Hello, Deer!
Come and meet the animals for a fun day out at the flourishing Scottish Deer Centre
TO most people, We Bought A Zoo is the title of a wholesome family film from 2011. For David Hamilton, however, it’s been the realisation of a lifelong dream.
The Fife businessman grew up just along the road from the Scottish Deer Centre, near Cupar, and visited regularly when he was a boy. So when the attraction went into administration a couple of years ago, he and friend Gavin Findlay stepped in to rescue it and transform it into something future generations would look back on with as much fondness.
The pair purchased the 22-hectare (55 acres) park in 2021 and have invested millions in upgrading the facilities and introducing new attractions.
The centre is now home to 12 species of deer, as well as wolves, European brown bears, Asian short-claw otters, northern lynx and Scottish wildcats.
It also features the Raptor World birds of prey area, which offers handling experiences and public demonstrations.
Last year, David and the team even welcomed a retired RAF Buccaneer jet to the site. It’s now one of their most popular displays.
The big new attraction for this year is a dino dig area, where budding palaeontologists can search for fossils.
Throw in a treetop walk, witches’ wood, go-kart track, play areas, a café and gift shop, and you have the makings of an excellent family day out.
The Scottish Deer Centre isn’t just a business for David, whose background is in computers. It has always been a huge part of his life and he wants visitors to leave – and return – with as much love for the place as he has.
“If people haven’t been for a few years I think they’ll be surprised to see how much it’s changed,” he says. “We just want to keep adding new things and
improving all the time.”