I’M a regular visitor to Whipsnade Zoo, being a big fan of the attraction and also a lover of the nostalgic feeling I get returning to somewhere I went as a a child.
But after going along last week I realised something – that to really experience the zoo you need to do it with a child in tow.
I don’t mean that having a moaning four-year-old dragging their heels and complaining that one minute they’re too hot and the next they’re too cold will help you get a greater appreciation of the magnificence of some of the more exotic residents, or bring home to you the amazing conservation work that the zoo does.
No, what I mean is that it helps you get a handle on the reality of a zoo visit for most of those who go through the gates. Usually, unencumbered by an infant, it’s a pleasant and care-free wander around at your own pace.
But visiting with my husband’s godchild last week threw a whole new light on the experience.
I’ll start with the prices. Paying almost £20 (including gift aid) for yourself is a wince-worthy exercise, but add on £15 per child and for a family day out it’s a very pricey affair (and prices are going up from March 31).
I know that what Whipsnade does is extremely important, and it’s a fantastic attraction, but I can’t help thinking these prices must put a lot of people off.
Sadly, as it was a chilly day, some of the animals weren’t out and about. Luckily at the lemur enclosure, staff were on hand at the entrance to tell you that the ring-tailed residents were inside, where you could still get a look at them.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t the same story at Cheetah Rock, where the sign saying the cheetahs had taken up residence in a nearby enclosure (closed off from the public) was unhelpfully on the exit, rather than the entrance.
So most people were trapsing through the mud in the hope of spotting them, only to come out disappointed at the other end.
The Discovery Centre was a treat, as always, with a great array of reptiles and insects. Our little charge loved the mongooses (mongeese?) and the alligators, and was entranced by the stuffed lion in the children’s activities room.
All of us were thrilled when the tiger woke up from his afternoon nap and began prowling the perimeter fence of his enclosure, making a pretty terrifying sound every few paces.
The wind blowing up the hill made for a pretty bleak walk around Escarpment Avenue, which takes you around the edge of the site. Added to that was the fact that the toilets near Cheetah Rock had been out of order, and with godchild desperately needing the loo it was touch and go whether we’d make it to the next set near the Lookout Cafe.
Fortunately, we did, and moved on to the giraffes and rhino, always breathtaking when seen up close. The wolves were out in force in their large enclosure, but sadly (as has often been the case in my experience) the brown bear was nowhere to be seen.
As well as coming away with an appreciation of what it’s like to take a child along, I also left with a new favourite animal – the European lynx.
Walking up to its enclosure I wasn’t really expecting to see anything (it was so cold that you couldn’t blame any of the animals for going into hiding). So we were all amazed when not one, but two of the beautiful beasts strolled right past us – absolutely stunning.
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