Birds at Wildwood near Canterbury.

[KentYeti]

It's many years since I've been to a zoo or "wild park". That keeps captive animals and birds.

I did this morning. Down to Wildwood near Canterbury as I really wanted to see and photo a Tawny Owl. The last of the main UK "5" Owls for me to do that with.

Wildwood says it is a charity. I have no reason to doubt that.

I went with some tripidation. I'm not a lover of captive animals and birds.

I had thought, (and may still do so), about going down to one of the photo day at the Barn Owl Center in Gloucester, where my view, (from what I have read), is that they do an enormous amount to help Barn Owls in particular. So I could sort of justify to myself that they can have some captive birds down there. That, as far as I can work out, are allowed to fly around a fair bit.

That doesn't seem the case at Wildwood. One Eagle Owl in particular seemed to be in a rather small enclosed area. Upsetting.

And I'm not entirely sure what work Wildwood do in the wider conservation field re the species they have there. I.e Do they do sufficient to justify keeping so many captive birds, (and animals as well).

OK. I guess the owls I went to see, (Tawny, Eagle, Short Eared and Barn), may well have much longer lives than in the wild. And never go hungry. And specifically, the Tawny Owl I saw is nine years old, was born there, and has not known any different.

I wonder what others here think about such places as Wildwood?

Oh. I will use the Tawny Owl photo I took for my web page: and will state where it was taken. But I am even more determnined now to put the hard work in to seeing and photographing one in the wild.

[hels]

Speaking as someone who currently works at a bird of prey/falconry centre, I can truthfully say that many such places do a great deal of good work, both for the birds/animals they keep, conservation of wild species and education. The education factor is incredibly important as, when done right, it provides people with the knowledge of the problems wild animals face and can introduce new generations to the importance of conservation and can cause lifelong interests that lead to children growing up into conservationists etc. In a world where we are increasingly disconnected from nature, such work is important.

With regards to conservation, most such centres are limited in how much they can do as conservation is expensive, and so generally speaking conservation efforts do take place but are limited to a few select (usually endangered) species.

Having never visited wildwood, I can't comment on that collection, but I can say that there are very good centres out there, as there are also less good places.
Its worth checking out biaza registered centres as they have to adhere to very high standards!

[KentYeti]

I'd be much happier about locations where the birds could fly around freely from time to time. That's why I shall try out the Barn Owl Center at Gloucester.

I'd be interested to know where you work and if flying/photo days are organised there?

What really bugged me about Wildwood, (I think they are fully accredited), was that lone Eagle Owl trapped in such a small enclosure. I was talking to someone during my Elmley Owl watch last night and he also singled out that beautiful bird as being in far too small a "cage".

Despite my growing love for Barn Owls, I was far less bothered about the three of those at Wildwood. My research tells me they can just sit and do nothing for 22 hours a day outside of the breeding season.

And their mortality rates are quite dreadful in the wild. For a bird that can live up to 17 years or even more in captivity, their wild life is often not much more than 18 months. Killed by road traffic, trains, starvation etc. I just hope those Juveniles at Elmley try and fill the gaps left by last winter locally as that seems to be a much safer environment.

So for the "Wildwood three", maybe they are getting a reasonable deal.

Bryan

[Ukwildlifeo]

Having been to wildwood many times and been on mammal courses where I have been to areas not usually accessed by the public.

They do a lot of work for the conservation of british species. They are among the UKs (and perhaps the worlds) leaders in captive breeding of water voles, pine martens and red squirrels. In fact I beleieve pine martens have only bred once elsewhere in captivity.

In regards to the eagle owl, this may be a result of the waterbird aviary collapsing in the snow and all the birds getting shifting around, and therefore only a temporary until the water bird aviary is rebuilt.

[KentYeti]

Many thanks for that. It eases my concerns a bit.

And re the Barn Owls there. They certainly do have the chance of living longer than the average circa 18 months of wild ones.

At Gloucester they had, indeed may still have, one that has reached 25 years old!

[hels]

I work at Gauntlet birds of prey, which is in Knutsford, Cheshire.
And we do indeed run photo and experience courses. We also run twice daily flying displays.

The owner is a firm believer in providing the birds with the opportunity to express natural behaviours as much as possible and as such we fly birds very regularly!