Howletts Wild Animal Park, London

...live in the 90 acre Howletts Wildlife Park at Bekesbourne, approx 3 miles south east of Canterbury, in Kent.

Both Howletts and Port Lympne Wild Animal Parks were set up by the late John Aspinall to protect and breed endangered animals, with the aim of re-introducing them to the wild. The Aspinall Foundation continues with his conservation aims.

My family visited Howletts on Easter Saturday 2009. The weather forecast ...
...It was right! Howletts missed the rain by just a few miles.

Howletts advise visitors to plan their visit for good weather days, so the above is relevant.


THE ANIMALS

At the entrance there were a few “events” advertised. As we arrived shortly before the Gorilla Talk, which was nearby, we headed for that. From on the roof above the gorillas, keepers started to throw food down. Some fell through ... more

OVERVIEW

Various primates, wild cats of all sizes, African elephants, rhino and deer are among the creatures that live in the 90 acre Howletts Wildlife Park at Bekesbourne, approx 3 miles south east of Canterbury, in Kent.

Both Howletts and Port Lympne Wild Animal Parks were set up by the late John Aspinall to protect and breed endangered animals, with the aim of re-introducing them to the wild. The Aspinall Foundation continues with his conservation aims.

My family visited Howletts on Easter Saturday 2009. The weather forecast was wet for most of south east England, which I believe stopped a lot of other potential visitors from going this day, but the forecast we saw on the Saturday morning suggested that the extreme south east could miss the rain. It was right! Howletts missed the rain by just a few miles.

Howletts advise visitors to plan their visit for good weather days, so the above is relevant.

THE ANIMALS

At the entrance there were a few “events” advertised. As we arrived shortly before the Gorilla Talk, which was nearby, we headed for that. From on the roof above the gorillas, keepers started to throw food down. Some fell through the wire onto the floor, which was deeply covered with straw. This caused a lot of foraging. I assume that later on the gorillas would climb up to the roof and pull the remaining food through. After this the keepers left, so there was no talk, but still the food had caused excitement for both gorillas and spectators, but we didn’t put ourselves out to be at the other advertised Talks, as we thought they might not happen either. I think this was bad considering it was a peak time, being Easter Saturday.

As we moved on through the park, we had to look hard to spot animals. Many of the enclosures had a lot of vegetation in, and in some cases only gaps in the ivy growing up the cages provided the chance of a peek through. This applied to the tiger cages, but when one spotted a keeper walking past, it sprang into life, allowing me to get a quick photo.

I have enjoyed visiting walk-through lemur enclosures in other zoos, so was excited at discovering they had one here. This one just had four black and white ruffed lemurs with their keeper in it. Sadly, they were all very dozy and didn’t give the sort of entertainment that my family had enjoyed elsewhere.

All animals had a lot of room to move about, considering that they were in captivity, with the elephants and deer seeming to have to most. Whichever side of the elephant and deer enclosures we were, they were so far away that they looked tiny.

The local pigeons also seem to have had trouble spotting the carnivores, until it was too late, as something I saw a lot of was the feathered remains of them in the cages.

Despite being more spread out than most animal collections, I found the park smellier than others I have been to. I dread to think what it would smell like in mid summer. It was about 17 C the day we visited. Perhaps I noticed this because I am more used to glass being used for enclosures, rather than the wire and bars mostly used here. They do use some glass, but not much.

PHOTOS

It is not an easy place to take good photographs of the animals, as even when I did manage to see them, the thick wire and other parts of the outside of the enclosures usually stopped me getting good shots.

I will upload my best efforts for you, including some of the lovely spring flowers that were planted on the edge of the natural ancient parkland.

FACILITIES

Previous visitors had warned us that the food was expensive, so we took a picnic. Even so one in my party also wanted a hot dog, which cost £2.95, and others had ice creams, which were double the price I would normally expect to pay.

If you could afford it, other food available included that from pizza and chicken outlets.

I found the toilets clean, and they had an hourly inspection schedule.

Most of the park is flat so suitable for pushchairs and wheelchairs, and they have facilities for disabled visitors.

There is a children’s adventure playground where parents can enjoy something from the nearby café while their offspring let off steam.

PORT LYMPNE

There is a sister zoo at Port Lympne, near Hythe, Kent, which I have visited, although not recently. This is even more spread out over 600 acres, which makes many animals even more difficult to see.

PRICES

Gate entrance prices are below, but BUY WITH A DISCOUNT THROUGH WEBSITE, if you are NOT using Tesco Days Out Vouchers, or any other voucher worth more than 30%.

Adult - £14.95 17 years and over
Child - £11.95 4-16 years old (must be accompanied by an adult)
Under 4's - Free
Student - £11.95 Over 16 years, with NUS card
Senior Citizen - £12.95 Over 65 years

Tesco Days Out Clubcard vouchers can be used on the above gate admission prices.

There are also different types of discounted family tickets on which vouchers cannot be used.

Money can be saved by buying tickets on line at https://www.totallywild.net/tickets

They advertise that you can save 20% by buying tickets on line, but it is MORE THAN THIS if you click the NON-GIFT AID LINK. They seem to assume that everyone pays income tax and most want to pay 10% more than they have to, so that the Aspinall Foundation can claim money back from the Inland Revenue. If you fall into the category of not paying Income Tax, this cannot apply to you.

I felt that the gate entry price was expensive, considering that my family wanted to go home after 4 hours.

Usually they would want to stay at this sort of place for double that time, in which case I would feel the price fair.

Fortunately, I was able to pay with Tesco Days Out Vouchers, so that took the sting out of the price for me.

GUIDES & MAPS

We bought a £3.95 Guidebook because it was suggested at the entrance. This included a small amount of information about the animals and a small map.

If I had seen the 95p Souvenir Maps before buying the Guidebook, I would have had one of those instead.

There are maps on notice boards dotted around the zoo, but not enough for first time visitors to make sure of visiting all the enclosures, in my opinion.

HOW TO GET THERE

There is good access by road, and it is clearly signed from Canterbury. Sat nav users key in CT4 5EL.

If you don’t have a car, I suggest you see if a coach firm convenient to you has day trips there. If you live in south-east England, this is likely.

Bekesbourne Station is accessible from the London Victoria Railway line. A shuttle bus service may be available at peak times from the station to the park. Phone 01227 721286 to get precise information about the service on the days you may visit.

RECOMMENDATION

Unless you are a big gorilla fan, I wouldn’t recommend that you travel far in the hope that you see animals that could be well hidden.

However, if I lived just 3 miles away in Canterbury, I might buy a season ticket, to allow me to keep going back for short visits to see animals that were out of sight at previous times. If you see half the species they have in one day, I would consider you lucky, due to the size of and amount of vegetation in the enclosures.

I believe Howletts is a good conservation exercise, as captive breed endangered species have been re-introduced back into the wild. The money from visitors enables them to keep up the good work. Sadly, I don’t think my family will want to go back in a hurry.

ALTERNATIVE

If you want to take your family to SEE a wide variety of animals in south-east England, I recommend that you go to Colchester Zoo in Essex, which I believe caters well for both the animals AND visitors. At Colchester Zoo my family want to arrive early and stay late!

 

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