they rolled and romped around in play fighting.
Western Lowland gorillas are not the only primates at the zoo. You can see Gelada Gibbons who are always entertaining, Grizzled Leaf Monkeys, Heck's Macaque, Java Gibbon and a very cheeky breed of monkey known as a Javan Langur. This breed have two very distinctive colour forms - jet, silky black and a bright orangey ginger colour. I sat and watched these critters for a long time as they are so agile, make a lot of noise and are quite naughty.
Another favourite family enclosure was one that housed the black and white ruffed lemurs. This was an open enclosure but before entering we had to wash our hands with a special antibacterial gel and leave all bags, coats etc in a sort of cloakroom. There was a park attendant on hand if we needed to ask questions. There are 11 lemurs at Howlett's but we only saw about 5 and they were curled into tight balls asleep. The others must have been in hiding in the trees. I wanted to say 'Come on, you lazy lemurs, wake up.' They are such furry creatures with piercing eyes. They always look astonished.
One animal that I can never believe the actual size of when seeing it eye to eye is the African elephant. They are really massive creatures and in the zoo here have a very large enclosure to stroll around in. I think this was one of the last enclosures we visited - well, stood outside and peered in. The elephants were gently walking around but then a crack of thunder hit the skies and there was a torrential shower of rain. At this moment they started to move a bit quicker and it was quite exciting watching the herd get together and stomp their way out of the rain. We decided to follow suit and make a quick dash for an empty marquee.
Being a cat fan it is always exciting to see the big cats and the tigers are impressive. I think the most beautiful species has to be the Sumatran tiger. He is the smallest of the tiger species alive today and what makes these tigers stand out is the dark markings on their coats and the colour of their coats - a cross between bright orange, red with a touch of yellow. They have a furry ruffle around their necks and very long whiskers. Although, these creatures are wonderful they are extremely strong and can be very dangerous . There is a monument erected to two zoo keepers who were mauled and killed by this species of tiger. Howlett's has a reputation of encouraging keepers to get close to their animals which can be viewed as a good idea if a little unorthodox but remember, these are wild animals and at any time can turn nasty.
I have only covered a few of the animal species kept in the zoo but if you would like to see and read more about the animals then you can log on to the zoo's website. I will leave a link at the bottom of the page.
Walking around the animal park is a wonderful experience as the grounds are really beautiful with many wooded areas consisting of very tall trees. The time of year we visited was the time when you don't know what clothing to wear because the sun keeps darting in and out of the trees. The trails for walking which lead from one enclosure to the next are expansive and I loved the feeling of so much space and a sense of freedom.
Toilet stations are dotted all through the park and are clean and very people friendly.
Cafes range from small kiosks which just sell soft drinks, coffee, tea and sandwiches to larger inside establishments with tables and chairs. These generally sell cakes, ice creams, light lunches and hot drinks. You don't have to eat inside if you choose not to as there are many wooden tables placed under trees for you to take food out or bring your own picnic food. We took our own food and had a very enjoyable lunch sat outside listening to the birds in the trees and the various noises from the wild animals.
The play area is large and well structured made from wood and carpeted in soft barkdust. My granddaugter liked the swings and the roundabout which is brightly coloured painted in blue and yellow. There are climbing frames for older children, slides and swing ropes so little children can pretend to be naughty monkeys!
I don't know whether it is my imagination but there seemed to be a lot of gift shops situated throughout the park. They are very jolly inside though and the various goods on sale are well made, bright and cheerful. I think there is probably something for everyone who has a love of wildlife and conservation. All profits from the shops go to a great cause - saving endangered species and help towards the running of Howlett's animal park.
I think I've covered everything or at least told you about my experience. If you want to know more about John Aspinall and his trust, Howlett's Animal Park and how to adopt an animal please take a look at the website: http://www.aspinallfounda tion.org/howletts/
Howletts Wild Animal Park10
Ratings
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Accessibility
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"Must See"-Factor
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Budget Friendliness
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Catering
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Suitable for Children
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Diversity of Species
