British Wildlife Centre

Posted on July 11, 2012 by Andrew Gray

This coming weekend I will be visiting the California Academy of Sciences and giving an international lecture in San Francisco. However, before heading off I needed to ensure a very good home for the young weasel orphan I have been raising – the one that you may have read about in my previous post but 2: An Artist’s W Easel

Well, I knew just the place… The British Wildlife Centre.

The British Wildlife Centre is a very special place that provides people with an opportunity to see and be inspired by our native species and their natural environment. Located near Lingfield in Surrey, the centre maintains over 40 species, all displayed in natural settings. It’s a truly wonderful place.

I had arranged to let the centre have my young male weasel to pair with their young lonely female, Eva. On arriving I was overwhelmed to see how wonderfully the animals were being kept and how happy and healthy they all looked. It was simply amazing to come face to face with some of our rarest british species, some of which I have never even had the opportunity to encounter in the wild. Matt, Head Keeper, kindly showed me the collection, sharing his clear passion and enthusiasm for all. Superb!

Apart from witnessing the clear commitment of the owner and staff to the wellbeing of the animals, it was also extremely heartening to learn of the ethos behind the centre and to hear of all the education work and conservation work associated with it. This includes a wonderful 16 acre wetland nature reserve that has been established, where species richness has increased tenfold and children of all ages engage with nature during special taught sessions.

Before leaving, I had the fortunate opportunity to get close to one of my favourite mustelids, Pine Martens. It was such a cool experience and one I will never forget. I’d like to thank Matt for sharing his time and his passion, and would recommend to all interested in British wildlife to visit the centre. Take my word for it, it is superb.