Longleat Safari and Adventure Park

Coordinates: 51°11′24″N 2°15′40″W / 51.19°N 2.261°W / 51.19; -2.261
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Longleat Safari Park
Longleat Safari Park's lion reserve, with a warning sign
Longleat Safari Park is located in Wiltshire
Longleat Safari Park
Longleat Safari Park
 Longleat Safari Park shown within Wiltshire
TypeSafari park
LocationWiltshire
Nearest cityWarminster
OS gridST818434
Coordinates51°11′24″N 2°15′40″W / 51.19°N 2.261°W / 51.19; -2.261
Area9,000 acres (36.42 km2)
Created1966
Visitors904,714 (in 2018)[1]
Camp sitesYes
Websitewww.longleat.co.uk

Longleat Safari and Adventure Park in Wiltshire, England, was opened in 1966 as the world's first drive-through safari park outside Africa.[2][3][4]

History

The park is in the grounds of

stately home which is open to the public and is the home of the 8th Marquess of Bath. Longleat Safari Park and the concept of safari parks were the brainchild of Jimmy Chipperfield (1912–1990), former co-director of Chipperfield's Circus.[5]

In 2022, Longleat welcomed the birth of a southern koala joey.[6] It is the first of its kind to be born in Europe.[7]

Description

Longleat house and grounds

The Longleat home
Main article: Longleat

Opened to the public in 1949, the house is the ancestral home of the Marquess of Bath.[8]

Safari Park

East African Reserve

The East African Reserve, which contains

African pygmy goats, Somali sheep, Cameroon sheep and, since 2022, a male capybara and a separate enclosure for a male common warthog. The whole reserve extends to 60 acres (24 ha).[9]

Jungle Cruise

The Jungle Cruise (known as the Safari Boat until 2011) is a short trip around Half Mile Lake. The journey takes visitors past the island, which was a former home to the elderly male

black-and-white colobus monkeys.[10]

Monkey Temple

Opened in 2012, the centrepiece of this attraction is a large themed ruin with long rope walkways running across the paths, which allows visitors to safely interact with a variety of marmosets and tamarins.[11]

Giant otters and crocodiles

Branching off from Monkey Temple, this attraction opened in 2019. Previously the enclosure was home to a colony of captive-bred Humboldt penguins which were first displayed in 2013, but there were several outbreaks of avian malaria in September 2016[12] and December 2018.[13]

Animal Adventure

Animal Adventure rabbit

Containing many animals previously kept in Pets' Corner, this area which contains many exotic and familiar mammals, birds, reptiles and insects opened in 2009.[14]

Longleat Railway

Longleat Railway no. 6 John Hayton in 2006

Established in 1965 and expanded in 1976, this

British Railways crimson and cream livery, along with several permanent way wagons. Between 2011 and 2017 the railway was known as the Jungle Express, with the station and carriages given additional theming.[15][16][17]

Current locomotives

Number Name Wheel arrangement Builders Year built Livery Notes
7 Flynn
DM
Alan Keef
 2007 Crimson
  • Named after the son of Lady Lenka Thynn
  • Used on secondary duties
8 John Thynn Bo-Bo
Alan Keef
 2018 Crimson
  • Named after the eldest son of the 8th Marquess
  • Used on primary passenger duties
9 Henry Thynn Bo-Bo
Alan Keef
 2021 Crimson
  • Named after the younger son of the 8th Marquess
  • Twin locomotive of no. 8

Former locomotives

Number Name Wheel arrangement Builders Year built Livery Notes
1 Lenka 4+4wDH Severn Lamb 1973 Maroon
  • Named after Lady Lenka Thynn
  • Sold to Oakwood Theme Park in 1985
  • Name transferred to Longleat Railway no. 4
3 Dougal
T
 		Severn Lamb 1970 Crimson
4 Lenka 4+4wDH Longleat Railway 1984 BR Crimson & Cream
  • Only engine built by Longleat
  • Railcar capable of carrying 12 passengers
  • Sold to private owner in 2017
5 Ceawlin
DH
 		Severn Lamb 1975 GWR Green
6 John Hayton
T
 		Exmoor Steam Railway 2004 Crimson
  • Named after the railway's former manager
  • Sold to the Perrygrove Railway in 2015
  • Has since been overhauled and renamed 'Anne'

In the media

See also

References

  1. ^ "ALVA - Association of Leading Visitor Attractions". www.alva.org.uk. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  2. ISBN 978-0-00-613025-3
    .
  3. ^ The lions and loins of Longleat The Sunday Times Retrieved 18 February 2011
  4. ^ Vines, Gail (2 December 1982). "Safari Parks, after the Honeymoon". New Scientist. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
  5. ^ Samson, Ian (15 May 2010). "Great dynasties of the world: The Chipperfields". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  6. ^ "Poo on menu for Europe's first baby southern koala". BBC News. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  7. ^ "Longleat welcomes baby southern koala in European first". ITV News. 1 February 2022. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  8. ^ Stately-Homes.com
  9. ^ "Longleat Safari Park". britishzoos.co.uk. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  10. ^ Longleat Safari Park western lowland gorilla marks '50th birthdayBBC News Retrieved 17 February 2017
  11. ^ Monkey Temple Themed Structures, inc. Retrieved 17 February 2017
  12. ^ Longleat Safari Park penguins die in malaria outbreak BBC News Retrieved 17 February 2017
  13. ^ Longleat shuts penguin enclosure after new malaria deaths BBC News Retrieved 17 September 2019
  14. ^ Longleat's new Animal Adventure opens Leisure Management Retrieved 17 February 2017
  15. ^ "Longleat Railway". longleat.co.uk. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  16. ^ "Jungle Express (Longleat)". Miniature Railway World. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  17. ^ Profile: Longleat Railway Miniature Railway Magazine Retrieved 26 August 2016
  18. BBC Genome
    : 15. 9 November 1967. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
  19. ^ "Lion Country – BBC One London – 16 February 1998". The Radio Times (3862). BBC Genome: 82. 12 February 1998.
  20. ^ "Animal Park". BBC. Retrieved 14 May 2023.

External links

Media related to Longleat Safari Park at Wikimedia Commons

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