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Cotswold Wildlife Park Re-Opens
5th April 2001
Issued by Cotswold Wildlife Park

Cotswold Wildlife Park re-opens on Monday 9th April

Cotswold Wildlife Park (CWP), which has been closed since 27th February as a precaution against the spread of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), is to re-open on Monday 9th April.

Like nearly every other major zoological attraction in the UK, the Park closed voluntarily to protect its potentially susceptible animals and to express solidarity with the local farming community.

The Park has carried out a full risk assessment. We have also consulted with our veterinary advisors and kept local farmers informed, and our decision to re-open has been taken with the advice and support of the regional officers of the NFU.

The whole of the 120 acre Park will be opened to visitors except for:
(i) the Children's Farmyard area
(i) the walk-through enclosures for the Brazilian Tapirs and Capybaras. These animals can be viewed however, from other paths around the perimeter of their enclosure.

Unfortunately Oryx can be infected by Foot and Mouth Disease

Visitors and their vehicles will go over disinfectant pads on entering and leaving the Park, as a further precaution. Nearly all zoos, wildlife parks and safari parks are re-opening throughout the UK, taking all possible steps to minimise the danger of introducing FMD. Although ideally all would remain closed until the country is once again free of FMD, to do so would lead to insolvency.

Reggie Heyworth, Park Director, said "We wish to thank everyone who has expressed concern throughout the last six weeks and hope we can rely on the continued support of the community to help us return to a degree of normality."

Editorial Notes

The Park employs over 80 permanent full and part-time staff and is open every day except Christmas Day. The Park was founded in 1970 by John Heyworth and this has been the first time the Park has closed to visitors.

The Park is home to over 200 different species, ranging from those that inhabit the Insect House, to larger species such as Asiatic Lions and White Rhinos. Many of the species kept by the Park are endangered in the wild (such as Amur Leopards, Red Pandas and Giant Tortoises) and are part of international captive breeding programmes.

Foot and Mouth Risk Assessment

This document assesses the risk to the vulnerable animals kept at the Wildlife Park and the steps taken to prevent physical contact with visitors. There is no risk to visitors' health from visiting the Park.

The animals at risk from FMD are cloven hoofed stock (scimitar-horned Oryx, Llamas, Bactrian Camels, Blackbuck, pigs, goats, sheep and Zebu), Brazilian Tapirs and rodents ( Capybara and Guinea Pigs).

The only risk from visitors transmitting FMD to animals is through direct contact or from transmission via footwear, vehicle tyres, buggy wheels, dogs and to a certain extent, from clothing. Airborne risk can only come from an infected animal which is breathing out the virus.

Precautions being taken

Scimitar-horned oryx - as visitors are prevented from having contact with the oryx at any time, the risk to these animals is minimal.

Llamas - not too many visitors bother to visit the Llamas as they see them on their approach into the Park. Barricade tape with the warning 'CAUTION - DO NOT ENTER' is erected five feet from the Llama fence.

Bactrian Camels - the camels will be confined to their yards, at least during the day. High metal barriers are installed along the visitor side of the yards to prevent contact.

Blackbuck - due to the nervous nature of these animals, the risk of the public is nil.

Brazilian Tapir - as visitors often stroke these animals over their barrier and the fact that tapirs are docile and enjoy contact puts these animals in a high-risk category. As there is no way of erecting a suitable barrier, this part of the Walkthrough Enclosure must remain closed to visitors. They can of course, view the tapirs from the outside providing they are in their paddock. Contact through the chainlink is possible by unlikely.

Capybara - although these animals usually keep away from visitors, they have been known to allow visitors to scratch their heads. As there is some risk, this part of the Walkthrough will also remain closed by padlocking the wallaby/lake gate. Visitors will be allowed access to the rest of the Walkthrough and a notice will be erected by the rhino-end gate, informing visitors that there is no through access.

Childrens' Farmyards - the stock in this area (Zebu, goats, pigs, sheep, Guinea Pigs) is most risk due to the 'hands-on' policy involving these animals. There is no other option but to close the whole of this area to visitors, including the barn, by means of high metal barriers.

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General Precautions - visitors will be required to drive their vehicles througha wheel-dip / disinfectant mat at the entrance to the Park. They will also be required to dip their footwear or walk over disinfected mats before entering the Park. Entrance points to the Park will be limited and visitors will be guided by barriers to these points.
Animal staff will be required to dip boots in disinfectant before and after entering the enclosures of vulnerable species or breeds. A memorandum has been issued to animal staff in this respect.
There will always be an element of risk in a situation where people have contact or near-contact with animals and we can only eliminate these as much as possible. We must however, still be on guard against FMD and not drop our defences thinking the danger is over.

Colin Fountain
General Manager