Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Heartbreak at closure of bird centre
NEWENT’S International Birds of Prey Centre has announced its sudden closure – bringing an end to one of the West’s longestrunning visitor attractions.
Only a few years after Princess Anne caught an Abyssinian owl to mark the 50th anniversary of the world-leading centre, founder Jemima Parry-Jones has shut down the visitor attraction.
On Thursday the global expert said the Gloucestershire site, which once attracted people from across the country to see vultures, eagle owls and falcons, will close and be sold off.
Jemima plans to continue her conservation work from a private new site, which has yet to be identified, and around 140 birds will now go to new homes dotted round the country.
Jemima, 72, will keep some of her old favourites such as Pinotage, a white-haired bad-tempered Egyptian vulture she has had for 28 years, and Hem, a 20-year-old eagle owl.
“It was a heartbreakingly difficult and sad decision for us,” said Jemima, who works on vulture conservation in Nepal and India.
“It was even more difficult because we had to do it very quickly.
“Although we will no longer open to the public, we will carry on with the breeding and conservation work.
“I may be 72 but I’m very fit and I have no intention of sitting at home reading and doing jigsaw puzzles.”
Her father Phillip Glasier founded what was The Falconry Centre in May 1967 and over the years she has added to the collection and became an internationally recognised expert in the field, travelling the world in a bid to save endangered species.
The centre became a popular day out for families as well as bird lovers around the country.
Lady Diana dropped in with very young Princes William and Harry when she was living at Highgrove, near Tetbury, with Prince Charles.
Princess Anne has visited four times and even Prince Phillip went to admire the birds of prey at the centre.
But the difficult location and growing numbers of similar centres had led to reduced visitor numbers and the infrastructure needed completely revamping.
Covid-19 was the last straw and Jemima is very critical of the Government’s response to animal centres. Charity trustees took the decision to close on Tuesday.
“We survived the worst of the pandemic and, therefore, were ineligible to receive support funds from the Government’s extensively debated Zoo Support Fund and Zoo Animal Fund,” Jemima explained.
“However, ICBP is viewing this step as a new phase in its long history and is excited by the prospect of contributing to conservation in different ways.”
The new facility will be focused on conservation, breeding, specialist courses and lectures.
Jemima said: “ICBP has been the whole of my life for its 55 years, a lifetime of commitment to birds of prey.
“Over the years many other people
I may be 72 but I’m very fit and I have no intention of sitting at home reading and doing jigsaw puzzles JEMIMA PARRY-JONES
have also been involved with and assisted ICBP, so this change has been a very difficult decision. However it is vitally important for us not to lose that work, and the ethics behind it all, that has been given so freely.
“We are taking this step in order to consolidate our knowledge and expertise, reduce our workload and costs and look forward to slightly different and exciting conservation tasks ahead.”
The centre has now closed but the remainder of the Owl Evenings and Experience Days up to March 16 will be honoured.
All ticket holders are asked to go to the website and check their emails for information.