The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Dundee wildlife centre assurance over future
Some animals appear to be missing people while others are enjoying the peace
Coronavirus lockdown restrictions and the absence of visitors have impacted on the income stream for Camperdown Wildlife Centre in Dundee.
However, management are confident that they can mitigate against the financial pressures being faced, with the centre in the “fortunate position” that it is part of the wider Leisure & Culture Dundee facilities group.
The wildlife centre, which is home to hundreds of animals, has been closed to the public since the start of lockdown in March, raising concerns that its future viability might be under threat if the lockdown goes on for an extended period.
However, a Leisure & Culture Dundee spokesman said in a statement: “We have no plans to close the centre for any longer than is necessary.
“Lockdown restrictions have had an effect on all leisure providers and everyone is feeling the effects of lost income. Camperdown Wildlife Centre is in a fortunate position where it’s part of the group of Leisure & Culture Dundee facilities, and not a stand-alone venue.
“We are currently planning and putting adjustments in place at the centre to welcome back visitors safely when restrictions lift.”
The position at Camperdown was spelled out following the announcement by Edinburgh Zoo that it is preparing to open at the end of June after owners warned being closed over the summer would be “financially disastrous”.
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) said the same applied to Highland Wildlife Park in Kingussie.
At Camperdown Wildlife Centre, which attracts around 90,000 paying visitors per year, it has been around 12 weeks since visitors last saw the animals for themselves. Ordinarily at this time of year, staff would be gearing up for a busy summer season ahead.
The hundreds of animals still need to be fed, cleaned and cared for, however, including five-year-old male bear Brum and his sisters Brumma and Maja who are always a big attraction.
Phil McCarlie-Davis, 45, a keeper at Camperdown for seven years, works on the bear section which includes bears, wolves, lynx, most of the carnivores and also ponies and donkeys.
“It does make a difference not having people around,” he said. “We’ve seen a difference in the bears. They’ve always liked having members of the public there.
“They like watching members of the public. You can see the bears are aware there’s not so many people around.
“But what we have noticed is a lot of the animals which are maybe a little bit shier. They are coming forward a little bit more and are a little bit more comfortable.
“When people start coming back, we can maybe keep that in mind and move people around in a different way so they can still feel comfortable and come out.”
Phil said the coronavirus lockdown has not impacted on how staff interact with the animals. Normal working practices guard against transmission of diseases between people and animals.
However, in terms of keepers working as a team, they were keeping further apart. “We are still able to look after the animals at the level we were before and care for them in the way that we need to,” he added.