Coordinates: 51°11′24″N 2°15′40″W / 51.190°N 2.261°W / 51.190; -2.261

Longleat Safari Park
Dromedary camel The hedge maze
Longleat Safari Park  Longleat Safari Park shown within Wiltshire
OS grid reference	ST818434
List of places: UK • England • Wiltshire

Longleat Safari Park, in Wiltshire, England was opened in 1966 and was the first drive-through safari park outside of Africa. The park is situated in the grounds of Longleat House, the home of the 7th Marquess of Bath and a tourist attraction in its own right. The safari park was the first of its kind anywhere in the world and was considered to be a massive breakthrough in the way in which captive animals were kept, with the animals roaming freely and the visitors in cages (cars).

Today Longleat's collection comprises over 500 animals, and the whole estate is situated on 9,000 acres (36.42 km²) of Wiltshire countryside.

Contents 1 The Safari Parks Reserves 2 Other attractions 2.1 Safari Boat Trip 2.2 Pets Corner 2.3 Miniature Railway 3 Animal Park 4 References 5 External links

[edit] The Safari Parks Reserves

• Wallaby Wood : Red-necked wallaby with Pygmy Goats nearby. It is possible to get out of the car and view this section on foot.
• The East African Game Reserve: Rothschild Giraffe, Grant's Zebra, Llama, Dromedary Camel, Ostrich, Kenyan Bongos, Warthogs and Helmeted Guineafowl
• Flamingo Valley: Chilean Flamingo, Sacred Ibis, Whistling Duck, Spoonbill, Wood duck
• Vulture Venue: 5 pairs of African vultures
• Monkey Jungle: Rhesus Macaques, Blackbuck, Indian Water Buffalo. The monkeys climb on the cars, perhaps due to visitors frequently feeding them through windows despite many notices requesting that this not be done. It is notorious for them to occasionally damage a car - e.g. bend an aerial and the section is optional because of this. (Currently closed due to one monkey testing positive for Simian B herpes, which can be fatal to humans.)
• Big Game Park: Scimitar-Horned Oryx, Ankole Cattle, Southern White Rhino, Bactrian Camel, Eland
• Pelican Pond: Pink-backed Pelican
• Deer Park: Red Deer, Fallow Deer
• Tiger Territory: 3 Amur Tigers
• Lion Country (section 1): African Lion, (section 2): African Lion
• Wolf Wood: Canadian Timber Wolf
• Half Mile Lake: Common Hippopotamus, California Sea Lion, Eastern White Pelican
• Gorilla Island (situated in Half Mile Lake): Western lowland Gorilla

Other animals include : Brazilian Tapir (Near the exit of the East Africa reserve)

[edit] Other attractions

The estate is open to the public with the various attractions being individually priced. A 'passport' ticket providing one admission to each attraction is available at a discount.

[edit] Safari Boat Trip

The Safari Boat Trip involves taking a short cruise around the park's lake, which houses a large family of sea lions, the dominant male of which is called Buster, and a pair of hippopotami. The central island is home to the parks only Silverback Gorilla. Aboard, it is possible for £1.00 to receive a cup of fish pieces to throw to the sea lions, who have learnt to follow the boat and bark for food.

[edit] Pets Corner

In pets corner, many exotic and familiar mammals, birds, reptiles and insects are on display, including Otters, Marmosets, Macaws, Rabbits, Tortoises and many more. Meerkats and Mongoose can be seen in their own enclosure next to the waiting area for the Safari Boats.

[edit] Miniature Railway

A 15 in (381 mm) Miniature railway.^[1]

[edit] Animal Park

Longleat is also the subject of the BBC's Animal Park, hosted by Kate Humble and Ben Fogle.

[edit] References

1. ^ website Longleat

[edit] External links

• Park web site.
• Photographs and Information from Strolling Guides

v • d • e Zoological Gardens in the United Kingdom Those listed in italics contain more than 5000 animals Zoos Africa Alive · Amazon World Zoo · Banham Zoo · Belfast Zoo · Birmingham Nature Centre · Blackbrook Zoological Park · Blackpool Zoo · Borth Animalarium · Bristol Zoo · Chester Zoo · Colchester Zoo · Cotswold Wildlife Park · Drusillas Zoo Park · Dudley Zoo · Edinburgh Zoo · Exmoor Zoo · Flamingo Land Theme Park and Zoo · Howletts Wild Animal Park · International Centre for Birds of Prey · Isle of Wight Zoo · Jersey Zoological Park · London Zoo · Marwell Wildlife · Monkey World · Newquay Zoo · Paignton Zoo · South Lakes Wild Animal Park · Twycross Zoo · Welsh Mountain Zoo · Whipsnade Zoo Safari parks Blair Drummond Safari Park · Highland Wildlife Park · Knowsley Safari Park · Longleat Safari Park · Port Lympne Zoo · West Midland Safari Park · Woburn Safari Park Permanently closed Belle Vue Zoo · Southport Zoo · Windsor Safari Park Category · List · Commons