Cotswold Wildlife Park turned into an unexpected winter wonderland earlier this week when a blanket of snow fell, covering parts of the UK including Oxfordshire.
As temperatures dropped, a dedicated team of keepers worked hard to care for the animals, including the park’s new three-month-old White Rhino calf, Molly, who saw snow for the first time, as did zebra foal Maxwell.
The snow has been welcomed by a number of the animals at the park, including the red pandas, camels and wolverine who would normally come from colder climates. All those not so keen on this weather have been housed in heated indoor enclosures.
Jamie Craig, Curator of Cotswold Wildlife Park & Gardens, said: “All the animals have heated houses where needed and are currently unaware of the outside temperatures, unlike their keepers who were busy removing snow from the roof of the aviaries and clearing pathways this morning.
It’s certainly not the weather for our tropical species, but for a few, most notable the reindeer, wolverines, penguins and Pallas cats, it is a favourite time of year and they are revelling in the arctic conditions.”
The Bactrian camels also adapt well to their environment at this time of year. In the wild, they inhabit Central and East Asia’s rocky deserts where temperatures can reach over 100°F – but can also drop to –20°F in winter. Their thick, shaggy fur can cope with the freezing temperatures, which they will moult as the seasons’ change, allowing them to survive in the unrelenting heat.
If you’d like to see the animals at Cotswold Wildlife Park this winter, check the website and social media channels for the latest information ahead of visiting.
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