CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE CUDDLY KIND
THERE is a brilliant range of animal experiences in Leicestershire – from walks with alpacas to meeting the meerkats at Twycross Zoo – and residents and visitors are being urged to add them to their summer fun schedules.
The animal encounters are highlighted as part of Leicester and Leicestershire’s major Uncover the Story tourism campaign.
Twycross Zoo
Discover tropical butterflies and birds in their walk-through habitats, and come face to face with ring-tailed and red-ruffed lemurs.
Or, choose from several bookable animal experiences, which give you the chance to feed lemurs, meerkats, Amur leopards, tigers, penguins, giraffes, flamingo and pelicans, or find out what it is like to be a zookeeper for the day by helping to take care of some of the most endangered animals.
Twycross Zoo is a renowned
World Primate Centre and the only UK zoo to house all four great apes, as well as about 500 animals of almost 100 species.
Tropical Birdland
For wild encounters of the avian kind, head to this Desford attraction, home to more than 250 birds, with free-flying parrots from around the world.
Interact with the resident military macaws and citron cockatoos, join the feeding sessions and gain special insights from guided tours of the park’s aviaries.
The park’s flock of flamingos is a must-see attraction, sharing their large pond with a merry gang of Orinoco geese that are always happy to blend in with their big pink friends.
Stonehurst Family Farm
This Mountsorrel farm is a real working farm where visitors can meet pigs, goats, chickens and ducks, hold baby animals, feed the cows and sheep, collect eggs and take pony rides.
The farm also has an on-site bakery with bread made from organic wheat grown in the adjacent fields.
Plus, the Farmer’s Den tea shop serves up home-grown produce along with homemade cakes, cream teas, hot food and light lunches.
Charnwood Forest Alcapas
You can wander the local woodland on an Alpaca trek, learn about donkey care with a donkey grooming session, or hop on a horse and discover all that the Leicestershire countryside has to offer, accompanied by a fourlegged friend.
Paradise Found Farm Park
In Sapcote, this farm park gives you the chance to meet and interact with the farms residents, including reindeer, peacocks, frazzles, giant tortoise, miniature Shetlands, angora goats and the world’s smallest breed of sheep, the Ouessant, plus learn all about animal care and agricultural conservation.