Return to Longleat

I used to make an annual pilgrimage to Longleat as part of a level 3 field course that looked at how animals were used in attractions in a variety of Dorset locations (and this Wiltshire location en route). Having recently returned privately I have noted a number of changes. In the East African Reserve section only Rothchild's giraffe and Grant's zebra now feature (Llamas etc seem to have been moved- not East African enough?). The former animals can now be fed expensively-purchased lettuce from a platform feeding site. The latter animals were involved in obvious conflict. Cheetahs have been added to the 'big cat' enclosures. In other parts of the Safari Park, there is a walk through section for Ring-tailed lemurs (a number of zoos seem to be going for these). They have also got 'nectar' feeding opportunities for Rainbow lorikeets and The Hawk Conservancy Trust put on aerial displays with a range of raptors. You can also queue up to handle a Tarantula but can still feed fish to California sealions in the water surrounding the Gorilla island. An African elephant ('Annie') has returned to the collection, although they claimed merit for dispensing with the original small herd.