South Lakes Safari Zoo in Cumbria, UK has announced it will close at the end of this month, with plans for a nearby nature and wildlife park.
The zoo’s operator, Cumbria Zoo Company Limited (CZCL), announced the news on social media, saying the venue closes to the public on 31 December.
In October, a BBC investigation heard allegations of avoidable animal deaths, welfare issues and a bullying culture, which the zoo near Dalton denied.
This came after Westmorland and Furness Council added conditions to the zoo’s licence in July when inspectors found “major causes for concern”.
CZCL said it took over operation of the zoo in 2017 “because of our love and passion for the animals in our care and the wider world”.
The zoo’s previous owner, David Gill, was refused a licence after the deaths of almost 500 animals in a three-year period, a report said, via the BBC.
Cumbria Zoo Company Limited is now focusing on a 120-acre site about 40 miles away at Tebay, purchased last year. It will run this as a nature and wildlife park, and part of the site will welcome visitors in 2025, the firm said.
The land is “home to native wild flora and fauna full of biodiversity“, including bats, badgers, birds, woodpeckers, amphibians, otters, brown hares, and squirrels, it added.
Karen Brewer, chief executive of Cumbria Zoo Company Limited, said in a statement: “In transition, the animals will all continue to be looked after and given the best veterinary care.
Animal welfare concerns
“We are working with various agencies, including two zoo consultants, to find them all new homes that are appropriate for their longer-term needs.”
She added: “The initial development enables the movement of two of our rhinos to the land at Tebay in a safe and efficient manner knowing they will be happy with the environment we have created.”
Wildlife conservation charity Born Free’s captivity research and policy manager, Chris Lewis, said in a statement: “While we are pleased to see today’s announcement, exact details on the future of the animals and the site itself remain unclear.
“Born Free urges all parties to work together to ensure the welfare of the animals remains paramount until a time when appropriate homes can be secured for them.”
Images courtesy of CZCL and Born Free
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