The trail of the ‘Exmoor Beast’ recently led Discover Animals’ videographer Geoff Moore to a zoo that was not quite the most westerly in the UK.
Danny Reynolds was on hand to show him around Exmoor Zoo in Devon, located within dense vegetation high on the hills of Exmoor near to Bratton Flemming. Some 130 species can be seen here along with the ‘Beast’ itself.
Although called the ‘Beast’, the creature has never roamed over the heather moorland of Exmoor and came to the attraction via a French zoo. It is actually a black leopard whose natural home would be India or Thailand but who now finds himself very much the star attraction. With his silky dark coat and sinuous movements, he is a beautiful creature very much needing to be saved.
Many of the creatures at Exmoor Zoo are part of international zoo breeding programmes and a collection of diverse cat species are a highlight. Cheetahs, lynx and caracals are just some of the larger cats, and the gorgeous and small sand cats are charming too.
The zoo, now a charity, has been around for some 40 years in one way or another. It is very much a family day out with numerous opportunities to get up close with the animals via staff who run various animal experiences.
This is not a zoo where there are the larger herds of beasts. Here, small is beautiful with a really diverse collection of rare animals from around the world, many Geoff had never heard of.
An interesting range of bird species were on display, from tiny finches to one of Geoff’s favourites, the vulture, and the most amazing collection of storks including a shoe bill stork standing around five feet high with the most amazing shaped beak. It looked very much prehistoric! There is also a collection of pelicans on the netted lake area, which you can view as they groom themselves and build nests.
As well as breeding and saving many international species, the zoo is engaged in saving the very local and rare Cornish chough too.
For more information visit www.exmoorzoo.co.uk
Where to stay
For his Exmoor stay, Geoff was accommodated at the Luttrell Arms Hotel in Dunster where he spent two nights.
The baronial room, which was once a meeting place for the village, is now a bedroom. It was complete with four poster bed and made for a sumptuous stay in this striking red stone building. It was featured in the ITV series Poirot in ‘The Cornish Mystery’ episode.
The hotel serves a waist-expanding West Country breakfast each morning and evening meals can be taken in the bar areas, restaurant or, on one night, Geoff opted for a garden pod, which made for a different and cosy dining experience watching the sunset, with a view of Dunster Castle at the far end of the main village street.
Exmoor Great Short Walks Pathfinder Guide
£7.25
Discover Animals is a small team dedicated to bringing you the latest conservation and nature news. If you enjoy our content, please support our work with a donation from as little as £1.
